Blog Post

From East to West - A Retirement Story Featuring Skynest Purchaser, Brent

  • By The Skynest
  • •
  • 30 Sep, 2021
Brent and his wife Janet

Buying a home that you expect to be your last major investment is a big deal. Retirement and aging are big factors when it comes to choosing the place where you want to be as you transition out of the 9-5, to a life you’ve envisioned your whole working life. 

Important things come into play, including: 

·      What amenities will I need near me? 

·      Do I want a garden to maintain? 

·      What are my/our plans when it comes to traveling during retirement? 

·      How much room will we need for ourselves/visitors? 

Another huge part of this, is WHERE do you want to be? 

For many people, a retirement life on the west coast is a life goal that can finally be realized perhaps as they downsize and sell a larger family home. Recent stats from LinkedIn, show a big increase in people who moved from the east to the west coast during the pandemic, and that number is also high within the older age bracket, as retirees seek to live a life devoid of cripplingly cold winters, icy sidewalks, and oppressive summer heat (although BC had its own heat dome this past summer of course!).  

One of those Ontario migrants heading our way soon, Brent, made the decision to purchase their retirement home at Skynest in Chilliwack, after living and working in Ontario for many years. 

 “My wife is originally from BC, and the goal was to move back when we retired, but we had a checklist for the home we retired to,” says Brent. “We have ambitious travel plans, and we wanted a place that we can just lock and leave.” 

Lock and leave is a perfect way to describe the Skynest lifestyle. With Phase One almost complete, Phase Two currently under construction, and sales in both buildings underway, Brent and his wife decided that a brand-new build would give them the peace of mind they needed if they wanted to go on trips, visit family in Vancouver, or just to feel secure in their day-to-day life, thanks to the various features and security reassurances, the community, and the lifestyle that a Skynest condo guarantees. 

“You’re not only getting a brand new apartment – so you know nothing is going to go wrong, unlike buying an older property – you know that people will look out for each other, and the neighbourhood and community spirit is only going to grow in that area.” 

The area Brent is talking about along Watson and Vedder Roads, already includes a wealth of amenities such as myriad healthcare providers, a supermarket, pharmacies, a post office, banks and restaurants. But there are bigger plans for this up-and-coming neighbourhood, with community villages and gathering places aimed at a retiring population all scheduled to be built in the near future. 

“Having so many things not just within walking distance like the shops and services, but also just a drive away, like the hotels, restaurants and big city life in Vancouver just an hour away, and the mountains, lakes and nature really just in your backyard, plus being so close to the border for visits when it’s safe to do so again, made Skynest the perfect location because it ticked every box,” says Brent. 

“As well, we know about the developer because we were looking to buy a resale home they had built and we knew the quality of the home and the features – but we realized the timing wasn’t right on that home, so we looked at Skynest, and now we can’t wait to move in!”  

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7th Annual Canadian Retirement Developments Golf Tournament

By The Skynest • October 15, 2024

In September, we returned to the beautiful Cultus Lake Golf Club, for our annual Canadian Retirement Developments Golf Tournament. This year there was a real first - a two-way tie for first place!

We had a record number of participants for the tournament itself and the fantastic dinner that followed, and we couldn’t be more grateful to our Canadian Retirement Developments family for coming out and taking part! This annual event is so special, where we get to see residents, team members, community contributors, and friends all enjoying themselves together.

Our two teams of four who shared first place were:

Peter Crandell, Colleen Crandell, Adrian Crabtree, Ken Edlund

and:

Randy Coutts, Sharon Ottenbreit, Jeff Oosterbrink, Mike Johnson

Huge thanks to our partners, trades and the local businesses who so generously contributed prizes for participants:

Cultus Lake Golf Club - Atmosphere Flooring Solutions - HUB International Insurance - Sparkes Family Corn Barn - Bow & Stern Restaurant - Bosley’s by Pet Valu - Canex Building Supplies - Western Concrete Ltd - BC Lions - Pacific Rivers Outfitting Company - Goluboff and Mazzei - Ocean Stationary and Office Supplies - Indigo Books - Red Chillies Sports Bar - Station One Architects - Starbucks - RHOX Consulting - Hugo’s Mexican Kitchen - Prospera Credit Union - Nouveau Interiors Ltd - Urban Systems - Grand Pappy’s Home Furniture and Appliances - Bravo Restaurant - Gustavson Wylie Architects - Hellam Plumbing - Verawood Cabinets - Tribrink Contracting Ltd - Corky’s Irish Pub - Brady Electrical Contracting - Chilliwack Chiefs - Frankie’s Italian Kitchen - Bricklayer Brewing - Envision Financial - Earls Kitchen and Bar – Homelife Property Management

And our amazing Hole Sponsors:

Fraser Valley Beltone

Volume Floors

Transformations Landscaping

Thanks as well to: Amanda Bullock and everyone at Cultus Lake Golf Club, and our CRD team of Nancy Gauley, Tracey Klaver, Kathleen Pfeiffer, Tina Crabtree, Susan Reid and Harry Doupe for making the day the great fun and success it was.

2023: A Year in Review at Canadian Retirement Developments

By The Skynest • December 20, 2023

It’s been a busy year here in Chilliwack, and there’s so much more to come in 2024. We can’t wait to tell you what we’ve got planned! As you settle in to enjoy the holidays with your loved ones, we wanted to take a look back at 2023 at Canadian Retirement Developments with you:

Skynest Phase 2

The second phase of our beautiful Skynest development at the corner of Watson and Vedder was completed, ready for residents to move in during the summer…and move in they did! We have many happy new homeowners now living their best lives in their brand new, stunning condos.

There’s still some inventory available (click the "Residencies" tab in our navigation bar above, and select Phase 2), and our fantastic show homeis also for sale, so contact us now for more details on how you can join our happy and growing community!

Golf Tournament

Our annual Golf Tournament took place back in July at Cultus Lake Golf Club. It was a great opportunity for residents of Canadian Retirement Developments properties to come together and enjoy a great day of golf, prizes, and getting to know other homeowners, in the most fantastic setting possible.

It was an incredible day - the weather co-operated and it was sunny and warm all day.

We had a great turnout of residents from our properties in Chilliwack/Sardis: Skynest and Malloway Village, Englewood Courtyard and Englewood Village. With 45 people playing and almost 70 in attendance for the post-tourney dinner, the whole event showcased what a fantastic set of communities we are building with incredible people and amazing spirit. We couldn’t be more proud of our homeowners!

Thank you to Mark Perry and Andrew MacDonald for putting on the event again this year. Everything went perfectly, thanks to the organizational skills of our own Harry Doupe and Roger Jennings!

A HUGE thank you to our amazing sponsors who ensured no team went home empty-handed:

HUB Barton- Canex – Western Concrete – Hellam Plumbing – Tracey Klaver Personal Real Estate Corporation– Cloverdale Paints – Downtown Chilliwack – Nouveau Interiors – Vancouver Bandits – Red Chillies Sports Bar – Corky's Irish Pub and Sports Bar - Cultus Lake Golf Club – S&S Landscaping – Original Joe’s – Starbucks – Farmhouse Brewing – Hugo’s Mexican Kitchen – Lil Snippers Grooming – Sparkes Family Corn – Canadian Retirement Developments – Vancouver Canucks – BC Lions

New Show Home Incoming at Malloway Village

Due to the sale of our previous show home, the sales office at Malloway Village moved into the Gate House a couple of months ago. A new show home will be up and running in 2024 to showcase the remaining Malloway Village inventory.

We’re excited to tell you about it in the next few weeks, and show you photos when it’s ready to go!

Our sales offices will be closed from December 22nd, reopening Jan 6, 2024.


Please contact us to make a viewing appointment:

Skynest: Tracey Klaver 604-362-1505

Malloway Village: Cliff Armstrong 604-961-5160

Wishing you all a very Happy Holiday Season, and a Happy New Year!

from The Team at Canadian Retirement Developments!

Dining Out Around the World - on Vedder Road!

By The Skynest • November 28, 2023

There are so many places to get awesome food in Sardis, that you don’t need to go far to experience great eats just a few minutes away from Skynest.

As well as quick solutions for lunch or dinner, there are a number of restaurants on Vedder Road alone, that serve up food from around the world (or closer to home) so you have an incredible variety of places to go with friends or family, or with your new Skynest neighbours!

We’ve made a list of just a small selection of local eateries that have received great reviews online - decide what type of food you want to eat, and grab your coat!

Frankies Italian

7350 Vedder Rd

Frankie’s Italian is a local staple, and has been serving up great Italian dishes for years. Open for lunch or dinner, this a fantastic location for family get-togethers, a romantic dinner, or even dinner for one, because the staff will take such good care of you!

As well as a kids menu and more family-friendly dishes, you can enjoy their beef carpaccio and sauteed garlic prawns as part of your sumptuous dinner!

Coconut Thai

#6 - 7355 Vedder Rd

Coconut Thai is one of those gems that serve up delicious food in an unassuming location you might sometimes overlook. The reviews say it all - this is an authentic menu that covers a wealth of Thai cuisine: red curry, soup, pad thai - and it does it really well!

Opening at 10:30am daily, this place is ready to make lunch and dinner for you, and it’s located right across Vedder Road from Frankie’s Italian!

Butter Chicken House

5669 Vedder Rd

If it’s Indian food you’re craving, look no further than Butter Chicken House, right beside the Royal Canadian Legion. Open seven days a week, this restaurant offers a breakfast menu (it’s open at 11am Monday to Saturday, and Sunday from noon), but at dinner time, you can expect more traditional Indian fare, including of course - BUTTER CHICKEN!

You can also get Butter Chicken House food in the comfort of your Skynest home - order ahead to pick up, or go to the food apps to get it delivered right to your door.

Jolly Miller Pub

5865 Vedder Rd

The Jolly Miller is an institution, and for lunch or dinner, you’ll find locals and others alike enjoying this cozy pub atmosphere, with a great range of delicious food to accompany your pint/wine/soft drink.

While you can find traditional burgers and pizzas on the menu, there are also quesadillas, brunch, tacos, pierogies and more - as well as a turkey dinner around the festive period!

The Jolly Miller is a great place to socialize and meet new people as well, with themed nights and special offers on food and drink, depending on the day of the week.

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