Committee member Evelyn Churchill cuts the ribbon to officially open Rowan Apartments, built for younger disabled adults. Photo / Florence Charvin
Committee member Evelyn Churchill cuts the ribbon to officially open Rowan Apartments, built for younger disabled adults. Photo / Florence Charvin
A $3.8 million apartment complex designed for younger disabled adults has officially opened in Napier, offering high-tech, accessible housing that organisers say will give residents “independence and a safe place to call home”.
The project, run by Presbyterian Support East Coast’s (PSEC) Enliven Disability service, aims to ease a shortageof accessible housing in Hawke’s Bay that has left many younger disabled people with no option but to live in aged-care facilities.
“This must not be seen as a legacy project. It must be a catalyst for changing the way our community understands choice. With appropriate housing, disabled people can live their lives fully, with independence and dignity,” PSEC board chair Alison Prins says.
Committee member Evelyn Churchill, who has cerebral palsy, knows first-hand the challenges of unsuitable housing, having once been placed in an aged-care facility before moving into Rowan House in 2018.
Churchill’s daily routine reflects the constant effort of living with disabilities.
“I need help getting out of bed, having a shower, getting dressed, undressed, I need to have food cut up,” she told Hawke’s Bay Today.
Churchill cut the ribbon to officially open Rowan Apartments.
“This building wouldn’t have happened without everyone that’s worked behind the scenes and on site. Thank you to everyone on the Give a Brick Wall for donating, and to the volunteers and workers who made this possible,” she said.
The project has been entirely community-funded, with a $1m contribution from the Royston Health Trust and support from the J.D. Harris Family Trust, the Frimley Foundation and the “Give a Brick” campaign.
Project manager Nick Ward said the building was “shoehorned in” on a small, triangular site and raised nearly a metre above street level to stay safe in any future storms.
“It’s not an average house. It’s not an average commercial building. It’s a bespoke, purpose-built care facility,” Ward said.
Rowan Apartments, a $3.8m housing complex for younger disabled adults, officially opened in Taradale on Tuesday. Photo / Florence Charvin
The apartments were designed to hospital-level standards, while maintaining a homely feel. Features include hydraulic rise-and-fall kitchen benches, wide corridors, ceiling hoists, accessible bathrooms and automated entry systems.
The building also has 70 solar panels, back-up water supplies, a generator and hospital-grade fire safety systems.
Each apartment is fitted with hospital-grade features, including ceiling hoists for mobility support.
Enliven Disability continues to welcome donations to support future projects.
Organisers say opening the apartments isn’t the finish line, but the next chapter in a long-term plan to invest further in comprehensive disability services.
