A staunch Docklander

A staunch Docklander

By Tamara Clark

Eleven-year resident Rose Mercer said she moved to Docklands with her husband, Graham, to grow old gracefully.

It has always been Rose’s preference to live in apartments and after extensive searching and comparison, Docklands stood out well above anywhere else.

“It’s just what I feel most comfortable in,” she said.

The Batman’s Hill resident told Docklands News the area was perfect for growing older because the buildings were taken care of, there was no garden to worry about and residents could walk to the doctor, the supermarket, the chemist and the dentist all within a couple of blocks from home.

She has lived in sky-high buildings in multiple Australian cities and feels safer being off the ground.

“It’s just where I feel like I belong,” she said. “We’re on the eighth floor. If I could afford the 14th floor, I would have moved to the 14th floor as it were!”

“I like looking out over everything and I like knowing that I’m less likely to be broken into and I can leave doors and windows open and feel safer.”

During the lockdown, Rose has volunteered to lend a hand to fellow residents in her building if they need assistance. Be it cooking a meal or helping with groceries, Rose said she wanted to help.

So far, nobody has called upon Rose or Graham for assistance, which she said was “probably a good thing”.

Rose’s work around the building is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to her connection with the community.

She loves the multicultural spirit of the area.

It warms her heart to see incredible diversity among residents, businesses and even the Library at the Dock.

“I volunteer at the library as a leader in communication for English as a second language,” she said.

“So, that’s really kind of fun because the people come from the most amazing countries that I’ve never met anybody from. Or they come from countries that I have visited so I’ve got something in common and it’s good fun.”

She plans to continue volunteering at the Library at the Dock once lockdown restrictions are relaxed.

One of Rose’s main infatuations with Docklands is the environmental lifestyle.

Rose prefers living in an apartment in the middle of a block instead of the side or the top to enjoy insulation and protection from the elements.

And of course, it’s easy to go for a walk, explore the miniature forest or enjoy the water.

“I suppose it’s like any city, it’s as busy or as laid back as you want it to be,” she said. “It’s just a beautiful area.”

Of course, the landscape has undergone many changes over the past decade.

When she moved in, she was only surrounded by Docklands Park and a couple of buildings but a lot of structures have since been erected in each direction.

But luckily, she is still able to enjoy a great amount of clear, blue sky from her balcony, so “it’s really not been a problem,” she said.

On another note, public transport is in much higher demand these days.

“With so many more buildings opening up the trams that used to be empty by the time we got to our stop are now quite full.”

Rose said the influx of new buildings in the area had saturated the capacity of once empty trams.

“Not at the moment, because of the social distancing and people working from home but, on a normal day, and when it’s the end of work day, it’s almost impossible to get on to the trams,” she said.

“It’s just an amazing place to live. And I like the look of it. I like the sort of edgy newness of it.” •

Tram stops for pedestrians?

Tram stops for pedestrians?

February 28th, 2024 - Dr Elek Pafka
Join Our Facebook Group