CHESTERMERE – There are many commuters who take the daily drive into the city and then head right back home to Chestermere, all to do it again the following day. Many of the activities outside of the working hours for you and your kids can also take you right back into the city. As you drive past some areas you may be in wonder as to how fast the town seems to be ever expanding its boundaries; its footprint changing from week to week. Chestermere, according to Stats Canada, is the fastest growing community in Alberta and continues to attract developers who carry on and build a fantastic community just east of the big city. Developers are seizing the opportunity to build on the fringe of the town as well as explore the scarce and valuable land inside the young town. Let’s have a quick look at all of the areas where the (mostly) residential housing is going on.
There are 3 parcels of land in the inner part of the town that are being developed or mostly complete, the first being the parcel behind the Safeway and strip mall. The 10 acre development is built by Slokker and is called the Townhomes of Chestermere Station. There were 245 units available but they have already sold 65% of them. The townhomes are 2 and 3 bedroom units ranging in price from $243,000 to $275,000. They also have some 3 bedroom units with patios and a fenced back yard starting at $270,000 to $299,000. Interestingly, says Sales-Realtor Mi Jin Graham, about 50% of the units sold were buyers downsizing from their existing homes and 30% have been first time buyers.
The next development that started in early fall is the relatively small parcel at the Lakeside Green Golf Club. There are just 5 lots for sale on this site, all walkouts and starting at $699,000. The developer, Prominate Homes, have the plans for the 2 story houses picked out and will start building within a month or so.
Finally, in the inner part of town adjacent from the golf course, are Douglas Homes that are developing the parcel of land on the corner of Merganser Drive West and West Chestermere Drive. Fifty three lots are available for single family homes and pricing will start at $425,000 and although there are no walkouts, there is a huge selection of home designs. Permits are now being reviewed and the first of the homes should start construction in the new year.
Now for look around the outskirts of town starting in the north end, beyond Town Hall, are the Estates of Westmere. The home builders in this area are Landmark Homes, ReidBuilt Homes and Greenboro Homes. They are just finishing up the current phase and are moving into phase 20. Lots are plentiful and starting in the $430’s. Not far away and in the same general area are the Shores of Westmere Estates. The lots here are closer to the lake and the houses are substantially pricier starting in the $630’s. The home builders in the Shores of Westmere Estates are Albi Homes and Homes by AVI.
Going just a little more north of the Estates of Westmere is a district called Lakepointe. The builder, Mattamy Homes, is developing this area. Lakepointe will have a mixture of wide lot townhomes, semi-detached homes and single family double car garage homes. Using rounded numbers, the single family homes start at $410,000 to $540,000. The wide lot townhomes are priced at $275,000 to $322,000 and semi-detached homes are listed at $360,000 to $397,000. Phase 1 is in progress and occupancy is scheduled for the spring of 2013. There is a park, pathway and pond designed for the area. Combined these two phases will have a total of 222 lots.
Going clockwise we venture over to the east side of Chestermere where you will find the district of Kinniburgh. This entire area is being developed by Beckmann Homes Ltd. This is quite a large area that boasts of extra wide lots. About 85% of phase one lots have been sold, phase 2 is already under construction offering 8 different floor models to choose from starting at $549,900. The big draw here is the wildlife pond, the wide open spaces, a new school scheduled to open in 2014 for 900 (K-9) kids and the Chestermere Medical Centre. There is also a 54 luxury townhome called the Courtyards of Chestermere slated for construction soon. The units are starting at $299,900. Sales Manager, Tiffany Khuu, also indicated that it seems to be quieter on the east side compared to the west side of Chestermere.
Going clockwise once more and finally over to the southwest side of Chestermere, this is the area where the last 2 phases of Rainbow Falls were released to the builders in the spring of this year. Once the frost was out of the ground, the workers began installing the deep utilities in this area. There are 158 single family lots in Phase 9 and also some lots for the very popular duplexes. Phase 10 will have 65 lots and an 80 unit multi-family development. The single-family homes will be built by Truman Homes, Lionsworthe Homes, Jager Homes, Douglas Homes and ReidBuilt Homes. The duplexes and multi-family project will be built by Urban Escapes by Truman. Once all the utilities are in and the sidewalk and road construction is complete the builders will start on the show homes and plan a grand opening in the spring of 2013.
Future communities Truman is working on include Edgewater Crossing in Chestermere, a 116-hectare community south of Rainbow Falls that could include 2,100 homes.
Chestermere’s growth continues at a steady pace and the amenities that come with that: schools, shopping and businesses will only add to the vibrancy of the place we all call home.
