The former Blacktown Workers Club is set to build and manage a new $500 million seniors lifestyle precinct on 5.4 hectares on what was once club playing fields. Conceived seven years ago, Workers Lifestyle Group recently gained development approval from Blacktown City Council and Sydney Central City Planning Panel and already has bank financing for the Parkside site.
“Parkside is a transformational project for Blacktown, for Western Sydney and for Workers Lifestyle Group,” the member-owned Workers Lifestyle Group chief executive Morgan Stewart said.
“The Parkside site was freed-up by our board and members committing to a new sporting complex for Blacktown and Western Sydney and it’s now being used by 7000 sports people of all ages.
“Parkside also meets a real need in western Sydney, for a high-quality retirement lifestyle, self-contained and secure but literally next door to our Workers Sports facilities.”
The precinct will be adjacent to the Workers Sports club and the group’s $28.5m HE Laybutt Sporting Complex. The Western Sydney International Airport is also currently under construction nearby.
Work on the 640-unit Parkside complex on Reservoir Road starts in February next year and will be completed in stages over the next five years with the first $110 million, 94-unit precinct scheduled to open by Christmas 2024.
When complete Parkside will consist of 480 independent living units, a 160-unit residential aged care facility, two community centres, a gym with pool and retail.
“This will be a true intergenerational community hub,” said group president Kay Kelly. “It will be a place where children and grandchildren can play their sport, where families and friends can dine and entertain at Workers Sports (club) and where senior members can thrive in their later years.”
Blacktown Workers Club was formed in 1955 after a meeting by the local Labor Party branch. The Workers Lifestyle Group now operates three clubs with 55,000 members – Hubertus Country Club, Workers Blacktown and Workers Sports – and has an annual turnover of $45m.
