Lyons builds lasting legacy
DRIVING around Greater Geelong, Kevin Lyons is fond of pointing out his many projects to his grandchildren.
It is a habit his father, Eric, known to a generation as E.J. Lyons, was known to indulge in, and with good reason.
Hundreds of residential, commercial and public structures have been built by Lyons Constructions over the six decades Mr Lyons has been part of the family firm.
He retired from the board of Lyons Constructions last week, ending an association that harked back to his first day as an apprentice builder — January 12, 1953.
“It was a five-year apprenticeship and I worked with the best in the business, my father. He was firm but fair,” the 80-year-old said. “My ambition at school always was to be a builder like my father. In my years as an apprentice, we built houses using hand tools and green framing timber.
“It was hard work but good training for the years ahead.”
The apprentice builder was working on cream-brick police offices near GPAC in 1956 when he met Margaret Swaine, his future wife.
“Our first date was the Melbourne Olympic Games,” he said. “I always say that I won a gold medal in life at the ’56 Olympics, that being Margaret.”
The business moved to a new base in 1959 — Little Fyans St in South Geelong — and the following decade was a productive one for the family firm.
It built some of the first Housing Commission homes in Norlane and was asked to tender for primary schools.
“The first school we built was the Montpellier Primary in 1968,” Mr Lyons said.
“The original building was demolished recently and Lyons Constructions has just completed a new state-ofthe-art facility.”
The Lyons legacy looms large in the Geelong region. Five major buildings at Gordon College in East Geelong, 100 houses at Abervale Retirement Village in Grovedale; Smorgy’s Restaurant on Cunningham Pier; new police stations at Waurn Ponds, Ocean Grove and Torquay; renovation of the Deakin Waurn Ponds library; the former Brownlow Stand at Kardinia Park as well as countless schools and refurbishments.
“I’ve been lucky that I’ve worked with so many hard-working, dedicated people over the years,” he said.
“You have to retire some time, but the family will still be active in the business.”
Mr Lyons’s daughter Christine will take his place on the board while his brother, Norm Lyons, will continue as chairman.