Calgary's new gated, island community

[RougeUnderoos]

Gotta love the HuffPo's headline for this:

THERE'S GOING TO BE A GATED MAN-MADE ISLAND FOR CALGARY'S RICH PEOPLE

Do they have even the slightest clue about this city?

[Bootsy]

I don't know why you'd want to live in a gated community and I don't understand the stink people throw that some people do.

[corporatejay]

Honestly, the idea of having this gated island community in mahogany is laughable.

[Hugh Jahrmes]

I say let 'em have it.. Who cares how they spend their cash? No public funding and it's fine.

Closest thing to a gated community I'll ever live in involves this frustrating POS Im always trying to climb over to get down the stairs instead of just opening it now that the little guy is crawling. And I'm cool with that.

[Hevishot]

Originally Posted by Bunk

I'm just trying to fathom who they mean to keep out. Are there scores of people trying to enter random cul-de-sacs to cause trouble that I don't know about?

With the new Bingham Crossing mall going in close to my folks place in Springbank their development is installing a "poor people gate" to keep the riff raff from driving through looking at all the big houses..

[ranchlandsselling]

Isn't mentioning that it's a man made island kind of moot when it's also a man made lake?

It's not like they're building The Palms but it sure sounds like it when it's always referenced as "man-made Island".

[Swift]

A man-man island is something else entirely.

[TurdFerguson]

marketing marketing marketing! Any conversation about this is good for the developer. Hell, i bet the story was a plant in the first place. This development was planned and approved years ago and is just coming out again...surprise, in-line with the release of the lots.

The way I see it:
- its 22 homes...gated community sounds ridiculous.
-if you planned to build on the island then you are not likely to pull-out because of a gate, even if you don't like it.
-if you didn't know about it, and the gate appeals to you for some strange reason...then maybe they sell a lot faster.
-if you are not in the market that would access this kind of home then who cares...it's just a novelty to try and enhance the island lots over normal lake-front lots (and those in surrounding communities), even if that's with a superficially inflated value proposition. Go to any estate area and read the "estate benefits" - outside of lot size...its all fabricated exclusivity attempting to create "value"

[BigNumbers]

I wonder...Is the gate to keep the riff raff out, or keep the people who bought in a gated community in the far south away from the rest of us?

Besides, unlocking the gate just added 2 minutes to your already hour-long commute!

[J epworth]

Was there this much outrage when McKenzie Lake was being built? This seriously is just a copy of McKenzie Lake which has been around for 25 years, I have never heard anyone get upset about the island there. I lived a few blocks from that gate and never thought it was some exclusive community, it was just another cul-de-sac on the lake in my mind. Don't think there was ever segregation between rich and poor in McKenzie Lake, just because one street had a gate. Everyone still had access to the lake, regardless if you lived in old McKenzie or new McKenzie

[ben voyonsdonc]

Originally Posted by Cameron Swift

A man-man island is something else entirely.

Can you send me a map to this island?...it is for a friend.

[moncton golden flames]

Originally Posted by Magnum PEI

There's a huge gated community between 17th Ave Sw and Lower Springbank Rd. Technically inside the city limits. Some ridiculous houses in there with unspoiled views.

Until the West Ring Road gets built directly on their front doorstep.

http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/5698.htm

[ken0042]

For me I'd consider one of those lots; if they allowed motorized boats on the lake. Not because I would want to be in a gated community, but to be able to go out the back yard and hop onto a sea-doo would be cool.

However seeing as you aren't allowed to have anything motorized, to me that takes away the biggest benefit of owning one. I notice the plan shows for each house to have a dock; I wonder if anybody buying them would end up making an incorrect assumption about what they could dock there.

Even still, I guess you would have access to a kind of swimming pool; one that doesn't require any maintenance.

[Ulrith]

Had to google the community name and holy hell that's a long ways out...on the edge of the city limits.

Maybe it's just me, but I think the hour long commute would keep me out much more so than some gate on an artificial island.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by ken0042

For me I'd consider one of those lots; if they allowed motorized boats on the lake. Not because I would want to be in a gated community, but to be able to go out the back yard and hop onto a sea-doo would be cool.

However seeing as you aren't allowed to have anything motorized, to me that takes away the biggest benefit of owning one. I notice the plan shows for each house to have a dock; I wonder if anybody buying them would end up making an incorrect assumption about what they could dock there.

Even still, I guess you would have access to a kind of swimming pool; one that doesn't require any maintenance.

I'd be more interested in the skating/hockey potential in the winter. My parents previously had a home in a lake community. These lakes are the biggest waste of space imaginable. The vast majority of the residents never visit or use the lake/clubhouse facilities. Over the 4 or 5 years that we lived there my parents checked it once when they first moved. I went twice. In some cases the lakes become unsuitable for swimming after a number of years because of algae and such.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

In some cases the lakes become unsuitable for swimming after a number of years because of algae and such.

I guess you may be right. When I did my scuba certification at Lake Sundance we couldn't see more than 5-10 metres ahead, and that was 30 feet under water; and in October. I suppose the surface in July would be a lot worse.

[burn_this_city]

I grew up in Midnapore and Sundance, we used those lakes all the time. It's only a waste of space if you don't get off the couch and use it.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by ken0042

For me I'd consider one of those lots; if they allowed motorized boats on the lake. Not because I would want to be in a gated community, but to be able to go out the back yard and hop onto a sea-doo would be cool.

However seeing as you aren't allowed to have anything motorized, to me that takes away the biggest benefit of owning one. I notice the plan shows for each house to have a dock; I wonder if anybody buying them would end up making an incorrect assumption about what they could dock there.

Even still, I guess you would have access to a kind of swimming pool; one that doesn't require any maintenance.

I'd go for some sort of motorized Venetian Gondola.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by ken0042

For me I'd consider one of those lots; if they allowed motorized boats on the lake. Not because I would want to be in a gated community, but to be able to go out the back yard and hop onto a sea-doo would be cool.

However seeing as you aren't allowed to have anything motorized, to me that takes away the biggest benefit of owning one. I notice the plan shows for each house to have a dock; I wonder if anybody buying them would end up making an incorrect assumption about what they could dock there.

Even still, I guess you would have access to a kind of swimming pool; one that doesn't require any maintenance.

I think you are allowed to have slow-moving motorized boats (electric motors) at the man-made lakes in Calgary. There is an old couple that cruises around Bonavista drinking wine in their homemade houseboat. It's totally awesome. I've also seen dudes bring in little electric motors and put them in the rental boats at Bonavista. Not quite as cool as what you were picturing with the seadoo, but maybe better than nothing?

If it's not allowed, it's at least tolerated.

[rain_e]

Originally Posted by Ulrith

Had to google the community name and holy hell that's a long ways out...on the edge of the city limits.

Maybe it's just me, but I think the hour long commute would keep me out much more so than some gate on an artificial island.

Not everyone works were you do.