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The Columbia Valley Pioneer • September 26, 2008

New Homes Your Guide to New Housing Developments in the Columbia Valley

Elk Park Ranch Business Feature by Pioneer Staff Home on the range is an expression that conjures up the romance and adventure of the western, of The Ponderosa or Big Valley.

To own new ranch land seems a dream almost impossible to grasp in today’s world. Yet the Elk Park Ranch development offers a master-planned community with 16 ranches ranging in size from 38 to 480 acres just two kilometres north of Radium.

“If you want to have your horses and a few cattle, you can,” says Fred Schickedanz of Schickendanz West, developer of Elk Park Ranch. “Or you could simply build your dream home on it and enjoy the view of the Purcell Mountains, the lake, streams and all the amenities that British Columbia’s Columbia Valley offers – fishing, skiing, golf, mountain biking, hiking – all three hours from Calgary.”

The Elk Park Ranch development covers 4,300 acres, of which 3,500 have been allocated for 16 variously sized ranches. A working 600-acre ranch, called the Upper Ranch, which offers horse boarding and trail rides, borders the offered acreages.

A community has been planned within a core 200 acres that will feature amenities including restaurants, boutique shops and accommodation. Around this core will be a mix of single- and multi-family homes. Yet, one is never further than a horseshoe’s toss from the history that permeates the area.

Elk Park Ranch was settled in 1886, when 18-yearold James McKay bought 15,000 acres from the B.C. Government. Now known as the McKay Ranch, 160 acres of that land is a unique ranch offering that contains 80 percent of Baptiste Lake. The other 20 percent of the lake is part of the 40-acre Clear Water Ranch.

A gateway to one of the mountain properties included in the Elk Park Ranch community .

www.elkparkranch.com

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2 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer – New Homes

September 26, 2008

Continued from Page 1 McKay’s historic farmhouse, which he floated down the Columbia River from Golden in 1901, has been upgraded and will be integrated into a community facility.

There will also be a private Homesteaders Club/ Lodge for the owners of the ranch parcels. It will contain its own fitness room, lounge and barbecue area.

The first phase of the Village homesites include one- to four-acre lots called the homesteads, singlefamily lots called the homesites and side-by-side bungalow homes.

Prices for the Ranches are expected to range from $1.1 million to $4.5 million, with the McKay Ranch commanding highest price. Other ranches include the southernmost Snowy Owl Ranch which covers 473 acres. The largest parcel at 480 acres, the Trailhead Ranch, borders along Kootenay National Park.

The 405-acre Spirit Ranch also abuts the National Park. For a more pastoral layout, the 316-acre Ward Ranch featues extensive meadowland. Bent Creek Ranch at 463 acres features a creek that runs off from Baptiste Lake.

Furthest north is the Mustangs Ranch which is at the end of the road allowance for those who wish to be left alone. All the acreages feature magnificent views and medium-forested land.

For more information visit the Elk Park Ranch centre in Radium, or visit www.elkparkranch.com or call the toll-free number 1-877-347-6838.

Rock walls mark the entrance to Elk Park Ranch’s properties for sale north of Radium Hot Springs.

New Homes – The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 3

September 26, 2008

Pond at Elk Park Ranch Located on the original McKay ranch property, north of Radium Hot Springs, this pond is situated just above the original farmhouse. The old white house has been refurbished for use as a community centre by residents of the new Elk Park Ranch community.

Photos by Cayla Gabruck

Remember stomping through mountain meadows that went on forever in every direction?

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4 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer – New Homes

September 26, 2008

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New Homes – The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 5

September 26, 2008

Fall clean-up brings spring green-up

By Cayla Gabruck Pioneer Staff It’s official. Autumn is here and it’s time for some “fall clean-up for spring green-up.”

Local landscaper Mike Meadus offers a few tips for everyone, no matter how green your thumb.

Firstly, just because the temperature has dipped, don’t think it means you can skip out on mowing your lawn. Mike recommends that you keep cutting your grass until it has gone dormant – not when it is brown, but just until it stops growing.

“Mowing is the best form of maintenance for the lawn,” Mike said. “Then when the spring comes it has had that bit of growth in the fall so it is that much stronger in the spring.”

He also recommends fertilizing your lawn with a turf builder or weed-and-feed. This gives your grass one last growth spurt before the winter comes.

Mike said you should not cut your ornamental grass because it gives your yard a bit more character instead of making it look barren. It also brings life into your yard, as birds will eat the seeds in the winter.

Next, he recommends fencing your shrubs and cleaning up your apples to avoid unwanted animals.

“Deer often come looking for shrubs,” Mike said.

“And bears love rotting apples on the ground.”

Fall is also the perfect time to do some pruning because the plant is dormant.

“That way in the spring you just have all that new growth,” he added.

Perhaps the biggest job of your fall clean-up will no doubt take place in your flower beds.

Mike said that you should turn over the soil in your flower beds. This helps kill insects and weed seeds by exposing them to the winter chill.

He then recommends that you rake compost, mulch or peat moss into the soil and let it sit over winter.

“So many people throw away their leaves and mulch. Don’t be afraid to ask your neighbour for theirs,” Mike said. “Leaves are gold – they compost quickly and leave really good minerals.”

After the winter freeze and thaw, everything will mix together and come spring you will just have to smooth out your bed and plant away.

Next you should tend to your perennials. Early fall is a great time to plant perennials because it gives the root system time to establish before it freezes.

Fall is a great time for bulbs such as daffodils, tulips, crocuses and snowdrops. Tuck each bulb into the ground before the hard frost sets in. Choose big bulbs.

Big bulbs equal big flowers. You should plant them pointy end up, three times deeper than their height. If

you are not sure which way is up, then plant the bulb sideways and let nature take its course.

It is also a great time to prune your existing plants by removing any diseased leaves, distinguished by black and brown spots, and throwing them in the garbage, not in your compost.

“Diseases and spores can live over the winter on foliage and become active again in the spring,” Mike said.

He also suggests leaving some perennials uncut to add to your landscape and once again bring life to your yard.

For the more ambitious gardener, Mike said that fall is a great time to divide your perennials. You can do this by digging up the root ball and using a sharp knife to cut cleanly through the roots. Divide the mass into two clumps, then pull them apart and replant.

“By cutting roots you promote new root growth and the plant will flourish in the spring,” he said.

For the green thumb on a budget, Mike said that saving seeds from your annual plants may cut down your horticulture costs come spring. Collect them on a dry day, label them and put them in a closed plastic bag in the fridge.

In late winter plant them in a small pot and begin growing them under a light. This way your seedlings will be ready to plant in the spring.

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6 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer – New Homes

September 26, 2008

Hire someone to care for your home

By Sally Waddington Pioneer Staff Locking up your second home at the end of a weekend stay can be stressful and worrisome if you live more than an hour’s drive away.

What if someone tries to break in? What if a pipe bursts? Or the power goes out?

Having someone check on your home can provide peace of mind if you’re not visiting regularly. In fact, most insurance policies require the home is checked at least once a week.

Dave Read owns Valley Hawk Security and said that home checks mean there is a local person able to step in should the need arise.

“If something goes wrong, you have someone who can call a tradesperson to fix the problem,” Dave said.

Valley Hawk Security looks after 35 to 40 homes between Fairmont and Radium. Its services can be as broad as you need. “We do whatever the homeowner requires,” Dave said.

This could include watering your plants, snow removal, attending house calls by repair or delivery persons – even collecting the mail.

If you view your second home as an investment, property management could be the preferred option.

Leasing your home to short-term guests can provide a

return on your investment, and you will usually receive the same service a security company would provide.

“Short-term rentals are ideal for those who want some use of their home, but still want their costs covered and to know someone is watching the home,” said Bjorn Billehaug, sales and marketing manager of High Country Properties.

With a portfolio of 84 homes between Fairmont and Radium, High Country Properties has been in business for 22 years.

The company’s website, www.highcountryproperties.com, showcases each of the homes and customers can see real-time availability of each property.

Owners can choose to list the property for less than 12 months of the year, but once the home is listed they are treated like any other guest.

“Important dates like Christmas book quickly, so owners may need to book those times a year in advance,” said general manager Julie Neville. “Owners can book last minute if the home is available. They can go on the website and see right away if it is booked.”

Julie personally updates each of the owners on their home. Right now, she explained, she is working with an owner who lives in Saskatoon and wants to have her condo repainted. Julie has organized several quotes and paint swatches, and will be at the home when the painters arrive.

An emergency cell phone is attended 24 hours a day, seven days a week, should any home need urgent attention.

“We try to keep it very personal with guests and owners,” said Bjorn. “If it’s personal, the guests want to come back. And the owners are our biggest asset.”

Julie admitted that some people will be put off by the idea of renting out their home.

“Rental isn’t for everyone,” she said. “If you don’t feel comfortable having someone else sleeping in your bed then you probably shouldn’t rent your home. The idea of property management is that it relieves an owner’s stress, rather than creating sleepless nights.”

Most owners who lease out their home choose to keep their personal belongings in a locked closet or room.

“We will do a walk-through of the home with the owner should they wish and advise them what they might like to protect from guests,” said Bjorn. “We try to take out the personal aspect and make it feel more resort style.”

You can reach Valley Hawk Security at 250-6884295, and High Country Properties at 1-800-6651801.

Valley Solutions at 250-341-1903 also provides home checks; and Mountain Creek Properties at 250341-6003 manage residential properties.

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8/13/07 8:48:38 AM

New Homes – The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 7

September 26, 2008

LUXURY HOME – This gorgeous home at Panorama Mountain Village is the type of property that is cared for by a professional property management company – in this case, High Country Properties. The owners can rest assured that their home is safe and secure when they aren’t in the valley.

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9/22/2008 8:48:55 PM

8 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer - New Homes

September 26, 2008

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