The Netherlands Retirement Village Association Inc. owns and operates the Prins Willem Alexander Village which is located at Collingwood Road, Birkdale. The Village provides 74 independent living units and 44 hostel units together with associated improvements such as large central building, a recreational building known as "De Soos", swimming pool and landscaped grounds. The Village has been established to provide the very best facilities and services for the residents.
1980 - 90
In the early 80's, a Federation of Dutch clubs was established. Most clubs became members and from about 1985 onwards several groups discussed the possibility and desirability of a Dutch Retirement Village.
In February 1986 the then Executive of the Federation expressed by way of a motion its 'full support for an initiative to investigate the need and problems of the aged in the Dutch Community'.
The then President of the Federation Mr Steve Flierman and the Vice-President Mr Martin Jonkers formed the nucleus of an interim committee of an organisation which was to be set up for the purposes of a retirement village. Members of the Dutch Community were invited to public meetings, which were extremely well attended, and the vast majority indicated a strong support to work towards the establishment of a retirement village specifically for the ageing Dutch.
The interim committee drafted a constitution and the Netherlands Retirement Village Association was formally incorporated. Mr Martin Jonkers was elected president and he served the Association in that capacity for 10 years.
The work now started in earnest and after some time a suitable site was found at what was considered a reasonable price namely $160,000. It was the price more than anything else that convinced the committee to go ahead with the purchase. A concerted effort to sell debentures resulted in sufficient funds being available to pay for the site once Council approvals had been obtained. The following Annual General Meeting was held in a large marquee and more importantly, ON OUR OWN LAND. We felt so proud!
During this period, the Association also successfully applied for and was granted funding to operate both Community Aged Care Packages (CACP’s) and Veterans Home Care (VHC) packages from an office located in Maroochydore. Both of these programs provide care and support for older people who wish to remain in their own home.
1990 - 2000
From then on rapid progress was made and the first stage of 20 units was completed in September 1990. Almost immediately followed by the next stage of 30 hostel units and the Central Building. This was facilitated by a $1.3 Million grant from the Federal Government on the condition of us making some of the hostel units available free of charge to financially disadvantaged people. The final stage of 20 independent units was commenced and in November 1990 the Ambassador of the Netherlands officially opened the Prins Willem Alexander Village.
Since 2000
The Board decided to acquire the adjoining site and development was soon completed on an additional 34 independent units and a two-storey apartment building containing 14 studio apartments. In 2005 we opened our 64-bed Nursing Home, completing development of the Village.
The Prins Willem Alexander Village is a valuable Dutch Community asset providing a good standard of accommodation at a comparative low cost. The residents live in a friendly environment and receive best possible care.