By James Rose
Special to The Pioneer
After several years of little activity, the ball is starting to roll again with Statesman Groups Pine Ridge Mountain and Lakeview Community development (located up behind David Thompson Secondary School).
Last year, we built and sold the first show home in many years. The new owners will be moving in at the beginning of April, said Jamie McArthur, a representative of the Calgary-based Statesman Group. We now have two more show homes underway, and they are expected to be complete this coming spring season.
Mr. McArthur also noted that there has been some great interest from prospective buyers.
Furthermore, last year, work began on the developments outdoor park, which the company has called Columbia Valley Family Park.
We landscaped and seeded a three-hole training golf course, plus an extra putting green, said Mr. McArthur. When the snow melts, we will put the finishing touches on the tee boxes, and the course will be ready for use by late spring.
Statesman also installed a childrens playground, including a boogie board, and a kids zip line.
In the spring, well be adding pickle ball courts, an outdoor fitness apparatus, and an open field for all sorts of activities.
All of the amenities included in the Columbia Valley Family Park will be available for the public to enjoy, and not just the residents of the development.
Statesman Group is a 40-year-old, family-owned-and-operated Canadian company with extensive experience in senior living communities and medical centre developments.
We are not just developers, but we are also the builders and the operators, commented Mr. McArthur. As such, we build our developments knowing that we will continue to support our homeowners for many years to come.
The companys tag line is What a Beautiful Way to Live, which is intended to reflect their belief that a home is more than just a house. When we build a community, we understand that our homeowners want to live a rich and fulfilling life and so we are committed to adding years to your life and life to your years, said Mr. McArthur.
For the Pine Ridge development, the idea behind it was to make sure that it could be enjoyed by people of all ages, and at any stage in their family life.
We are tucked away on the mountainside, providing a quiet and pristine setting for those who want that majestic mountain lifestyle, but we are also within walking distance of the schools and downtown Invermere, said Mr. McArthur.
And now, with the addition of the outdoor park, the grandkids will love to come visit grandma and grandpa.
Statesman intends to market Pine Ridge to prospective residents as the perfect place for the active family, or active retiree. Offered currently are a couple of different home designs: a chalet-style design (multi-family) and a single detached home design.
Our chalets are ideal for the person who wants to come out a few times a year to enjoy the wonders of the valley, said Mr. McArthur.
These lock-and-leave homes provide the owner the convenience of enjoying all of the comforts of home, but (they) can also travel, and not have to worry about taking care of their home.
In Statesmans other developments around Western Canada, many of the development companys chalet owners (they use similar designs for other developments) rent out their homes throughout the year, making them a great investment property.
For Pine Ridge, Statesman is hoping to start building another 12 chalets in the next 12 to 24 months.
We also have 110 lots for single family homes, added Mr. McArthur. These homes can either be a great second home for some, or a full-time home for those who are ready to get out of the bigger cities.
As for the developments timeline going forward, Statesman is actively building and developing today, and will continue to do so as the market demand continues to grow.
We are hoping to build 15 to 20 homes per year over the next few years, said Mr. McArthur.
In the meantime, Mr. McArthur pointed out that there are yet more additions to be made this coming spring with regards to the outdoor park.
Well have some conversations with the community this spring, and build it out to best suit the needs of everyone in the area, but additions could include tennis courts, beach volleyball, and perhaps that much discussed zip line.
But on a grander scale, the company has also developed plans for a major recreation centre that it would like to build adjacent to the outdoor park, and donate the land and the building to the community.
Plans for the rec centre include a full-sized hockey rink, Olympic swimming pool, leisure pool, water slide, fitness centre, bistro, lounge, medical facilities, educational theatre, day care, spa, racquet courts, running track, adventure park, and more, said Mr. McArthur.
We are actively communicating with various stakeholders, government officials, and community leaders. Its a hefty endeavour, but we know it will serve the entire Columbia Valley well.
For more information, visit www.discoverpineridge.com.
