Townhouse + Condo Living

Developing healthy food for healthy minds

Posted on 6th April, 2014

Glencoe partners with Father Gorman and Lloydminster to foster growth
Blog_veggies

By Andrew Seale | Freelance Journalist

At Father Gorman Community School a group of students – grades three to seven – line up, trays in hand to pick from the spread of cut veggies, fruits and leafy greens.

There’s a smorgasbord of healthy eats to fill their bellies and energize their growing minds.

But this isn’t just any salad bar; it’s a prized example of collaboration between Glencoe Developments and the community.

“Glencoe has been one of our long term sponsors – we count on their continued support not just to help run a salad bar, but to share how other community groups can get involved, support for our grant applications, and to keep this program running next year,” says Glenda Kary, Principal at Father Gorman. “By having strong community support, we have other schools showing interest in having a school salad bar.”

The salad bar, which takes place two Thursdays a month, acts as a springboard for teaching kids about nutrition.

“The students love it – they are often surprised by a fruit or veg that they like now that they did not like last year,” she adds. “Or they discover something they never tried at home because it’s not a choice or family members don’t like it.”

Kary points out that the collaboration with Glencoe teaches the young’uns about giving back to the community.

“It demonstrates to students how they can give back when they are older by seeing the sponsors stop in at the school on special days,” she says.

But as Lloydminster Mayor Rob Saunders points out, Glencoe is no stranger to community building.

“Glencoe is involved in many aspects of the community,” says Saunders. “It doesn’t matter if it’s minor hockey or any type of community event, they’re always there to help support and we see them as a highly valued corporate contributor and partner in our city, a key component to our future growth.”

He sees partnerships, like the one at Father Gorman Community School as vital to the sustainable and rapid growth of Lloydminster – especially given its booming young family population.

“Glencoe President Ashley McGrath and his team have been front and center in helping to provide new opportunities for new housing initiatives in Lloydminster,” adds Saunders. “They’re very in-tune with what the needs of the people are and that takes extra effort – we appreciate the efforts they take to get to know their customers.”

For more information on the Father Gorman Community School’s Salad Bar Sponsorship Program, contact Alison Fulkerth at (306) 825 4600 or afulkerth@lcsd.ca.

For more information on Glencoe Development Inc. projects in Lloydminster, visit Our Projects page.

About the writer: Andrew Seale (Toronto, ON) has been a reporter and professional writer for nearly a decade. His work has been published in Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Vancouver Sun and Calgary Herald. Andrew has penned pieces on everything from seahorses and sustainability to innovation in the building sector. He is interested in people and community, which is probably a byproduct of growing up in a small town of 4,000 people in Southwestern Ontario.


Research goes a long way

Posted on 2nd April, 2014

For first time buyers the market is right
Research goes a long way

By Mary Frances Hill | Freelance Journalist

For Mark Sampson, purchasing a new home was a matter of simple mathematics and common sense.

Sampson, a corporate pilot and single dad, had been renting for a few years before he finally purchased a Glencoe townhome in Lloydminster. The three-bedroom home was so suitable for Sampson and his son he could hardly contain his enthusiasm.

“I had no hesitation about purchasing the property— I nearly beat down my realtor’s door once I found out about the project,” he says. Payments for his three-bedroom 1,100 square foot townhome will cost him about $1,350 a month.

“And that’s the mortgage with taxes and insurance. Everything made sense.”

Like many new and first-time home buyers, Sampson was vigilant with research, getting his finances in order, looking at comparable properties, and comparing his new costs with those he’d incur if he paid rent.

Stephanie Kelly, an assistant branch manager and longtime lender with Servus Credit Union’s Lloydminster branch, has seen her share of first-time homebuyers.

She finds they have a lot of information, but not all of it is accurate. “Usually they have the gist of things, but not all the facts.”

With just a little research, first-time homebuyers learn they have more options than they know, she says.

Many think they need a minimum of 20 per cent of the purchase price for their down payment, when they can manage with just five per cent. Just as many others are not aware they can take advantage of tax benefits and use their RSP savings for a down payment, without penalty.

Indeed, the time is right for new home buyers to make their investment. The Bank of Canada announced it would keep its interest rate steady well into next year. In early March, the advertised five-year lending rate stood at 5.24 per cent.

The argument for buying vs. renting is also strong for Lloydminster home hunters, Kelly says. The vacancy rate in Lloydminster is a low three per cent, “so landlords can ask for up to $2,000 or $2,200 a month, and they would get it. Or, you can have a mortgage for $1,500 a month.

“Glencoe has been awesome that way because they have their starter condos which people are going to first as a stepping stone,” she adds. “You don’t find a lot here that is under $300,000.”

Sampson, too, says a little research goes a long way. “I would encourage first time home buyers to research the builder. I did, and I bought a Glencoe home because it’s a proven product.”

For more information on Glencoe Development Inc. projects in Lloydminster, visit Our Projects page.

About the writer: For more than 15 years, Mary Frances Hill (Vancouver, BC) has worked as a news reporter, features writer and editor at Vancouver weeklies and the city’s daily newspaper, The Vancouver Sun. She writes for the Homes and real estate sections of the Vancouver Sun and Vancouver Province daily newspapers. Her freelance work includes health care, business and real estate organizations.