In a world of gadgets, apps, tablets and non-stop technological change, it might seem odd that nostalgia would be the main selling point for a new development, but it has proved to be very successful for the Cottages at Cultus Lake, “a home away from home” community that harks back to a simpler time.
Traveling back in time has, however, been made more appealing by the fact that that the journey to the cottages through time and space – otherwise known as the Trans Canada Highway – is little more than an hour.
“The keys to this location are its proximity to Vancouver — only 90 minutes — its natural beauty and its large size of more than 50 acres, allowing us to create a community that is truly unique,” says Jon Van Geel, development manager for Cultus Country Investments.
Cottage owner Nikki Mayer was clearly attracted by the development’s key selling points. “There was nothing close enough to home within Canada,” she says. “We weren’t interested in commuting by ferry anywhere, going cross-border or traveling more than two hours by car.” The South Surrey resident said they are door to door in one hour and 10 minutes.
“In its previous life the property was the largest and oldest campground in the Cultus Lake area.” says Jon. ”We wanted to keep a real nostalgic look and feel to the community while maintaining all its natural attributes, consisting of towering evergreens, natural ponds and community park areas.”
A yearning for times past is not new, but there are certain advancements that make modern-day life more comfortable. Surely the cottages don’t have out-houses? No, that would be silly.
According to Jon, “The cottages are designed with all the modern-day conveniences and with rustic charm: to call it a ‘home away from home’. This involved designing cottages that take you back in time to when you were a kid, providing large porches and decks for carefree outdoor living, open vaulted great rooms with stone fireplaces, large kitchens and dining areas for family gatherings, and bed space for all those sleepovers.”
The natural beauty and the sense of nostalgia are part and parcel of the development’s appeal to families. “The people that want to be a part of the Cottages at Cultus Lake are those that want a second home to become the centre of family life and a source of years of family memories.” says Jon. “It is a legacy property that their children will cherish and even an investment that they can pass on to them.
John and his team have tapped into their market’s childhood memories by creating an environment where parents are comfortable letting their kids play outside unsupervised. “It’s like when we were kids,” says Nikki, who noted that the safe environment for her children, aged two and four, was one of the things that attracted them to the Cottages at Cultus Lake. “They go outside in the morning and come indoors at the end of the night. They love it.”
Parents also have needs — and those are catered to as well. Nikki also loves “…the great feeling of community and neighborhood it provides. You can keep to yourself or you can be social with others.”
Creating a strong sense of community is great, but we wanted to know what impact this development would have on the surrounding area. “This community has a very positive impact,” said Jon. “We provide our own water system that is totally untreated and is absolutely pure. We also provide fire hydrants for community use and a state-of-the-art community wastewater system which eliminated all of the previous septic fields of the old campground.
“We believe the value of the neighbourhood has been lifted as this is the only new development provided in recent memory. This type of property is virtually unavailable in the Cultus Lake area, as most land surrounding it is provincial parks.”
To find out more, call toll free on 1-877-888-4950, or visit the development yourself at: 1777 Columbia valley Rd. Lindell Beach, Cultus Lake BC.
| Number of cottages | 231 |
| Ownership | Freehold bare land strata |
| Types of units | 17 designs, rancher, 2 and 3 storey |
| Size range | 966 sq. ft to 2450 sq. ft. |
| Patios/decks | 400 sq. ft. on average |
| Price range | $334,900 to $599,900 |
| Priceper sq. ft. | $250 to $350 |
| Standard features | 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, fireplaces, expansive covered decks and porches, reclaimed hardwood floors, and lofts |
| Community amenities | 10,000 sq. ft. clubhouse with fitness centre, 2 swimming pools and hot tubs, one-acre trout pond, 3 parks plus creekside park and firepits, 2 tennis courts, ball courts, boat storage |
| Area amenities | Cultus Lake, boat launch, fishing, golf, hiking, biking, mini-golf, waterslide park |
