'Our hopes for Fairview are simply that it stays just as it is'
Fairview's residents share memories of life, laughter and care.
This sentiment, shared by long-time residents John and Mary Gardner, perfectly captures the spirit of Fairview Lifestyle Village as it celebrates its 25th anniversary. Once a rural block on the outskirts of Albany, Fairview has grown into one of the North Shore's most sought-after communities. While much has changed, the heart of the village remains the same. It's the people who make Fairview what it is: residents, staff, families and the wider community.
John and Mary Gardner were appointed village managers in June 2000, just as construction began. 'We were everything in those days,' John laughs. 'Office staff, nursing staff, security staff, sales, cook, show producer.' Living on site, the couple handled it all, including preparing three-course meals for 70 residents from a pair of household stoves. Over time, they built more than just buildings. 'It was the people that made it,' Mary reflects. 'We shared our lives with them. We were a part of their community.'
One of the earliest residents to join that community was Bev Barnes, who moved in back in 2002. Her son-in-law, a builder, recommended one of Fairview's newly built villas. But for Bev, it was the warmth and feeling of community that mattered most. 'That was John and Mary,' she says. A former principal and hockey player, Bev brought her own energy to village life, organising bingo nights, joining the residents' committee, and starring in John's infamous plays on stage in the lodge's lounge. 'I was a German guard in Stalag 21. The costumes were made by Mary, and the script was written by John. It was like Monty Python!'
Today, Bev is 96 and still going strong. She paints, reads and plays the keyboard. She speaks warmly of the community that surrounds her. 'This is a people place, where people can feel at home right from the start. That first morning waking here, I said to my children, 'I've done the right thing.' After surgery left her unable to drive in 2020, her neighbours Jim and Natalie stepped in to help with the shopping and still do it for her, to this day. 'It's a warm, caring place to be, it really is,' Bev says.
Fairview's success has always come down to the people. From day one, it's been a place shaped by relationships, support, and shared experiences. 'We had lots of fun,' John recalls. 'Opera in the Park, ballroom dancing, cruises with residents. We were like one big family.' Bev agrees. 'My fondest memories are from those early days, when we all got into a bit of mischief,' she says with a smile. That legacy continues today, with our residents enjoying a full calendar of activities and strong connections with those around them.
As for advice to those thinking of moving in? 'The sooner, the better,' says Mary. 'Don't wait until you're too old to enjoy it.' Bev agrees. 'This is a place where people care. You're never on your own.'
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NZ Herald
6 days ago
- NZ Herald
'Our hopes for Fairview are simply that it stays just as it is'
This article was prepared by Fairview Lifestyle Village and is being published by the New Zealand Herald as advertorial. Fairview's residents share memories of life, laughter and care. This sentiment, shared by long-time residents John and Mary Gardner, perfectly captures the spirit of Fairview Lifestyle Village as it celebrates its 25th anniversary. Once a rural block on the outskirts of Albany, Fairview has grown into one of the North Shore's most sought-after communities. While much has changed, the heart of the village remains the same. It's the people who make Fairview what it is: residents, staff, families and the wider community. John and Mary Gardner were appointed village managers in June 2000, just as construction began. 'We were everything in those days,' John laughs. 'Office staff, nursing staff, security staff, sales, cook, show producer.' Living on site, the couple handled it all, including preparing three-course meals for 70 residents from a pair of household stoves. Over time, they built more than just buildings. 'It was the people that made it,' Mary reflects. 'We shared our lives with them. We were a part of their community.' One of the earliest residents to join that community was Bev Barnes, who moved in back in 2002. Her son-in-law, a builder, recommended one of Fairview's newly built villas. But for Bev, it was the warmth and feeling of community that mattered most. 'That was John and Mary,' she says. A former principal and hockey player, Bev brought her own energy to village life, organising bingo nights, joining the residents' committee, and starring in John's infamous plays on stage in the lodge's lounge. 'I was a German guard in Stalag 21. The costumes were made by Mary, and the script was written by John. It was like Monty Python!' Today, Bev is 96 and still going strong. She paints, reads and plays the keyboard. She speaks warmly of the community that surrounds her. 'This is a people place, where people can feel at home right from the start. That first morning waking here, I said to my children, 'I've done the right thing.' After surgery left her unable to drive in 2020, her neighbours Jim and Natalie stepped in to help with the shopping and still do it for her, to this day. 'It's a warm, caring place to be, it really is,' Bev says. Fairview's success has always come down to the people. From day one, it's been a place shaped by relationships, support, and shared experiences. 'We had lots of fun,' John recalls. 'Opera in the Park, ballroom dancing, cruises with residents. We were like one big family.' Bev agrees. 'My fondest memories are from those early days, when we all got into a bit of mischief,' she says with a smile. That legacy continues today, with our residents enjoying a full calendar of activities and strong connections with those around them. As for advice to those thinking of moving in? 'The sooner, the better,' says Mary. 'Don't wait until you're too old to enjoy it.' Bev agrees. 'This is a place where people care. You're never on your own.'
NZ Herald
11-06-2025
- NZ Herald
It was just a stopover – 18 months later, they call it home
This is part of a series of sponsored stories by ZB's Kerre Woodham in which she examines life in Metlifecare villages through the eyes of residents – how they came to be there, what shaped their choice of village and their life in residence. Today:Kerre meets John and Taya, a fit and adventurous couple whose year-and-a-half tour of the North Island ended with a fresh start – and a balcony view – they never saw coming. Should the quiz show Mastermind ever come back on to our screens, John and Taya Schoutens' speciality topic would be retirement villages. Their 18-month quest to find the perfect village has taken them all over the North Island but they couldn't be happier to call Metlifecare Somervale home. John and Taya loved living in Matarangi but circumstances meant the beautiful seaside village wasn't going to be their forever home. As John explains it, 'We had some events in the Coromandel with roading and weather and so on and you start thinking, especially when you are getting older and it's a three-hour drive from the hospital, we need to sort something out. I said to Taya when I'm 75 I'd like to be organised, so we started travelling round in our motorhome looking at different retirement villages and different options.' John and Taya had a checklist of what they wanted. Their ideal village needed to be somewhere warm and sunny. They wanted care facilities established, not the promise of a hospital one day and there needed to be loads of facilities and things to do for this fit and active couple – a gym, a pool, proximity to golf courses and the like. Over 18 months, they travelled from Hawkes Bay to Kerikeri and all points in between, visiting a range of villages and staying in each town and city for a few days at a time to get the feel of a place. None were quite right until some friends who were camping at the Mount suggested John and Taya travel over and stay alongside them and check out the Bay of Plenty. John and Taya fell in love with the area. Now they had to find a village that suited them. Again, they did their homework. They considered Metlifecare The Avenues and they liked the village but it was situated in the bustling metropolis of Tauranga, not the Mount. They visited Metlifecare Bayswater and stayed a couple of nights in the guest suite at the village but it was a bit too big for them. And then they came to Somervale. It's fair to say it wasn't love at first sight. 'We drove past it in the motorhome the day before,' John says, 'and I said to Taya, I'm not going in there! It's old! But we'd made an appointment so I said, we'll have to go and have a look. And then we saw this building and it's all new and we think about how's it's going to be in the future. It will be so nice to grow with the village.' Somervale is undergoing a massive transformation with new living options and facilities being constructed. Far from being a disincentive, John and Taya are enjoying being a part of the village's rejuvenation. 'I think it's really exciting,' John enthuses. 'There are new apartments ready now, new buildings going up, there are new people coming in the door all the time. It's really vibrant.' Taya said she knew she'd found the right village the moment she walked in. 'I thought, oooh. This is a resort. This is lovely. I think that's really important. If you go somewhere and it will be your future, it really needs to feel right.' Initially, John and Taya were looking at villa options at the villages they visited but when they visited Somervale they embraced the idea of apartment living. They love the expansive views from the balcony of their apartment, they love having the option of privacy but knowing their neighbours are close by, they love the streamlined ease of apartment living. While some people hesitate at the idea of apartment living, it can be quieter, more private and more spacious than they expect. Purpose-built for retirees, the apartments at Somervale offer natural light, different outlooks and clever layouts that balance independence with connection. For John and Taya, it's meant less upkeep, more freedom, and a home that feels like a haven. 'We had a big house and a big garden in Matarangi,' says Taya. 'It was a lot of work – a LOT of work!' John chimes in. 'You're looking at an easier life when you get older. Like now, instead of doing the garden, you can go and have a swim in the pool or you can play a game of snooker or go for a bike ride or a walk on the beach.' John and Taya were concerned about leaving the friends they'd made in Matarangi but they have a cunning plan – luring their friends to Somervale to come and live in the village with them. 'We have a couple who came here – they only looked at this place – and they signed up straight away. They said we don't need to do any looking around and research. John and Taya have done it all!' John laughs. John and Taya don't look old enough to be eligible for retirement living. The two of them are fit, fun and proactive – wanting to make the most of their time together in their beautiful new home and looking forward to being part of an exciting new development. 'Straight away we had a good feeling about this village' says John. Because we'd done so much research, we knew we'd found the right place. With retirement villages, you can't just say it's for old people. It can also be a lifechanging opportunity. You can have a really good life here. You just don't want to leave it too late.'
NZ Herald
05-05-2025
- NZ Herald
Inside Fairview's success
This article was prepared by Premier Lifestyle Villages and is being published by the New Zealand Herald as advertorial. 'Give it 100% or don't even start,' say founders Dave and Scott. Before Fairview Lifestyle Village, the land it sits on was farmland. Horses grazed the paddocks, and llamas roamed next door. Dave McFarlane saw the potential for something more. 'We set out to do things differently,' he says. With a background in construction and a decade spent in Australia, Dave knew the ups and downs of the industry. He bought an aged-care facility in Henderson. From there, the idea for Fairview began to take shape. He drew inspiration from overseas. 'Villages in the States were on another level, not only in terms of scale but what they were offering with their facilities. They were like luxury resorts.' Retirement villages in New Zealand were still relatively basic – far from the lifestyle communities we're used to seeing today. 'We thought, let's step it up a bit. Let's go a bit bigger.' Not just in ambition, but in size too. 'At the time, houses in New Zealand were getting bigger every year. Why would we place retirees in homes designed 20 or 30 years ago?' The site on Auckland's North Shore was carefully chosen for its gently sloping, north-facing aspect. 'It's angled to the sun, so living areas can be naturally warmed.' Dave partnered with long-time friend Scott Vernon. They brought on architect John D'Anvers early in the process to design spacious villas surrounded by generous gardens. Dave oversaw construction, while Scott focused on selling the homes. Demand was strong from day one. It remains strong today. Later, John and Mary Gardner joined the team. They took on village management and sales, helping to shape the warm, welcoming atmosphere Fairview is known for today. Today, the Gardners are residents of the village themselves. Having a care facility on site was part of the vision from the beginning. 'It's something the Aussies and Americans did. And for us, it was always the plan to have a registered nurse on site to respond to the emergency alerts from our residents,' says Dave. His mother Betty was one of Fairview's first residents. A passionate gardener, she lived in a villa for 18 years, then moved into an apartment in the lodge, and eventually into Fairview Care. 'She started having falls and had to use the emergency call buttons a few times. That's when the decision was made to enter care.' Fairview Care continues to operate at capacity. The waitlist, now a constant, points to a broader trend as New Zealand's population ages and demand for care services increases. Dave's sister Lynn played a key role in shaping Fairview Care. She ran the unit for five years and helped to set the standard for the high level of support the village provides. His son Jono is continuing the family legacy, overseeing construction across both Fairview and Settlers. 'Jono is a perfectionist,' says Dave proudly. 'When a villa or apartment comes on the market, it's refurbished to the highest standard.' Fairview, now in its 25th year, and its sister village Settlers Lifestyle Village remain privately owned. Management is accessible and responsive. 'That's an advantage of having management on site.' As for Dave's involvement, he says, 'I still walk the village today, keeping an eye on maintenance and development projects. I know and chat with our residents and staff, and Scott and I both maintain a strong personal interest in their wellbeing.' From farmland to one of the North Shore's most sought-after lifestyle villages, Fairview reflects Dave and Scott's philosophy: 'If you do something, you have to do it properly. You give it 100% or you don't even start.'
