by Todd Lewys
When people think of new neighbourhoods in and around Winnipeg, they tend to think of two or three key areas.
Those areas would be Bridgwater Forest, South Pointe and Sage Creek. Each of the three neighbourhoods is notable for its sheer size, natural, walkable design and diverse housing options, which range from single-family detached homes to condominiums and apartments.
While those three areas have been garnering most of the attention over the past five years or so, other neighbourhoods have been popping up in and around the city in a quiet, yet steady fashion. Examples of those neighbourhoods include Waterford Green, Countryside Crossing and Oak Bluff West. And with unrelenting demand for housing in the city’s northwest quadrant, in East St. Paul and in the city’s westernmost reaches, the timing for the communities couldn’t be better.
Waterford Green, which is located in The Maples on a 160-acre site at the corner of Dr. Jose Rizal Way (Keewatin Street) and Old Commonwealth Path (Adsum Drive), is projected to add about 1,000 homes to the area over the next 10 years or so.
David Palubeski, project manager and president of Lombard North Group, which is collaborating with Terrascape Developments Ltd. and Manitoba Housing and Renewal Corporation on the project, said Waterford Green will be a family-oriented community.
“It’s specifically designed for families,” he said. “By providing a wide range of housing options and price points, as well as access to quality recreational, commercial and educational amenities, all within a walkable neighbourhood, there is truly going to be something for everyone.”
The community’s first phase will contain 219 single-family homes, 106 townhomes and nine acres of multi-family condominium apartment buildings and rental apartments. Apartment-style condominiums will start at around $160,000, while townhome-style condominiums will start at approximately $270,000.
Installation of services was projected to be complete by late fall; housing construction started in late summer. The first home occupancies are expected to take place in spring 2014.
Located on a 77-acre of parcel of land at the junction of the Perimeter Highway and Henderson Highway, Countryside Crossing — the land (home to Maxwell Ranch) was once used for breeding horses for Assiniboia Downs — offers prospective home buyers 154 oversized lots in a prime location said REALTOR® Wayne Penner, who along with son Mark, is marketing the development for Hercules Management.
“It’s not only closer to the city than other East St. Paul neighbourhoods, but because it’s inside in the Perimeter, you get bus access, and are close to Henderson Highway and all its amenities,” he said. “Standard lots are going to be bigger than city lots at 70 feet by 146 feet, and the lots are very reasonably priced. People can choose from one of our preferred builders (Irwin Homes, Maric Homes, K. Streu Homes or Warkentin Homes), or they can build with whomever they want. Countryside Crossing will be purchaser-driven rather than a builder-driven community.”
Last, but not least, is Oak Bluff West, which offers home buyers a concept similar to that of Countryside Crossing: a neighbourhood that offers a countrified feel, yet is close to the city. Found just west of the Perimeter Highway at its junction and McGillivray Boulevard, Oak Bluff West is all about wide open spaces and convenience.
The wide open feel will come from lots that at 75 feet by 140 feet offer plenty of elbow room. The community’s convenience, meanwhile, is derived from its location. All you need to do is take McGillivray east into the city, and you’re at Kenaston Boulevard, which offers a host of amenities, including shopping, restaurants and all kinds of services.
Once finished, Oak Bluff West will have almost 900 homes, walking trails that connect to village services such as restaurants, a credit union and a service station, as well as other amenities that are plugged in as the community matures.
These new neighbourhoods are also well-timed in that they will offer the city’s growing population new places to live along with a variety of housing options. That’s great news for consumers.