FAMILY ENCLAVE
Multi-generation community
When Jim Grant and his wife decided to retire, the last thing they wanted was to end up in a retirement community where everyone was in the same age group. At the same time, they were looking to become a bigger part of their grandchildren’s lives.
When they discovered Westhills Land Corp. was developing a “multigenerational community” on about 500 acres in Langford, B.C., about 30 minutes drive northwest of Victoria, they thought they had hit the jackpot. So they decided to create their very own family enclave.
“There are three generations of our family in this subdivision,” Grant said. “My daughter and her partner are across the street and she is expecting, and my son and his wife, with our grandchild, (are) around the corner.”
Grant moved from Toronto 18 months ago after selling his electronics manufacturing business.
“We have the time to give our kids, who have their own professional careers, a break. It also gives us an opportunity to have more exposure to our grandchildren. I see so many people with grandchildren that for geographical reasons, they can only visit once or twice a year.”
Developing such mixed neighbourhoods, where retired people can live alongside young growing families, was exactly what Westhills had in mind when it began building its master-planned development in 2007, says Westhills’ real estate sales and marketing manager Dale Sproule. Plans call for a build-out of up to 5,000 homes.
The developer has already built a mix of housing types, including some 500 single-family houses and townhomes and condos, which Sproule says sell as they are built.
Now, Westhills is adding 46 apartment homes in a six-storey building overlooking Langford Lake.
If the market co-operates, he said, they could be followed by a 15-storey residential tower, which would be the tallest structure in the region outside of Victoria.
“We are expecting a mix of buyers from people in their late 20s to young families and lots of people who want to stay out here to downsize and retire,” Sproule said.
The condominium building of concrete, metal and wood-frame construction will feature two floors of commercial office space — including Westhills’ own corporate office — with four floors of apartments overhead, ranging from studios to two-bedroom homes.
On top of those will be a rooftop landscaped terrace, with a barbecue kitchen, lounging and seating areas — and a view of Langford Lake. The apartments are designed with open-concept interior floor plans with oversized low-E double-glazed windows overlooking the lake and nearby mountains. Floors are finished in wide-plank laminate in the living areas.
Kitchens come equipped with solid quartz countertops, softclose cabinet drawers in either contemporary high-gloss or natural grained two-toned finish, and a full-height ceramic backsplash.
With Langford Lake just steps away, it’s not surprising that Lakepoint One provides homeowners with facilities to store kayaks and paddleboards, plus a bike rack for each unit in a secure section of the building’s underground parking. Also included are an electric car charging facility and a pet-washing station.
(Lakepoint One) gives us an opportunity to have more exposure to our grandchildren. I see so many people with grandchildren that for geographical reasons, they can only visit once or twice a year. Retiree Jim Grant