EXPANSIVE VIEWS CAPTIVATE COUPLE
Ridge lot in Legacy offers sunset vistas, ample space amid an atmosphere of ‘peace and tranquillity’
While many factors can go into why a homebuyer selects the lot they do, Irena Stam and Ken Kotyk’s was clear and simple — the views.
The couple bought a home through Morrison Homes on a lot that’s perched upon the scenic ridge in the southeast Calgary community of Legacy.
“We both absolutely love sunsets,” says Stam. She and Kotyk moved from Evergreen in the city’ s south-west.
“I feel that west views are the best views,” she adds of their new place in Legacy. “To catch the sunsets, this lot was ideal for us.”
To take advantage of these sight lines, the floor plan plays an active role, with windows covering a large portion of the back of the home. They bought Morrison’ s Ellsworth, a 2,710-square- foot model with a front-attached garage.
“We have a view from the master bedroom, the main floor — living room, kitchen — the walkout basement,” says Stam. “So our entire back of the house just allows us to see the view, pretty much, no matter where we are in the house, so it’s something we enjoy every minute of the day.”
Kotyk adds, “it’s incredible how much light there is that flows through the entire home.”
The couple, who have two stan- dard poodles, were also impressed with the size of their lot. On the ridge in Legacy, they range from 46 to 48 feet wide.
“We spend a lot of time with our dogs outside ... for us to have the space to allow us with some privacy, this was the perfect choice,” Stam says.
“Legacy’s biggest selling feature on the ridge is that peace and tranquillity,” says Kalida Goldade, marketing manager for WestCreek. “When you look out your bedroom window or you’re right on your deck in your backyard ... you’re looking out on to a forest, a little creek in the environmental reserve.”
“It’s 300 acres of nobody else,” she adds. “You have all the community amenities when you go in, but living on the ridge you ... have your quiet place.”
Along with Morrison, companies building homes on Legacy’s ridge include Calbridge Homes, Albi Luxury by Brookfield Residential, and Crystal Creek Homes.
Albi, Calbridge, and Morrison have show homes open on the ridge and Crystal Creek has a sales centre.
Crystal Creek and Morrison Homes will open new show homes, as part of a new estate phase in Legacy, this summer.
In addition to ridge lots, the phase includes 40- and 42-foot interior lots facing the ridge.
Homes on the ridge currently start from the $900,000s and interior estate lots start from the $600,000s. In both cases, this includes the lot and GST.
For Kotyk and Stam, beyond the windows, a space that can support large gatherings was a priority.
“The kids are grown up and have significant others. Our Christmas and special occasion dinners are getting bigger and bigger, so we wanted an open-concept where we can have a big table and just be all together,” says Stam. “This house definitely provided us with that.”
Stam practices yoga and developed a space for this in their walkout basement. “It fits our lifestyle,” says Kotyk. Beyond the estate segment,
Legacy offers move-up and laned single-family homes, duplexes, townhomes, and condos.
The balance of its builder group includes WestCreek Homes, Trico Homes, Sterling Homes, Stepper Homes, Jayman Built, Shane Homes, Aldebaran Homes, Brad Remington Homes, and Carlisle
Group.
Legacy is master-planned by WestCreek Developments and last year won its second consecutive Community of the Year-City of Calgary title at the Calgary Region SAM (Sales and Marketing)
Awards.
One of the cornerstones of Legacy is its commitment to attractive outdoor spaces. This includes 121 hectares (300 acres) of developer-protected environmental reserve and 15 kilometres in pathways, including parts that pass eye-catching community ponds.
Their poodles have benefited from this, too.
“We’ ve spent a lot of time exploring that path on the ridge and going beyond that down into the valley,” says Stam.
The couple has also enjoyed the developer’s approach to connecting neighbours, singling out its community garden that opened last year. “They do a lot of things to bring the community together,” says Kotyk. One of the things that has helped in this area is the community’s public art. In late 2016, actress and artist Jane Seymour visited the community to unveil a sculpture of two interconnected hearts from her Open Hearts collection of fine art that is permanently on display in the community. Kotyk and Stam were on-hand for the event. “We’re a few doors down from where it is,” says Stam. “We walk by it two or three times a day. When we connect to the pathways, we go by the art piece. “I was a fan of (Jane Seymour’s) as a teenager, so it was cool to see her.” Construction started on the first commercial hub in Legacy late last year. The development — dubbed Legacy Corner — is by Royop Development Corp. and expected to open this summer. The 15,000-square-foot complex is at the corner of Legacy Village Link and 210th Avenue S.E. Confirmed tenants include a Petro-Canada gas station and car wash, dental care, Little Caesars Pizza, Tim Hortons, barbershop, veterinary clinic, and a dry cleaner.
Two other commercial complexes are also on tap for Legacy. One is a 58,000-square-foot site by Trico, and the other is another by Royop, but much larger than the first.
At 80,000 square feet, which is about two-thirds the size of Shawnessy Towne Centre, this will be considered a regional commercial site.
“It’s all going to be a very walkable and accessible development from the community,” says Kotyk. “So from where we live, we’re really excited to be able to take the ridge pathway all the way over to where that development is going to be.
“The community is very linked and connected from its walking paths,” he adds.