Tag Archives: nature

Living the dream: How Sarilia offers the “best of both worlds”

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When Dayton and Courtney moved to Sarilia last fall, they were eager to embrace the active, outdoor lifestyle the river valley offers. Settling into their new home—complete with stunning sunset views—they’ve made the most of every opportunity to explore the natural beauty right outside their door. 

This spring, their love for the outdoors took on a new dimension with the arrival of their baby girl, Andy. Now, as they immerse themselves in Sarilia’s active lifestyle, they’ve begun a new chapter filled with riverside walks, family gatherings and long-term dreams for building a future in this place that already feels like home. 

Where were you living before you moved to Sarilia, and what made you decide to move here?

Dayton: We were living in Martensville. 

Courtney is from Spiritwood and moved out here for school. I’m from the Martensville area, and we lived there together for awhile. We started looking for a house in the summer of 2023, but we were having trouble finding one. We were unsure about what we were going to do, and then we found out Courtney was pregnant. 

Courtney: We wanted something outside the city, because we knew we wanted to raise our kids where they could go to a small-town school. I’m from a small town and I wanted that same experience for my kids. 

This house at Sarilia came up for sale and we came to look at it right away. 

Dayton: We came to look at it around sunset, and we walked out on the balcony and watched the sun setting over the river—and we were sold.

That was all it took?

Courtney: I would say the view at sunset, and reading the Sarilia blog. 

Once we moved in, we went on a walk by the river with friends. Being able to walk along the river trails was super nice.

Dayton: This whole environment at Sarilia was what we were looking for. 

We both grew up going to the lake during the summer. My parents have a cabin, so when we came out here, it felt like we were at the cabin—but, we’re close enough to the city that we can still work in Saskatoon. It’s just the best of both worlds. 

Courtney: I can work from home now, so that’s nice. (I’m on mat leave now), but next year I’ll be able to go out and work on the deck and take breaks to walk along the river, so that’ll be nice. 

What do you both like to do for fun?

Dayton: I like mountain biking, Ju-jitsu, going to the gym and running. 

Courtney: I love been with family. We have lots of family out here so I feel like I’m aways spending time with family—and friends. I love anything home decor. I feel like I’m always rearranging our house. I love interior design.

Do you remember how you first heard about Sarilia?

Courtney: We actually came and looked at another house here about 7 years ago.

Dayton: It was along Saskatchewan Road, where you first drive in. But we were younger and it wasn’t really right for us at the time. 

Courtney: We’d look at the Sarilia blog a lot. Learning what Sarilia had to offer helped a lot with our decision to move here. 

What do your friends and family say about Sarilia when they visit?

Dayton: Everybody mentions how nice it is out here.

Courtney: They all want to move out here (laughs). Dayton’s mom wants to move out here and his parents literally live down the road. 

Dayton: They live by Martensville, but my mom says, “Oh, it’s like the lake…it’s like the cabin. It’s the best of both worlds because it’s close to the city.” All of our friends come out to visit us and they absolutely love it. 

Courtney: We had a nurse come over in the spring and she said, “I’m going to drive around and try to find myself a house out here.”

Do you have any pets?

Dayton: We don’t but we’re hoping to get a dog once we kind of settle in with the baby. 

What was your first summer at Sarilia like?

Dayton: It was a very busy summer for us, but we went for lots of evening walks and met some of our neighbours. 

We also had a couple of moose wander through our yard, which was pretty cool. 

Were there any learning curves that came with moving to the country?

Dayton: No, not really because I grew up on an acreage, so it was all pretty familiar for me.

Courtney: We were also excited that the bus comes here and picks up the kids so that’ll be nice to have when Andy is school-aged. 

Is this a long-term home for your family?

Dayton: We would like to build here eventually. Our house is on the smaller side, so once we have more kids, we’re going to outgrow it. I was telling Courtney, “I want to stay here. I don’t ever want to move away.” When we’re ready for a bigger house, we’ll build a new house here. 

Would you want to build on a similar style of lot that you currently have?

Dayton: I like this lot—especially how well treed it is. I’d probably want to stay on this road we’re on and build on a similar lot—sheltered in the trees. 

Thank you Dayton and Courtney for taking the time to chat with us!

Nine lots remain on sale at Sarilia—including our only remaining riverfront lot, and one acreage property (2.19 acres). If you’d like to build your dream home in the river valley, contact Vaughn Krywicki today to arrange a tour. The lot sale ends December 15!

Striking a balance: Embracing outdoor adventure and nature’s tranquility 

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We’re thrilled to introduce you to Linda and Dave, who made Sarilia their home in the spring of 2023. 

Join us as we delve into a Q&A with Linda to learn more about their move, their interests and what drew them to the river valley. 

Accompanied by their dog, Winnie, this outdoorsy couple has fully embraced the active lifestyle Sarilia offers, whether it’s hiking the River Ridge Trails, kayaking home from the Borden Bridge, or tending their plot in the community garden. 

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

We moved to Saskatchewan from Ingersoll, Ontario two years ago. We moved to Saskatoon first, and we were actually going to build a new home. 

The reason we moved to Saskatchewan was to be closer to our daughter—she moved here 7 years ago for a job. We started visiting and thought, “Oh, we really like Saskatchewan.” So, when it came close to retirement, we thought this would be a great place to live. 

I hear you have a dog, tell me about her. 

We have a dog named Winnie, like Winnie the Pooh, because she came from Winnipeg. She was a rescue. She’s a cattle dog cross. 

Winnie is a very high energy dog and we love to go to River Ridge Trails and let her run free so we can wear her out for the day. We also walk the road (#400) as it has very little traffic and we can let her off leash. She gets a really good run there as well, especially when chasing the odd deer.  

How did you first hear about Sarilia?

Originally we were going to build a new home, but this was during COVID, when the cost of building increased. We went online and happened to see a house for sale at Sarilia, and we came to look at it. And I fell in love with it immediately. 

Dave took a little bit of convincing. He wanted an acreage. But I said, “We’re getting older and we want something that we can close the door on and just go away, but still feel like you’re in a community.”

That was the other draw to Sarilia—even though you feel like you’re in the country you have that community that is close by and we have made friends here. Especially our neighbour next door. We keep an eye on each other’s places when we’re away.  It’s the best of both worlds here. 

We really, really like it. We have been here for a year now. And it actually happens that the house we bought here is similar to what we were going to build anyway. 

Have you had a chance to check out the River Ridge trails near Sarilia?

Yes! That’s a great trail system. 

If anybody is into any kind of walking or mountain biking, snowshoeing or cross-country skiing, they do such a great job over there. I can see the care they put into the trails throughout the year. 

We ended up talking to one of the guys who does the maintenance and handled a lot of the trail design and it’s clear that he really cares about it. If anybody is thinking of moving here, you can have a fairly active lifestyle, really close by, and then you can use the river to kayak and canoe. 

What were your main goals when you were looking for a new place to live?

Well, originally just some peace and quiet. Living in a town all my life, I was never exposed to any kind of wildlife other than raccoons and skunks and I wanted to see a little bit more of that. 

Living on the river, I knew we would get that. We’ve seen moose and lots of deer. It was that quiet, peaceful nature we were looking for. You feel like you are living in the middle of nowhere, but knowing that you’re not—there are neighbours nearby. 

I’m sitting in my kitchen now, and I can look out the window and see across the river to the fields on the other side. It’s really nice. We are right on the river. There are houses further back (away from the river) nestled into the trees, and I could also see that being a very peaceful experience too. 

Are you gardening in the community garden this year?

Yes, I took a plot last year. I learned a lot watching the other gardeners last year—I’ve planted things that the gophers aren’t interested in—like zucchini, potatoes and sunflowers. A lot of people planted onions last year and seemed to have success with them. The thing about the garden is that it helps you meet more people. 

I planted some tomatoes at the house, because you can do those in pots. And I think we’ll probably put in a raised bed here, but nothing too big—mostly for tomatoes and things that are nice to have around for cooking. 

What are some of Dave’s hobbies?

He likes to woodwork and putter. We’re both pretty outdoorsy—we like to canoe, kayak and hike. We like to go camping.

What kind of summer activities do you plan to do?

We have a canoe and two kayaks and we’ve already gone out on the river. We had family visiting so we went in at the Borden Bridge and paddled the kayaks all the way to our house, which was nice. 

We have started getting into birding so it has been great seeing all the different types of birds along the river and in our yard.

The river has been very beautiful this year since we have had so much rain. We have seen moose, deer, a bear and of course coyotes. They like to sing and talk in the morning and at night. 

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

We have had a chance to meet more neighbours recently—spending a bit more time chatting and getting to know them. I know we will be very happy here for our retirement years.

We love it here. It’s perfect for people who like to spend time outside. 

There’s never been a better time to build your dream home at Sarilia, with our limited time lot sale, on now. Visit our property map page for more details.

Country road (and trail) refresh

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Road and trail improvements at Sarilia

This fall, Sarilia’s roads received a marvellous makeover. Green Earth Road Spraying, a Saskatchewan based company, treated our roads with a product that stabilizes the surface and controls the dust. This service was paid for by the RM of Laird. 

The roads will require less maintenance in the future, and the previous washboard texture is kaput! The roads are now safer and smoother—it feels like driving on asphalt—and our cars will stay much cleaner, making for fewer trips to the car wash. 

Our river trails also received a refresh, thanks to long-time friend-of-Sarilia Dale Rempel! After taking the family dog, Honey, for a stroll down to the river, resident Vaughn Krywicki told us, “Dale did a great job clearing the trails—widening them and creating a new trail where an old one was damaged.”

It really does take a village to keep our village in tip-top shape. Thank you Dale, for your commitment to our much loved river trails. 

If you haven’t been down to the trails lately, we encourage you to check them out this weekend!

A glimpse at our community garden

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A group of Sarilia neighbours gathered this spring to prep and plant this year’s garden.

I decided to plant a perennial flower garden this year, to reduce the amount of maintenance required on my own 1/2 size plot in Sarilia’s community garden. Last summer, we spent a lot of time camping with family, which made it hard to keep my plot in tip-top shape. Hence, why I’m keeping it simple this summer. 

My granddaughter, Hannah, lending me a hand in the garden.

The perennials I chose this spring are not only drought resistant, but they thrive in hot, dry weather. I planted Russian sage, iris, peonies, tickseed, sedum, potentilla and oriental lilies. I’ve also lined the walkway with four o’clocks (which are annuals and very showy) and giant marigolds for pest control (they have a strong scent and deter rodents). 

Four o’clock flowers

My neighbour, Will, has planted a whole plot of sunflowers, which will make for a beautiful garden backdrop this fall. Other gardeners have planted tomatoes of nearly every variety, squash, Spanish onion, carrots, beets, Yukon potatoes, beans, zucchini and cucumbers. 

We have one large communal strawberry patch, and some shared garlic and winter onion (which are also perennials). We’re already dreaming up plans for our gardeners’ party to celebrate the harvest this fall. We’ve decided that all the food for our party will be from the garden (salsa, potato salad, zucchini cake, dill pickles, borsht, etc.) Perhaps Will’s beautiful sunflowers will be the centrepiece.  — Gwen 

River Front, River View and River Ridge: The three categories of properties for sale at Sarilia

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Whether you’re seeking panoramic river views, or the privacy of being nestled within a well-treed lot, Sarilia offers three categories of lots to choose from—each with their own unique characteristics and vantage points: River Front, River View, and River Ridge. There’s also one remaining acreage property for sale at Sarilia, the details of which you’ll find below.

aerial image of houses and river at Sarilia Country Estates

Here’s a breakdown of each category, along with corresponding testimonials from Sarilia residents.

River Front

Our river front lots offer spectacular, uninterrupted views of the North Saskatchewan River valley—perfect for enjoying sunsets with a glass of wine on your deck. The natural prairie landscape keeps yard maintenance to a minimum. Most river front lots have direct access to the river. There are two remaining riverfront lots for sale—502 and 512 Saskatchewan Road. 

River front properties at Sarilia Country Estates

“Our new house is surrounded by trees. Our deck is quite high and it’s almost like being in a treehouse now because it’s enveloped in trees—it’s like a jungle in the spring and summer. There are so many birds—we’ve had robins nesting on the deck this summer and the bird feeders are always busy! We have chipmunks, squirrels and rabbits too as well as the occasional deer.” — Patti, River Front property owner

River view

The name says it all—the higher elevation of our River View lots guarantees a panoramic view of the river valley. All of the River View properties back onto municipal green space. Small trees, native shrubs and wildflowers create a beautiful backdrop to build your new home. These gently sloped lots are ideal for a walk-out basement design. 

River view homes at Sarilia Country Estates

“My friend came out here and said the view was just unreal, even from inside our house. Pretty much everybody says the view is just amazing from our house—from sitting in our living room, in our kitchen, or on our patio. We have a wraparound deck and everybody says the view is just spectacular.” — Tessa, River View property owner 

River Ridge

For those seeking privacy, our affordable River Ridge lots are well-treed, allowing you to build your new home nestled within the mature trees and native vegetation. All our River Ridge lots offer great potential for a rear walk-out design. 

River Ridge home at Sarilia Country Estates in winter
A River Ridge property, nestled in the trees.

“Everyone says it’s so beautiful out here—being in nature. They notice how quiet it is. If you are somebody like me, who still drive into Saskatoon every day for work, but you like to be in nature, it’s just a good option. It has the convenience of being close to the city, but it’s also a nice getaway from it.” — Taylor, River Ridge property owner

Acreage Property

There is one remaining acreage property for sale at Sarilia—451 Saskatchewan Road. At 2.19 acres, it offers plenty of flexibility in your building site and architectural style. The lot backs onto a municipal park with easy access to the central trail system. The icing on the cake? This property has expansive, unparalleled river views. The perfect blank slate to build your dream home.

Acreage property for sale near Saskatoon

“The lot is fantastic. It’s about 2 acres. We are at the top of the hill with panoramic views. I didn’t want to be surrounded by trees—some people love that, and it feels like a cabin—but I wanted river views. We also back the nature preserve. The front yard is over an acre, where the kids can play. That was always the point—if we built, we needed room for the kids to run, but we still wanted to be in a community.” —Kelsee, acreage property owner

To learn more about our remaining properties for sale, visit our property map, or contact Vaughn today for a tour.

Building new at Sarilia: Contemporary, cosy & immersed in nature

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We met Taylor back in the fall of 2020, after she purchased a well-treed lot at Sarilia. As an architectural technologist, she was in the midst of planning her new build, a Humble Home, which she told us about in a previous blog post. 

Taylor and her dog at her new home at Sarilia Country Estates

Fast forward to today: she’s settled into her beautiful new home, and she’s now the owner of a sweet golden retriever named Theo. “He’s five months old now. He loves it out here—running around the yard, he just gets so excited,” she says. 

We recently caught up with Taylor to find out about how the build came together and what she thinks of her new life in the river valley. 

Taylor and Theo going for a walk in the North Saskatchewan River valley

Do you feel that the build of your new home went well overall?
I would say so. It was my first time project managing a build on my own, so it was definitely a learning experience but it was really cool to purchase the land and do the design myself and be really involved in the whole construction process. It was a really good experience for me. 

Taylor in her new home at Sarilia Country Estates

Can you tell me a about the layout of your home and how you designed it to fit your needs?
It’s kind of funny because I think I went through about 19 different floor plans before I found one I was happy with. It was a process.

The house has three bedrooms and two baths. I have my own bedroom and I wanted a spare room for guests, and the third bedroom is used as my office. I have my own drafting company and I also work from home sometimes in my full-time job with Voce Developments. It’s nice to have that separate space.

It’s open concept. It has a big vaulted ceiling in my kitchen/living room area—lots of windows for natural light. It’s so nice in here during the day because all the sunlight comes in and brightens it up. It’s calm and cosy.

If you had to do it all over again, is there anything you’d do differently in regards to the design or build?
I did all the painting myself, and next time I would definitely hire a painter! (Laughs) 

Theo in the snow at Sarilia

Can you paint me a picture of what your lot looks like?
I’m in the trees—my land was completely treed before I built. I have a view of the river bank on the other side.

Do you have a favourite room, or favourite feature in your new home?
I have a couple of decks off of the house. My deck on the front is covered, and I have a deck on the other side of the house, so it’s perfect. Any time of day, I can have sun or shade. I can see myself spending lots of time out there this summer. 

Back in 2020, you said it was more affordable to build a home like yours at Sarilia than to build or buy a new home in Saskatoon. Now that your home is complete, do you still feel that way?
Yes, I would definitely say so. My house is just over 1,100 sq. Ft. To buy a similar house in Saskatoon, I can imagine it costing a lot more. I also saved a lot of money by managing the build myself. The lots out here are so affordable. If you can be smart with where you’re spending your money, and how you design your home, it’s definitely more affordable to build at Sarilia.

Taylor standing in her new kitchen in her new build at Sarilia

You’ve been settled in now since the fall. How does it feel to live in a home that you design and managed the build for?
It’s honestly so rewarding. Just to come home and have that sense of accomplishment. Being out here is so beautiful, it’s so peaceful. The drive out really isn’t bad—the roads have been really good. Just coming out, being in the country, in nature—it’s awesome. You can watch the birds and hear the coyotes at night and it’s just so quiet. 

Have you met many of your neighbours at Sarilia?
There’s a ladies night that goes on here, so I went to that and met lots of women there. Everybody is so awesome. They’re so nice out here. 

I was here for Halloween and there were lots of trick-or-treaters coming to my door. One of the ladies made a map for Sarilia with all the houses handing out candy. And then everybody comes around—it was really cool. There’s such a sense of community here.

Even taking my dog for a walk, you see someone on the road and everyone stops and says hi. 

Taylor and her dog at Sarilia

Were there any learning curves that came with moving to the country?
For the first couple of months, it was just monitoring septic and water usage. (Sarilia homes use septic and cistern systems). I don’t use that much water—every couple of days I look at the water levels. 

There is someone who delivers the water, and he can do emergency runs if you need it, but typically he makes the rounds every two weeks. He’ll send an email in advance, asking how much water we need. It’s really easy.

What kind of winter activities do you plan to partake in at Sarilia?
There’s been talk about having a bonfire out here. I’d like to go cross-country skiing. The trails are just down the road. Just going out for walks and being in nature. 

Theo the dog at his new home at Sarilia Country Estates

What about summer activities?
Sarilia has its own beach, so I would like to go there this spring and summer. I paddle board and I fish, so I think being down by the river is just ideal for me. 

What do your friends and family say when they visit your new home for the first time?
Everybody says it’s so beautiful out here—being in nature. They notice how quiet it is, and say how gorgeous it is.

Now that you’ve lived at Sarilia for four months, what kind of person do you think would enjoy living here in the river valley?
If you are somebody, like me, who still drives into Saskatoon every day for work, but you like to be in nature, it’s just a good option. It has the convenience of being close to the city, but it’s also a nice getaway from it. 

Coming home to Saskatchewan

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We’re excited to introduce you to Patty and Lyle. Friendly, energetic and engaging, they’re recent transplants from Vancouver Island, although they’re born and bred Saskatchewanians. Having spent nearly eight years in Comox, they decided it was time to move home last year, and their path to Sarilia was somewhat serendipitous. 

We recently chatted with Patty to learn a little bit about her and Lyle—why they decamped from BC, how they spend their free time, and what drew them back to Saskatchewan and their new home at Sarilia. 

What was the catalyst behind the move to BC?

My son and daughter-in-law were living in BC temporarily, so we went to visit in January 2014, to escape the -40 temps. We discovered that there was a place in Canada that had temps in the teens in January and no snow! 

In 2012 I was diagnosed with breast cancer and that experience puts a different perspective on things. Even though I had been working for the government for 30+ years, once we returned from Vancouver Island that January, we started thinking seriously about how we could relocate and try life somewhere else. None of us know when our expiry date will be, but we all have one.

Lyle had worked for UPS for 25+ years at that time, and in May of 2014 they were opening new locations up on Vancouver Island. He applied to relocate and we made the decision to go to Comox as it would allow Lyle to have a better schedule than in a larger community. His work life balance had been almost non existent with minimal time to be involved in any evening activities or events. 

It was a risk to leave a stable government job but we made the leap of faith in fall of 2014 and never looked back. We got into new activities pretty quickly which helped us to meet friends and within a year or so Lyle was jamming with several local musicians and starting to help with the local minor football program. 

Fast forward through years of great friends and fabulous memories and many visits out to see us from friends and family. Then the global pandemic hit and again we found ourselves re-evaluating our priorities which resulted in our decision to move back to Saskatchewan. 

Lyle is winding down to retirement and I was lucky enough to bring my remote work that I had in BC, back to Saskatchewan with me. And here we are. Meeting new friends again and learning about new opportunities and activities we can be involved in. 

How does it feel to be back in Saskatchewan?

It feels good. It feels right. We have a lot of family here. We have two granddaughters now. My husband and I were both married before, so I have two kids in Saskatchewan and he has three in Alberta. They’re all within a decent driving distance now and we’re happy about that. 

Tell me about your new dog—Honey. 

We visited a local rescue shelter WANAR (We All Need a Rescue) on July 2 to see what they might have available. We lost our dog of over 16 years about a year ago and we were ready to find a new housemate. Honey was 9 months old at that time. We fell in love instantly and she has settled in really well. Still training to do as she’s just a puppy but she’s learning every day, and so are we.

When and how did you hear about Sarilia?

I’ve known Gwen Lepage, Sarilia’ s developer, since the late 90s when we did some work together in La Ronge, where I lived at the time. We had stayed in touch and then when I moved to Saskatoon in 2005, we connected again. Around 2010 we were looking to move out of Saskatoon to a nearby community. Sarilia was just being developed at the time and we made the trip out to see what it was like. We really loved the idea of living there but with our jobs in the city and longer hours, it just wasn’t the right fit for us at the time. We ended up in Martensville but never forgot about Sarilia.

What was it about Sarilia itself that made it feel like a good fit for you and Lyle at this point in your life?

I am from La Ronge and lived there most of my life, and Lyle is from Snowden (near the Choiceland-Nipawin area) We both grew up in the bush line with lots of trees and I wasn’t into moving onto the bald Prairie. We were so used to trees and nature being around us and that’s what we were looking to come back to in Saskatchewan. 

Our new house is surrounded by trees. Our deck is quite high and it’s almost like being in a treehouse now because it’s enveloped in trees—it’s like a jungle in the spring/summer. There are so many birds—we’ve had robins nesting on the deck this summer and the bird feeders are always busy! We have chipmunks, squirrels and rabbits too as well as the occasional deer, not to mention the coyotes and bears. It was a lot about the geography and the fact that the river is right there as well. I’m a paddler and I love the water so that was also important. 

Lyle and Honey relaxing on the deck nestled in the trees.

The purchase of your new home was somewhat serendipitous. Can you tell me about that?

When we were living in BC, and thinking about moving back, we were looking online just to see what real estate was like here. A house came up for sale at Sarilia on the SaskHouses site and we both fell in love with it instantly. It was surrounded by trees, and it was the style that we liked. It didn’t have a garage and the basement wasn’t done, but we saw all of the potential. I connected with Gwen and she filled me in on how Sarilia had grown since we last visited. This was back in January of 2021 and we weren’t ready to make the move yet but we planning to list our home that summer. In the meantime, the house we had found had sold so that was off the table. 

We sold our home in BC in July 2021 and planned to move back in spring of 2022. We made a trip back in August to see what was available then. We considered building at Sarilia but after fully researching options and with the volatility in the construction market at the time we decided against it and returned to BC still not knowing where we would end up. We wanted to be near water and trees, and we also looked at a place at Blackstrap that we were very close to putting an offer on. Right at that time, in September of 2021 Gwen gave us a call and said, “You’re never going to believe this—the house you guys fell in love in January is back on the market.” 

The home now had a finished basement and a garage. It was exactly what we were looking for—fairly close to the water, nestled in the trees. We “viewed” the house via FaceTime with our realtor and made an offer. The rest is history. 

What do you both like to do in your spare time?

As mentioned, Lyle is winding down towards retirement. He always wanted to coach football and to be in a band…so it was a hope when we moved to BC that his new schedule could allow for that. He coached minor football in Courtenay/Comox and has already connected to the Martensville Maddogs football club and will be helping them with some coaching. 

He also started a garage band while we were in BC, literally in our garage. They played different gigs around town in pubs, at wineries, and special events. So that’s his next thing—he’s got to find some other musicians and get back into that. 

Lyle loves to garden. He was one of the first people this year to plant anything in Sarilia’s community garden and has enjoyed having that garden option. It’s also a great way to meet your neighbours.  

The River Ridge trails are only a couple of kilometres from us, and the trails are for summer and winter use. Lyle has been taking full advantage of the trails this summer and Honey loves to go for walks out there too! Hopefully we can get into some cross-country skiing and/or snowshoeing as well. We certainly know what Saskatchewan winters are like so we need to embrace all of the things we can do in the colder weather too. 

I hear you were a competitive paddler—tell me about that. 

I started paddling in Saskatoon in 2013 on a breast cancer dragon boat team, a sport which I knew nothing about at that time, but I had canoed and loved being on the water. Once we settled in BC, I was quickly connected to a team there, consisting of all women who were survivors of various types of cancer. Paddling is year-round on Vancouver Island so dragon boating is a huge sport there for all ages, genders and levels.  

After paddling with those amazing women for a couple of years (and I continued with that team as well) I was introduced to high level paddling and in 2017 started working towards a goal of competing with a competitive club coordinated out of Victoria, but with paddlers from across the island. This was not specifically a “cancer team” but consisted of paddling enthusiasts who were willing to put in a lot of time and work to build their skills. We competed mostly in BC in various regattas and qualified to race in Europe in 2018 in the Club Crew World Championships (held every two years). We brought home several medals and it was definitely the trip of a lifetime. The connections I’ve made through the sport are amazing and will be lifelong friends. I’m hoping to get into other types of paddling out here but it’s been a busy summer!

Building affordable and green in the river valley

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How one Sarilia family designed their new home with the planet in mind

Having recently moved to Sarilia from Saskatoon, Kelly, Andrew and their 4-year-old son, Logan, have successfully settled into their new home. Their new bungalow was designed to tread lightly on the planet, while taking advantage of the sweeping river views outside. 

We recently chatted with the family to get to know them, to learn how they’ve incorporated environmentally friendly features into their new home, and how they’ll continue reducing their footprint with their future plans. 

“It’s really important to become more self-sustainable,” says Kelly, “as we face the challenges of climate change as a society.”

Can you both tell me a little bit about yourselves?

Kelly: I was born in Saskatoon, but I actually grew up in the States and lived in China and Australia. I ended up back here to do my Masters, and I have a background in conservation biology. 

My hobbies are anything to do with nature—I’m a big plant nerd, I love hiking and cooking and going on adventures with Logan and Andrew. That’s what drew us out to Sarilia— being in nature. 

I also grew up near the Beaver Creek Conservation Area in Corman Park (from ages 3-10). I really enjoyed being able to run free, and just being on the prairies. When we went out to Sarilia for the first time, we just fell in love with the space even though it was the middle of winter. It definitely felt a lot like where I grew up as a child.

Andrew: I was born and raised in Saskatoon. I’ve always wanted to live in a smaller space, out of the city but not something terribly far away. We really loved the idea of being outside Saskatoon and being immersed in nature. 

What do you do for fun?

Logan: Trick-or-treating and Paw Patrol.

Kelly: In the winter, we love to snow shoe. We definitely want to take up canoeing and kayaking. And as Logan gets older, he can do that too. 

Andrew: We’ve been out on the river ridge trails—it’s a nice, accessible park. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to get back into some outdoor sports this summer. I want to get to that middle island (in the North Saskatchewan River). I’ve only fished a few times as a kid but it’ll be nice to have that river access, and that will probably be of interest. 

Kelly & Andrew’s house has an R-value of 41.

What was it that attracted you to Sarilia?

Kelly: Originally we were looking around where I grew up (near Beavercreek) but the lots were very expensive. Andrew had seen Sarilia on Reddit of all places. 

Andrew: We noticed it was north of Langham and decided to go for a drive. 

Kelly: So, we drove out there, and it was just so beautiful. We just fell in love with it. It was so peaceful. I went from living in the country to living in really big cities and I remember when we were standing out there, Andrew said, “there is no noise.”

We lived in Saskatoon at the time. It wasn’t like this 10 years ago, but now, you’re constantly hearing noises in the city. 

One thing I missed was seeing the night sky in full, or seeing storms coming through. It’s just something that you don’t get unless you live in the country. And so we started researching Sarilia a bit more after we drove out there and we saw how affordable it was. 

Andrew: There are tons of young families at Sarilia and that was what really sealed the deal for us. With Logan, there are lots of people our age who have kids—so we are all in that same stage of life together, and I think that’s great to have that kind of community of people.

Can you tell me about your new home?

Kelly: It’s a bungalow with a vaulted ceiling. There are large windows in the front and there’s an overhanging roof over the deck—that’s the part that looks out over the river. And we have a walkout basement. We really wanted to have those big windows to bring in a lot of natural light and expand the view as much as possible—because it’s quite an amazing view that we managed to get. 

I understand it was built in an energy efficient way. Can you tell me about that?

Andrew: The house is built with ICE (Insulated Composite Envelope) panels. They are made of styrofoam and steel. We really liked the concept of a very tight, well-insulated house. It’s pre-engineered, so it’s typically a faster build because the walls are pre-cut, and basically it’s like a LEGO set, to put it all together. It will really reduce the cost of heating. 

For the roof, we decided to go with metal instead of shingles. 

Kelly: Metal roofs are a lot better for insulation and deflecting the sun—and it’s able to support solar as well.  

Were there other environmentally friendly features that were important to you?

Andrew: We really wanted to do solar and we’re still planning to do that. It’s just that to build green off the bat, it’s not at a viable stage yet (cost-wise). There are a lot of incentives in terms of retrofitting, but there’s not a lot when it comes to building green upfront.

We’re not going to water the grass—we are going to keep it natural Prairie. It’s so much nicer than having to worry about that in the city. We’ll also try to improve the land with some trees.

For our long term plans, the garage will be retrofitted to support an electric vehicle, to take into account the rising gas prices and the commute between the city and home—it is a way of offsetting that. 

Kelly: We’re also incorporating a lot of native species into our landscaping. We’re trying to restore the Prairie that we dug up when the house was built. Hopefully planting more native species will help increase the biodiversity. 

As we face the challenges of climate change as society, we need to become more self-sustainable—for example, growing your own food and maybe having a home that’s not completely off the grid but is capable of doing that in the future. 

A lot of what we do personally and professionally, we do to make the world a better place, for not just our son, but generations in front of us—at least we try to.

For more information on ICE panels—a new, technologically advanced building envelope developed in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, visit their website: https://gsbp.ca/blog/what-are-ice-panels

Finding my nature fix

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“If I imagine hell as a physical place of torture and pain, it’s not the heat that troubles me most; it’s the noise. Hell surely means living in the unceasing din of a construction zone with no time limits, where earplugs and noise cancelling headphones are banned. In the Middle Ages, Christian scholars believed noise was used as a weapon by Satan, who was bent on preventing human beings from being alone with God or fully with each other, alert and listening.” – Julia Baird, Phosphorescence

Sarilia’s glorious fall colour

When new residents move from the city to Sarilia, it doesn’t take long for them to notice the soothing effects of being immersed in nature here in the country. Often, the first comments I hear from our new neighbours is how much they appreciate the quiet, and the calming feeling that envelops them as they descend into the river valley after a day of working in Saskatoon. 

It’s a sentiment echoed in Florence Williams’ bestselling book, The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier and More Creative.

“Yes, we’re busy,” Williams writes. “We’ve got responsibilities. But beyond that, we’re experiencing a mass generational amnesia enabled by urbanization and digital creep.” She explains that, today, American and British children spend half as much time outside as their parents did, and we have lost more than we’ve realized because of our “epidemic dislocation from the outdoors.”  

She explains that “we don’t experience natural environments enough to realize how restored they can make us feel, nor are we aware that studies show they make us healthier, more creative, more empathetic and more apt to engage with the world and with each other. Nature, it turns out, is good for civilization.” 

Although it is terrific to walk our river trails listening to some tunes, it is a completely different experience to walk in solitude and awaken all five senses. Listening to the rustle of the leaves in the wind, smelling the fresh air, and simply breathing in the feeling of Mother Nature on your skin and in your body—it’s both calming and revitalizing. 

Hoar frost blankets the trees along the North Saskatchewan River

Before we lived in the country, I would experience this nature fix once or twice a year when we went camping at one of Saskatchewan’s northern lakes. I’m now keenly aware that spending time in nature once or twice a year is not enough.

Ronn and I have been settled in the river valley for nearly eight years now. Living within nature has had a calming, quieting effect on my life. It’s made me slow down and appreciate a more peaceful, easy, relaxed pace.

While I still enjoy spending time in the city, there’s nothing like returning to my home, nestled within nature with a view of the winding North Saskatchewan River outside my door. 

I’ve found my nature fix right here at home, and I’m happy to receive a daily dose of it. 

-Gwen

From acreage living to river valley vistas: Why one young family chose Sarilia

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Chelsey, Dustin and their two children are some of Sarilia’s newest transplants—having moved here from an acreage near Hepburn this fall. Although Chelsey says they loved having “a lot of space for our 4-year-old to run around,” the downside was a feeling of isolation. “The closest neighbour was actually my husband’s cousin and they were about a mile away,” she says. 

When the couple learned they were expecting their second child, they considered making an addition to their two-bedroom home. But financially, it didn’t make sense, so they started searching for a larger home. They began by looking at houses in several small Saskatchewan cities and towns, but eventually ended up right here at Sarilia. We recently chatted with Chelsey (and her son Thatcher!) to get to know this vibrant young family and why they decided to relocate to the river valley. 

Tell me a little about yourself and your family.

Thatcher is four, and Lachlan is three months. My husband, Dustin, works for Acadia Paving. He is a heavy duty mechanic and he’s the shop foreman there. I’m a stay-at-home mom as of right now. That might change. 

What are some of your hobbies?

My husband’s hobby is easy: cars—anything automotive. And fishing. 

For me, it’s camping—we do a lot of camping in the summer. We typically go to Sask Landing. This summer was the first year we got our own trailer so we went out to Martins Lake for September long. We want to do more exploring around the province. 

What was it that you enjoyed about acreage living, and what were the challenges?

We enjoyed the space—having a yard for a bonfire and my son loves soccer, so space to kick the ball around. Although I enjoyed not having neighbours right beside us, on the other side, it felt secluded and I didn’t really enjoy that. Not having a community was probably the only downside. 

What kind of selection criteria did you have for your new home?

We were just looking for a larger house, with four bedrooms and a garage. That was pretty much our only criteria. In the long run, that probably made it harder for us because we didn’t have a specific location in mind. We were looking in Warman, Martensville, Waldheim, Osler—we were looking everywhere.

How did you find Sarilia?

My sister, who lives in Swift Current, sent me a listing for a different house at Sarilia, but it didn’t have a garage. Then I just started looking at other houses in the area and found the one that we bought. We knew about Sarilia, but in all honesty, we didn’t think it would ever be in our price range so we didn’t even consider looking out here.

Do you have any plans for meeting your neighbours once you’re settled in?

We have a dog, so we’ve been walking him, and people are out on their decks and they say hello, so we’ve been chatting with people that way. I’m also hoping, with Halloween coming up, that will be another way we get to meet people. 

Tell me about your dog. 

Our dog is a big, old man. We got him from someone who lived in Warman so he was a city dog and then we converted him to acreage living. Now that he’s older he’s going to be more of an indoor dog. His name is Rocky and he’s a Burmese Collie. 

Thatcher, what do you like most about your new home?

Thatcher: The paint. 

Chelsey: What about your bedroom? What’s in the window of your bedroom?

Thatcher: The moon!

Chelsey: The previous owners left a moon decal on the window, so it’s perfect for him.

What kind of activities do you want to do as a family this winter and next spring and summer?

We want to teach Thatcher how to skate. I know that in the past, the community here has made the little ice rinks so we’re excited to do that. We try—once a day—to walk up to the park at the top of the hill. And just a lot of fishing. My husband loves to fish so he and Thatcher are excited to go fishing down at the river.

Thatcher: I caught a fish.

Chelsey: Yes, you caught a fish at Petrofka. 

You must be very good at fishing. 

Thatcher: Yep!

Were you aware that there are a lot of young families at Sarilia before moving here?

We didn’t really know. We actually thought it was an older community. So we were definitely pleasantly surprised. To have our windows open and hear the kids playing outside—I like that. 

What was your first impression of Sarilia?

It’s beautiful. You come over the hill and you see all the trees. We saw it at the end of August and the beginning of September, so just all the greenery starting to turn for fall—it’s just gorgeous. And just driving around, you drive by someone and they wave to you. Again, it’s that community feel.

Tell me about the river view you have from your new home.

It’s amazing. Especially the balcony off of the master bedroom. It’s beautiful. We can also see it from our kitchen window on the main floor. 

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

We are just really excited to meet people. The more walking around we do, I’m sure the more people we will meet.