Earlsdon Park Village

In response I don't know really where to start. Perhaps answering Dreamtime's question first. No, I don't live at the Earlsdon place. It won't be completed until next year. I live in one managed by the same company in Canley. Here's a picture of our private south-west facing garden. It backs onto Preston Close. My flat is on the 1st floor of the block to the right. I think I have mentioned previously that the 'scheme' is on the site of the primary school I went to and when I glance up from my computer I can see Ten Shilling Wood where I used to play as a child. I realised only recently that 100 years ago my mother as an 11 year old would have been playing in Gibbet Hill Road, less than a mile away. I left the area in 1962 to join the army with only a few years back in Coventry in the early 1970s. We moved to the outskirts of Greater London and I have moved about several times since. I ended up in Accrington, Lancashire and had been there for 25 years on my own. As I gradually lost most of my walking ability and stairs were getting to be an absolute no-no I moved to here just before last Christmas. It took me about 3 months to settle in. People didn't understand my bluntness and sarcasm. They've got used to it now. It has been one of my better moves. It is the first place I have felt to be 'home' for many years. The secret to success is to join in with the activities available and get to know the other residents. There are 63 flats here with a good cross section of society - though elderly. (I am one of the younger residents - we have around 15 residents who are in their 90s.) In the past few months I have started 2 new group activities, a Gentlemen's evening, and a Coventry History Group. There are so many activities that we produce a monthly activities programme and have a full-time activities organiser. For the more able there are one or two trips out every week. They do, of course, cost extra. The Extracare motto is 'Independent living with care'. Since coming here my walking ability has improved because I know that if I have a fall then carers will quickly come to assist. There are 2 members of care staff on duty 24/7. And, more importantly, they DO CARE. When I lived in Accrington I existed from day to day. Here I look forward to tomorrow, next week, and next year. I am alive again.

Hi Pix, That is so good to hear of a positive response and it does sound like one of the nicest places one could hope for in our senior years. I am afraid looking at that little landscape area would tempt me to have a dabble in the garden. I have seen that photo before and it still looks a very peaceful place to sit and ponder. I hope you enjoy many more years to come Pix living there, meanwhile have a great day (weather permitting).

As per previous post on this thread from 2013 - Its bigger than I (and a lot of other Earlsdoners!) ever thought it was going to be - too big really but private developers will always be trying to maximise their profits.

Extracare (the developers) is a charitable trust. Think 'economically viable'. Much of the ongoing costs are providing the staff to run it. Without the staff the business model wouldn't be attractive to customers.

Just to keep you all up-to-date. This was the building progress when I poked my lens over the fence last Saturday.

What on earth is that monstrosity Robin? Had a look through your gorgeous other pics. Don`t know how you do it, it makes Cov look almost sparkling clean Middle of page 2 there were white statues that reminded me of steel turnings (Machined waste) They used to be called "Herbert`s Worm Turnings" or in local dialect "Hairbairts Wairm Turnings" Moderators' note: This post has been copied into the "Alfred Herbert's" thread, and responses to it have been moved there, in order to keep "Earlsdon Village" on-topic

Thanks for the compliment on my pics Roger. The pic above is Extracare's new retirement home development going up behind what you would know as the Technical College in the Butts. Just think of it as a beautiful woman doing her make-up and that's the mud-pack stage.

It is a high density storage facility for retired citizens. The methodology is to encourage retired people to sell their properties and buy overpriced retirement flats to squeeze the last dregs from their savings. Apparently there will be a small number of rented flats to keep the council happy. When this new experiment fails they will be readily available for student accommodation. In other towns these flats have proved difficult to resell and the owners lose a massive amount of money.

Here are some photos of the finished article, taken yesterday