29/06/2006

Windsor Court upgrade fit for royalty

Otorohanga's housing for the elderly units are due for a revamp.
Otorohanga District Council (ODC) has accepted an interest free suspensory loan from Housing New Zealand to upgrade two local facilities.
Council will borrow $44,612.91 from the organisation under a new initiative, which will see all Windsor Court unit's bathrooms upgraded, one unit extended; and an upgrade of Elizabeth Place's parking facility.
Conditions of the suspensory loan state council must retain the housing for 20 years. Disposal within this time would require the loan and interest be repaid. The loan will be secured by a mortgage over the properties.
Council is now calling for tenders for the work, which will be completed within 18 months of the first draw-down of the facility.
The scope of the work is outlined as 12 Windsor Court unit bathrooms at $13,000 totalled to $176,000, one unit extension at $92,000, an additional unit upgrade at $52,000, contingency at $20,000, ODC fees at $20,000, and upgrade of the parking area at $87,612.
Elizabeth Place's parking area upgrade will involve resurfacing and the creation of more space to be utilised.
ODC finance and administration manager John Pevreal said a lot of consultation has taken place with HNZ regarding to the best way to spend the money, and should ODC come in under budget, there may be scope for further upgrades.
Windsor Court was established in the late 1960s and Elizabeth Place was opened in the early 1980s.