With its rolling terrain and bountiful amenities, the southwest has long been the most sought-after location for Calgary homebuyers. But selection was limited, as for nearly two decades there hadn’t been much new community development in this sector similar in scale to other parts of the city.

Until now.

Dream just launched Alpine Park and beginning October 30th the community’s first showhomes spotlight the enormous lifestyle opportunities available here with an emphasis on the front porch.

Dream, which has previous experience developing southwest communities like West Springs, Wentworth, and Castle Keep, indeed has the background to bring about the new face of the SW with Alpine Park. And its home-building arm – Homes by Dream – plays an integral part in this transformation with its new line of family-friendly porch-front homes.

Providing the key to this new growth opportunity is the recent opening of southwest portion of Calgary’s Ring Road. The new access point opens the vast land west of the Stoney Trail - past established communities like Bridlewood, Canyon Meadows and Evergreen.

“The west side of Calgary had been trapped in time for so long and communities just kept growing further and further south, the potential was untapped,” says Michael Tandara, Dream’s Director, Marketing, Western Canada.

“Dream has been assembling land in the area for over two decades, so it’s exciting to see the transformative kind of human-oriented community we’d envisioned for the area come to life.”

Alpine Park will rise in a 640-plus-acres of land adjacent to the western boundaries of Fish Creek Provincial Park – one of the largest urban parks in the country. It will house an estimated 10,000 residents on build out. “(Alpine Park) is just part of over 1,600 acres Dream holds in the area,” Tandara says. “So we’re here for the long haul.”

Dream is launching Alpine Park in style with numerous never-before-seen home designs from its founding builder partner group that includes, Calbridge Homes, Cardel Homes, Genesis Builders, and Homes by Dream.

The first phase will have townhomes and laned homes, but Dream is particularly excited about the new court and vintage home types that will be making their debut in Alpine Park. “These are larger, wider porch-front homes that put a premium on curb appeal and charm,” says Francesca La Monaca, Director, Sales, at Homes by Dream.

“Court homes range from 26- to 32-feet wide and from 1,600 to 2,500 square-feet, while vintage homes are up to 52-feet wide with 2,700 square-feet of living space.”

Homes by Dream is unveiling its Sinclair showhome on October 30th, with a dramatic Engler farmhouse model to follow in November and a prairie-style Morrow in the new year. These three unique designs exemplify Dream’s vision for a people-centred community that focuses on the home and the homeowners that live there rather than vehicle-centric approach seen in most North American cities.

Court homes locate the garage in the rear – either a double rear attached garage or a detached garage with up to three bays – rather than at the front of the home. Green yards and outdoor living space replace the concrete driveways to create a more pleasant, communal environment.

In this way, Alpine Park can be seen as a throwback to Calgary’s most charming and desirable historical neighbourhoods with homes that emphasize connection to the community streetscape. “Our court homes will have larger windows in front that have a huge positive effect on the way we live,” La Monaca says. “Not only do these bring more natural light into the interior of the home, they also allow homeowners to keep an eye on children playing out front, whether along treed boulevards or greened park spaces and encourage friendlier relations with neighbours.”

“We also take full advantage of the added exposure of corner lots with homes that feature a more pronounced, wrap-around street presence,” Tandara adds.

All homes in the community include premium Hardieboard or stucco exteriors, extensive architectural detailing and front and back outdoor spaces perfect for enjoying an indoor-outdoor lifestyle.

The first of the court showhomes Dream is introducing is the Sinclair, a Mountain Craftsman style home with heavy stone and cedar accenting. It has 2,300-square-feet of living space and features a 10-foot ceiling in the foyer. It has a flex room at the front of the house, an extra-long island that works great for busy families, La Monaca says.

“Its two-way fireplace connects the living room and the back deck in such a wonderful way and allows owners to maximize the enjoyment of their private outdoor space.”

The Engler, which will follow in November, is the home La Monaca says may just be her favourite. It is one of the corner property court homes that Dream puts extra attention into. “It fronts the Hearth green court park on two sides and really makes an unmatched statement in its exterior and interior design,” she adds.

The Morrow, another park-oriented home, is 2,500 square-feet with a Prairie Architecture elevation graced by brick accents. It has a double attached rear garage for convenience and 10-foot-high ceilings throughout the main floor for added grandeur. It also features a formal dining room that gives it a more traditional, timeless character.

Apparent in Homes by Dream’s line is the simplicity with which it approaches homebuilding. “The goal is the ensure the process is streamlined, easy, and achieves a high-design outcome without a lot of the intimidation of more custom approaches, working with designers like Calgary’s Amanda Hamilton to curate inspired palettes,” La Monaca says. These palettes make it easier for homeowners to personalize their home and trust in the outcome.

Dream has always believed that a home can only be as good as the community it is in. Now, they are putting this principle to work in Alpine Park. “It’s a truly walkable community where walking is a proper joy – whether that’s along tree-lined streets or off the road entirely through the green court system connected to six major parks and the community’s urban heart,” Tandara says.

Alpine Park’s Village Centre will become the commercial and social hub of the community. It will feature a vibrant array of restaurants, stores, and services supported by locals and visitors and will host various community engagement activities like art shows. More importantly, it’s accessible within an eight-minute walk from almost anywhere in Alpine Park.

With the completion of Stoney Trail, Alpine Park is just 20 minutes to the vibrancy of 17th Avenue SW yet you can be at a campsite along the river in Kananaskis in less than 30 minutes.

With prices starting from $525,900, La Monaca believes that Alpine Park will make the southwest not just sought-after but attainable, as well. “Feedback has already been very favourable. Alpine is perfect for people who expect a little more from their community,” she adds.

For more information, visit the showhomes along Fish Creek Blvd and 37th St. SW, or go to homesbydream.ca.