The Province

Sunstone Shines in Tranquil Setting

THE MASTER PLANNED COMMUNITY INCLUDES MORE THAN 200 HOMES WITHIN A FAIRY-TALE-LIKE AMBIENCE

With less than a week to go before its Oct. 1 sales launch, excitement about Delsom Estates’ Sunstone Village Residences in North Delta is reaching the boiling point.

One of the reasons is that the beauty and tranquilli­ty of this master-planned community will never be compromise­d. This is partly due to the fact that North Delta contains miles of wellprotec­ted trails, beaches, nature reserves – and, of course, Burns Bog, the largest urban peat bog in North America.

But it’s also due to the careful planning that went into Sunstone. As the final phase nears constructi­on, the community exudes an almost fairy-talelike ambience, with its curving street layouts, the vaulting roofs and intricate detail of the 200 single-family homes and other residences (courtesy Raymond Letkeman Architects), and the dramatic topographi­cal features of a winding, tree-lined lake and central vehicular roundabout.

Michelle DesRosiers, senior project manager of Fifth Avenue Real Estate Marketing, which is presiding over the sales of Sunstone’s 54 condominiu­ms in October, cites other unique aspects. “There are two entry points, but no vehicular corridors, which means low traffic throughout the community.

“As for the condos, they are the first and will be the only condominiu­ms available in all of Sunstone.” With an eye towards accommodat­ing locals, Sunstone also contains 70 quality rental apartments for those who want to downsize without tying up their equity; optional meal and cleaning services will be available, and amenities include a full dining room and large garden patio, as well as an outdoor terrace.

As for the village hub, it will be home to a variety of shops and services (including a pharmacy and bistro) and easily accessed via pedestrian pathways.

To say that Delsom has spent a lot of time and thought bringing Sunstone to life would be an understate­ment; the project began informally back in 1954, when Dennis Delsom purchased over 500 acres of land in North Delta.

Delsom’s vision for 100 acres of that acquisitio­n was to create a community that would exemplify a tranquil, pedestrian-oriented lifestyle, while being close to elements such as the Sungod Recreation Centre, the Delta Nature Reserve – and, of course, Burns Bog. Sunstone would also be advantageo­us in that North Delta’s thoroughfa­res provide easy access to downtown Vancouver, the airport and the U.S. border.

Polygon Homes, which was building green, sustainabl­e residences long before they became a trend, was responsibl­e for constructi­ng Sunstone’s numerous multifamil­y townhouses, and Polygon’s sister company, Morningsta­r Homes, built the single-family dwellings.

Bringing the project full circle is Delsom, which will soon preside over Peak Constructi­on’s building of the village hub.

As DesRosiers prepares for the Oct. 1 sales launch, she echoes the sentiments of everyone involved in Sunstone’s creation by remarking: “This is a very special community in a special part of Metro Vancouver; everyone from local first-time buyers wanting something new to empty-nesters wanting to downsize without sacrificin­g quality will be at home in Sunstone.”

For more informatio­n about Sunstone Village Residences, visit www.sunstonevi­llage.ca