The Willows of River Heights offers lasting appeal

With a prime location situated between the Bow River and Highway 22 in Cochrane, The Willows of River Heights was always destined to be a special development. Now, as the community blooms to its full potential, it is becoming abundantly clear how special this boutique community has become to its growing number of residents.

This is the second development by La Vita Land in Cochrane, who is also the developer of Fireside just on the other side of the highway. The Willows, though, has a more intimate setting that young, active families find appealing, says Pam Goldfeldt, Marketing Manager, Land and R&D for La Vita Land.

“It’s a small, intimate community. It has more of a boutique feel,” she says. It is very much built in the spirit of Cochrane, where big city amenities meet the natural wonders and small town charm of the Western Heritage town.

The Willows of River Heights will only have a total of 450 homes in its 24-hectare expanse, and build out is fast approaching.

“We have started selling the final phase (Phase 5) of The Willows. This is an exciting opportunity for prospective homebuyers as they will be able to enjoy a brand new home, but in a community that is nearing completion.”

The Willows has attracted plenty of attention for the quiet country living found here. Its builder group – Calbridge Homes, Janssen Homes, Kingsmith Builders, NuVista Homes and Pacestter by Sterling Homes – offer homes from the $300,000s that reflect this easy-going lifestyle.

Even as it winds down, The Willows still offers a varied choice of homes that fit a wide range of budgets and lifestyles. These include townhomes, duplexes and single-family laned homes from the $300,000s; as well as single-family front drive garage homes from the $400,000s.

“We see a lot of families buying in The Willows – both those with young children and those with older kids. We also see many young couples putting down roots in The Willows as a place they see raising their future families,” Goldfeldt says.

With the Rockies as its backdrop and the Bow River down the hill, The Willows has an inviting natural environment. The Willows also features two wetlands and a large central park with interconnecting pathways leading to the Bow River and a future school site.

It is also a model for modern living with plenty of conveniences that make life that much easier. There’s easy access to Calgary, downtown Cochrane or the mountains with Highway 22 almost at its entrance.

“Living in this community really does offer the best of both worlds – 15-minute commutes to Calgary during the week while putting their weekend mountain adventures just an hour or so away.”

The fact that it is a smaller community is really appealing for those who are looking for small town charm. For those with high-school-aged children, Bow Valley High School is conveniently located at the east end of the community, so their kids can walk to school.

Younger kids are also looked after at the K-8 public school in Fireside (about a five-minute drive away), which is the designated school for The Willows – meaning no long bus rides to school for the little ones.

The area around the community has also undergone a massive transformation with residents already enjoying the road improvements along James Walker Trail and River Heights Drive. A new bridge spanning the Bow River and connecting the south part of town to Cochrane’s downtown will also be opening soon.

“The new bridge will make accessing Spray Lakes Sawmills Family Sports Centre and much of Cochrane’s commercial areas easier than ever,” Goldfeldt says. “This bridge will be open to vehicular traffic, and will also include dedicated bike lanes as well as a multi-use path that connects to the extensive pathway system Cochrane has in place.” The bridge is slated to open this fall and will be called the Jack Tennant Memorial Bridge.

It is no wonder why La Vita Land sees so much promise in Cochrane itself. It represents escape without the isolation, Goldfeldt says.

“Cochrane offers that small town charm people crave nestled within a beautiful natural setting. The laidback lifestyle blends nicely with boutique shops and thriving dining scene. But, also offers the big-box stores and restaurants we have all come to enjoy. The benefit of living in a small town means that you never have to go far to find what you are looking for – whether it be running the kids to hockey practice, catching a movie or hitting the gym, it is all just a few minutes away from home.