A crowd of about 300 people gathered in the sun-filled courtyard of the complex on Tuesday to witness the Pioneers Lodge opening ceremony.

Pioneers Lodge CEO Bob Bonomi said, after 18 months of planning and another 18 of construction, he was overjoyed with the finished result.

“It’s been a long time in the planning,” he said.

“But we are delighted to be in this new facility that has been designed specifically for today’s aged care needs.”

Pioneers Lodge committee member and pioneer of the organisation Stuart McWilliam was given the honour of unveiling the plaque.

Mr McWilliam has been with the group for 36 years of the 37 they have been in existence, with one of the three units named after Stuart and his wife Margaret. The other two are called the Don MacKay High Care Unit and the Curtis Chauncy Low-Care Unit.

Mr McWilliam told how back on November 8, 1971

the first public meeting was held to form a committee to build the original Pioneers Lodge.

He said that initially the committee started looking for a separate plot of land to build on and in September 1973 it was suggested by the Griffith Base Hospital Board to consider the site on hospital land. In November 1974 the proposal to build on hospital land was accepted and it was officially opening in August 1978.

The new facility, now located in Sidlow Road is a modern, 75-bed facility equipped with all of the latest technology available.

Following the ceremony a delicious afternoon tea was provided by the Uniting Church Day Ladies Fellowship.