Announcements

Two World-Class Ski Resorts

Lakestone has two world-class ski destinations nearby including Big White Ski Resort and Silver Star Mountain Resort, both a one-hour drive away. Big White was just named one of the “Best Ski Resorts You Need to Visit in 2020″ by Reader’s Digest.

In the spring, outdoor enthusiasts can experience a “West Coast special”: ski and golf in the same day! With over 152 frost-free days and over 1900 hours of sunshine annually, you can ski in the morning and play a round of golf in the afternoon.

From the serenity of lake and the peacefulness of Lake Country along with the vibrant culture of the valley, Lakestone is Okanagan living at its finest. Lakestone is ideally situated to be the perfect base for relaxation and endless recreation adventures all year round. Hiking, watersports, golf, cycling, skiing, wineries, dining and art – it’s all right here. Right in your backyard.

Read Reader’s Digest’s “Best Ski Resorts You Need to Visit in 2020” here > http://bit.ly/2SzfCxm

For information on lake view homesites now selling in our Benchlands and Highlands neighbourhoods, REGISTER today. Visit the Lakestone Information Centre located at 9678 Benchlands Drive from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and our 4 Show Homes located just around the corner. The Show Homes are open 12pm to 4pm everyday except Monday. Please note the Info Centre and Show Homes will be closed from Dec 23rd to Jan 2nd inclusively and will reopen again on Jan 3rd. Call 250.766.1213 to speak to one of our representatives.

Website: www.lakestoneliving.com
Email: info@www.lakestoneliving.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lakestoneliving
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lakestonelakecountry
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/lakestoneliving
*Lakestone offering and prices are subject to availability and subject to change without notice.

Okanagan Christmas Markets

Nothing kick starts the Christmas season quite like a Christmas market! Each weekend in the Okanagan offers an opportunity to shop handmade artisan goods proudly crafted by local artists. Discover locally crafted gifts, art, apparel, home decor, culinary delights, Okanagan wine & more. These holiday markets stretch from Vernon to West Kelowna and are sure to put you in the holiday spirit:

6th Annual Winter Fair, 2466 Main Street, West Kelowna, Nov 1

Manteo Resort Holiday Market, Manteo Resort, 3762 Lakeshore Road, Kelowna, Nov 9- Nov 10

Handcrafted Christmas Market, Ellison Community Hall, 4411 Old Vernon Road, Kelowna, Nov 9 – Nov 10

A Festival Of Crafts, Kal Tire Place, 3445 43rd Ave, Vernon, Nov 15 – Nov 16

Christmas Artisan Gift Shop – Year Seven, 2704 E Kelowna Rd, Kelowna, Nov 15 – Nov 16

Handmade Holiday, Schubert Centre, 3505 30th Avenue, Vernon, Nov 16

Sugar Plum Fair, Quails’ Gate, West Kelowna, Nov 16 – Nov 17

Connect Christmas Fair, Parkinson Recreation Centre, Kelowna, Nov 17 

East Kelowna Community Christmas Market, 2704 East Kelowna Hall Road, Kelowna, Nov 18

Okanagan Artisans 40th Annual Sale, 3914 32 St, Vernon, Nov 22– Nov 23

Kettle Valley Winter Market, Chute Lake Elementary, Nov 23

Sandhill Wines Holiday Market, Sandhill Wines, Kelowna, Nov 23 – Nov 24

Tree of Hope Winter Wonderland Christmas Market, Landmark District Market, Kelowna, Nov 23 – Nov 25

A Heartfelt Christmas Market, German Canadian Harmonie Club 1696 Cary Rd, Kelowna, Nov 24

Earth to Table Presents: A Very Merry Vegan Christmas, The Laurel Packing House, Kelowna, Nov 24

Flights and Frostbites, Ex Nihilo Vineyards, Lake Country, Nov 30

Grizzli Winery Holiday Market, Grizzli Winery, West Kelowna, Nov 30

Holiday Market at Arrowleaf Cellars, Arrowleaf Cellars, Lake Country, Nov 30 – Dec 1

Craft Culture Holiday Market 2019, Prospera Place, Kelowna, Dec 7 – Dec 8

Okanagan ChristmasFest, The Kanata Kelowna Hotel & Conference Centre, Kelowna, Dec 12 – Dec 14

Kelowna Etsy Collective Holiday Pop Up Market, Sandhill Wines, 1125 Richter Street, Kelowna, Dec 15 

Winter Moon Makers Market Kelowna, The Laurel Packing House, Kelowna, Dec 15

Christmas Craft Market, Village Centre Mall, Big White, December 15

For information on lake view homesites now selling in our Benchlands and Highlands neighbourhoods, REGISTER today. Visit the Lakestone Information Centre & Show Homes, open Tuesday to Sunday from 12 to 4 pm (closed on Mondays). Information Centre is located at 9678 Benchlands Drive and our 4 Show Homes are just around the corner. Call 250.766.1213 to speak to one of our representatives.

Website: lakestoneliving.com

Email: info@www.lakestoneliving.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lakestoneliving

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lakestonelakecountry

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/lakestoneliving

*Lakestone offering and prices are subject to availability and subject to change without notice.

Get To Know Travis Erdely

Have you ever dreamed of building your own home? Have you ever wondered why anyone would become a builder? We had the distinct pleasure of sitting down with Travis Erdely of Destination Custom Homes – winner of Tommie and Okanagan Housing Awards of Excellence, and learned more about how they became one of the five Preferred Homebuilders at Lakestone – Lake Country’s Hidden Gem.

Are you a local? Since 1987 when my family moved to the Okanagan from Athabasca, Alberta (an hour north of Edmonton).

Have you won any awards? We won best show home under $500,000 at The Lakes, and for Lakestone, best home over $1,000,000 and best home under $1,000,000 – just to mention a couple. We have other homebuilding awards and are proud to say much of this is the result of strong teamwork over the years.

Do you think awards are important? Awards can mean a lot. They can provide assurance to a customer they’re working with a legitimate and reputable builder. Homeowners put a lot of trust in the homebuilding process, and we find awards can help put their minds more at ease. Our current show home at Lakestone has been very well received and is currently the most popular show home we have ever built. It’s a very practical and functional plan which is very important to us. We’ve had a lot of people come by and comment how much they love the design…so we really appreciate people coming by, and taking a look, as feedback is so important in designing and building homes.

How many homes do you build a year? We average between 8 to 10 homes which is a manageable amount for us to properly and personally look after of our clients. We take real pride in our work, and reputation is everything to us. We’re extremely thankful, and fortunate, that 25% of our business is from unsolicited referrals

What do you like about it? The whole process of making a vision a reality. Every client is so different and has unique ideas and needs so the visons are always different. And we are fortunate to have an amazing group of trades who works with us on every home, which makes the process really enjoyable.

How did you become a builder? I started working summers for a local roofing company, and for my Dad, doing general cleanup duties and helping out. I have a lot of sweet memories from all those crawl spaces I cleaned. Did I say memories? I meant nightmares. (laughing)

Early on in high school I really enjoyed woodworking. I signed up for both the woodworking and boatbuilding class as those were the only 2 woodworking classes offered at the time. They were both great! I have always been good with my hands, so this became a passion for me. I made a plan, around that time, to pursue homebuilding after graduation. It was a pretty easy decision, as I had lots of encouragement at home from my Dad. I completed and received my interprovincial red seal carpentry ticket in 2002. I worked for other contractors doing multiple things during my apprenticeship before moving over to Destination Homes. I stuck with one company for most of that time, and got the best experience a guy could possibly ask for, doing a mix of different jobs like concrete work, framing, millwork (building custom cabinets and installing them), finishing, drywall, painting, flooring, siding, laying brick and more. I also worked for a contractor building tilt-up concrete buildings here and out of province. In 2004 I started project managing for Destination Homes, building homes from the bottom up, and kept project managing for them until I branched off and started my own company in 2012.

What’s on trend these days? West Coast Contemporary design is very popular these days – especially in Lakestone.

What about energy efficiency? I’m a big believer in high energy efficient homes and building a better tomorrow. Energy Efficient Homes are the future and with the new step code in place we now have a long-term plan to cut this down substantially. 45% of greenhouse gas emissions are from housing so by cutting these emissions down, we’ll make a huge impact on the environment, and will help build a better tomorrow. When building a custom home, we work very closely with a Certified Energy Advisor to help determine what energy performance pathway the client would like to go.

Advice to anyone planning to build? Making an appointment or stopping by to see Charlotte and me would be the first piece of advice. If you want your homebuilding experience to be a very positive one, it’s critical to find a builder you trust – and connect with! Choosing a builder with a good track record is a definite must and we have that! There is a right and wrong way to build a home, and a lot of people don’t follow the correct process because they have a hard time committing to a builder right away. We feel speaking with an experienced, preferred builder before you even finalize on a lot is the first best step. Our advice is free at this stage and choosing the correct lot for your needs can start your entire process off in the right direction.

Buy or build? Build – depending on the economy, it’s usually cheaper, because you’re not paying for someone else’s time, money, and effort to get it market-ready and where you’ll typically pay top dollar. Most builders are cost plus (versus fixed/flat price or monthly management fee), and at the end of the day, we just want to be fair.

How long does it take to build? For us, in Lakestone, it will typically take between 6 to 11 months depending on a variety of factors. We’re loyal to our trades that stay competitive, and whom are loyal to us. Some trades have been working for Destination Homes as long as we’ve been in business, through thick and thin. When the market crashes, I keep them busy working, and when we’re hit by trade shortages, they’re always there for us.

Why Destination Custom Homes? We’re a family-run, husband and wife team that have a great track record. Our clients are always able to reach at least one of us on any given day of the week. Good communication is important. Charlotte is available in the Lakestone show home on weekends, and I’m available all week so there’s always someone to talk to. We also have a carpenter on payroll who helps with anything extra you might need, like putting together furniture on move-in day or even hanging pictures etc.

Tell us about how you give back to the community? We make multiple donations throughout the year towards various initiatives, but one I feel really passionate about is COBSS (Central Okanagan Bursary Scholarship Society). It stands out because it’s a non-profit society of volunteers who are dedicated to providing financial assistance to high school graduates to further their post-secondary education. There are a lot of families that can’t afford to put their children through post-secondary education, so these bursaries are very important to them. Some families have shared very emotional stories about how these donations changed their lives, and that’s such a rewarding feeling.

Best advice? Keep your cool, and I like Jim Jefferies’s quote, “We can all do better”.

What makes a home a “home”? Home is where you make it. The people inside it, make it a home.

Poker Run at Lakestone

In addition to our regular Passport to Lakestone Program, we are excited to be partnering with a couple of our resale listing partners this weekend for the “LAKESTONE POKER RUN”! Simply visit each of the following Lakestone Show Homes and resale listings this weekend and at each home, you will receive a card.

• 1712 Slateview
• 9443 Ledgestone
• 9734 Centrestone
• 9740 Centrestone
• 1656 Lakestone Drive
• 1785 Lakestone Drive

Once you’ve visited all of the homes, make the best hand you can and submit it at the Lakestone Information Centre (9678 Benchland Drive) – did we mention we’ll also have wine and cheese on-hand there? The best hand will be chosen at 2 pm and the 1st place winner will receive a Lakestone Swag Bag and gift basket valued at over $150. Additional prizes will also be awarded including various bottles of local wine.

See you then!

Have you met Marc?

Marc Leger relocated to the Okanagan with his wife Sylvia and son Connor in 2012 and has never looked back since.  Aside from work and family, Marc is heavily involved in hockey as a level 3 referee with Hockey Canada and officiates in 4 different leagues throughout the winter.

• What does a Community Relationship Manager do? As a direct representative of the Developer, I’d say that my main role is to create a cohesive communication channel with all of our stakeholders including residents, lot owners, builders, tradespeople, vendors, council members, neighbours, the municipality and the public at large to deal with the variety of items that come up day-to-day in our development.

• What inspires you most? There would be several things tied for first. A beautiful sunrise. An equally beautiful sunset. Being the first person on a lake. Reffing a wild and crazy hockey game!   

• How is it that you landed at Lakestone – was public relations always a passion of yours, and just how did the stars align? I was looking for a departure from the corporate rat race and working in a busy downtown office setting. After I met the MCL team for my first interview and had a chance to visit the development for the first time, I was hooked.  The idea of coming to this beautiful setting every day and being part of this project was extremely appealing to me at this stage in my career.  While I’ve never had a title that included the words “public” and “relations”, I’ve been trying to help people be successful, have great outcomes, arrive at solutions and resolve issues all of my professional life.  My job at Lakestone is really no different. So far, most of my interactions have been great and I haven’t had to pull out my whistle and toss anyone in the penalty box just yet LOL

• What’s on your playlist? I actually don’t have a playlist. I enjoy listening to whatever is playing around me or on the radio. Apart from songs that scream at me, I like all kinds of tunes.

• Favorite book and why?I don’t really do much “pleasure reading” anymore, I’ve taken to listening to podcasts and news radio instead.  On long solo drives, I’ll listen to an audio book or two.

• Why did you move to the Okanagan?My wife had a unique opportunity to transfer here for her job. Being the supportive husband I am, I said SURE let’s move there.  Sight unseen I might add!

• What’s a perfect day look like to you?Getting up early for a game of golf or some tennis. Brunch with my friends. A cold beer in the afternoon. Cooking dinner for my guests. Finishing the day on my deck admiring the view and nodding off in my comfy deck chair.

• If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why? I spent a combined 5 years living and working in Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia in my mid 20’s.  I’d love to retrace my steps and go back to see how these places have changed and progressed.  

• What is the one thing most people would find most surprising about you?  Something most people don’t know about you? I think people who don’t know me well would describe me as quite serious and calculated. I can be that but I also love to joke around and have a laugh and take people along for the ride.  I can be sarcastic (especially as a referee), I can dish it out and I can take it too which is a must.

• Favorite sports, interests, past-times, hobbies? Hockey through and through.  I’ve played for 30 years now, coached competitively for 17 years and typically referee 10 games a week during the season.  In the summer months I love being at the cabin or the trailer, enjoying the climate and  lifestyle we’re all here to take advantage of.

• What do you like most about Lakestone? I really enjoy the people I’ve met here so far.  Whether it’s my colleagues, our builders or our residents and future residents, everyone involved with Lakestone seems genuinely interested in creating something really special here and that’s incredibly motivating for me.

• Any words of advice? Don’t take yourself too seriously and remember that the power of humor should never be underestimated. It can be a great tool in making people feel at ease, in building trust and in getting people through a challenging situation or time. 

Grand Opening Event: July 20, From 11am – 2pm

Join us for the Lakestone Grand Opening on Saturday, July 20th as we celebrate the ribbon cutting for our new outdoor sports courts and parks, and officially kick-off of our parade of homes.

The parade of homes, located in the Benchlands neighbourhood, will feature four new showhomes by Destination Custom Homes, Gibson Contracting, Richmond Custom Homes and Candel Custom Homes.

Enjoy some tasty Okanagan treats including skewers, pizza, burgers and gelato. Wyant Auto Group will also be showcasing some of their latest luxury vehicles.

Be sure to pick up your parade of homes passport to enter to win a pair of inflatable SUP boards ($2500 value), plus many more great prizes!

LAKESTONE GRAND OPENING EVENT
Date: Saturday, July 20
Time: 11 am to 2 pm
Location: Lakestone Info Centre & Show Homes
9678 Benchland Drive, Lake Country, BC

Ribbon cutting and prize draw will commence at 1:30 pm sharp.

Meet the award-winning development team behind Lakestone! Established in 1983, Macdonald Communities Limited (MCL) is a family-owned company responsible for building over 4,000 exceptional homes in Western Canada’s most desirable locations. MCL is committed to making Lakestone the Okanagan’s premier residential development with exceptional lake view homes & unsurpassed amenities.