Life comes full circle for resident Helen

Moving into The Atrium Lutwyche on High Street has been something of a coming home for Helen Saxby who grew up only two streets away.

Sadly, Helen discovered only recently that her childhood home on Laura Street had been demolished after standing proudly on the site.

Helen, who left Lutwyche in 1956, had been a student at the nearby Wooloowin State School and attended Sunday School at St Andrew’s Anglican Church on Lutwyche Road where she later married.

“Lutwyche has changed,’’ Helen said. “Now I look out from my balcony at the spectacular views of the city’s highrise. Once there was nothing there. I can’t get over all the buildings. The bus change below is where the post office used to be. But Lutwyche was still busy in my day when we had trams on the roads. It has always been a busy little centre.’’

Helen was one of the first residents to move into The Atrium in February and is loving her spacious apartment on the top floor with those stunning city view.

“I signed an expression of interest for my apartment back in 2018. I was living in a really small unit at the time in Taigum and it was so small that my daughter and I couldn’t fit in the kitchen together. I had to have something larger. My daughter found The Atrium on the internet and I was happy to buy off-the-plan.

“I am loving living here. My apartment is just so airy and filled with light. I am very, very happy. I had lived on the river at Maroochydore and everyone was worried that I’d miss the river views. I do, of course, but the view over the city is like the river – it changes every day.’’

While the current Covid-19 crisis has put a dampener on the activities of all The Atrium’s residents, Helen is making the most of the self isolation in her new apartment.

“I am entertaining myself with jigsaws. I have always loved doing them and I’m still unpacking after the move. I have 20 boxes still to unpack.

“I have been watching TV and for the first time in my life have signed up for Foxtel. I’ve also been Facetiming with my daughter.

“It’s sad that my friends can’t visit me but I hope it won’t be too long. We are managing to keep in contact by phone and email.

“I am looking forward to joining the pilates classes here when things settle down.

“But I’m feeling very supported at the village. And I haven’t had anything to really worry about yet being in self isolation. Other residents check if I need anything from the shops and I have made a few trips walking down to the Lutwyche shopping centre to get groceries.

“Village manager Clint has been very helpful. He is such a lovely fellow. We are so lucky we’ve got him.’’

Hopefully soon when this virus crisis ends, Helen can get out and about and reacquaint herself with the streets and suburb of her childhood.

To find out more about living at The Atrium Lutwyche call 07 3357 9092 or email live@theatriumlutwyche.com.au