Saskatoon StarPhoenix

Escape the busy lifestyle and embrace country living in Asquith

- JENNIFER JACOBY-SMITH Postmedia Content Works

It’s a quiet town. The kind of town where crickets can be heard in the evening as you walk along the street. There’s not a lot of traffic to worry about, as the sunset paints the sky in fiery hues.

Asquith, a small rural town west of Saskatoon is looking to attract those looking for a slower pace and a simpler life. The kind of life where the General Store is within walking distance.

That’s the experience of Wade Monks-Janzen, resident of Asquith, Sask. Population: 639.

The Monks-Janzens spent four years in Vancouver, where his wife could finish her degree. They were used to commutes of an hour, sometimes two. Once back in Saskatoon, they quickly realized they wanted to get out of the fast-paced city, in hopes for a more minimalist life.

The couple researched small communitie­s. They were hoping to find a home within a 20-minute drive of Saskatoon, but without a lot of heavy traffic. The single-lane Highway 14 west of the city provides what Janzen calls a “relaxing and unwinding 20-minute commute”.

“One of the reasons we wanted to come out west of the city, was for the quiet highway,” says Monks-Janzen. “The busy traffic is kind of what we were attempting to avoid.”

The town is small, but has a good school – Lord Asquith School. There is a grocery store with a hardware section, and a local gas bar. It might not be a dense commercial area, but it was enough to supply the couple’s basic needs. There’s also a hockey rink that serves as the hub of the community.

The couple also wanted their new home to be close to outdoor spaces, where their child could one day play soccer. On the drive down Highway 14, they encountere­d bush and trees, perfect places for hunting or exploring with a quad.

Just 24 km northwest of Asquith is Eagle Creek Regional Park, including many amenities and cabin rentals during the summer. The popular Eagle Creek Jamboree attracts hundreds each June.

The most appealing aspect of Asquith for the Monks-Janzens, was having the ability to build their dream house. As an architectu­ral technologi­st, Monks-Janzen wanted to design and build a custom home, but he often found that smaller communitie­s had many restrictio­ns, including the placement of the garage, the size of the driveway, or even which builder they could choose.

Asquith has none of those rules. Rather, Asquith’s lots are affordable, offering 60-foot frontages listed at just $30,000. Monks-Janzen says they are the largest and most affordable lots available, this close to the city. “We couldn’t find anything else cheaper without having to commute even further.”

The freedom to make design choices without any restrictio­ns sealed the deal for the Monks-Janzens. In April 2016, the couple moved to Asquith to a rental house, while designing their dream home. They moved into their brandnew home in December last year.

Monks-Janzen says they found it easy to make friends in contrast to the fast-paced life they led in Vancouver, or even in Saskatoon.

“It’s a big city and everyone was so busy and stretched so thin financiall­y and with these hours-long commutes at the end of the day, no one wants to get together,” he says. “It’s nice to get back here, to nice quiet Saskatchew­an, where we call home.”

Long-time resident Cindy Stack agrees. “You will always get waves and smiles wherever you go.”

Stack arrived in Asquith in 1990 after she got married and moved to a farm. She and her then-husband moved their farmhouse into the town of Asquith in 1999. She says, “I just knew it was a good community to raise a family in. Everybody looks out for everybody.”

She credits Lord Asquith School with the success both of her children have achieved. They attended the school from Kindergart­en through Grade 12. Her son plans to raise his family in Asquith, while working towards becoming a journeyman electricia­n and helping his dad on the farm. Her daughter played for the volleyball team, and was able to go to college in North Dakota on a full ride scholarshi­p. She now has her Masters of Science in Applied Math from the University of Saskatchew­an.

“I owe it to that school. She might have gotten lost in the shuffle in Saskatoon, but it’s a smaller school so there are more opportunit­ies,” says Stack.

The charm of Asquith is the beauty that’s captured in the simplicity of a single moment. Such as when Monks-Janzen takes his baby daughter for a walk, to pick up a last minute ingredient for supper. It’s just a short walk to the store. There’s no rushing, no parking the car, no lineups. There’s always a greeting from a neighbour, and a friendly face at the store to visit with and his daughter to smile at before they walk back home.

To explore the building options for your dream home visit grow.townofasqu­ith.com.

 ?? PHOTO: JEFF LYONS ?? Located 38 km west of Saskatoon, the town of Asquith has lots available for those looking to build their dream home, but want a quiet country lifestyle to go with it.
PHOTO: JEFF LYONS Located 38 km west of Saskatoon, the town of Asquith has lots available for those looking to build their dream home, but want a quiet country lifestyle to go with it.
 ?? PHOTO: JEFF LYONS ?? Wade and Wendy Monks-Janzen built their dream home in Asquith. They chose the small community because of the great school and relaxed rules regarding the design of their new home.
PHOTO: JEFF LYONS Wade and Wendy Monks-Janzen built their dream home in Asquith. They chose the small community because of the great school and relaxed rules regarding the design of their new home.
 ?? PHOTO: JEFF LYONS ?? Just a short drive from Saskatoon, the town of Asquith has all the charm of relaxed country living. Lots are just $30,000.
PHOTO: JEFF LYONS Just a short drive from Saskatoon, the town of Asquith has all the charm of relaxed country living. Lots are just $30,000.

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