Accompanied by his family, Bill made the trip from aged care residence Cranbrook Care Bella Vista Gardens to Blacktown City Council on Wednesday to receive the prestigious honor from Mayor Tony Bleasdale OAM in a formal ceremony, followed by morning tea.
Born in Riverstone in 1927, Bill began his building career as an apprentice carpenter at Riverstone Meatworks, whilst studying at Granville Technical College.
After qualifying as a carpenter, he established his own successful business, the McNamara Group, which went on to build a raft of high-profile projects which have become part of the fabric of community life across Western Sydney, including the iconic WestPoint Blacktown shopping centre.
Well respected for his vision, innovative ideas, and tireless lobbying of government bodies to develop community centres in Western Sydney, Bill has spent more than 60 years transforming the landscape of Blacktown City, and beyond, and is renowned for his generous contributions to community life.
Other key developments Bill can hang his hat on include Marketown Shopping Centre in Riverstone, Mount Druitt High School, Riverstone Schofields Memorial Club, Blacktown Aquatic Centre, the Parramatta Cultural Centre, the United Permanent Building, McNamara Centre and Octagon in Parramatta, the J. A. Fleming Stand at Rosehill Racecourse, Parramatta’s Riverside Theatres, the Del Rio Resort on the Hawkesbury River, and numerous facilities for the Royal Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force.
Bill’s outstanding contributions to the construction industry and community life have previously been recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia in 1984 and the title of Blacktown City Council Corporate Citizen of the Year in 2017.
About Cranbrook
Commencing operations in 2000, Cranbrook Care is a multi-award-winning provider of premier aged care and retirement residences. Focused on the delivery of quality, age-appropriate living for mature Australians, Cranbrook Care’s Aged Care portfolio encompasses Lansdowne Gardens (Neutral Bay) and William Cape Gardens (Central Coast), with facilities in Sydney’s Hills (Bella Vista Gardens, Kellyville) and Inner West (Bayswater Gardens, Abbotsford) districts. Cranbrook Care’s Cranbrook Residences caters to seniors seeking superior retirement living solutions which combine enhanced lifestyle amenities with care-as-required.
