Thursday, December 30, 2010

Kaslo’s Winter Wonderland

While Kaslo is a bustling mountain village during the summer months, there is also plenty to partake in once winter arrives. In addition to favourite winter activities such as ice skating, curling, skiing, snowmobiling, tobogganing, snowshoeing, and snowman building, the Kaslo area is also world renowned for its heli-skiing and cat-skiing operations. The fresh deep powder atop the stunning Purcell and Selkirk mountain ranges makes for a skiers’ paradise and we are just steps from the best cross-country skiing on the planet. For the snowboarders out there, Whitewater in Nelson has a killer Rail Park!



There are also numerous organized events that keep us lively and active all winter long. To kick start the holiday season, Kaslo’s main street hosts the annual Light Up parade and festival, during which all the stores and businesses turn on their Christmas lights and show off their festive side, topped off by a visit with Santa and a very popular scavenger hunt for the kids.

A new local favourite is the Kaslo Jamboree hockey tournament. During the tournament the arena is filled with energy, excitement, and hard fought games. The concession is in full gear and the fans cheer loudly as Kaslo hockey players battle for the legendary Colander Cup. Of course, minor league hockey keeps kids, parents, coaches and officials busy with practices, games and tournaments much of the winter season.



There is always something going on at the Kaslo Curling Club. Whether you are a seasoned veteran,
beginner, or just want to be in a great atmosphere, this is a sure-fire place to kick back, relax, and enjoy an afternoon or an evening!

Kaslo is also the location for the annual Polar Bear Dip which is a fundraiser for the Langham Cultural
Centre. The Langham offers art exhibits, plays, movies, concerts, lectures, readings, the Japanese Canadian museum, and a wide range of workshops for all ages.

As winter comes to a close, Kaslo is home to the annual Winter in the Forest festival. Taking place at the Kaslo Golf Club, participants can enjoy sleigh rides, woodsman sports, snowshoe races, interpretive nature booths, maple taffy on the snow and lots of hot chocolate.

In short, the winter season doesn’t slow us down one bit.

Baby it’s cold outside? Perfect!

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Thursday, November 4, 2010

Topping-Off at Wing Creek

History of Timber Frame

The history of timber frame is rich with cultural significance, it represents a connection to the past and symbolizes luxury, class, and appreciation for the environment. Timber frame construction dates back to ancient Egypt, this style of wood joinery was often used in the building of furniture. Timber frames are present in churches, theaters, windmills, and many other structures throughout Europe. It was wildly popular until the late 1500s when usable timber became scarce. Its resurgence came in North America when early settlers rekindled the building style with the presence of our immense forests. However, after two centuries of popularity, timber framing almost became extinct as it was abandoned for cheaper stick frame construction. It wasn't until the 1970s that timber framing became popular again. The energy crisis of that decade had people searching for more energy efficient homes and timber frame is as good as it gets. The style is perfect to maximize passive solar energy, eliminate thermal bridging, and many were drawn to its use of natural materials.

Today timber framing continues to lead the way in terms of energy efficiency and minimizing environmental impact. It has also become a symbol of luxury and class as the natural elements showcase the beauty of quality craftsmanship. The skilled craftsmen at Hamill Creek Timber Homes are dedicated to this time honoured tradition.



The Topping-Off Ceremony


The Topping-Off ceremony occurs when the highest point of the structure is placed. The ceremony has been adopted by many styles of construction, but originated with timber frame craftsmen. The traditional meaning of the ceremony is to show respect to nature for providing the elements that make the build possible. It is also a sign of good fortune to all inhabitants of the new building. An important symbol of the ceremony is the placement of a small pine bough at the highest point of the structure. Honouring this tradition is important to many timber frame craftsmen because it represents their respect and passion for their livelihood.

Here at Wing Creek we are planning a Topping-Off ceremony for the showhome. The timber raising is taking place during the week of November 15th, 2010. The future residents of the homes at Wing Creek will be invited to join in the celebration to benefit from its good fortune. We are excited to maintain this tradition as the Wing Creek community continues to grow. We are very fortunate to live in this natural paradise and it's only fitting to pay homage to the environment that makes our vision possible.

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Thank you and look forward to seeing you here,

The Whole Team at Wing Creek

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Creating Something Special

The Wing Creek Resort property cries out for the creation of something very special. It is not often these days that 20 acres of pristine waterfront with a charming creek running through it year round has remained intact. In most cases these types of property have been divided over the years or, like many surrounding Wing Creek, remain in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR). Wing Creek Resort has the freedom to create something special. That, coupled with our partnership with Hamill Creek Timber Homes and our commitment to creating a legacy project, will result in a truly remarkable waterfront community.

In the last blog we discussed the importance of planning and ensuring commitment to the vision. In this blog we are discussing the homes that will transform this magnificent resort property into a unique waterfront community that will attract a select group of owners to this special area over the next several years.

It all starts with the team. We are fortunate to have a talented designer from Hamill Creek creating custom luxury designs for the homes at Wing Creek. Ken Austin is responsible for the designs of our first two homes and will continue to produce stunning concepts for future phases. The Birchgrove and Birchmount designs will be two and three bedroom timber frame homes, respectively. Lot 9 will be the location of the first home built at Wing Creek. This will be built as a show home to provide a tangible example of the incredible quality and style that each home will possess. The inspiration for the Birchgrove came from a home built in the early 1900s by two of the world’s most heralded home designers, Charles and Henry Greene. The home, which was built for David and Mary Gamble of the Proctor and Gamble Company, can be viewed at the Gamble House website by clicking here. Some of the unique design features of this famous home have been incorporated into the Birchgrove. For instance, a curved truss can be seen at the face of the home, as seen below, and it will appear throughout the home. In addition, the roof beams will extend beyond the roof line to give it a unique appearance.  We believe these creative designs set the homes at Wing Creek apart and complement the stunning landscape of the property.

We encourage you to request information or call us to schedule a viewing of the property. The next month is going to be incredibly exciting as we watch the show home construction get underway. Keep in touch with us to get consistent updates on the progress of construction and to take the first step toward living your dream at Wing Creek Resort!
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Cheers from the Wing Creek Team

Sunday, August 22, 2010

The Vision and Planning

The great part of developing on 20 acres of undeveloped, unzoned waterfront property is the freedom to create your vision exactly as you imagine. When we considered developing this stunning piece of property, we knew that the design of the community must be reflective of the natural beauty of the surrounding area. Many inputs were considered and many site trips were made to other real estate developments throughout BC and Alberta. 

We considered subdividing the property, but this presented many challenges. Some lots would have exclusive access to the waterfront, some to the orchard, some would have creek frontage, others would have highway frontage. But no lots would have access to all. Providing road access to all lots in the subdivision would require an elaborate network of engineered, widegrade roads – reducing greenspace and expensive to build. Each lot could require an individual septic system and water source. The septic systems would require large areas where trees would need to be removed.  Then there was the challenge of how to incorporate the existing vacation cottages, spa, gift shop, etc.  In short, none of the options presented by parcelling the land would satisfy the overall vision of protecting the natural beauty of the property or give our owners access to all of the amenities that make Wing Creek Resort so special.

The decision was made to develop based on a Strata design. This would allow for a maintenance- free living style and a consistent level of property care. A Strata design would give the development a clear direction, a common focus and create a truly unified community.

Deciding upon a “Strata” was a great start, but how would we ensure that our homeowners built green and would meet our requirements to protect this property and surrounding area? How would we control the size and design of the homes?  Architectural controls are common, but more often than not, developers loosen their guidelines in order to make sales. Also, who would build these homes in such a remote location? Local contractors are few and trades are often difficult to obtain. Would buyers be willing or able to oversee the construction of these homes? Would they bring in outside contractors and trades? Would the building materials be purchased locally? It quickly became evident that in order to satisfy all our requirements we needed to design Wing Creek as a “Building Strata”. This would also give all of Wing Creek Resort’s current and future owners and vacationers access to the lush forest trails, waterfalls, orchard, vineyard and pristine beachfront for which it has become known.

Stay tuned for our next blog...

Friday, August 13, 2010

The Right Players Make the Best Team

The key to any good business is having a strong team of people striving toward the same vision. Wing Creek has spent the last couple of years ensuring that the vision is clear and concise. A number of challenges were associated with assembling the right partnership team. In fact, several investors were immediately interested in forming part of the development team, only to be dissolved when it was discovered to be less than an ideal fit for all parties. Unfortunately, the partner acquisition timing coincided with a significant downturn in the real estate market. However unfortunate, this event made it clear to the founders that it wasn’t only about putting a team together; it was about putting the best team together.


A little background on Kevin and Debra; after spending over 20 years each in corporate professions and living in big cities, the couple ventured out to find a business they could run together. After selling homes in Vancouver and Edmonton the couple purchased a 38ft motorcoach and travelled throughout much of North America looking for a small hospitality business. Looking closely at businesses in Arizona, California and Texas, they continued to feel the pull of their roots in Western Canada. They returned to BC and found their way to the interior, travelling through the Okanagan, Shuswap, Slocan, and finally to the Kootenay Lake valley where the instantly felt they had found paradise. At the time the vision of Wing Creek Resort was years away, but they bought the small accommodations business in 2004 and immediately began making improvements. The five existing cottages were completely renovated, new driveways were added and manicured, and a trail to the beach was put in capable of supporting a four passenger golf cart. As the early years passed, Kevin and Debra searched for an appropriate way to better utilize the 20 acre property. Their primary goal is to be able to stay in the paradise that they found and soon it became clear that a community development would not only achieve that goal, but surround them with like-minded people that shared their passion for the property and the area.

It wasn’t until 2009 that they found the right people to move this project forward keeping in mind the desire to retain the natural beauty and make certain it remained in keeping with the surrounding area. The new partners couldn't be better suited for this development. Both are local residents of Kaslo and bring a perfect set of professional backgrounds to the table. Jeff offers years of experience and access to supplies as the current owner of the Kaslo Building Supplies and Dwight brings his world class timber frame building company on board as partner and exclusive builder of Wing Creek homes. Dwight’s company is Hamill Creek Timber Homes and they have forged a reputation as a world class builder with major projects in Colorado and Hawaii, as well as many local area projects that continue to be heralded for their quality construction and stunning design.


It was a long road to find the right team to realize the vision of Wing Creek Resort and there have been times that Wing Creek Resort looked to be venturing closer to a forgotten dream. Today we are days away from beginning construction on our first world class resort home and we couldn’t be more excited.

Our next segment will be about the wonderful world of bureaucracy, as Wing Creek Resort moved slowly through the permits, strata conversion, infrastructure, and geotechnical engineering reports. It will be more fun than it sounds.

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Monday, August 9, 2010

Welcome to Wing Creek Resort | Kaslo, BC


The pristine beauty of Kootenay Lake has provided us with a spectacular setting to share the vision of Wing Creek Resort with you. Situated on 20 acres of waterfront property just five minutes north of Kaslo, BC, Wing Creek Resort is truly one of the last undiscovered jewels in beautiful southern British Columbia.



Nestled between the soaring peaks of the Purcell and Selkirk Mountains and overlooking the sparkling waters of Kootenay Lake, the resort is a carefully planned luxury development designed in perfect harmony with the surrounding environment. Wing Creek Resort is proud to partner with world class timber frame home builder Hamill Creek for this Legacy Project. 


Wing Creek Resort will consist of a total of 33 thoughtfully designed, custom timber frame homes and cottages plus special amenities. Surrounded by lush forest, the resort offers a spa, conference facility, orchard, mountain streams, gardens, trails, and exclusive waterfront features. Plans include the creation of an outdoor kitchen featuring guest chefs, a small vineyard and extensive outdoor living areas and amenities that will enhance owners’ enjoyment of this exquisite resort community.


Wing Creek Resort is committed to providing all owners with the same remarkable experience the current owners have enjoyed for years. Owners will have right of first refusal on upcoming phases, so you can grow right along with the resort if you choose. Become a resort owner and discover where you truly belong ... at Canada’s First Boutique Resort.


Experience this tranquil waterfront resort offering ownership opportunities, vacation rentals and the Falling Water Spa. Relax in your luxury cedar cottage, enjoy your cozy woodburning fireplace, revel in the scenic splendor of Kootenay Lake, surrounded by soaring mountains. 20 acres of orchard, gardens, trails, streams, and beautiful private beach. Welcome to Wing Creek Resort! If you haven't joined us on Facebook you can do so at facebook.com/wingcreekresort


Contact Us:
250.353.2475
info@wingcreekresort.com
http://www.wingcreekresort.com