‘Out by Christmas’: Elderly widower’s family home to be bulldozed

An elderly widower with dementia faces losing his home by Christmas with the State Government set to resume his property for the East Brisbane State School relocation.

An elderly widower with dementia faces losing his home by Christmas with the State Government set to resume his property for the East Brisbane State School relocation.

Coorparoo resident Trevor Connolly, 93, was last week sent a resumption notice from the government seeking to acquire his family home for it to be turned into the school entrance.

The notice followed months of “back and forth” negotiations between himself and the state government with the parties at odds over value of his property.

Mr Connolly lives next to Coorparoo Secondary College which is set to absorb the East Brisbane State School into its campus.

A department of education spokesman confirmed it was negotiating in “good faith” with the resident adjacent to the Coorparoo site.

Trevor Connolly is set to lose his family home.

Mr Connolly’s property could be bulldozed to facilitate safe pick-up and drop-off zones for the school community.

To Mr Connolly, his home is his castle, having raised his children in the two-storey brick property and watched three generations of his family grow up.

He said he wished to remain in his home.

“I don’t have much option,” Mr Connolly said.

“I’ve gone quite a few years here now without my wife so I might as well have the rest (of my time) here.

“I’d just like to stay here for the short amount of time that remains. It’s as simple as that.”

It’s the latest saga surrounding the East Brisbane State School since it was announced that the 124-year-old school would be relocated for the $2.7bn Gabba redevelopment.

Construction on the new site is forecast to start next year to ensure facilities are ready for Term 1, 2026.

Mr Connolly has lived in the two-storey brick home for about 60 years and raised his family, and their families. Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

Mr Connolly’s daughter Anne said the negotiations with the State Government were “poles apart” in terms of the value of the property.

“It’s a case of they want X and we want Y,” she said.

“But the part that makes me so angry is that they want dad to move out by Christmas. The expectation is ridiculous.

“It just shows the lack of compassion. To them, it’s all about figures and the end result, which is getting the big wonderful Olympics up and going so they can say ‘look at us’. But they don’t care about who they destroy in the meantime.”

It’s understood the department of education issued the notice on October 12 and Mr Connolly has until November 15 to object in writing.

No other property owners were sent acquisition notices, a department spokesman confirmed.

“Well I mean it really does come down to the negotiations, I mean … there is no use trying to fight for a house that’s just not going to be here,” Ms Connolly said.

Trevor Connolly, 93-years old with dementia, wants to see his remaining years out in his family home.