The Repatriation General Hospital site will continue to serve South Australian Veterans and the community for years to come, with the RSL today announced as the successful submission for the Repat site.
The RSL consortium, which includes RSL SA, RSL Care SA and RSL Life Care, will invest $125 million redeveloping the site into a Veteran’s and community centre of excellence known as RSL Repat Park.
The proposal provides for an integrated redevelopment providing a range of residential options, private health facilities, and community facilities, enhancing the rich heritage of the site.
The residential component will deliver residential aged care, including dementia and mental health, retirement living, affordable housing and special housing needs, such as housing for homeless Veterans.
The RSL Repat Park proposal also includes privately provided health services, such as allied health care, day therapy, hydrotherapy outpatient services, and primary health care.
The Repat Chapel, SPF Hall and Museum and Remembrance Garden will be maintained and enhanced, including the proposed development of a remembrance walk with 31 plaques detailing Australia’s military history.
Background
In November 2015 SA Health sought Expressions of Interest from private sector and not for profit organisations interested in using the site for rehabilitation, health, education, aged care or community-related services.
The EOI followed a Registration of Interest process in May 2015 and community consultation in July, in which Veterans and the local community gave feedback on how they would like to see the site used.
An expert panel, including representatives from SA Health, Department of Treasury and Finance, Renewal SA and an independent probity officer received five submissions as part of the EOI process of which three aligned with the objectives for the future use of the site.
Other key elements of the RSL Repat Park master plan include:
- more open space with a series of village greens for recreation purposes
- a central café and bistro
- the Hospice will be repurposed as a community centre for retirement living
- a child care centre for use of local community members.
RSL LifeCare has experience at delivering a redevelopment of this type of complexity and scale with their more than 100 acre RSL ANZAC Village at Narrabeen in Sydney.
Handover of the site will occur in late 2017.
Quotes attributable to Health Minister Jack Snelling
Throughout this process we have made it clear that our priority has been to maintain the Repatriation General Hospital site as a place where the public can continue to receive community-based services that benefit their everyday life.
The evaluation panel has comprehensively reviewed each submission, with key consideration made for the most certain and robust future of the site.
To have the RSL consortium present such a strong proposal will ensure the Repatriation General Hospital’s strong Veteran history continues well into South Australia’s future.
The State Government expects up to 600 jobs will be created through this redevelopment.
Quotes attributable to Veterans’ Affairs Minister Martin Hamilton-Smith
This is the best outcome for veterans and for general community health. Not only does it provide a great range of state-of-the-art services and facilities, it also retains the site’s very special and historic links with South Australian veterans.
The new facility will provide world-class infrastructure that embraces innovation, takes full advantage of technology and medical advances and is flexible to meet the challenges of the future.
Quotes attributable to RSL State President, Brigadier Tim Hanna AM
As the peak organisation for Veterans in South Australia, we are extremely proud to become the new caretakers of the iconic Repat site.
Our mission will be to create a Veteran’s and Community Centre of Excellence that cares for the health and wellbeing of our community, as well as commemorating the more than 70 years of Veteran history at the Repat.
We will invest $125 million redeveloping the site, so that we can provide a wide range of accommodation options, as well as privately provided health services and facilities for the whole community to enjoy.
It is an honour to be named the successful submission and we look forward to an extremely bright future at this site.
Quote attributable to Member for Elder Annabel Digance
As we approach the end of an era with the closure of the Repat as we know it, which has been such a treasured part of the community, I welcome the synergies that the RSL consortium will bring to the site and the area. Over time I am sure we will see a contemporary and appropriate health service delivered for the community.
Quote attributable to Member for Fisher Nat Cook
This is a wonderful result for not only our Veteran community, but all South Australians who will be able to access world-class private health services and other community services on this redeveloped site.