The heavenly lifestyle of St. Albert

St. Albert boasts a family-friendly vibe with lots of parks and recreational opportunities, so much so that it has been consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in Alberta. And many more are finding out about the charming, balanced work-life lifestyle it offers.

Located just outside the northwest corner of Edmonton, St. Albert has gained its own identity as a medium-sized city with plenty of room for growth, with plenty of amenities – including its own hospital - and where life can be enjoyed at a leisurely pace.

With a population hovering around the 73,000 mark, St. Albert is a great option for anyone looking for a family-friendly community with a low crime rate. It has been named the safest city in Alberta with an excellent public education system and great healthcare facilities. It also has a livelier downtown and nightlife than most Albertan cities of similar size, according to several real estate websites.

St. Albert offers well-planned neighbourhoods, exceptional community services, and plenty of opportunities to own a new home. Coventry Homes has been building in the city for several years and is well aware of the charms it offers.

“We build in two St. Albert communities- the established community of Riverside which we have been building in for over eight years and the brand-new community of Nouveau,” says Coventry Homes’ Tara Van Horn. “St. Albert offers residents an outstanding quality of life where they can enjoy a secure, small-town feel, without losing access to everything you could need from a major city. St. Albert continues to be voted one of the best cities to live in Alberta.”

New communities

St. Albert is ripe for new residential development and the new community of Nouveau on its northwest corner is one of a few offering fantastic new home opportunities.

Nouveau is a family-oriented community with natural features and features a more urban vibe. Van Horn says it is a neighborhood where residents get the best mix of affordability, green space, and accessibility to major destinations. “It is also the first community in St. Albert to offer zero-lot-line single family home options.”

The zero-lot line home is the most affordable single-family home option around as it saves buyers on land cost. “The single-family home built on the zero-lot-line lot is the same, but the home is built on the property line on one side, reducing the side yard and cutting the cost of each lot. This allows homeowners to get a single-family home for a similar price to what they would pay for a duplex,” she explains.

Nouveau is a neighbourhood with a modern, urban feel that still holds a ton of small-town charm. It will feature a mix of affordable single family laned and front attached garage single family homes, and townhomes in the first stage.

Attainability with style

Coventry Homes opened their zero-lot-line Dione showhome in Nouveau earlier this year and it has been a hit.

“The home is spacious, modern, bright and airy featuring a colour blocked kitchen, fireplace in the great room, central bonus room on the second floor, two bedrooms at the back of the home and the large master suite with ensuite at the front of the home,” Van Horn says.

Designed with a Nordic inspiration, the home features, sleek modern wood elements paired with modern black and white accents. While this home is a zero-lot-line model, no compromises were made inside – including the custom Nordic inspired Oilers® Fan Cave in the basement!

Coventry also builds in Riverside, which has enjoyed tremendous growth in the past eight years that the multi-awarded builder has been building here.

“While still one of St. Albert’s newest communities, the area now features a commercial area, playground and access to 145 acres of lush forest, extensive parklands, and walking trails all outside the front door. Riverside also features one of the youngest populations in St. Albert, with an average age of 30.4.”

She adds that the community of Riverside offers a variety of different lot sizes allowing Coventry to be able to offer a breadth of models available to be customized to fit our homeowner lifestyle.

Haven for young families

St. Albert attracts a diverse range of homebuyers due to its unique blend of charm, amenities, and community spirit “In the newer neighbourhoods like Nouveau, we are seeing lots of first-time home buyers who have found that the zero-lot-line options have bridged the gap between multi-family and single-family homes, allowing them to enter the market as a single family home owner,” Van Horn says.

“The more established communities, like Riverside, have attracted young families looking to take advantage of the outdoor natural areas, quality schools in the area and the small-town feeling built in these communities.”

Between the two communities of Nouveau and Riverside, Coventry Homes is able to offer a wide range of homes to fit the budget of a first-time home buyer or a small family looking for more space for their growing family. “We encourage our homebuyers to find a lot that works for them and design a home that will fit their lifestyle and budget.”

Enjoying nature

Nature is ever close at hand in St. Albert, and there are plenty of spots to enjoy lush, green scenery. The Sturgeon River which runs through the heart of St. Albert is a great spot for walks, picnics and communing with nature.

The capital region’s only provincial park, the Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park, is also right at its doorstep. It is located along the western edge of St. Albert and Edmonton and Big Lake is its defining feature, taking up 59 per cent of the park’s total area.

The St. Albert Botanic Park is also a sight to behold. It is a top tourist destination in the city, featuring five acres of beautifully landscaped, themed gardens.

The city also has some cultural highlight, not the least of which is the Art Gallery of St. Albert which showcases local and national artists. The Musee Heritage Museum is also a top attraction, featuring exhibits that capture the cultural and historical richness of St. Albert.

St. Albert also has a growing reputation as a foodie destination. The blossoming restaurant scene offers plenty of options from nearly every corner of the globe.

While personal preferences may vary, one popular restaurant in St. Albert is Sorrentino’s Restaurant. Known for its delicious Italian cuisine and warm ambiance, it’s a local favorite for both casual and special occasions, Van Horn says.

The Cajun House Restaurant has become a local favourite for its Cajun and Creole dining. Authentic specialties not found anywhere else in the greater Edmonton area include jambalaya, crab cakes and specialty gumbos.

The Perron District is the heart of St. Albert. This flourishing centre showcases the best of the city through businesses, culture, art and natural surroundings. Head downtown and enjoy the nearly 50 independent shops, cafes and restaurants that this lively district has to offer. Within it is the St. Albert Centre which offers a mix of well-known retailers and local boutiques. The charming downtown area is also a great place for unique finds and boutique shopping.