Rosehaven Retirement Village celebrates 50th anniversary
Residents, families, and community members gathered at Rosebank Union Church to mark five decades of community and growth at Rosehaven Retirement Village.
Rosehaven Retirement Village celebrated a major milestone on September 26, as residents, families and members of the community gathered at Rosebank Union Church to commemorate the retirement village’s 50th anniversary.
The celebration reflected on a journey that began in the 1960s, when Rosebank Union Church first envisioned creating a home for elderly people.
Read more: The women of Rosehaven Retirement Village in Hurlingham find purpose after retirement
According to Ian Blackstock, former chairperson of the Rosehaven Residents Committee, the church bought two houses in Craddock Avenue where the first eight residents lived.
The vision eventually grew into Rosehaven, with two Rosebank Union families donating the four-acre property on which the retirement village was built.
After construction was completed, Rosehaven officially opened its doors on September 25, 1976. Five decades later, the village has grown from those original eight residents to about 100 residents supported by a large staff and a range of facilities and activities that have helped shape the community.
Blackstock has witnessed much of that journey first-hand. His own family history is intertwined with Rosehaven. His mother and grandmother joined the community in 1976. “I’m the third generation Blackstock that has come to Rosehaven,” he said. “We’ve seen it from the beginnings right up to what it is today. So, we love it here, and we love the people.”
Also read: How a simple cup of tea is bringing Rosehaven Retirement Village residents closer together
For Blackstock, Rosehaven’s 50-year journey is about more than its physical growth. The colourful grounds, comfortable cottages, kitchen and other facilities are part of the village’s development, but he believes its greatest achievement has been the community that has formed over the years.
“We have such a wonderful family atmosphere,” said Blackstock. “We meet often, just to say hi and spend time with each other. Whenever there’s a rugby match, we get together and watch. There’s a knitting circle with about 15 ladies and we have parties that bring us together throughout the year.”
As Rosehaven celebrated its 50th anniversary, the milestone provided an opportunity not only to look back at its origins, but also to recognise the people who have carried the community through five decades.
From its humble beginnings with eight residents to the established retirement community it is today, Rosehaven’s 50-year journey has been shaped by changing buildings, growing facilities and, most importantly, generations of people who have called it home.
Follow us on our WhatsApp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates!
