Cranbrook
Cranbrook a major player
Naturally, the East Kootenay region is where you want to book your 2009 golf vacation
Given the combination of stunning scenery, a laid-back lifestyle and the idea of getting more value for your dollar, the Kootenay region is attracting buyers for both recreational and full-time purposes. When you decide on booking your 2009 golf-destination vacation, you might want to add a few more days to your itinerary, with so many championship golf courses to choose from.
Return Of The Black Night: The world’s most travelled athlete returns to Cranbrook in September for the soft opening of the Black Knight golf course at Wildstone.—photo courtesy Wildstone
Two more golf course resort developments are quickly taking shape, Wildstone and Shadow Mountain.
Wildstone is located in the heart of Cranbrook, the East Kootenay’s central city—and features a 36-hole Gary Player- designed championship golf course. The Black Knight golf course will open in the spring of 2009 while the Gary Player signature design golf course at Wildstone is planned to open in 2011/2012. Each course will measure over 7,000 yards.
Famous around the globe as the Black Knight, Player is also a renowned golf course architect with over 250 design projects throughout the world.
“People are excited with the thought of having Gary Player’s first golf course project in Western Canada, particularly while the East Kootenay region is becoming such a popular golf destination,” said Shayne Dysart, vice-president of resort operations.
Upon build-out, Wildstone will include 3,000 residences ranging from custom single-family homes to golf villas, townhomes, condominiums, estate homes and Gary Player cabins.
“It’s going to be a beautiful property, offering amazing views of the mountains, park and golf course,” said Dysart.
Gary Player, who visited Cranbrook in September 2006 for the groundbreaking event, will be making another appearance in Cranbrook on September 26 for the soft opening of the Black Knight Golf Course.
Just north of Cranbrook and just minutes from the Canadian Rockies International Airport, you will find the Shadow Mountain lifestyle community.
This golf resort features a 580-acre neighbourhood, a 19-hole championship golf course, practice academy, clubhouse and 550 properties. The properties consist of residential lot sizes from 6,000 to 11,000 square feet and acreage lots from half- to one-acre parcels.
There has been a lot of construction taking place, with the completion of grading, shaping and irrigation on the majority of the holes—and all of the ponds.
“We hope to have the entire golf course seeded by the end of August,” said Fred Mehl, director of sales and marketing at Shadow Mountain. The resort will offer tours, via a new paved cart path which will wander its way through the development.
“We hope the tours will give everyone a better appreciation of the development—and the chance to see a world-class golf course on this wonderful site.”
Tours will be co-ordinated through the sales centre at Shadow Mountain. Shadow Mountain’s soft opening will be in the fall of 2008 primarily for the media and buyers. The official opening is scheduled for June 2009.