Some recreational developers link real estate to golf courses, others to skiing, water sports or tennis courts. At the Creekside Mills at Cultus Lake, the attraction is a working farm, some of it Agricultural Reserve Land (ALR) that surrounds the 129 detached houses.
“We’ve incorporated 10 acres of recreational agricultural land where homeowners can enjoy an edible landscape including a community garden, fruit orchards, livestock area, berry fields, and then sell the fruits of their labour at our farmers market or bring it back home to eat,” explained Steven Van Geel, sales director at Creekside Mills at Cultus Lake and founder of Frosst Creek Developments.
The inspiration for Creekside Mills is an 80-acre family farm that had operated for 50 years near Cultus Lake. Only a small portion of the land was in B.C.’s ALR. Frosst Creek purchased the farm and was allowed to take the 4.4 acres out of the ALR, but replaced it with about 10 acres that is now deemed agricultural land.
“We have incorporated the ALR land around the development,” Van Geel said, referring the concept as an “agrihood.”
Creekside Mills, a bare-land strata, gated community, will also have full time staff to maintain the farmland and lifestock, and will offer educational programs and workshops to children about raising plants and animals. Residents will be encouraged to harvest fruit and vegetables, operate their own community garden and even get fresh eggs from a hen house, Van Geel said.
“We want to bring the farm back to life,” he said.
While linking new residential developments to farming has been done in the United States, Van Geel said Creekside Mills is the first such project he knows of in B.C.
The project’s strata fees are around $180 per month, which will help pay for the farm operations, a recreation centre and community swimming pools, according to Van Geel.
The plan is to roll Creekside Mills out in two phases over the next two to three years, with the farm maturing around it.
“I was raised on farm,” Van Geel said, “and I think a lot of families would like their children to experience it.”
According to a 2014 study conducted by Surrey-based Fifth Ave Real Estate Marketing Ltd., 80% of respondents found the concept of recreational agriculture as an attractive amenity they would want near their home.
So far, six homes in the first phase have sold – two of them to young families - though the official sales launch won’t be held until mid-October. Prices for two-bedroom ranchers start at $500,000, with two-storey, three bedroom houses from $600,000, Van Geel said.
