VISTA EMBRACES SMALL-TOWN VIBE
Homes by Dream envisions Crossfield development as a ‘retreat’-style community at affordable prices
Two weeks before their second son was born, Rebekah Brooks and Dominique Gauvin took possession of their three-bedroom home in Vista Crossing by Dream Developments in Crossfield.
It couldn’t be a more perfect neighbourhood for them. A play- ground around the corner, a yard for the kids and future playmates.
“The lady next door just had a baby boy 21/2 weeks ago,” says Brooks, juggling her own newborn in her arms.
She grew up in Cochrane and Gauvin works in Airdrie. They were living in Didsbury while hunting for a new home and it needed to meet three criteria: a location closer to Airdrie, affordable and a brand-new, modern house. A home in Vista Crossing was right on the money.
“We heard about the neighbourhood because Dominique was servicing the heavy duty machines the developer was using to build it,” says Brooks. “In Airdrie, you can get a house built in the 1980s for the same price as a new house in Crossfield. I’d rather have a brandnew house.”
They purchased the Juno, a 1,500- square- foot, three- bedroom, 21/2-bathroom model from Homes by Dream, the builder division of Dream and developer of the 160-acre (64-hectare) community.
With a 170-square-foot front veranda, shingle siding and dormer-style windows, the Juno has the look and feel of an early 20th century Craftsman- style catalogue home. With a base price of $359,900, the inside is well-designed, modern and functional.
“It was a spec home, but it was exactly what we wanted. It’s open concept with quartz countertops and a huge island in the kitchen,” Brooks says.
“The kitchen was one of the main selling points. And the ensuite. It has a humungous deep tub. When I was pregnant, it was deep enough to cover the bump,” she adds with a giggle.
The couple also enjoy their Whirlpool appliances, including an extra-large double-door fridge and main-floor laundry.
“Before, our laundry was in a closet, so it’s nice to have an entire room for it,” she says.
Small- town living suits the 24-year-old stay-at-home mom just fine. She can’t handle Calgary noise and traffic, she says, and everything they need is either in Crossfield or Airdrie. Schools are also within walking distance.
For Calgary or Airdrie buyers considering a move to Crossfield, the commute to the city is much the same, says Dream’s Michael Tandara, director of marketing for Western Canada.
“It’s directly comparable because you often skip some of the slow down getting on and off the highway into Airdrie itself.”
Homes by Dream’s laned homes in Vista Crossing are priced from $299,000 to $339,000 for 1,250 to 1,500 square feet on 30-foot lots. Modest price points, but every home is appointed with timeless details like big brick chimneys, cornice mouldings and roomy front verandas that provide additional outdoor living space and foster a sense of community connection.
“You don’t think of starter homes as having tons of character. It’s unmatchable value anywhere, even in Airdrie. It’s hard to find options that allow you to have your own yard with no shared walls,” Tandara explains. “Airdrie is not what Airdrie once was and that’s why Dream saw potential in Crossfield.”
The town’s population is just shy of 3,000 people. Vista Crossing will have 1,000 homes, potentially doubling Crossfield’s size. Dream has put funding into enhancing the Crossfield fire hall and improving the local library, but has no plans to make the friendly community on Highway 1A a bustling metropolis.
“Big enough to have local services, but not big enough to lose its character. We want Crossfield to be a retreat because I think we all need that,” Tandara says.
The essence of Vista Crossing is the desire for a more neighbourly way of life. Dream has plotted out the community in such a way that there aren’t swaths of driveways on every block, yet new home buyers have options for front-drive garages if they choose. With natural wetlands and landscaped storm water ponds, Vista Crossing also has a good choice of walkout lots and semi-estate homes backing onto green space and a variety of home styles from partner builders McKee Homes and ReidBuilt.
As soon as spring takes hold, Homes by Dream will lay the sod, plant a tree and build the fence on either side of the house for the Brooks- Gauvin family. Soon, the couple hopes to build a garage off the back lane and the front porch will be bright and sunny with flowers and tomato plants.