May 16, 2013
Former Wondai Shire Council CEO Alan Keates paid a return visit to Wondai last week to officially open two new independent living units at The Laurels.
The project is one that is dear to his heart – Alan was involved in the creation of The Laurels from its outset almost 39 years ago.
He told the 40 guests who had gathered for last Friday’s official opening ceremony that it all began on June 3, 1974, when a public meeting was held in Wondai to discuss the provision of housing for senior citizens.
At that time, Wondai Shire had no public housing for the elderly and local businessman Bob Huston was keen to see the problem fixed.
The meeting voted to form a not-for-profit organisation called the Wondai District Homes For The Aged, and Alan was put in charge of setting it up properly so the group could apply for Commonwealth funding.
The first order of business was to acquire land for the project, and the vacant grounds of the former Wondai State School proved ideal.
Within a short period, the group acquired trusteeship of the land (this was later passed to Wondai Shire Council), which allowed the organisation to apply for funds to build the first units.
They were opened in 1977 with joint State and Federal Funding, backed up by a contribution from Wondai Shire Council and public donations.
Then in 1978 – thanks to some help from Bob Katter Senior – Bob Huston and Alan Keates travelled to Canberra to meet then-Minister for Social Security Senator Margaret Guilfoyle to push the case for more funding.
Soon afterwards the group received the money they’d requested, so more units were built in 1979.
Additional money came again in 1981, and eight more units were opened in 1982.
Over the intervening years the group has kept steadily adding to the Wondai complex, as well as building two units in Proston.
Alan Keates resigned as Secretary of the group in 2006 when he retired as CEO of Wondai Shire Council.
But before he left he ensured the group was properly incorporated, a process that saw its name change to Wondai & District Independent Living Units for the Aged Inc.
The latest two units were built at a cost of $221,282.31 without any public funding at all and bring the total number of units on the Pring Street site to 20.
At the official opening, Mr Keates paid special tribute to the many people who’d steered the organisation through almost four decades of unpaid community work.
They included fellow founders Bob Huston and Bob Somerset; Charlie Harwood; the late Olive Kiehne; Bob Katter senior; and all the present office bearers including President Michelle Smith, Vice President Merv Hansen, Secretary Bob Mitchell, and Treasurer Michelle Hosking, as well as the group’s committee members.
He also thanked many businesses for their help on the latest units.
These included Martin Building Design, AKR Builders, painters Terry and Olivia Scott, CWB Plumbing, Zischke Electrical, Andersen’s Carpets, Russ Mackay Curtains & Blinds, Anthony Treloar Plastering, and Virgo Funerals (who supplied the official plaque).
The complex was named “The Laurels” by Pat Hansen many years ago, partly because of the beautiful camphor laurel trees that surround the site (which helped bring back happy memories of school days at the old Wondai State School) and partly because residents can “rest on their laurels” at the complex.
Rev Hedley Fihaki blessed the two new units before Mr Keates’ speech. The official opening was then followed by a morning tea.
- Related article: New Units Open At Wondai
