A $100 million retirement village at Bethlehem is to be named after famous Tauranga businessman and politician, the late Sir Robert Owens.
Construction of Ryman Healthcare's village in Carmichael Rd begins this month and will eventually house more than 450 people and employ 150 staff.
Ryman's managing director Simon Challies said the
choice of naming the site the Bob Owens Retirement Village was to honour one of the city's most respected leaders.
"Sir Robert had an entrepreneurial flair, belief in hard work and can-do attitude and tenacity.
"Combined, these qualities saw him build both a very successful company and also lead the region's civic and business prosperity."
The choice of name for the village follows Sir Bob's name being given to Owens Place off Matapihi Rd, Owens Park at Welcome Bay and one of the port's tugs.
Sir Bob's son and Bay of Plenty regional councillor Doug Owens said the family was honoured by the naming of the village.
He said it would certainly be a prominent village and would be there for a long time.
"We might all end up in it one day."
Sir Bob Owens died in 1999 aged 78, after a making an enormous contribution to the growth of Tauranga and having the unique achievement of being both the mayor of the former Mount Maunganui Borough Council and the Tauranga City Council.
He was a staunch advocate for the Harbour Bridge and after 20 years fighting for it, he had the satisfaction of cutting the ribbon in March 1988.
Sir Bob headed the Owens Group of companies that started when he moved to Tauranga in 1953 and began a shipping company and stevedoring business with only $240.
He also chaired Air New Zealand back to health after the trauma of the Mt Erebus crash disaster.
