Ryman Healthcare marked a significant milestone with the official opening of Kevin Hickman Village, a flagship retirement village in Christchurch, celebrating the legacy of Ryman co-founder Kevin Hickman.

Located beside the Riccarton Racecourse, the village was officially opened in the presence of Kevin Hickman’s family, residents, community leaders, health partners and government representatives, including Christchurch Mayor Philip Mauger.

Designed by renowned Christchurch architects Warren & Mahoney, the village spans almost five hectares and provides the full continuum of care Ryman is known for, with 155 independent living units, 65 serviced apartments and 80 care beds.

With the number of people aged 80+ across New Zealand expected to roughly double by 2050, this is a significant contribution to retirement living and aged care for the Canterbury population.

Ryman Healthcare Chief Executive Officer Naomi James said the village plays a key role in responding to growing demand for retirement living and aged care in Canterbury.

“As demand continues to grow, this village plays a key role in improving Cantabrians’access to high-quality living and care. Designed around a full continuum of care model, it gives residents confidence they will receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time,” she said.

“With the village now fully complete, its residents and team members have established a warm, welcoming and thriving community,” she said.

James reflected on Kevin Hickman’s extraordinary life and legacy, from his early career in policing, to co-founding Ryman in Christchurch in 1984, driven by a belief that older people deserved dignity, privacy and care that was, in his words, ‘good enough forMum and Dad’.

“Kevin lifted standards across the entire aged care sector, and re-shaped what retirement living and care could look like.

“What makes a Ryman village special isn’t just the buildings, it’s the people.

“The friendships that have formed here, the way residents look out for one another, and the sense of belonging are things Kevin would be incredibly proud of,” she said.

The Grand Opening concluded with the ceremonial handover of the village to its residents, marking Kevin Hickman Village as a place they can be proud to call home.

About Ryman:

Founded in Christchurch in 1984, Ryman Healthcare is NewZealand’s largest retirement living and aged care provider, and the leading integrated retirement living and aged care operator in Victoria. Dual listed on the NZX and ASX, Ryman owns and operates 49 integrated retirement villages across New Zealand and Australia, providing homes to over 15,000 residents and employing 7,800 dedicated team members.

About Kevin Hickman:

Kevin Hickman ONZM was a respected entrepreneur whose career was shaped by a strong commitment to improving healthcare outcomes in Aotearoa.

A co-founder of Ryman Healthcare, Kevin was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to aged care and sport. He and John Ryder formed Ryman after Kevin was asked to investigate a rest home fire in Christchurch, an experience that exposed poor living conditions and inspired a vision for care that would be “good enough for mum, or dad.”

Kevin left school to join the New Zealand Police and quickly rose to become a detective before leaving in the early 1980s to establish an independent investigation business. Alongside John Ryder, who provided accountancy advice, Kevin had already built several businesses, including a backpacker hostel and a chain of garden centres.

He later applied that entrepreneurial drive to pioneering many firsts in the retirement sector, with Ryman growing to become New Zealand’s largest operator.

Alongside business, Kevin pursued his passion for sport. A keen athlete and coach, he was named New Zealand Athletics Coach of the Year in 1999. After retiring as Managing Director of Ryman in 2006, he focused on developing Valachi Downs thoroughbred stud with his wife Joanna. Their filly Silent Achiever won the New Zealand Derby in 2012.

Kevin remained a Ryman board director until 2018. In addition to his ONZM, he and John Ryder were inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame in 2020. Kevin Hickman passed away in 2024, leaving a lasting legacy in aged care, business, and sport.

Home Page | Business | Previous Story | Next Story

Copyright (c) Scoop Media