POINTE-CLAIRE
The Boyce team sings its praises
Imagine living in a community with lush, tree-lined streets where you can walk along a lakeshore and enjoy the natural beauty or saunter into an old village with historic properties, all while being just 25 minutes from downtown Montreal. It may sound like a fantasy, but for residents of the West Island city of Pointe-Claire, it’s their status quo.
For the Boyce real-estate team, Pointe-Claire is a true family affair. After all, the husband-and-wife duo of James and Maureen Boyce — recently joined in the business by their son, Logan — has been living and working in the city for decades. Although the brokers work all over the West Island, their affection for Pointe-Claire is substantial.
“The thing that makes Pointe-Claire distinct from other parts of Montreal, and in particular from other West Island communities, is the incredible full-spectrum lifestyle that it has to offer,” said Maureen, a realestate broker with KW Prestige. “Certainly not just a bedroom community, it has a large industrial and retail tax base to work with, including major pharmaceutical firms and Fairview Shopping Centre.”
The city was originally designed as a garden city, with the industrial area being separated from the residential section. This arrangement, combined with the ample green space and mature trees, has created one of the most scenic communities in all of Montreal.
“You can practically throw a stone in any direction from a home in Pointe-Claire and will probably hit a park, playground, or green space,” Maureen said.
Pointe-Claire is, in fact, home to nearly 40 parks and green spaces, including the beautiful Terra Cotta woods, one of Pointe-Claire’s best kept secrets. A huge 39-hectare natural park, Terra Cotta woods contains kilometres of maintained paths through wooded areas and natural fields.
In addition to the community’s outdoor spaces, Pointe-Claire offers a slew of recreational advantages for its residents.
“The city is committed to preserving its family orientation,” said Mayor Morris Trudeau.
“To attract families, it relies on its exceptional living environment, on incentives related to the sports, cultural and community activities it offers for both adults and children, and on the quality of services provided to families,” the mayor said.
Among these services are facilities such as the nationally recognized aquatic centre, Stewart Hall Cultural Centre, and the Canoe Club on the shores of Lac St-Louis, which has produced a handful of Olympians over the years.
Moreover, there are five baseball diamonds, 19 soccer fields, seven outdoor pools, 24 tennis courts, and 10 outdoor skating rinks, said James Boyce.
“Not to mention the south side of Pointe-Claire that’s bordered by Lake St-Louis and includes five shoreline parks and bicycle paths that have become increasingly popular,” he added.
This impressive range of programming and recreational venues serves the community well; despite the incredibly diverse population in Pointe-Claire, the city truly offers something for everyone.
“I think that’s what really makes PointeClaire stand out,” Logan said. “In every neighbourhood you can find a mix of age groups, from singles to young families and seniors, and a mix of both ethnic and economic backgrounds. It really is a snapshot of life.”
Pointe-Claire also boasts substantial historical value with beautifully preserved buildings dating back to the 1600s — including the old windmill, convent and StJoachim Church.
“A stroll through the old part of PointeClaire offers glimpses of its storied past,” Maureen said. “Villages full of independently owned quaint shops, places to dine, and friendly local pubs are disappearing throughout North America, so places like the Pointe-Claire Village are certainly a treasure.”
In terms of real estate, Pointe-Claire has an extremely eclectic mix of housing, from rental units and new condos overlooking the water, to humble postwar bungalows and massive waterfront estates.
“The older neighbourhoods are full of heritage and have a certain storybook charm,” Maureen said.
“Valois is another example of a mature neighbourhood that has developed a definite cachet.”
Although Pointe-Claire is a fully developed community, there has been a healthy amount of building and renovation over the last several years.
“Many postwar homes that were typically quite small by today’s standards, yet sitting on oversize lots, have been replaced by larger new homes,” Maureen said. “Senior residences have also been added to the community over recent years.”
Some examples of properties for sale in Pointe-Claire include a single-family bungalow built in 1956 on Duke-of-Kent Ave., currently listed for $299,000. Meanwhile, a new single-family attached townhouse in the Domaine Evergreen project on Donegani Ave. is currently selling for $435,580.
On the higher end, a six-bedroom waterfront property on Stewart Ave. is going for $3.5 million.
No matter the type of property you’re in the market for, Pointe-Claire has stock to suit just about everyone’s needs. And if the Boyce family’s enthusiasm for the community on the lake doesn’t sway you, a visit to the city surely will.
“Honestly, when I’m selling a home in Pointe-Claire to someone from outside the area, I often tell them that it comes with a warning,” Maureen said, “and that is that they may never leave!”