Eleven-year-old Charlie Jancso from Wentworth Falls has been named winner of the “Budding Builder” competition after constructing an impressive replica of the Nepean Hospital buildings.
Member for Penrith, Karen McKeown OAM visited the site of the $1 billion Nepean Hospital Redevelopment this week to announce the winner and meet the finalists of the competition.
The Budding Builder Competition was launched to celebrate construction of Stage 2 of the redevelopment, with the goal of inspiring creativity and engaging young residents in the ongoing transformation of healthcare in their community.
Primary school-aged students from Penrith, Kingswood and the Blue Mountains were invited to participate in the competition, creating models of the new hospital using arts and craft materials or building blocks. Three finalists were selected and displayed at Nepean Hospital, where the community and hospital staff voted for their favourite. Voting was exceptionally close, with only a handful of votes separating each finalist.
All three finalists were invited to the awards ceremony, which included a tour of the Stage 2 construction site.
The Budding Builder competition highlighted the talent and creativity of future builders in the local community, with Charlie Jancso’s model capturing the likeness and structure of the new buildings at Nepean Hospital.
The talented ‘Budding Builder’ finalists were Amelia Au-Mahony, aged 5 and Cooper Berry, aged 9.
Work on the redevelopment is progressing at the site, with the first concrete recently poured to set the foundations for the building’s concrete and steel structure. A total of 60 concrete pours will create eight floor slabs for the building.
When complete, the new 7-storey building will feature an Intensive Care Unit, Medical Imaging and Nuclear Medicine services, in-centre Renal Dialysis, paediatric facilities, additional inpatient beds, and a welcoming new front of house and reception area.
Construction of Stage 2 of the Nepean Redevelopment is expected to be completed in 2026.
For more information about the Nepean Hospital Redevelopment, visit www.nepeanredevelopment.health.nsw.gov.au
Minister for Health Ryan Park said “The Nepean Redevelopment is already having a positive impact for healthcare in the region with the services delivered in the Stage One tower including the new and expanded Emergency Department, operating theatres, and birthing suites. These will be complemented by services offered in the Stage 2 Tower, with the buildings seamlessly connected when complete.
“The NSW Government is investing more than $1 billion in the Nepean Redevelopment to transform the delivery of healthcare in Western Sydney.”
Karen McKeown OAM, Member for Penrith, said “This competition has shown us the imagination and passion our young community members have for the future of healthcare in our region. Charlie’s model not only demonstrates his creativity but also reflects the pride our young people feel in seeing the Nepean Hospital Redevelopment take shape.
“We were thrilled by the overwhelming response to this competition, receiving nearly 1,000 votes from health staff and the community. It’s fantastic to see our youngest residents engaging with the project, which will benefit generations to come.”
