New life in Parkville Gardens

A small ray of sunshine has pierced the grey skies of winter and the recurring gloom of lockdowns.

Parkville Gardens has a new café and mini-mart. It’s on the corner of Oak and Garrard streets and it’s staffed by cheerful barista Gus. The space is small, but the service is large-hearted. It’s a welcome addition to the neighbourhood.

On the other hand, there’s been a loss, albeit a temporary one. The vice president of the Residents’ Association, Michael Saunders, and his wife Monika and two young children have left to live in Germany for a year. We’ll miss them very much but wish them well for a rich experience of European life, enjoyable adventures and an eventual safe return. In the meantime, we’ll be on the lookout for fresh blood on the PGRA committee – there are openings for local residents with ideas, skills, energy and community spirit.

A brief update on the upcoming social housing development in Galada Ave. Citta report that it hopes to finalise its choice of builder very soon. The initial task of sorting out contracts and arrangements will take place off-site, so it’s not expected there will be any construction work on site for a few months yet.

Not far from Parkville Gardens there are several large establishments: CSL, the zoo, youth justice and mental health facilities, and the Royal Park campus of the Royal Melbourne Hospital. But there are also important institutions within our boundaries, such as Mercy Health’s retirement and aged care facility, the Parkville office of Dementia Australia, and the Mental Health Research Institute.

It’s always good to get to know your neighbours, so this month here’s a little information about Dementia Australia (DA), provided by Sarah Richards, its media and communications advisor …

DA was founded more than 35 years ago. It’s the national peak body for people impacted by dementia, a challenging and much misunderstood condition. Estimates put the number of people living with dementia in Australia at half a million, with three times that number involved in their care. DA addresses this need with a combination of information, education and support services. The Parkville office is situated on Oak St. Normally around 65 people work there in a range of activities across marketing, communications, client services, the Centre for Dementia Learning and consumer engagement.

It’s fitting that Dementia Australia should be located in Parkville Gardens. The facility that became Royal Park Psychiatric Hospital was founded here in 1907. The hospital was closed in the 1990s but a heritage-listed building, converted to apartments, remains the centrepiece of the neighbourhood •