Parade of Homes

RIDGEWOOD WEST At home with nature in RidgeWood West RidgeWood West is a scenic community, closely tied to the Charleswood area. With an array of naturalized wetlands, forests and trails, residents can connect with nature right outside their door. Philip Jenkinson and his family have been living in RidgeWood West for four years. "We love the Charleswood area and being close to the Perimeter," explains Jenkinson. "The main selling feature for us when moving into RidgeWood West was having the chance to choose a lot that backs onto the Harte Trail. The Harte Trail is a 6.5 km crushed limestone path that runs along lush forest, open prairie and provides plenty of opportunities to see and hear a variety of wildlife. The trail itself is elevated from its surround- ings as it sits on an old railway bed. Today the Harte Trail is used regularly by people who want to avoid the rush of traffic and enjoy a peaceful setting while they bike, run or walk. Jenkinson jogs on the Harte Trail daily and since moving into RidgeWood West, he has become the executive director for Friends of the Harte Trail. The volunteer group works towards maintaining the path and its surrounding habitats. "I joined because I use the trail often and I want to see how we can make a positive impact on the community," says Jenkinson. "We're working towards planting more trees from the Van Roon Prairie Garden in the east to the Perimeter on the west, so eventually they will create a canopy over that portion of the trail." Friends of the Harte Trail began planting donated trees along the trail in 2018, and have had three successful tree-planting sessions since. They also provide community clean-ups and the installation of bird houses along the trail. "We are completely volunteer based with six members, so we raise donations throughout the year to hire a Green Team who help maintain the trail from spring and into the fall," adds Jenkinson. While developing RidgeWood West, Qualico Communities worked closely with Friends of the Harte Trail to keep them informed on future development in the community and to receive their valuable feedback. To become a member of Friends of the Harte Trail, residents are encouraged to email info@hartetrail.com or visit their website at hartetrail.com. Over the years, oak and aspen trees as well as fruit-bearing shrubs like the Saskatoon have grown along the edges of the Harte Trail. The combi- nation of wooded and open areas in RidgeWood West provides residents with regular glimpses of wildlife. Some animals that can be spotted in these areas include deer, rabbits, foxes and owls. "Just as people walk along a hallway to reach different rooms, animals also need spaces within a landscape to help them move from one habitat to another," explains Alaina Saper, design assistant at Qualico Communities. "The narrow strip of wilderness that buffers the Harte Trail serves as an important wildlife movement corridor that links up with Assiniboine Forest, Park and River, which are all vital pieces that form a greater biological community." The trails within RidgeWood West were created to complement and connect to the Harte Trail. "Since the Harte Trail borders on the community's northern perimeter, it was a good starting point in how we aligned our trails and wetlands throughout," says Tara Reid, sales and development manager at Qualico Communities. Living in RidgeWood West gives residents the ability to live an active lifestyle while enjoying nature. With the Harte Trail running alongside the community, residents in RidgeWood West are connected to places such as the Assiniboine Forest and FortWhyte Alive. It's just a matter of grabbing your walking shoes or hopping on your bicycle and heading to the trail. QUALICO COMMUNITIES — RIDGEWOOD WEST ' ' 44 Parade of Homes fall 2019

• Cover