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Welcome to our Winter Newsletter 2019

Earlier this year at The Gracewood, we were fully expecting that many Hills District seniors would be keen to attend the public launch on March 7 of our final stage of independent living apartments, taking advantage of the chance to reserve the dream apartment of their choice before all are sold.

But even we were taken aback by the overwhelming demand for places at the launch event, with so many people wishing to attend that the launch was rapidly booked out and we had to organise a second session later in the month – attended by yet another overflow crowd.

Not that we minded of course! In fact, it’s a great tribute to the wonderful community that residents and staff have together created here, along with The Gracewood’s widespread reputation for excellence, that so many prospective new residents are interested in moving here.

Given that our third stage of apartments now under construction and on sale will be the very last to be built on this site, it’s also understandable that public interest would be so high.

As Village Manager, I fully understand what a big decision it is for seniors to consider downsizing from a large, stand-alone house – frequently one in which they have raised their children and lived for many decades - and move to a retirement community.

Residents often describe to me how confronting, even overwhelming, they initially found the thought of packing up a big house, decluttering decades of accumulated possessions and moving from their old neighbourhood.

But wonderfully enough, they also go on to say it was far and away one of the best decisions they have ever made, and in particular, how much they are loving life at The Gracewood, freed from the demands and costs of ongoing house and garden maintenance and so deeply enjoying being part of a warm, friendly and caring village community.

lifeyourstyle.

Penny Edwards - Village Manager

At our March information sessions, four current residents, along with another two who’ll be joining us mid-next year when construction of their Stage 3 apartment is completed, related their own personal stories about why they chose The Gracewood and what they love about our village.

The six panel members were all so entertaining and funny and had the audience laughing and enthusiastically nodding their heads in agreement throughout.

A number of other residents are also featured in interviews on The Gracewood’s website (at www.thegracewood.org.au), and further on in this newsletter, you can read the views of another lovely couple, Frank and Debbie Dogao, who’ll be joining us in their brand new Stage 3 apartment next year.

Residents are definitely The Gracewood’s best ambassadors! Because, exactly as Frank says: “What really strikes me most is that whenever you ask any of the residents how they are finding life at The Gracewood, their comments match so exactly the most glowing claims in any of the sales material… From everything all the residents we’ve spoken to have said to us, the quality of life here is exactly as promised.”

Over recent months, we’ve also been busy creating a brand new home for The Gracewood’s gym, moving it from its previous location into a

larger, purpose-built space to house additional gym equipment and with windows looking out onto the village pond.

In April, we held a very moving wreath-laying service to mark Anzac Day, with pride of place going of course to the ex-servicemen and women amongst us, and coming up on May 22, we’ll be hosting another Information Session showcasing Stage 3’s masterplan and floor plans, followed by a complimentary lunch in The Gracewood restaurant.

If you or anyone you know would like to attend though, please do book a place as soon as possible, by calling 1800 116 550 or emailing us at gracewood@baptistcare.or.au.

With my very best wishes, and until next time,

Penny Edwards Village Manager

Welcome continued...

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Stage 3 launch event

Resident panel

Ronda at Stage 3 launch

Work on the three buildings that comprise Stage 3 – named Girralang, Wollemi and Timbarra – continues to proceed smoothly and on schedule, with the basements and underground carparks for all three now structurally complete.

The apartment-level structures for all three are also now beginning to take form, with:

• Timbarra’s ground floor slab and level 1 slab poured;

• Wollemi’s ground floor slab poured and level 1 formwork commenced; and

• Girralang’s basement slab completed and ground floor slab commenced.

Stage 3 construction update

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Stage 3 construction

On April 3, The Gracewood’s clubhouse and restaurant area rang to the sounds of the jazz band Chasing The Moon, first in the morning to entertain a large group of our future Stage 3 residents and then later in the afternoon in another performance for current residents.

The mid-morning session, held in The Gracewood restaurant, was specially arranged for Stage 3 purchasers to help them get to know their future neighbours or meet up again with new friends made during previous gatherings at The Gracewood.

The future residents were given a detailed update of exactly where the construction work on Stage 3 was up to and after greatly enjoying Chasing The Moon’s performance of gypsy jazz, Latin and Swing era tunes, our followed by lunch and much happy chatter in the restaurant.

In response, many attendees said they were “counting down the days” until they could move into The Gracewood, and we can’t wait to welcome them!

Out and About at The Gracewood Jazz on the Deck

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Chasing the Moon

1800 116 550 thegracewood.org.au lifeyourstyle.

“Knowing that demand would be high, we were among the first

people to place a deposit on a Stage 3 apartment. With exisiting apartments coming up for resale

very infrequently, we were determined not to miss out.”

Meet Frank & Debbie. The Gracewood’s residents-to-be.

DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE!

No more to be built!

Become part of the vibrant community at The Gracewood.Don’t miss our final release information session!

Hear from our residents, view plans and discuss financials, book an appointment to secure your very own piece of The Gracewood - the award winning reitrement community.

8 Free Settlers Drive, Kellyville

The Gracewood Community Final Release Information Session:

Date Wednesday 22 MayTime 11am - 1pmRSVP Wednesday 15 MayCall 1800 116 550 or email gracewood@baptistcare.org.auBookings essential, as places are limited.

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The Gracewood Community 1800 116 550 thegracewood.org.au

8 Free Settlers Dr, Kellyville NSW 2155

Future Gracewood residents Debbie & Frank Dogao: “We were determined not to miss out”

TheGracewoodRetirementVillage

With the third and final stage of independent living apartments at The Gracewood currently under construction, Debbie and Frank Dogao won’t be moving into the three-bedroom, ground-floor apartment they’ve purchased, off-the-plan, for another 12 months or so.

But the couple say that with no further apartments to be built there, they are delighted to have secured an apartment in a retirement community as sought-after and popular with Hills District seniors as The Gracewood.

“Knowing that demand would be high, we put our names down very early and were among the first people to place a deposit on a Stage Three apartment,” says Debbie. “No more will be built, and with existing apartments coming up for resale very infrequently, we were determined not to miss out.

“We have secured an apartment with three spacious bedrooms, which means we will be able to have our grandchildren, including four-year-old twins, stay with us. One of the many reasons The Gracewood appealed to us is that it is so family-friendly, and being able to remain in close contact with family was a very important factor for us in deciding to move here.”

Debbie says another quality that strongly attracted the couple to The Gracewood was “its youthful vibe, if I can put it like that. There’s a real energy and vibrancy about the place not apparent in other villages we inspected.”

Frank adds: “Knowing our deposit would be repaid to us in full, if for any reason things didn’t work out, we changed our minds or circumstances changed before settlement was also extremely reassuring.”

While waiting to move to The Gracewood, the couple are so impressed by the retirement community’s friendly and welcoming atmosphere, they occasionally call by just to have lunch in the village’s café.

“Whenever we visit the café, it’s striking how many people came up to us just to say hello or have a chat”, Debbie says. “Everybody is so friendly and pleasant at The Gracewood - residents and staff alike - and there’s such a strong sense of community.”

Frank concurs, saying that the sense of community is, for him, “a very big part” of the qualities that attracted him to moving to The Gracewood.

“What really strikes me most is that whenever you ask any of the residents how they are finding life at The Gracewood, their comments match so exactly the most glowing claims in any of the sales material,” he remarks. “And that’s not at all common, because so often the claims made for any sort of development fail to live up to the ‘hype’. But not at The Gracewood.

“From everything all the residents we’ve spoken to have said to us, the quality of life here is exactly as promised.”

Debbie & Frank Dogao