20 January 2025
The grand opening of the new Hobby Shed at Caloundra Rise Retirement Village on 1 November 2024 was a heart-warming celebration of creativity, connection, and community spirit. Over 100 residents, staff, and special guests, including local Councillor Tim Burns, gathered to mark this milestone with a lively BBQ, a ceremonial chainsaw ribbon cutting, and heartfelt speeches.
Councillor Burns praised the community effort, saying, “I love watching a community of people come together for a common reason. It leads to stronger connections and better relationships. This shed is more than I anticipated — it will allow people to be creative and produce things of value and meaning. Congratulations to everyone involved.”
The Hobby Shed, designed as more than just a workspace, has become a hub where lifelong hobbies flourish and friendships grow. Groups like The Woodies, the Craft Group, and Aspects of Art have already embraced it as their own, transforming it into a vibrant shared space.
For The Woodies, the shed provides a space to build and bond. Scott Grimley emphasised the value of the socialisation zone. “Coming together as a community is extremely important. Particularly as we’re ageing, our ability to work on machines may not always be there, but our interest still is. To be able to sit down, have a chat, and a cuppa is so important. That’s for everybody.”
Scott also expressed his gratitude for the team effort behind the new facility, adding, “A lot of people have made a lot of contributions. I reiterate my great thanks and gratitude to all who’ve contributed and to SCCQ for giving us this fine facility.”
Margi Parry, leader of the Aspects of Art group, reflected on the joy of sharing her passion for art. “The more you give from your heart to a community, the more you get back. The biggest thing is just to help people,” she said.
Chef Jules from the Caloundra Rise Bistro cooked an impressive 16kg of sausages for the BBQ, while residents and staff enjoyed lively conversations and laughter. Retirement Village Manager, Mandy Julian summed it up, “It’s amazing what our residents have achieved. This shed is just fantastic and is the perfect addition to our village, offering a place for creativity, friendship, and fun.”