Central Alberta Homes & Lifestyle - Summer 2018 by Source Media Group

SUMMER 2018 | ISSUE 24

contents

10 Lifestyles

Homes

10 People

Go west, young man Laebon Homes Gord Bontje honoured with BILD – Central Alberta’s first-ever Industry Icon award

17 Culture

Wine of the times Pinot Gris a summertime favourite

Doggie do’s and don’ts Be the kind of owner your four-legged friend deserves

Industry news

BILD – Central Alberta New name reflects changes happening nation-wide

Awards of Excellence in Housing. And the winners are … Central Alberta home buyers

BILD – Central Alberta Members

19 Feature

Market Overview

Blame it on the rain, er, snow Long, cold winter held housing starts back

Item 6

Message from the Chief Executive Officer

Cover: Gord and Steve Bontje Photo by Don Molyneaux S U M M E R 2 018

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message from the chief executive officer

Celebrating Summer Hooray! After one of the longest, snowiest winters in recent memory, summer is finally here! So far, the weather’s been great and, according to those who claim to know these things, apparently there are more sunny days to come. Here at BILD – Central Alberta, we’re celebrating more than just the weather these days. For starters, there’s our new name: Building Industry and Land Development, or just BILD for short. Following the nation-wide trend, we’ve taken on the new title as it better represents the totality of our industry; from developers and builders, to manufacturers and suppliers, to trades and related professional services. Check out the full story on page 9, and our updated Central Alberta membership list on page 16. Also doing some celebrating these days are all the winners of our recent Awards of Excellence in Housing. And so they should … they’ve earned it. In fact, we’re very lucky here in Central Alberta to be represented by such a fine group who are all solid members of the com-

BILD – CENTRAL ALBERTA represents professionals in the housing industry. BILD – Central Alberta has been in existence for over 60 years and is a network of professionals that manages industry issues to provide value to our members. #200, 6700-76 Street Red Deer, Alberta T4P 4G6 Tel: 403.346.5321 Toll-free: 1.888.346.5329 Fax: 403.342.1301 Toll-free: 1.877.342.1301 E-mail: eo@chbacentralalberta.ca www.bildca.ca Denie Olmstead | Chief Executive Officer eo@chbacentralalberta.ca Joan Butler | Administration & Event Co-ordinator admin@chbacentralalberta.ca Sharon Stange | Event and Trade Show Manager info@chbacentralalberta.ca

munity. They don’t just build homes here; they live, work and play right alongside the rest of us and genuinely care about their customers. Photos are on page 14. A prime example is the Bontje family, of Laebon Homes. This year, Gord Bontje was honoured with our inaugural Industry Icon award. We won’t be giving one away every year, as it’s not an award that just anyone can win. You’ve got to have made a significant, long-term contribution to the local housing industry — and Gord definitely has. You can read more about him starting on page 10. Still on the topic of housing, make sure to read this edition’s market overview article by Jim Zang. He’s got a way of cutting through the numbers to tell readers the

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real story behind the statistics. In other summer news, Jock Mackenzie takes us on a tour of some local dog parks,

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER | Jim Zang

while BJ Tumanut shares a few of her favourite seasonal wines with us. Hmm. Maybe

ART DIRECTOR | Jean Faye Rodriguez

a wine tasting festival at a dog park would make a good combination? Sounds like a good excuse to get outside and have some fun with friends of both the two and four-

GRAPHIC DESIGNER | Dave Macaulay, Vivian Zhang

legged variety.

PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR | Colleen Leier

For myself, my favourite summer pastime is still firing up the old motorcycle and heading west for a few hours. See you out there!

CONTRIBUTORS | Marty Hope, Jock Mackenzie, BJ Tumanut PHOTOGRAPHY | Jock Mackenzie, Don Molyneaux

Sincerely,

DIRECTOR OF SALES | Jim Zang jim.zang@sourcemediagroup.ca © 2018 Source Media Group Corp. Material cannot be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publishers. Source Media Group Corp. agrees to advertise on behalf of the advertiser without responsibility for claims or misinformation made by the advertiser and acts only as an advertising medium. Source Media Group Corp. reserves the right to refuse any advertising at its sole discretion.

Denie Olmstead Chief Executive Officer BILD – Central Alberta

Central Alberta Homes & Lifestyles is published quarterly and is distributed to every member of the BILD – Central Alberta, as well as on free stands throughout the region.

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market overview

Blame it on the rain, er, snow Long, cold winter held housing starts back BY J I M Z A N G

ow THAT was a long winter! Especially for the local housing market, which traditionally warms up with the weather in the spring. The general consensus seems to be that a strong summer and a decent fall — let’s hope the Farmer’s Almanac is right about the long-term forecast — will have 2018 housing start numbers giving 2017 totals a run for their money. Right now, however, there’s no sugar-coating it, the statistics don’t tell a very pretty story. Red Deer proper is down nearly 21 per cent from last year’s pace to date. Single-family starts are down 27 per cent. In Lacombe, and Lacombe County, it’s more of the same. In fact, in Lacombe starts are down by 50 per cent, but, upon closer inspection of the numbers, fully two-thirds of that is accounted for by one big townhome project in Lacombe. In the county, sure, the numbers are down. But the numbers are so small anyways that it’s really no

big deal. Out in Sylvan Lake, the single-family statistics are tracking close to 2017, as are multi-family projects, but they’re still down by nearly 24 per cent overall. In Olds, they’re down two houses, not enough to worry about, but down is down. The only region bucking the trend in the first quarter of 2018 was Red Deer County, where housing starts are up across the board to the tune of about 187 per cent. Yes, they’ve started almost three times as many homes so far this year as last, including five singlefamily starts and eight row (townhome) units. I’m not sure why Red Deer County has escaped the winter home building doldrums, perhaps it’s the fact it’s a veritable beehive of activity all year long with the QE II and Gasoline Alley at the heart of the area. If the trend continues, it’s something I’ll check into further for next time.

RED DEER COUNT Y

RED DEER Apr. 2018 Apr. 2017 YTD 2018 YTD 2017 Single-family 10 11 38 52 Semi-detached 0 2 4 8 Row 0 7 8 12 Apartment 6 0 7 0 Total 16 20 57 72

Q1 2018 Q1 2017 YTD 2018 YTD 2017 Single-family 13 8 13 8 Semi-detached 2 0 2 0 Row 8 0 8 0 Apartment 0 0 0 0 Total 23 8 23 8

SYLVAN LAKE

LACOMBE Q1 2018 Q1 2017 YTD 2018 YTD 2017 Single-family 12 8 12 8 Semi-detached 0 2 0 2 Row 3 20 3 20 Apartment 0 0 0 0 Total 15 30 15 30

Q1 2018 Q1 2017 YTD 2018 YTD 2017 Single-family 9 11 9 11 Semi-detached 0 6 0 6 Row 7 4 7 4 Apartment 0 0 0 0 Total 16 21 16 21

OLDS

LACOMBE COUNT Y Q1 2018 Q1 2017 YTD 2018 YTD 2017 Single-family 3 7 3 7 Semi-detached 0 0 0 0 Row 0 0 0 0 Apartment 0 0 0 0 Total 3 7 3 7

Q1 2018 Q1 2017 YTD 2018 YTD 2017 Single-family 3 3 3 3 Semi-detached 0 2 0 2 Multi-family 0 0 0 0 Total 3 5 3 5

Source: Canada Mor tgage and Housing Corporation

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industry news

BILD – Central Alberta

New name reflects changes happening nation-wide W R I T T EN BY J O CK M ACK ENZI E

P H OTO BY D O N M O LY N E AUX

he Canadian Home Builders Association – Central Alberta Region has a new name: Building Industry and Land Development – Central Alberta, or just BILD – Central Alberta for

short. CHBA – Central Alberta and UDI – Red Deer is the second region in the province to join forces with the provincial organization. The move follows on the heels of similar changes across the country, including at Building Industry and Land Development – Alberta, or BILD-Alberta for short, which is the new name of the amalgamated Canadian Home Builders Association – Alberta (CHBA–AB) and the Urban Developers Institute – Alberta (UDI–AB). The movement in our province began in Calgary and is currently being considered elsewhere around the province. On the national scene, the Canadian Home Builders Association (CHBA) continues to be the national voice in the housing industry. CHBA is one association working at three levels — nationally, provincially and locally. Members join a Local Home Builders’ Association, and automatically become members at the provincial and national levels. Prior to July, 2017, the CHBA Alberta and UDI Alberta operated independently. The CHBA mainly represented the housing industry; UDI Alberta (Urban Development Institute) mainly represented the land development industry. Despite being separate, many of the issues were similar. “BILD Alberta is in a unique position,” say Carmen Wyton, CEO, BILD Alberta, “to honour and leverage the work done by the legacy associations and build the future as one unified voice of the industry.” Dorinda Gallant, President of BILD Central Alberta says, “A larger membership base will increase access to our memberships’ unique skillsets, expertise, knowledge and an expanded research function.” Representatives from both groups agree that broadened membership will also help to create more skilled and dedicated councils, committees and task forces that will support and advance industry issues while reducing the burden on volunteer positions. The new provincial organization represents more than 1,700 business members and 11 constituent associations, working to

Dorinda Gallant ensure that home buyers are not adversely affected by new laws and regulations or changes to existing ones. BILD Alberta will continue to advocate for housing affordability and consumer choice by speaking with a unified voice when communicating key messages, engaging in the political process while remaining non-partisan, and supporting efficient regulatory systems to ensure a competitive, healthy marketplace. In Red Deer, Gallant says the vote was unanimously in favour of the name change. Other than minor details like signage, letterheads and logos, the new name and functioning organization is officially BILD – Central Alberta. For more information, visit their website at www.bildca.ca

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people

Go west, young man

Laebon Homes Gord Bontje honoured with BILD – Central Alberta’s first-ever Industry Icon award BY M A R T Y H O P E

A Gord Bontje, 2017

t 17 years of age and just hanging out at the family farm not far from London, Ontario, Gord Bontje was looking for something that grabbed him, a new direction for his future. London, with a population of just over 200,000 in the 1970s, was and still is a university town with an economy also anchored by the insurance industry and medical research — but at that time in his young life, none of this appealed to him as a career.

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“I was unsettled, not ready to tackle postsecondary — so I headed west. My thought was to return to London in a year and go back to school,” Bontje, co-founder of Red Deer-based Laebon Homes recalls while on vacation recently in Palm Springs. It’s doubtful that New York newspaper editor Horace Greeley’s urging — “Go West, young man, and grow up with the country” — struck a chord with Bontje back then, but go west he did and grow he did, in Red Deer. Now, some 42 years later Bontje, who founded the home-building firm with his high school pal Peter Lacey (who left Laebon in 1982), has deep personal and professional roots in this central Alberta city. To date, the company has built more than 4,000 homes throughout the central part of the province and created several housing developments that carry the Laebon name. Growing as a company, seeing the success that has come with the hard work, brings with it the desire to give back to the community. “I believe that as a business becomes successful, it has an obligation to contribute both its money and time to the greater community,” says Bontje. “The skills that are used to manage a business are skills that must be used to advance a community.” He got deeply involved in the workings of the housing industry in the 1980s because there was “an expectation that every participant in the industry carry part of the load.” In addition to serving in various capacities within building industry,

people

including a one-year term as president of the Central Alberta Home Builders Association (now called BILD – Central Alberta), Bontje has spent countless hours serving the community and region. Listed among his volunteer postings are: trustee and board chair of the Red Deer Catholic Regional School Division, board member for Westerner Park, and board member for the Alberta Health Services. “It bears repeating that people who give of themselves in volunteer roles get much more than they give,” he adds. Now the time for his chosen industry to thank Bontje for all his contributions to the growth and betterment of the community. On May 26, Bontje was presented with the inaugural Icon Award by BILD-Central Alberta, a way of thanking him for all he has done. The award was presented by his son, Steve, who is managing partner of Laebon’s development company. “We were trying to find ways to recognize individuals who have contributed their time and dedication to our industry for over 20 years,” says Denie Olmstead, chief executive officer of BILD – Central Alberta. “We had a number of strong candidates to consider, but for the first-ever Icon we knew without question that it should go to Gord Bontje.” While he has already started passing some of the business responsibilities to the next Bontje generation, retirement is something, he says, is still a ways down the road. He continues to manage the

company’s rental portfolio and rental development division. His other son, Adam, owns a heavy construction A company and does excavation work and underground utility installations for Laebon and other regional companies. “I appreciate the recognition of a long and fun career that the Icon Award represents, and it’s great to see my work has been noticed. I feel a little young for this recognition since I don’t intend to retire any time soon,” he said following the award presentation. That long and fun career in housing that he talks about didn’t happen without some good luck, good friends, and good business connections. Arriving in Red Deer in 1975, Bontje’s plan was to work in the oilpatch, but was offered a job by a home builder in Red Deer. Eventually he hooked up with school pal Lacey who had left London about the same time as Bontje but found work in the oil industry and managed to put aside some money. And with the help of a couple of local bankers, they built their first two homes. “Pete is a bright guy who sees opportunity and I had construction skills, so we formed our company — the “La” from his name and the “bon” from mine,” says Bontje. But this is Alberta we’re talking about, so from a business perspective it wasn’t all cake and ice cream economically. There is the boom-bust scenario that raises its ugly head every so often. Describing the crash of the 1980s as the “worst” one, Bontje says there is no “magic formula” survival formula. “You simply get right back to basics, cut costs to the bone, and hang on for dear life. I don’t think I had a full night’s sleep for the first part of the ‘80s,” he says. But despite the ups and downs, Bontje remains passionate about his chosen industry the Red Deer area. “Our passions get us out of bed in the morning and help us to achieve greatness,” he says in his Founding Partner’s Message.

A: Bontje family: Gord, Kathy, Steve and Adam Bontje. B: Another great Laebon home.

“I believe that as a business becomes successful, it has an obligation to contribute both its money and time to the greater community.”

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feature

Awards of Excellence in Housing And the winners are … Central Alberta home buyers

W R I T T EN BY J I M Z A N G

PHOTOS BY DON MOLYNEAUX

ay 26 was a big night for the Central Alberta home building i n d ustry. And an even bigger night for Laebon Homes. The popular local builder took top honours for best multi-family project under $224,999 at the annual Awards of Excellence in Housing gala event and, at the end of the evening, walked off with one of the grand prizes as large volume Builder of the Year. Plus, as if that wasn’t enough, company patriarch Gord Bontje was presented with the brand new Industry Icon award. Gord is the first of what promises to be an impressive list of future winners — based on the criteria of having made a lasting and positive mark on the Central Alberta housing industry over a period of 20 years or more. I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Gord for

BEST OF THE YEAR AWARDS Builder of the Year (large volume, 25+ homes) Laebon Homes Builder of the Year (small volume, <24 homes) Larkaun Homes Renovator of the Year Alair Homes Red Deer INDUSTRY ICON AWARD Gord Bontje PRESIDENT’S AWARDS Member of the Year Derek Fredeen, True-Line Homes

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the accompanying article in this magazine, as well as congratulating him as he came off the stage with his family — a very proud moment for all. Indeed, the entire event is a proud moment for the industry, represented by the newly named BILD – Central Alberta organization. From land developers, to builders and renovators, trades, suppliers and service professionals, the commitment to community shown by these companies and their employees, not just on the job but in their everyday lives too, is something you don’t find in many bigger centres.If you know anyone who works for any of the winners or nominees, please congratulate them and let them know their efforts are appreciated. Following is a complete list of winners from the evening.

Gus Bakke Award Brandon Bouchard, Paul Davis Red Deer PARTNER CHOICE AWARDS Trade of the Year Clearview Glass (small) Bruin’s Plumbing & Heating Ltd. (large) Supplier of the Year General Appliances (small) Timber Wolf Truss (large) Service Professional of the Year Compass Geomatics Ltd. (small) Collins Barrow (large) SAFETY LEADERSHIP AWARD Bruin’s Plumbing & Heating Ltd. (general member)

feature

A: Gus Bakke Award Brandon Bouchard B: Member of the Year Derek Fredeen C: Builder of the Year (large volume, 25+ homes) Laebon Homes D: Builder of the Year (small volume, <24 homes) Larkaun Homes

Falcon Homes (builder member)

E: Renovator of the Year Alair Homes Red Deer

Best New Home $450,000-524,999 Sorento Custom Homes

Best New Multi-Family Home over $225,000 Ridge Stone Homes

NEW HOME AWARDS Best New Home up to $249,999 True-Line Homes

Best New Home $525,000-599,999 Larkaun Homes

RENOVATOR AWARDS Best Renovation under $99,999 Designer Alliance of Central Alberta

Best New Home $250,000-279,999 Abbey Platinum Master Builder

Best New Home $675,000-749,999 Larkaun Homes

Best New Home $280,000-319,999 Beacon Homes

Best New Estate Home over $1,000,000 Vleeming Construction

Best New Home $320,000-374,999 Abbey Platinum Master Builder

Multi- Family Awards

Best New Home $375,000-449,999 Alair Homes Red Deer

Best Renovation between $100,000199,999 Vleeming Construction Best Renovation over $200,000 Alair Homes Red Deer

Best New Multi-Family Home up to $224,999 Laebon Homes

DESIGNER AWARDS Best Interior Design The Designer Lounge Team - Krest Homes

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industry news

BILD – Central Alberta Members

ILD – Central Alberta, formerly the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, is the voice of Canada’s residential construction industry and are your local representatives in Central Alberta. Membership includes new home builders, renovators, Abbey Platinum Master Built Inc. Alberta New Home Warranty Program All Around Doors & Windows All Weather Windows Ardor Homes Aries Airflo Heating & Air Conditioning Artistic Stairs Ltd Asset Builders (2015) Corp. ATCO Gas Audio Integrations Aurora Heights Management Ltd. Avalon Central Alberta B&B Cowie Insulation Ltd Beacon Homes Ltd. Bedrock Homes Ltd. Ben’s Glass & Marble BFL Canada Insurance Services Bildex Construction Ltd Billex Homes Black Press Blackstone Developments Inc. Bomaier Developments Bowood Inc Bruins Plumbing & Heating Burnco Landscape Centres Inc. Busse Homes Ltd Buylo Homes Ltd Canada Mortgage & Housing Corp Canadian Closet & Storage Co. C & S Custom Homes Ltd. Carbon Earthworks Ltd. Carpet Colour Centre Carpet One Central Alberta Co-Op Ltd. Central Alberta Flooring Central Alberta Tile One Central Stoneworks Ltd (Acadia Stone) Christenson Developments Christopher Stephan Professional Corporation o/a JD Law Choice Audio Video CIBC City of Red Deer (Inspections Dept) Clearview Glass Service Ltd. Colbray Homes Ltd Collins Barrow LLP Compass Geomatics Ltd. Complete Flooring Solutions Inc Communications Group Red Deer Ltd Consolidated Gypsum Supply Ltd Deer Run Homes (1990) Ltd Designers’ Alliance of Central Alberta

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land developers, trades, manufacturers, supplies, lenders and other professionals — the companies and people who provide Canadians with quality housing from coast to coast. Members commit to act with integrity and professionalism in all aspects of their company’s operation.

Dig Excavation Ltd Doormasters Inc Durabuilt Windows & Doors Dynovac Industries Inc Eagle Ridge Homes Corp Elite Xteriors Ltd. Erickson Homes Executive Home Building Centre Falcon Homes Ltd Federated Insurance General Appliances Lacombe Ltd. Gilmar Construction Global Overhead Doors Ltd Goodmen Roofing Ltd. G&R Builders Innisfail Ltd Great Canadian Roofing & Siding (Red Deer) Ltd. Hans Gelsing Windows and Doors Harvard Broadcasting Henderson Homes Ltd. Henry’s Eavestroughing Ltd Highmark Eavestrough Ltd Home Renewals Homestead Custom Carpentry Inc. Hot Tub Wholesale Hub International Phoenix Insurance Brokers Inland Concrete Ltd JELD-WEN Windows & Doors Jim Pattison Broadcast Group Jorgenson Homes Ltd KCB Cabinets & Renovations Kirk Miller Properties Inc Knelsen Sand & Gravel Ltd Krest Homes Ltd. Laebon Homes Lafarge Canada Inc Larkaun Homes Ltd Levi-Rio Custom Home Builders Ltd Malibu Communities Marshall Construction Co. Inc. Mason Martin Homes McGonigal Signature Homes Inc. Melcor Developments Ltd MNP LLP. Mr. Fireplace NanoTechnologySolutions Inc National Home Warranty Group Inc. Northland Construction Supplies Oasis Water Company Inc. Oriel Windows & Doors Paradise Homes Corp. Parkland Drywalling Ltd

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Park Enterprises Ltd. Paul Davis Systems of Red Deer Pivotal LLP Platinum Homes & Developments Ply Gem/Gienow Canada Postma Electrical Services Ltd. Proform Precast Products Inc. Progressive Home Warranty Solutions Inc Prominent Homes Ltd Radisson Red Deer Hotel Rawk J Services Ltd RBC Royal Bank Eagles Edge Capital Corp Red Deer Brick Warehouse Red Deer County Planning & Development Red Deer College Red Deer Electric Red Deer Overdoor Regional Mortgage Remstar Roofing Ltd. Ridge Stone Homes Riser Homes Ltd Roofmart Alberta Ltd. RONA Inc./TM Red Deer North Ross Contracting Inc. Royal LePage Network Realty Corp Scarlett Built Homes Serge’s Homes Ltd Servus Credit Union Ltd Shaw Cablesystems GP Siderman Ltd Silverstone Custom Homes Snell & Oslund Surveys (1979) Ltd Soderquist Appraisals Ltd Sorento Custom Homes Ltd Source Media Group Stevenson Development Corp. Sylvan Lake Homes Ltd Tar-ific Construction Ltd Thermo Pro Insulation Ltd. Timber Wolf Truss Ltd. Total ICF Inc. Trail Appliances Ltd Travelers Insurance Company of Canada True-Line Homes Vleeming Construction Ltd. Westridge Cabinets Ltd Windsor Plywood Wolf Creek Building Supplies Ltd Woodmaster Cabinets Ltd ZyTech Building Systems Inc

culture

Wine of the times Pinot Gris a summertime favourite BY B J T U M A N U T

make my New Year’s resolutions in the summer. I figure I have a better chance of making good on the resolutions since I only have to keep them for six months. This year’s resolutions: get outdoors more, make chocolate babka from scratch, and drink more Pinot Gris. Why Pinot Gris? I’m a virtual stranger to the Okanagan Valley’s most popular white grape. It’s time we became friends. Pinot Gris is casual, fresh, food-friendly, and

undeniably quaffable. As a bonus, Gris is delightful accompaniment to some of my favourite summertime foods like steamed clams, oysters, mussels, and halibut. The 2017 vintage is a great time to jump on the Pinot Gris wagon. After a series of hot vintages in the Okanagan Valley, we see a return to a more classic vintage in 2017. Growing conditions were excellent for Pinot Gris, with these three examples standing out:

Wild Goose Vineyards & Winery, $20 Having won Best of Show at the Cascadia Wine Competition for two consecutive years for their Pinot Gris, Wild Goose is an active contributor to the rising popularity of wines from Okanagan Falls. A lovely culmination of peaches, pears, melons, honey, and a hint of spice - this wine will easily become a summertime favourite.

LaStella Vivace, $23 The South Okanagan also boasts stellar examples, with La Stella leading the pack with their Vivace. Naming all of their wines after Italian musical notes, La Stella’s Grigio is as lively as its name implies. This expressive wine is full of citrus, sage, and lime on the nose with green apple and refreshing citrus zest on the palate.

Nichol Vineyard, $23 This perennial favourite from Nichol, one of the original wineries on the Naramata Bench located in the Central Okanagan Valley, has a unique salmon colour from being left on its skins for 36 hours. On the nose, this Gris shows peach and ginger with additional notes of citrus and apple chiming in on the palate.

BJ Tumanut is a Wines and Spirits Education Trust Level Three and Canadian Wine Scholar graduates. She is part of the management team at JoieFarm Winery in Naramata Bench, owns Chocolaterie Bernard Callebaut Red Deer, and teaches wine and chocolate classes. S U M M E R 2 018

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Doggie do’s and don’ts Be the kind of owner your four-legged friend deserves BY J O CK M ACK ENZI E

n Red Deer alone there “are approximately 8,000 licensed dogs,” says Erin Stuart, Inspections and Licensing Manager for the City of Red Deer. Hence the popularity of the several designated dogwalking areas in and around town. Red Deer’s Oxbows (19th Street and 30th Avenue) and Three Mile Bend (off Riverside Drive) parks, Lacombe’s Len Thompson Off-leash Dog Park, Sylvan’s Memorial Trail and 60th Street Dog Park, and Blackfalds’ Bark Park are representative of what Central Alberta offers. The Bark Park even has an agility training area. When asked why dog parks are so popular, the answers are as varied as the canines themselves. “I’m off work right now so I take my son’s dog to Oxbows most mornings and to Three Mile Bend in the afternoon.” “Molly needs the exercise. And so do I.” “These three are rescue dogs and they’re shut in while I’m at work. A walk’s great for all of us.” “Chewie’s a Great Dane so lots of people are cautious around him. But other dogs aren’t. They don’t judge. He loves to come and play.” The most common answer, however, is a simple “for someone to play with!” Many people only have one dog so off leash parks provide new friends and playmates. Frequently, dogs rush over to one another, say hello, and just as frequently move away. But sometimes a connection is made and a play friend is found! And, usually, most dogs get along fine. Officer McMillan, Bylaw Enforcement Officer with Alberta Animal Services, emphasizes that dog owners always need to have control of their dog. If a dog isn’t able to respond to a verbal command, a leash is needed. Some take the wording of “off leash” too literally. There have been instances where

STOP AND SCOOP THE POOP The City of Red Deer Dog Bylaw states a dog owner is guilty of an offense if the dog “defecates on any public or private property not owned or occupied” by the dog owner. It is also an offense to allow the “defecation to accumulate on private property to such an extent that it is reasonably likely to annoy or pose a health risk to others.” Both offences start at a $250 fine, with a second offence increasing to $500 and a third offence $750.

a dog has been dropped off, left to run unattended, and the owner actually drove away and returned later. A somewhat lesser, but still illegal, habit is owners who sit in the car while their pet goes for a run. Unfortunately, the parks are not always as clean as they could be. With a coffee in one hand, and a cell phone in the other, many dog owners simply don’t (or don’t want to) notice when Mitzy or Bowser is leaving what should be picked up. Sometimes they simply forget to bring a bag, or not enough bags. “Some dog owners do their best to make up for the unconcerned and unaware,” says Sergeant Duane Thomas. As Director of Enforcement for Alberta Animal Services, he is fully aware of the good, the bad, and the feces. “A number of frequent park users take it upon themselves to clean up after their own pet and others as well,” he says. For the enjoyment of all, the best advice may be: Be the kind of person your dog thinks you are.

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| A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E |

FA LCON

2017 Builder of the Year

t Falcon Homes, it’s all about you. Need proof? To assist their clients with their dream of owning a home, Falcon Homes has more than 50 unique floor plans to choose from. For some homebuyers, a pre-existing plan might be exactly what you are looking for but, says Jessica Thebeau, sales and marketing partner for the multi-award winning home builder. “Many clients ask if they can customize floor plans to better suit their needs. Thankfully, our in-house draftsman is on hand to do just that.” In fact, at Falcon Homes, they’ll work with you to customize any of their existing floor plans to design a space that reflects the specific needs of you and your family. Floor plans and photos are great, but seeing a finished and furnished show home is quite another, and that’s another area where Falcon Homes excels. “Our inspiring show homes are open for viewing in many of the communities we proudly build in,” says Thebeau, including Red Deer, Sylvan Lake and Blackfalds. While show homes range in style and budget, she says, quality is consistent and designs vary to showcase Falcon Homes’ commitment to making each home as unique as the people who occupy them. “We love being able to showcase all the quality workmanship and innovative design ideas that Falcon Homes owners have come to expect,” she says. And it’s true! At Falcon Homes, they genuinely want you to linger in their show homes, picture yourself living there, and fall in love. Take your time, explore each room, and imagine the memories you can create, the friendships you will welcome through your own front door, and the joy found inside the walls of your very own Falcon Homes dream home.

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Whether you dream of owning a town home, duplex, or single-family residence, each home is constructed with the same quality and excellence people have come to expect from Falcon Homes, including practicality, attention to detail and distinguishing interior and exterior finishes. There’s even a list of quick possession homes, with options to accommodate all lifestyles and design preferences. “Take a look,” says Thebeau, “and find out which home is perfect for you!” And when Falcon Homes says ‘quick’, they mean ‘quick’ — all quick possession listings are completed or near completion! “At Falcon Homes,” says Thebeau, “we understand that there is more to a home than four walls and a roof. The feeling of “home” is illusive, and creating a space where our clients can feel inner peace and comfort is always our main goal. Although this feeling of “home” is intangible, we find it is often accomplished when a home is designed to serve the functionality, purpose, and taste of those who live there.” With that in mind, each custom Falcon

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Home is as unique as the client who will one day move into it. Home sweet show home One of the show homes in the spotlight for Falcon Homes right now is the Victoria, a 2,085-square-foot two-storey home located at 71 Valli Close in The Vista at Ryder’s Ridge, in Sylvan Lake, in a quiet

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close with views backing onto a pond with treed walking trails. This very popular, multi award-winning model has everything you can ever imagine tucked beautifully into in it’s incredibly roomy and space efficient layout. The main floor of this plan boasts an attractive foyer with views through to the open living room, dining room and large kitchen space. The stairwell to the upper floor adds another design detail that lends to the custom feel of this home. The half bath and main floor laundry with mudroom is also located on this floor with access to the triple car garage through a generously sized mud room. The upper floor is split

at the top of the first staircase. Above the garage is a large and comfortable bonus room that awaits your decision on how to live in the space. This area has been designed around every lifestyle and is always lived up to the bonus room truly is. Up the other stair case will take you into the bedrooms where you will find two nice sized rooms sharing a common full bath and access to linen closet off the hallway. When you step through the threshold of the owner’s suite this is where the distinction of the Victoria truly stands out. The lovely spacious bedroom features a large walk in closet and a dreamy ensuite with a funky barn door and plenty of room for both the soaker tub and beautiful glass tiled shower with added bonus of a long and elegant vanity easily fitting two sinks. This stunning Falcon Homes build features four bedrooms and three-and-ahalf bathrooms, and comes in at a price point of $699,900, fully completed and with outstanding upgrades throughout. This one of a kind home is located in a quiet close with breathtaking views backing onto a pond with treed walking trails. n

OTHER FEATURES INCLUDE: • Triple car garage • Spacious mudroom with built in lockers • Main floor laundry with washer and dryer • Massive sized kitchen with loads of counter space • Over sized island • Upgraded stainless steel appliances including gas stove • Generous sized windows letting in plenty of natural light • Upgraded fireplace • Fully landscaped and fenced • Bonus family room above garage • Built-in entertainment center • Central vacuum system • Finished walkout basement • Basement wet bar

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