NEW YORK: The two hundred and fifth entry for the seniors housing Global Award for 2015 has been received.
Peter Dickson is building Australia’s first residential village for the LGBTI community and like-minded people. The 55-year-old dreamer has poured his time and money into the groundbreaking project and put everything on the line to ensure his $46-million baby gets delivered.
The former chef and property investor, who now works full-time with some of Melbourne’s most vulnerable homeless people as a tenancy worker with the Salvation Army, isn’t your typical developer.
The idea to develop a gay-friendly community for older people was developed, as all good ideas are, around a dinner table with friends – almost three decades ago. Though the rights of LGBTI people have come a long way since then, Dickson says discrimination as they age and become more dependent is still a fear for many.
“You are born in the closet, and then come out of the closet, and when you’re older you go back into the closet.”
