Master planned communities are becoming increasingly more common in Metro Vancouver as city planners and residents discover the value of living, working and playing in neighbourhoods which allow for all of these things together.
Conceived in 1953, the first planned and fully integrated post-war community in North America was created in Toronto. The community of Don Mills was planned as a town that would humanize and enhance urban life and soon revolutionized urban development across the country.
One of Vancouver’s most famous examples is Concord Pacific’s award winning Concord Pacific Place - North Americas largest master-planned community. Beginning in the 1990’s, Concord Pacific Place is now home to over 20,000 residents who enjoy the convenience of a highly walkable neighbourhood, access to spectacular amenities like the seawall and new parks, low home maintenance, close proximity to work and high resale value.
Today’s most successful master planned communities, expanding on what Concord has done at Concord Pacific Place, marry employment and lifestyle amenities like shops and services with varying residential options as well as parks and open spaces. The challenge with master planned communities is that they take sometimes decades to come to fruition. What is critical in today’s planning of these communities is the living experience as the communities grow and continue to be completed. As a homeowner, you want to know that if some of the shops, services, parks and recreation are not currently in place that it may be available soon or that you can enjoy your home in some fashion without feeling like you live in a construction site in the meantime.
Responding to the needs of local residents, developers are taking on the challenges and continuing to expand this new urbanism concept throughout Metro Vancouver. Parklane Homes’ the River District, in Southeast Vancouver, represents one of the last pieces of undeveloped waterfront land in the city of Vancouver and, once complete, will be a well-orchestrated fully integrated community of 130 acres.
Another key development on the horizon is the “Fraser Mills” area in Coquitlam. Developed by Beedie Living, this exciting 83 acre riverfront community will blend much needed industrial and employment uses with residential, commercial and recreational opportunities to finally reunite residents to their waterfront.
With turn-key homes, integrated community amenities and an overall philosophy of low-stress living, master-planned communities are increasingly more appealing to today's homebuyers as they opt for convenience in their backyard.
Kim Robertson
