Where: Terry Fox Drive, Huntsville Drive/Grainstone Way/Battersea Crescent, Kanata Avenue
OREB code: Not in OREB yet; will likely be considered part of Kanata Lakes, OREB 9007
Price range early 2015: $499,900 to $748,500
By the numbers: Not available for just this part of the neighbourhood because most of it is still under construction
So you love Kanata Lakes, but you want a brand new house that you can customize with all the granite, stainless steel, and smart home gadgets you can dream of? Cast your eyes on Richardson Ridge.
Three developers — Braebury Homes, Cardel Homes, and Uniform Urban Developments — are building mainly large single-family houses on this choice piece of property.
The rocky granite landscape that makes Kanata a pricier place to build than most other parts of the city (because of all the digging needed to create those ready-to-be-finished basement home-theatre spaces) also makes it scenic, with lots of dramatic outcrops livening up nearby parks and the Kanata Golf and Country Club.
But perhaps the biggest attractions for buyers are the shopping and entertainment options. The nearby Tanger Outlets complex opened in late 2014, tempting fashionistas with such brands as Coach, Lucky Brand Jeans, and Michael Kors.
Even closer to Richardson Ridge, Centrum offers big-box shopping and a 24-screen Landmark Cinema. And then there’s the Canadian Tire Centre just to the southwest. Richardson Ridge hockey fans can dodge the Queensway traffic completely by taking quiet (for now) roads from home to the game.
What’s There:
Golf
1927 Richardson Side Rd.
Want to try golf with a twist? Thunderbird is one of the few courses in eastern Ontario that is illuminated at night. It is also one of the few to offer “foot golf”— the crazy love child of golf and soccer. Players kick a regulation soccer ball around a shortened course, aiming for 21-inch-wide cups.
Beer
650 Kanata Ave.
You know that friend who drinks only craft beers brewed by eccentric monks living in a solar-powered monastery in some country you can’t pronounce? Take him (or her) to Central Bierhaus, a German-style beer hall where the selection includes brews from more than 30 countries. Nosh on iron-seared Arctic char or confit maple pork belly, washed down with a cold Tusker from Kenya or Lvivske 1715 from Ukraine.
Farm
928 Oak Creek Rd., Carp
One of the nice things about living in a brand-new neighbourhood is that you’re often just a stone’s throw from the countryside. A four-kilometre drive from Richardson Ridge takes you to Acorn Creek, where you can buy fresh veggies (check out the garlic and hot chili peppers), potted plants, preserves, marinated sun-dried tomatoes, and more. In season, you can pick your own strawberries, corn, asparagus, beans … well, the list runs to over 200 varieties of fruits and vegetables.
