Meet the neighbours: Q&A with Dessa & Jordan

Since settling into their new home at Sarilia last July, Dessa and Jordan have happily embraced their new river valley lifestyle. In January, they became a family of four with the arrival of a baby boy. We chatted with the couple to learn about their transition to life at Sarilia, and what they’re looking forward to doing as the snow melts and spring arrives.

How did you first learn about Sarilia?
Dessa: We found Sarilia online. I was just googling “properties for sale” and “Saskatoon,” and it showed up. We looked it up to see where it was and we came out on our own and drove around. And then once we saw it, we called Gwen.

What was your first impression of the area?
Dessa: That it was nice and quiet, it had beautiful views and it’s right by the river. We liked that it was a small community because we wanted to be out of the city.

What kind of home did you build? What was the building process like?
Jordan: It’s a 1.5 storey RTM from Zak’s. Dessa picked all the colours and I did the plumbing and heating install because I’m a partner in a plumbing and heating company.

Did you enjoy the building process?
J: It was good. Sometimes you hear horror stories but Zak’s was really good to work with and I have recommended them to other people. They were really helpful and easy to work with.

Have you met any of your new neighbours yet?
D: We’ve met a few neighbours through some functions Gwen has organized. We find when we go for walks with our family we usually meet our neighbours walking their dogs.

Have you found that moving to Sarilia has changed your lifestyle at all?
D: We spend more time outside now — we like going down to the river. Our older son really likes to play down there and the dog plays in the water. We like to be down by the beach.

What do friends and family say about your new community?
J: They’re really impressed and they really like the scenery. They can’t believe the river is right behind us. They notice the quiet and the slower pace. We’re used to the busy city life, so it’s kind of nice being on a quiet street.

With the warmer weather on its way, what are you looking forward to at Sarilia?
D: We’re looking forward to utilizing the river more; we would like to get a canoe.