Cedar walk at Lelem 140 apartments and townhomes at 5410 Shortcut Road by Polygon Cedar Walk Homes Ltd
Polygon?s Cedar Walk at Lelem launches a new 22-acre community
Barbara Gunn
The Province
Cedar Walk at Lelem
What: 140 concrete one- and two-bedroom apartments and four-bedroom townhomes
Where: 5410 Shortcut Road, Vancouver (off University Blvd. and Toronto Road)
Residence size and prices: 568 — 1,513 sq. ft. (apartments); 1,917 — 2,077 sq. ft. (townhomes); one-beds from $768,800, two-beds from $928,800
Developer: Polygon Cedar Walk Homes Ltd.
Sales centre: 2620 Acadia Road
Hours: noon — 6 p.m., Sat — Thurs
Telephone: 604-434-2205
Website: polyhomes.com
Lelem is a word that means ‘home’ in the language of the Musqueam, but as Doug Avis explains it, it can convey so much more.
Davis is vice-president, real estate, for the Musqueam Capital Corporation, the economic development arm of the Musqueam Indian Band, which is now developing the first phase of its 22-acre Lelem community adjacent to Pacific Spirit Park at UBC.
“The whole idea of what Lelem means — home — is of Musqueam welcoming the rest of the world to this site, to enjoy it and also to experience a bit of Musqueam culture,” he says.
To experience that culture, Avis says, is to appreciate the strong bonds of the Musqueam people.
“I can’t think of a community that’s closer than the Musqueam are,” he says. “They even call their friends cousins. So we want, in a subtle way, to encourage more social interaction than you would normally see in a development.”
Lelem, which will comprise some 1,250 homes when complete in some 10 years, will provide opportunities for residents to interact courtesy of a new 15,000-square-foot community centre, day care and adventure playground. Also on site, and being developed as part of the community’s first phase, will be a mixed-use village area with a plaza, grocery store, restaurants, shops and subsidized and rental units.
But residents of Lelem may also find occasions to strike up conversation when strolling the extensive trail system or enjoying the beauty of what Avis calls “the real jewel” of Lelem: a three-acre park of towering cedars and Douglas fir.
It’s steps from this park — so far unnamed — where the first residential component of Lelem will rise: an 18-storey concrete highrise from Polygon called Cedar Walk at Lelem.
As one of what Avis calls the Musqueam’s “preferred developers,” Polygon has erected a one-bedroom display home on the site with floor-to-ceiling windows that take in the stunning views of the enormous trees.
“That’s really the huge thing about Cedar Walk,” says Goldie Alam, Polygon’s senior vice-president of marketing. “You’re basically living in a park, but surrounded by new amenities, close to the west side, and close to UBC.”
Avis notes that Lelem is taking shape on traditional Musqueam territory included in the 2008 reconciliation, settlement and benefits agreement with the province, and takes very seriously the notion that they’re “stewards of the land”.
To that end, any trees that have come down have been — and will be — be harvested and reused, in the construction of the community centre, for instance, or in benches dotting the site.
The Cedar Walk homes will have exteriors that reflect their natural setting, both in colours and materials.
Inside, occupants will find engineered wood flooring in the main living areas and wool carpeting in the bedrooms.
Kitchens will be fitted with natural wood or high-gloss white cabinets, engineered stone countertops and full-height marble tile backsplashes.
Ensuites, meantime, will have imported marble tile floors, rain showerheads, vanities with accent lighting and square undermount basins.
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