July 24, 2013 | CREBNow

Room to Roam

Consisting of nearly 350 hectares, Heritage Pointe is a master planned hamlet on Calgary's south side in the M.D. of Foothills. Incorporating both golf and lake developments, the caliber of the community was acknowledged shortly after the first residents moved in, as The Lake at Heritage Pointe took home the SAM award for Best New Community just a year after opening in 2001.

Taking home the SAM Award for Best Community twice more in 2005 and 2006, Heritage Pointe has emerged as one of the city's most sought after addresses.

"Heritage Pointe really has several distinctive attributes that are not necessarily found in one single community," said REALTOR® and area resident Don Blocka.

The relative room to roam afforded to community residents is one selling feature Blocka said separates the community from so many in and around the city.

"[Heritage Pointe] has a very low density level, meaning how many homes are built per acre," said Blocka, who cited Heritage Pointe's large lots, 27-hole golf course and 11-hectare lake as key contributors to the community's park-like feel.

Helping to keep the community's greenspaces in pristine condition for years to come, the hamlet o has protection in place for the preservation of natural lands including ravines and coulees within its boundaries. Portions of the community are protected by a preservation easement — one of the first preservation easements of its kind in Alberta. The easement allows the golf course to retain physical ownership of the ravine land but requires the land be maintained in its natural state in perpetuity.

"It's a country-type setting," said Marianna Kindrachuck, Blocka's wife and fellow REALTOR®. "When you leave the city limits, you really embrace the countryside views as you enter the community. It was developed so well, there are numerous walking paths, green belts and a beach house for residents to use."

However, having the great outdoors in your backyard doesn't mean Heritage Pointe residents have to confine themselves to their immediate surroundings. With easy access to downtown Calgary via Macleod or Deerfoot Trails, and with the S.E. leg of Stoney Trail set to open in October, residents can be shopping along Stephen Ave. in less than 30 minutes, or take a 10 minute drive to Okotoks to watch a little baseball.

"You basically get what feels like outside-of-city living with all the amenities," says Joe Friedel, chair of the Lake at Heritage Pointe Homeowners Association.

In addition to offering the best of country and city living, Friedel says the community has worked to develop the sort of tight-knit bonds found in more established communities.

"We worked really hard to establish that because I know when we moved here, that didn't seem to exist as much. And it actually is working very well," said Blocka. "That's been our primary objective — to make sure our children are entertained, safely and with good activities that stimulate growth. The community has actually really embraced that."

Through the first six months of 2013, 16 homes have traded hands in Heritage Pointe, with the number of days the homes have spent on the market dropping significantly. Between January and June, the average number of days that a Heritage Pointe home spent on the market was 57, a 35 per cent drop from the 88 days seen through the first six months of 2012.

South Health Campus
Calgary's massive $1.31 billion South Health Campus adds 310 beds and 11 operating rooms to Calgary's health services, capable of 200,000 outpatient visits, 2,500 births and 40,000 visits a year to the emergency department. The campus – which is roughly the same size as Calgary's Chinook Centre Mall – will serve Calgary and surrounding rural areas as well as see patients from all over Southern Alberta.



 

 

 

 
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Okotoks Dawgs
Just a short drive away from Heritage Point is Seaman Stadium. Home to the Okotoks Dawgs, the stadium is the flagship facility of the Western Major Baseball League. Locally known as the "Dawg Pound", the $8 million stadium features seating for 3,000 and has been ranked as one of the top 10 summer collegiate draws in North America.



 

 

 
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Heritage Pointe Golf and Country Club
Just minutes south of Calgary along the crest of the Pine Creek Valley, the chance to experience golf at its best is right at your doorstep. Explore 27 challenging holes, listed among the top five courses in Alberta by Score Golf Magazine, the Top 30 public courses in Canada by The Globe & Mail, and the Top 100 Golf Shops in North America by Golf World Business.



 

 

 

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The Lake at Heritage Pointe
The Lake, including the upper pond is approximately 11 hectares, and is similar to other Calgary-area lake communities. The Lakehouse is a community facility featuring a cozy interior for holding events or meetings. The lower level is fitted with showers, washrooms and room to store and lace up your skates in the winter or
grab some beach toys and life jackets in the summer. Kayaks and paddleboats can be signed out for member use during the summer months.

Tagged: Calgary Real Estate | Calgary Real Estate News | Heritage Pointe | Okotoks Real Estate | South Health Campus