Homes and Gold Take Shape in Cowichan Valley Development

The Cliffs over Maple Bay in Vancouver Island | Spectacular views, premier real estate and a Greg Norman designed golf course are drawing buyers to this residential community in southern Vancouver Island. Written for the West Coast Homes & Design May 2007 magazine.

Fifty kilometres north of Victoria in the Cowichan Valley, a signature 18-hole championship golf course and residential community is taking shape by the name of Cliffs over Maple Bay.

The Cliffs over Maple Bay promises to be one of the most spectacular real estate developments in the province in recent memory. Views here stretch from the Strait of Georgia toward Vancouver to the mountains and lakes of the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island for a magnificent vista of more than 210 degrees.

Developer Warren Paulin sees the prestigious development as similar and even superior to the other high-end development on southern Vancouver Island. “The Cliffs is like Bear Mountain … spectacular views, a name-designer golf layout married to premier real estate. The main difference is that this is on a more intimate and exclusive scale. There are only 360 homesites and 215 condominiums here. Plans are also currently under way for the development of a high-end boutique hotel in an ultra exclusive village-style setting.”

The 6,891 yard golf course, designed by none other than Greg Norman, is slated for completion in late 2008 at Cliffs over Maple Bay in Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. It promises to be one of the most memorable layouts in British Columbia. Norman will make his second site visit on May 25 this year. Construction has progressed to the point where the world’s former No. 1 will be able to make the tweaks and subtle design touches that have made him one of the best regarded golf course architects in the world today.

On the real estate side, a registered building scheme is in place for the entire property at Cowichan Valley Cliffs over Maple Bay on vAncouver Island. Of the 360 homesites available, only 18 do not have a view of the ocean, lake, and/or golf course. There will also be up to 215 multi-family condominium units built.

To date, 130 home sites have been sold in Phase 1 and 2 and there are none currently available from the developer in either phase of Cliffs over Maple Bay. The prestigious home sites in Phase 2 of Cliffs over Maple Bay at Cowichan Valley are set to be released in late May. These Vancouver Island South properties will have some of the finest ocean views of the entire real estate development. Buyers will be able to view information related to this phase in the new on site 4,100 square foot show home at that time.

Sotheby’s International Realty Canada is marketing the project. Zane Bouvette, president of the Land Division is very excited to be involved with the real estate project on Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley.

“Maple Bay has long been one of the hidden gems on Vancouver Island. The locale is surprisingly reminiscent of Deep Cove in North Vancouver. Boaters also consider this to be one of the prettiest and most protected moorage sites on the entire coast of Vancouver Island.”

He is also impressed with the opportunity that Cliffs over Maple Bay presents. “The fact that this is the first course in Western Canada designed by Greg Norman, one of the most respected and well-known [golf course] architects in the world, makes this a very exciting situation. Then, when you compare the quality of the product with unbelievable views from properties right on the golf course, its location with Canada’s best weather and the purchase price points to everything else in B.C., there is no doubt that we will see continued strong demand for this real estate project.”

The Cowichan Valley, a 45-minute drive from Victoria, boasts the highest year round temperatures in the country and now has more than a dozen vineyards in the region surrounding the Cliffs over Maple Bay in Souther Vancouver Island. The catchment area exceeds 75,000 people and the community enjoys a rich cultural scene and all services, from major retailers to a full service hospital.

For more information about the Cliffs over Maple Bay visit www.cliffsovermaplebay.com where you can pre-register fro real estate, or phone toll free 1-800-886-8439. For more BC resort real estate, please visit here.