Elliot Gardens

Elliot Gardens Nominated

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Elliot Gardens Retirement Village was nominated for the 2011 Best Retirement Living development in the Rider Levett Bucknall South Australian Development of the Year Award.

Director of the awards Stephen Knight said the key element of Elliot Gardens was the creation of a large central heart providing an extensive range of community facilities and environmental features to create a wonderful sense of place.

The community has a range of facilities including an indoor pool, bowling green, community centre, vegetable garden and tennis court.

Elliot Gardens was also nominated for the Australian Development of the Year Award.

Elliot Gardens recognised with major award

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Elliot Gardens has confirmed its status as one of Australia’s premier retirement communities after being recognised at the Urban Development Institute of Australia’s (UDIA) 2011 Awards for Excellence.

The Lend Lease retirement village was awarded a commendation in the Senior’s Living category at the UDIA awards ceremony held on Friday, October 28.

Village Manager Gary Stanley said the accolade confirms Elliot Gardens as a first-class development for over 55s.

“The nominees for this year’s awards included some impressive developments from across the state so we feel very honoured to receive this commendation,” he said.

“We’re very proud of our community and all of the staff and residents work hard to make it a fantastic place to live.”

Located in charming Port Elliot, Elliot Gardens offers outstanding facilities with freestanding homes and beautifully landscaped gardens.

Residents have access to an extensive range of leisure and recreational facilities including a Community Centre with a library, bar and sports hall. There’s also a swimming pool, tennis court, lawn bowls green and more.

The annual UDIA Awards for Excellence recognise industry innovation, leadership and the development of communities in South Australia as well as celebrating the achievements of the state’s thriving urban development industry.

Elliot Gardens residents Light the Night

• Where: Elliot Gardens

Residents at Elliot Gardens in Port Elliot took part in a special event this past September.

A group of Elliot Gardens’ residents, together with family and friends, supported the Light the Night event – one of the Leukaemia Foundation’s major fundraising activities held each year - with a walk around Elliot Gardens. Light the Night supports critical research into treatments and cures and it makes a significant difference to thousands of patients and their families whose lives are affected by blood cancers.

The walk took place around the Elliot Gardens grounds on September 21 at 6pm. Everyone who attended submitted a donation and received a balloon which was lit with the following choice of colours:

- Gold to remember a loved one lost
- White to celebrate being a survivor
- Blue to give hope and show their support

This event has occurred in the past.  For more information about Elliot Gardens, please call the village on 8554 3256.

Elliot Gardens woodworkers work thier magic

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When several residents at Elliot Gardens discovered they had a common love for woodwork, they joined together to form the Elliot Gardens Woodworking Group. Now, several years later, the group has close to 100 members – all residents at the Port Elliot retirement community. With decades of woodworking experience between them, members have been busy recently putting their skills to good use around the village and in the extended community.

“A group of our members recently got together and completely refurbished all of the outdoor furniture and bollards at Elliot Gardens, as well as repairing the decking in the village’s rotunda,” said Bob Jennings, President of the Elliot Gardens Woodworking Group. “Another project we recently completed was building a dance floor for the village’s community centre. “There are 80 – 100 members who use the facility but a smaller core group of active members. I suppose you could say we’re semi-professional – we’re lucky to have a very well equipped workshop.

“We have an induction system to ensure safety standards are met and we ask for a small donation to cover operating costs but essentially it is volunteer labour.”

The group’s work can also be seen in the wider Elliot Gardens community, with members lending a hand at the Port Elliot Primary School when it is required.

“As well as the work we do within the village we also do private work, building everything from dining room tables to dolls houses and craft items,” Bob said.

“We recently built a dolls house for a resident’s grand-daughter and last year we built a series of wooden trucks with a group of students from the Elliot Gardens Primary School. A group of us worked with the kids to complete the trucks - teaching them a range of woodworking skills at the same time.

“The group is about much more than just woodwork through – it’s about helping the community and it’s also a great chance to be social and catch up with friends.”

To find out more about the work of the Elliot Gardens Woodworking Group, contact Bob Jennings on 8554 2550.