>> Artful design and sustainability will define the style of Winnipeg’s newest Genstar development, Bonavista, located on 243 acres close to the Bois-des-Esprit trail system and the Seine River. With carefully incorporated parks and wetlands and thoughtful, modern architectural controls, Bonavista offers a wide selection of housing styles, along with recreational opportunities in close proximity to all the ame- nities and services families could desire — and in a premiere location in south Winnipeg, between Bishop Grandin and Lagimodiere boulevards. Genstar’s Development Manager Marc Brown describes Bonavista as a master-planned ‘life cycle community,’ designed to meet a characteristic that he says is quite unique to Winnipeg. The Beauty of Bonavista Perfecting the art of modern suburban living Genstar – For Parade of Homes
“You can take advantage of passive heating and cooling, and if you se- lect the right building materials then you can actually save quite a bit on your heating and cooling costs,” Brown says. Planned wetlands, which filter rainwater run-off and provide habitat for a variety of wildlife, will complement naturalized landscaping, and the community will be lit with energy-saving LED street lighting. Lots are now available through the participating show home builders. Show homes will be open for viewing for the Fall 2016 Parade of Homes. “We’ve seen significant interest in the neighbourhood so potential home buyers should speak with one of the participating show home builders to secure their lot,” Brown says. Signature Homes sales manager Jeff McAr- thur says he’s looking forward to it.
“When planning and designing the community, we always kept in mind that people form a special attachment and sense of place with their neigh- bourhood and tend to want to want to remain in that community for 10, 20 or 30 years,” he says. “Bonavista provides new home opportunities for various lifestyles, be it the first-time home buyer, the expanding family or move-up home buyer or the empty-nester or retiree looking to simplify. And this is available in a new home community in a familiar location close to exist- ing amenities.”
“It’s brand new, it’s fresh, it’s a great location with easy access to the city, to the schools, the grocery stores, the restaurants — all those amenities. It’s a spectacular spot.”
“It’s going to be a fantastic subdivision nes- tled between Island Lakes and Royalwood,” he says, adding Bonavista will be attractive to buyers who want to be close to family, or just close to familiar locations near the south Perimeter. “They may have grown up in the area or always liked both those neighbourhoods,” McArthur says. Frank Cotroneo, director of overall opera- tions at Gino’s Homes, is excited about the design possibilities. His company is already working on ideas that will be a beautiful fit with the lot sizes and contemporary design styling in the development.
Pedestrian and cycling pathways will connect the greenspace focal points throughout the community. Plans are moving forward to devel- op a central recreation hub and active transpor- tation routes to support healthy, active lifestyles for all ages. The bottom line, though, is Genstar’s understanding that home buyers are looking for communities that come with built-in benefits. “We wanted to do something that inspires people to live happily in the suburbs, to create a sense of place and identity, and we felt we could do that based on modern designs and principles with an eye to environmen- tal responsibility and healthy community,” he says. The strong sense of place starts with the grid-based street design that invites walking and also addresses sustainability by creating western and southern exposures for the homes.
“We’re really trying to think outside of the box to create a new modern style of home that you maybe haven’t seen yet in the city — and I would say, yes, modern is the word,” Cotroneo says. Re/Max sales agent Cam Ftoma notes that Bonavista has drawn plenty of interest from prospective buyers, with good reason. “It’s brand new, it’s fresh, it’s a great location with easy access to the city, to the schools, the grocery stores, the restaurants — all those amenities,” says Ftoma. “It’s a spectacular spot.”
18 Parade of Homes Spring 2016
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