Shawnee Park returns couple to upgraded roots
When Chris Lofgren first heard that Cardel Homes was transforming Shawnee Slopes into a beautiful new residential community, he made a mental note.
“I thought, that’s a place where I could definitely buy a home some day,” says Chris, a born and raised Canyon Meadows kid.
“I like the property, the proximity to Fish Creek Provincial Park and that it’s in the south, but not too far out.”He and his wife, Marla, spent a few years living “far out” on an acreage in Priddis, but with three busy children the driving back and forth into Calgary was tiresome. So, six years ago they moved “far in” to inner-city Marda Loop, purchasing a home with more than 4,000 square feet of developed space over three storeys.
“It’s a great house, but our oldest daughter is in university, another is graduating next year and our son will be finishing Grade 9 — it’s a good time to think about downsizing a little bit,” Chris says.
The quest for a smaller home was the perfect excuse to revisit Shawnee Slopes, now called Shawnee Park, on the south side of Fish Creek Park, west of Macleod Trail. With just 490 single-family home sites in the infill neighbourhood, Shawnee Park is a unique, intimate neighbourhood. It was the 2018 BILD Calgary Community of the Year and was also awarded the2018 Best Show Home Parade of the Year.
Chris and Marla liked the show homes, all two-storey models, but found that Cardel also had existing plans for a bungalow — the Cambria Court — a plan they felt made the most sense for their family and gave them the “biggest bang for their buck”.
“We purchased it off paper, but there was one under construction, so we could walk through it and get a sense of how big it was,” Chris says.
The Cambria Court has a rear-attached garage and a side courtyard. It’s large for a bungalow,with 1,577 square feet on the main floor and another 1,100 square feet of developed basement. There are two front-facing bedrooms and two full bathrooms on the main floor with a mudroom and laundry area between the kitchen and the garage. Two more bedrooms and another four-piece bathroom are downstairs with enough space for a 12-foot by 10-foot rec room and ample storage in the mechanical room.
Chris says his new home will be ready in June 2020. He and Marla haven’t chosen their interiors yet, but have several upgrades in mind.
“We plan to spend some extra money in the kitchen and in the master ensuite, and I’m going to make a sports bar in the basement — that’s on my wish list,” he says.
Jon Mortier, Cardel area sales manager, says the Cambria Court was a popular model for the builder in Quarry Park and it’s beginning to catch the interest of new home buyers in Shawnee Park. The base price is just shy of $700,000 he says, including the full basement development.
“We’re always open to doing revisions to our standard floor plans, if someone wants a large master on the main floor and additional bedrooms in the basement,” he notes.
While momentum is building for bungalows, two-storey homes remain the most popular choice in Shawnee Park.
“The Selkirk 2 is our best seller and the Savin is next,” Mortier says, adding that there are several two-storey quick possession homes currently available.
A new park will be ready by summer’s end, new pavement has been laid and building is about to begin in Phase 7 of Shawnee Park, where buyers can find larger lots with south-facing backyards.
“This is a very small, sophisticated, quaint community. All your amenities are here already — it doesn’t get any better than that,” Mortier says.
Chris is excited that his vision of living in Shawnee Park is coming to fruition and that he can remain in the south end of Calgary. His insurance and financial service firm is in nearby Oakridge and he can quickly jump on Highway 22X west to Priddis Greens Golf and Country Club where he is a member.
“Downsizing was a piece of the reason why we’re relocating. We like going for walks and bike rides, so having Fish Creek nearby was a big thing.”
Cindy Stephen,
For The Calgary Herald