Construct it and they’ll come: Nice communities begin with the individuals who dwell in them

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With regards to good neighborhood design, builders within the know counsel that it comes all the way down to 4 key elements: timeless structure, considerate design, a robust amenity pool and ample alternative for neighborhood programming.

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“The actual secret to a profitable neighborhood is the individuals who dwell there,” says Cary Kienitz, normal supervisor acquisitions and growth for Qualico Communities. “We construct the inspiration, however it’s actually the residents in the neighborhood that make it such fantastic place.”

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Concord

Certainly one of Qualico Communities’ shining stars is the lake and golf neighborhood of Concord in Rocky View County. The event, which is a co-creation with Bordeaux Developments, earned the title of Neighborhood of the Yr-Calgary Area on the Constructing Business and Land Improvement-Calgary Area Awards, for the third consecutive yr and for the sixth time previously seven years.

“After we construct a neighborhood, we all the time attempt to put the deal with bringing individuals collectively,” says Kienitz. It’s an idea that’s working.

Concord boasts each a feast for the eyes and in addition for the senses. It affords a string of facilities for all age teams, together with two signature lakes, a sandy seaside and clubhouse and loads of interactive pathways (25 kilometres of strolling paths). For many who like to golf, the neighborhood sits adjoining to the 18-hole Mickelson Nationwide Golf Membership. Numerous parks, an journey zone with a climbing wall, a canine park, a skating ribbon and a toboggan hill are another attracts.

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“The neighborhood combines the most effective of city nation experiences in a outstanding historic place that’s neither a suburb, nor in a metropolis centre, however is its personal full village-concept neighborhood,” says Laurel Campbell, advertising supervisor at Bordeaux Developments, noting that the neighborhood has actually come into its personal because it launched in 2015. Even earlier than it obtained lots of its applications out of the gate, it was named in 2016 Finest New Neighborhood of the Yr-Calgary Area. At completion, it’ll span over 1,750 acres and be house to greater than 10,000 residents.

Kienitz says that neighborhood design is essential.

“Wayfinding and the interactive nature of open areas is essential to a purposeful design. In Concord, we’re frequently pursuing new methods to create experiences and work together with the general public and different entities.” And that features some spectacular artwork options, together with two entrance sculptures.

It’s a philosophy that Qualico carries into all of its communities — Painted Sky in Langdon additionally picked up accolades on the BILD-CR Awards with a finalist nod for Finest New Neighborhood-Calgary Area.

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One factor that is a vital tangible factor to neighborhood design is structure. Definitely in Concord, it’s a large draw — the neighborhood additionally garnered the award for  Present House Parade of the Yr. Bordeaux’s Campbell attributes that to the eye to element and the collaboration between workforce members, in addition to the “beautiful designs created by our builder group — Baywest Houses, Broadview Houses and Sterling Houses.”

Glacier Ridge

In Glacier Ridge, voted Calgary’s New Neighborhood of the Yr on the current BILD-CR Awards, structure can be a key element to the neighborhood’s design.

“We’ve leveraged insights from our established communities of Nolan Hill, Sage Hill and Cornerstone. We have now a robust understanding of who our shopper is and extra importantly, what they wish to expertise in a brand new neighborhood,” says Brady Morrice, director of land growth at Anthem, the developer behind Glacier Ridge. To that finish, Anthem has strategically partnered with builders who perceive what households worth within the north. The builder group is comprised of Cedarglen Houses, Jayman Constructed, Morrison Houses, Shane Houses and Trico Houses, providing paired, laned, entrance drive and park entrance model houses with Craftsman, Prairie and Mountain-inspired elevations.

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Morrice says that the result’s a neighborhood that simply feels distinct.

“It’s a neighborhood the place households really feel a way of familiarity, a touch of nostalgia advert consolation and a way of delight,” he says. Glacier Ridge, which is able to ultimately be house to six,000 households, is a partnership between Anthem and Ronmor Builders and affords views of the foothills and wide-open areas, together with pure coulees that join and lengthen to west Nostril Creek and into Calgary’s pathway system.

Anthem has a robust observe report of making award-winning communities — it received New Neighborhood of the Yr in 2020 for its neighborhood of Chelsea in Chestermere; in the meantime, its Okotoks’ growth, D’Arcy, has obtained a number of finalist nods.

“Getting recognition and acknowledgment from the individuals who dwell and breathe this sort of work, feels nice,” says Morrice. “We’re extraordinarily proud to have received this award.”

Mahogany

One other stand-out Calgary neighborhood that has the right recipe for fulfillment is the lake neighborhood of Mahogany in Calgary’s southeast quadrant. The neighborhood launched in 2008 and has been turning heads ever since, successful for Neighborhood of the Yr six instances and in addition selecting up the nationwide title of Finest Neighborhood in 2014. This yr it once more walked the stage for Neighborhood of the Yr-Metropolis of Calgary.

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“Mahogany’s timeless structure and considerate neighborhood design play an enormous half within the each day experiences of its residents, however in the end, it’s the unparalleled facilities that make Mahogany Calgary’s Neighborhood of the Yr,” says Brett Friesen, senior vice-president, enterprise and neighborhood growth for Hopewell, the developer behind Mahogany.

Mahogany encompasses a 63-acre contemporary water lake, 21 acres of beachfront, 74 acres of naturalized wetlands, 22 kilometres of neighborhood pathways, neighbourhood colleges and loads of buying and facilities, together with fast entry to the South Calgary Well being Campus.

The neighborhood’s characteristic park, the Central Inexperienced, a 13-acre inexperienced area with neighborhood gardens, pickleball courts, central plaza, play space and out of doors stage, is slated to open within the fall, including to the amenity choices in a neighborhood that spans 1,300 acres and at ultimate construct out will home 25,000 residents.

The actual success story for the neighborhood is its programming. Friesen says that Mahogany’s Owners’ Affiliation is the second largest programming supplier in southeast Calgary, internet hosting year-round occasions and applications. “Neighbourhood spirit is actually the hallmark of life in Mahogany,” he says.

Hopewell is taking its recipe and making use of it to its newest neighborhood of Hotchkiss in Calgary’s southeast. It is also the developer behind Arbour Lake West in Calgary’s northwest and is getting ready to interrupt floor on Sawgrass Park in Airdrie, in addition to new communities in Edmonton.

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