Fairview retirement village remains close to locals’ heart

It’s been almost 20 years since Pinjarra Hills residents Barbara and John visited Bolton Clarke Fairview Retirement Village but now they call it their home.

After helping her late father Keith move in as one of the village’s first residents in 1998, Barbara says she can’t believe it’s been 26 years since they walked over the site before construction.

“Dad was one of the first residents in and he had his name down before the building started, so we watched the whole process,” Barbara said.

“I had seen an article about the RSL building a place here. Dad was a widower and he lived down on the Gold Coast so I thought this might be an ideal place for him closer to us.

“It was late 1998 when Dad moved in  - and now we have just moved in a few weeks ago!”

For Barbara and John, the locality and access to residential care were some of the main selling points of the retirement village when they were helping Keith move in and now for themselves as they downsize.

“We have lived in Bellbowrie for 47 years and we were happy with the western suburbs and lifestyle around the place and it being semi-rural had an appeal to us,” John said.

“I’d like to think that we are realistic about it, we know that we are getting older and you have to do something about it.”

Now residing in what was the original onsite manager’s home and office, Barbara and John have seen how the village has changed from the very beginning.

“26 years later – it doesn’t seem like that but yes it’s interesting to think about that,” Barbara said.

“Even just the physical aspect of the place has come a long way compared to when Keith was here,” John said.

“One of the reasons why we picked the particular site, which was number 72 for Keith originally, was the fact that we could see the park and now we have a beautiful outlook and garden here.”

The grandparents are now excited to start this next chapter of their lives, settling into their new home at Fairview.