Parade of Homes featuring the best of new homes in Manitoba, Canada
Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/110865
Southeast >> There���s nothing cookie-cutter about Sage Creek. From its varied architecture to its selfsustaining pond system rimmed by native grasses, this fast-growing southeast community is clearly distinctive. ���I wasn���t sure how I���d feel about Sage Creek because our friends were saying it���s going to be like its own little town, and I still wanted to be part of the city,��� says homeowner Candice Matias, who found the best of both worlds when she moved to Sage Creek with her husband Marlou Cruzat and their two-year-old son last September. ���It still feels like part of the city, and I like that it has that community feel ��� that your neighbours are friendly and everybody walks everywhere. Physically activity is huge, and I feel inspired to be out there more.��� It���s no wonder residents want to get outside. The community was developed with nature in mind. Not only do the tall grasses that surround the pond system and winding trails appeal to outdoorsy types, but they���re very low maintenance, says Eric Vogan, Vice-President of Sage Creek���s developer, Qualico Communities. Urban Oasis Ever-popular Sage Creek was developed with Mother Nature in mind By Lindsey Ward ��� Photos by Marianne Helm 14 Parade of Homes Spring 2013 ���We really stand up tall about how easily sustained the open spaces are here,��� he says. ���The Parks Department doesn���t have a lot of mowing of Kentucky bluegrass to do here. Our pond system, which of course is there to handle storm surges, is all wetlands-based so the areas there offer a lot of variety of grass and shelters for birds and small animals.��� Mr. Vogan says the grasses actually help keep Sage Creek���s ponds clean by absorbing nutrients that would otherwise go to algae, an assertion that���s been backed by Ducks Unlimited. The long grasses of Sage Creek might also benefit those who aren���t fans of the mess left behind by our national bird, as geese avoid such grass because predators could be lingering among the blades. ���It���s a pretty wild area,��� Mr. Vogan says. ���If you look out the window you might see an eagle or a muskrat. It offers a real interesting walk or bike ride. It feels very wild yet it���s right outside your door.���