RETIREMENT LIVING WITH RYMAN William Sanders Retirement Village manager Murray Bain at the entrance to the village.
William Sanders village great for the community Aidan Bennett pays a visit to meet Murray Bain, Manager, Devonport’s new William Sanders Retirement Village It’s no secret that the William Sanders Retirement Village in Devonport has been a topical project even when it was a glint in Mr Ryman’s eye. There were those who were looking forward to it and there were those who were not. It consumed column centimetres in local publications and comments on social media. This writer was always a fan. I had seen the lifestyle that these type of villages had given family members over many years, and in the past decade my mother has loved the lifestyle she leads in her village near Takapuna. I reckon William Sanders Village was much-needed for Devonport. It was good that Ryman prevailed, and a couple of years on their wonderful William Sanders Retirement Village is very much part of the community. When completed it will also provide 120 jobs for local people which is great for the Devonport peninsula. I was wandering past William Sanders Village one day while exercising during lockdown and got talking to a gentleman of a similar age to me and he just happened to have a mother living at the village. I quizzed him on it and he said she absolutely loved it. He raved about it. His mum was enjoying the lifestyle as much as mine was in her village. So I decided to go along and find out more about William Sanders Retirement Village. In mid-July it was time to pay a visit and talk to manager Murray Bain.
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AIDAN BENNETT: Murray, how long have you been the manager at William Sanders Retirement Village? Were you here through the start-up phase? MB: I have been with the William Sanders Retirement Village and Ryman Healthcare since April 2019. The period from April to now has been focused on welcoming and supporting our residents in their brand new independent apartments. AB: Do you have a background working in this sector? MB: Working for Ryman Healthcare is a career change for me. My previous career was in tertiary vocational education. I was looking to work in a field where my skills were transferable and the company values aligned to my own. The purpose of the company had to be meaningful. Ryman Healthcare well and truly met those criteria and I am loving it. AB: When did Ryman acquire the site and when was the first sod of soil turned on the site? MB: The site was acquired back in 2014 – it was formerly a Navy housing development. Work began in late 2017. AB: How many people live here now and how many people will there be at the completion? MB: We currently have 54 Apartments that accommodate 70 residents. We are expecting to have a total to 485 to 500 residents once everything is complete. AB: When will the village be fully completed? MB: We do not have a firm date in mind.
Issue 112 - August 2020 www.channelmag.co.nz
