Wellington Soldiers Club in Early Planning Stages of Assisted Living Homes

Wellington Soldiers and Memorial Club has submitted a request to its local council to build NDIS approved assisted-living housing on a plot of land owned by the Club.

The Central West Club recently handed over plans for its single-acre block to a local designer and consultant to begin the process of approvals. Club General Manager Stephen Hodge telling ClubLIFE.com.au that the Board hopes to build around six two-bedroom units on the block.

“It’s something that we've been looking at for a little while, trying to diversify a bit more away from the Club,” Stephen said.

“There's nothing really in town other than the retirement home that does any of this.”

The aim is to build fully accessible units with kitchen benches that have technology to change height, wider door frames and other amenities to suit anyone using a wheelchair or walking frame. 

The initial planning stages will see the council signing off on the exact number of homes which is dependent on how much room is needed for each dwelling to adhere to NDIS standards — which includes the size of the driveway and other access points. 

With the modifications, Stephen estimates that each home may cost up to $350,000 each — with the Club also seeking government grants.

“We're going to see what assistance we can get, as we are doing this to try and grow with the town,” Stephen said.

“I've spoken to state and now I want to go to the Federal Government and see what they can do to help out.”

Stephen says that the idea came to them after speaking to the Club’s patrons, along with an ex-president and life member.

“I was just looking at people that come into the Club, people that are in wheelchairs that come in and you think ‘how do they survive without assisted living',” Stephen said.

“One of our ex-presidents who is a life member, she said she'd love to move out of her house and move into something that's more suitable for her that she doesn't have to look after — so you look at those sorts of things, where she’s on a walking stick and she's got a bad hip and you’ve got to do it.”

The block —which is 200 metres from the local shops and the Club — is now awaiting approval before designs can be finalised, with Stephen hopeful his Club can continue to give back to the Central West community of Wellington.

“It's all about community to us and our Board who is very, very community orientated,” Stephen said.

“And it's about diversifying, doing better things for your members.”