At Genesis Land, we take great pride in all of our communities, which is why, on occasion, we love to shine a light on the new amenities, special events and innovative plans that help to make each of these communities so exceptional. Here, Peter Jensen, a senior development manager with Genesis Land, discusses two noteworthy projects underway in Airdrie.
Connecting Communities
As a long-time team member at Genesis Land, Peter Jensen has an intricate knowledge of just about every feature and amenity within our Airdrie-based communities. Still, when you ask him to name his favourite thing about these communities, his answer comes quickly.
“It’s the waterway system,” says Jensen. “The canals that connect all three of our communities in Airdrie are outstanding. There’s nothing similar in Calgary or Airdrie that we’ve seen to date.”
Indeed, the waterway system is a favourite feature for homeowners, too. From shinny games and skating parties in the winter to kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding adventures in the summer, the canals have become a true focal point for outdoor fun and social interaction.
And soon, crossing over those canals will be more convenient than ever, thanks the imminent arrival of a new bridge.
“When we designed our Airdrie communities,” says Jensen, “the overall plan was to have roadways cross the canals and allow the water to flow beneath. The masterplan shows three bridge crossings in our communities. We built one of those bridges three or four years ago in Bayside Estates. Now we’ve embarked on our second bridge, which will connect Bayside to The Canals.”
Construction of the second bridge began in the spring of 2021 and is slated for completion later this summer. Once it’s operational, the bridge will allow for greater connectivity between communities and will shorten travel time to downtown Airdrie and all the amenities along 8th Street.
“It will also provide another route for parents who bring their kids to school in Bayside,” notes Jensen.
While construction has caused temporary closure of a few sections of the pathway system in and around Bayside and Bayview, the Genesis Land team has worked to ensure that alternate routes are in place. “We’ll also be adding more pathways in the next phase this summer and re-establishing those connections so people can continue to enjoy the trails and get around the community,” says Jensen.
Optimizing Opportunities
While the bridge opening is something to look forward to this summer, there’s still plenty to enjoy while we’re in the throes of winter — including the skating rink in Bayview Park.
For the second year in a row, the Genesis Land crew has turned the park’s tennis courts into a family-friendly rink that’s free to use and open to everyone.
“We felt we could optimize the tennis courts to serve two functions, allowing the space to be multi-seasonal,” says Jensen, who adds that the long stretch of cold weather this past December allowed the crew to get the rink flooded and ready in time for the Christmas break. A special heated rink water service, housed nearby, helps to ensure the hose and operating module used to flood the rink won’t freeze up when the temperature plummets.
Weather allowing, the Bayview rink will remain open throughout the rest of the winter, which is bound to make those looking for a quiet glide, without the sticks and pucks, especially happy, as hockey play isn’t permitted.
“Unlike other outdoor rinks in the community that have boards and are more hockey-focused, this one is intended more for young learners or older skaters who want to avoid sticks and pucks and have a relaxing skate,” says Jensen.
You can learn more about the latest developments at Genesis Land here.
