A MEMORABLE TOAST TO FUTURE IN WALDEN
If Eric Lamoureux was nervous, he didn’t show it.
Or maybe it was just masked by the excitement he and Melanie Gorman experienced when they took possession of their first home. They bought a house through Cedarglen Homes in Walden and were handed the keys last April.
Soon after completing their final walk-through with the builder, Lamoureux went to his car and came back with a bottle of champagne. That’s when he proposed.
“It was the perfect opportunity to propose because I never expected it,” Gorman says.
The couple, both teachers, will be married next summer.
“We had a lot of fun that morning calling everyone from the new house and telling them the news about our engagement,” she adds. “It was the perfect end to our homebuilding process and the start of our future.”
Prior to moving, the couple rented in the southwest neighbourhood of Millrise.
For a number of reasons, Walden made sense. They liked the community’s eye-catching modern-- fusion architecture, location on a scenic end of the city, walkable amenities and the chance to live on a cul-de-sac.
“We knew that Walden had a lot of young families,” says Gorman. “When we drove around, we saw a lot of parks, kids playing, and walking paths.”
They also liked the family-friendly appeal of a cul-de-sac. There are six cul-de-sacs in the remaining phases of the community.
“Our cul-de-sac is full of kids and they’re always playing basketball and on their scooters,” Gorman says, adding they’ve found it to be a great place to connect with neighbours.
Another perk is the established commercial development dubbed the Gates of Walden.
“We can literally walk to Save-On-Foods and to Shoppers Drug Mart,” says Gorman.
She also likes having her pick of places for coffee. “It’s awesome to have both Starbucks and Tim Hortons in the neighbourhood,” she says. “Some days I feel like a Starbucks, some days it’s Tim Hortons.”
The established businesses and services have been important to many of residents in the commu- nity, says Kelly Schmalz, development manager at Genstar Development Co, the company behind Walden. The developer has heard that people living in Walden like coming home from work and find there’s no need use their car again. “It’s truly a walkable community,” says Schmalz.
The community is set to unveil a new show home parade Sept. 24 from noon to 5 p.m., with eight single-family models and four duplexes. These are by a builder group of Excel Homes, Homes by Avi, Cardel Homes, California Homes and Cedarglen.
During the show home parade launch, builders selling in all segments in Walden will be passing out farm bucks, which can be redeemed for items such as baked goods and fall produce at an on-site farmers market.
This includes its multi-family developments, which are by Cardel Lifestyles, Avi Urban and Rockford Developments.
Walden’s new stretch of singlefamily homes are part of a desirable end of the community.
“The single-family show homes are backing on to a naturally wooded area that we have maintained through the construction of the community,” Schmalz says. “You’re living in a brand new house and you have a natural, old wooded forest behind you — so that’s a pretty special scene as you come upon these show homes.
There’s a large wooded park in Phase 28, beside the show homes, with pathways connecting to the greater Walden pathway system that should be complete in midOctober, she adds.
Gorman and Lamoureux bought Cedarglen’s Coleman B floor plan.
“We’re planning to have a family eventually and that’s the house we wanted to grow into,” Gorman says.
They were fans of the garage, ensuite, second-floor bonus room and open-concept main floor — especially the kitchen.
“I feel like the kitchen is the heart and soul of the house,” Gorman says.
“We love our kitchen so much because it’s just open and great for entertaining. We really wanted something where we could entertain and be with family.”
Stephanie and Brad Childerley, along with their child Vedder, are also set to become new residents of Walden. Their possession with a home by Excel is expected for October.
“It just felt like home right away,” says Stephanie. They picked the builder’s Ridley floor plan. At press time, two homes in this model were available for quick possession.
“It reminded us of our families houses that we’d go visit at Thanksgiving — there’s room for everybody,” she adds. “You could just envision everyone sitting by the fireplace. And it was just really functional, especially for having a family.”
They recently moved back to Calgary from Kamloops B.C. and started off in a rental in Walden. When they decided it was time to put down roots, they didn’t want to leave.
“We just really fell in love with the area and how accessible it is to to everything,” Stephanie says.
Playgrounds and green space in the community and its proximity to Fish Creek Provincial Park were also part of the draw, she adds.