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Media Coverage
The Edmonton Journal, September 23, 2007 Scenery and selection draw buyers to Vernon; Homes start at $600,000 at Turtle Mountain project
By Kathy McCormick and Marty Hope Please scroll down for the article.
Scenery and selection draw buyers to Vernon VERNON - Predator Ridge is the most high-profile vacation home development on the market in Vernon. But several other new developments in the area are now under construction. Some of these include: THE RISE Six acres of Pinot Noir and Reisling grapes have been planted, half of the 18-hole mountainside golf course was opened in August for limited play by some homeowners, eight model homes are open and nearly 100 home lots have been sold at this unique golf/wine community on the outskirts of Vernon. At a projected cost of $1 billion, the Rise is being developed by Okanagan Hills Development Corp. As it climbs from Bella Vista Road to the 18th hole of the Fred Couples Signature Golf Course some 450 metres above Lake Okanagan, visitors pass residential developments, the vineyard and future location of a winery on the way to the golf course. And if you're from Calgary or Edmonton, chances are you're likely to bump into someone you know. "About 40 per cent of our sales have come from Alberta," says Rod Cochrane, general manager of the Golf Club at the Rise, who was serving as tour guide. "Of the eight model homes we have started, six are already spoken for." In fact, the Rise is already boasting a dozen occupancies. Finished with a Mediterranean theme, one of the eight homes measures 1,948 square feet and carries a price tag of $795,900. Spacious and stylish, the home has been designed to bring the outside in. Doors open to decks and balconies overlooking the lake, vineyard and golf course. "Right now, there are four phases under construction with another four to go before we're done," adds Cochrane. Seven of the 18 golf holes will have homes on them, he adds, but they will be set well back from the fairways -- an estimated 45 metres from the centre of the fairway to the residential property line. The Rise will ultimately hold 1,210 homes, of which 660 will be single-detached. There will also be hotels, a village centre, tennis centre and several neighbourhoods offering various styles of housing at several different price points. "It's happening, we've got people living here and playing golf," Cochrane says, adding that the golf course will hold its grand opening on the May long weekend of next year. For information, visit www.therise.ca. VERNON FACTS Population: 35,944 (2006 Census). Greater Vernon population: 55,418. Incorporated: 1892. Economy: Light manufacturing, forestry, agriculture, retail, tourism. Location: 558 kilometres from Calgary along Highway 97A (south of the Trans-Canada Highway). The city is the first major stop along the Okanagan Valley, which goes on to Kelowna and Penticton, then through to Osoyoos. It's sandwiched between three lakes -- Okanagan Lake, Kalamalka Lake and Swan Lake -- and is a 20-minute drive from Kelowna airport, which has direct, one-hour flights from Calgary. Recreation: Nine golf courses and the Silver Star ski resort are in the area. Lakes, hiking trails and amenities such as orchards, fruit stands, wineries and vineyards give the area year-round appeal. Temperature: The average January temperature is -5.1 C.; the average July temperature is 19.1 C. Average frost-free days, 152.
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Reprinted from The Edmonton Journal |
