Last updated May 10, 2010

◄ Back

Next ►

Picture 1 of 54

The Current construction progress May 9, 2010

Q and A with Barry Hedgecock, Manager, Qualico Headwaters

Q: How are you attaching the parkade to the ground?
A: The entire structure for the building is anchoured to bedrock using a series of steel dowels drilled and epoxied into the exposed bedrock.

Q: Why is the whole building not conventional wood frame construction like you see in Winnipeg?
A: There are many differences from a construction and building materials standpoint that you will not see in a conventional wood frame building. We have chosen to use a large number of steel columns and beams to ensure the building is rigid. The steel columns also carry through the centre of the building mass to stiffen all of the floor systems. On top of our commercial grade 18” deep joists is a high strength 1 1/8″ OSB floor deck that ensures our floor systems remain extremely stiff. We felt that this wasn’t enough so we went the extra mile and used a special sound dampening membrane and we will then pour 1 1/4″ of gypcrete topping over the entire floor plate.

Q: Will the building be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified?
A: No, however, we have many LEED products and principles we are following. We wanted to ensure that the entire building was extremely energy efficient from the parkade to the attic. To accomplish this, we started with an R28 insulated concrete foundation system called LOGIX. The floor system uses an insulated rimboard from a company called EMERCOR. This is an area where many buildings fail energy tests as it is an onerous task to adequately seal the floor system for air leaks. The final piece of the puzzle is an amazingly strong and quiet R44 wall system from EMERCOR that allows the building to become truly energy efficient.

Q: Why are you using OSB and not plywood?
A: Today’s OSB (orientated strand board) is extremely durable and preferred in part due to its reduced environmental impact. OSB is made up of resins and fast growing trees that allow the manufacturer the luxury of not impacting old growth lumber stock. The engineered floor systems also use OSB as a main component in its manufacturing process. The myth of OSB being an inferior product is just that—a myth!

Q: When will The Headwaters suites be open for viewing and occupancy?
A: Display suites will be available for viewing in mid June while some suites will be ready for a late July-early August possession. The exterior of the building and landscaping will be completed by mid August.

Q: Why are your exterior walls being delivered pre-built and in long sections and not built on-site like other builders?
A: We believe that this system that some call “modular building” or “panelized construction” will eventually be the way homes, cottages, and multi-family projects are built in the future. This process allows us to reduce the environmental impact significantly, build faster, and build a stronger, higher quality building compared to standard wood frame construction.

Q: Are you using local Kenora trades and suppliers?
A: We are proud to say that several of our trades are local Kenora contractors. Currently our mechanical trade, electrical trade, surveyor, site supervisor and some of our site labourers are from Kenora. We are hoping that once the other buildings are ready for tender we will be able to hire more local trades and continue to increase our support of the Kenora economy.

One of the hardest things many people do each year is close up their cottages. Now they can stay in the surroundings they love year-round.

A growing number of condo developments are springing up in cottage country areas such as Lake of the Woods, Gimli and Lac du Bonnet.

The target market for most of these ventures is baby-boomer cottage owners who are selling and want to live among nature, professionals looking for a place to escape to without upkeep, and residents who want to retire in a familiar setting.

The largest project in the works for Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario is The Headwaters in Kenora, a $50-million Qualico development with plans for five buildings with 72 condos.

“It’s an easy way of using the Lake of the Woods,” says Grant Robertson, owner of Kenora Home & Cottage Realty and broker for the project.

He has a database of more than 600 people interested in the development, most from Manitoba. Many are cottage owners considering a condo that still lets them enjoy lake activities, he says, adding that each of The Headwaters’ buildings will have its own dock and slips for boats.

The project is believed to be one of the largest of its kind in Western Canada. Its sits on eight acres of land on Tunnel Island, which has many walking trails and is connected to the mainland by bridges.

The first building called The Current has 10 luxury units and should be finished by the end of this June. One unit had been sold and three reserved by the beginning of the year, Robertson said.

“It’s very synonymous with Lake of the Woods cottages – a post and beam look, flared-out pillars,” he says.

“They’ve got all maintenance-free material, very eco-friendly material. They’ve copied the lake look so it fits very well into the environment.”

The Current condos range from 1,333 square feet to 2,271 square feet for the top-floor penthouse. Prices start at $474,778. The penthouse is $828,556.

Once it’s completed, construction of the other four buildings will be phased in. The Banks is slated to be a 44-unit building with lower prices, Robertson says. The Cove and The Point will have nine condos each and The Brook will have 10 units.

The first units of the Qualico’s Headwaters project will be welcoming their new owners to Kenora’s waterfront living experience this summer.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held in September for The Current, the first of five high-end-condominium buildings planned for the site on Lakeview Drive at the entrance to the west branch of the Winnipeg River.

Qualico acquired the prime lakefront property, formerly the location for the Kenora paper mill staff house, in mid-2008 from Abitibi, which had begun decommissioning the Kenora paper mill and selling off land assets in the community.

Site clearing began immediately, but actual building construction was dependent on the pre-sale of units for the $54 million development.

With the initial pre-sale hurdle cleared, the company officials said at the groundbreaking that they expected interest in the project to escalate once potential buyers can view actual buildings rather than just plans on paper.

The Current will have 10 units including a penthouse with underground parking. Pricing for the units in The Current begin at $474,778 according to Qualico’s website for the project – http://www.headwatersliving.com The project will eventually include 90 luxury units in five buildings with prices varying from $375,000 to the million-dollar range, with boat docking and other on-site amenities.

Source: Lake of the Woods Area News, March 2010

The Current is a 10-unit building located on the western edge of the property and is scheduled for completion by mid summer of 2010. Once construction of The Current is complete, work will then commence on a phased in basis on the other buildings on the property.

Q and A with Barry Hedgecock, Manager, Qualico Headwaters

Q: Barry, how are things progressing with Headwaters?
A: This was our first project of this magnitude in the Ontario market, and there were some unexpected delays that we had to work through. We are now full speed ahead with The Current scheduled for completion by mid summer.

Q: How has the response been to the project?
A: The response from the City of Kenora, the community and those individuals and families who have contacted us about Headwaters has been very positive. Everyone is agreed that Kenora needed a development like this and is looking forward to seeing the project move ahead. We are now beginning to see an increase in interest once again in the project as construction begins.

Q: There has been some question whether this project would ever happen?
A: Because of the timeline required for a project of this size, there is lots of opportunity for people to speculate whether it was going to happen or not. If you were to look at the site activity over the past 9 months however, you would see change pretty well every day—from site blasting, to putting in the shoreline docks, to landscaping the beach area and now to construction.

Q: Are the floor plans and pricing now finalized?
A: On The Current, the floor plans and pricing is now final. Floor plans and pricing are still subject to change on the other buildings however. We want to make sure that the buildings and floor plans we build meet the expectations of the owners, so we are making modifications to better meet these needs as part of the design process.

Q: With HST being introduced in Ontario in July, how do you think that will affect sales of units?
A: We were not happy that the HST will increase the cost of The Headwaters, but anyone looking at a Lake of the Woods property will be affected, so we will all face the same taxation change. Both Ontario and BC are being affected and unfortunately this is something we cannot change, we simply have to adapt and move forward.

Q: What’s on the horizon for The Headwaters?
A: 2010 will be a very big year for both The Headwaters and the City of Kenora. We are very excited about completing The Current and continuing to become a part of the Kenora community. The next few months will provide us the opportunity to show off the development, the floor plans and the detailing with display suites. So this summer is expected to be an exciting time.

The Current is a 10-unit building located on the western edge of the property and is scheduled for completion by mid summer of 2010. Once construction of The Current is complete, work will then commence on a phased in basis on the other buildings on the property.

◄ Back

Next ►

Picture 1 of 9

]]> http://www.headwatersliving.com/photogalleries/headwaters-celebrates-start-of-construction/feed/ http://www.headwatersliving.com/pressgallery/luxurious-lakeside-lifestyles/ http://www.headwatersliving.com/pressgallery/luxurious-lakeside-lifestyles/#comments Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:42:17 +0000 admin http://www.headwatersliving.com/index.php?p=566 Come experience The Headwaters, a special $50 million condominium development in beautiful northwestern Ontario, offering you an enviable lifestyle of luxury on Lake of the Woods.

The Headwaters occupies the southernmost tip of Kenora’s historic Tunnel Island or Ka-izheki-pi-chiin — “a place to stay over,” as it was originally known to the Anishinaabe people. Tunnel Island is situated just west of downtown Kenora, at the mouth of the Winnipeg River in Lake of the Woods.

“The Headwaters will feature 90 suites, including two new penthouse suites,” says Barry Hedgecock, manager of Qualico Headwaters.

There will be five buildings — the Current, the Brook, the Banks, the Point and the Cove — ranging in size from nine to 44 lakeshore residences. Some of the building features include large private terraces, stone fireplaces, galley kitchens with granite countertops, luxurious ensuites, shake and clapboard siding, and designs that combine those from traditional Lake of the Woods camps and modern building systems and products. The architecture was developed in partnership with Nelson Architecture based in Kenora, and Raymond S.C. Wan Architects in Winnipeg.

The land features a natural beach, private boat docks and mature trees. Timber harvested from the site clearing will be used in the development of The Headwaters’ buildings.

“Construction began in fall of last year, and we are taking registrations for the suites now,” says Hedgecock. “We have five registrations at the moment. We’ve had people look at the Headwaters who already have a family cottage on Lake of the Woods, but would like to leave behind all the maintenance associated with keeping up a cottage, and still live in luxurious surroundings. Lake of the Woods is a piece of paradise.”

Some are interested in using The Headwaters as their vacation home, while others see buying a condominium as a permanent residence. Hedgecock says a condominium project of this scale and luxury has never before been seen in the Kenora area. Units will cost from $400,000 and up, and will range from 1,000 to 2,100 square feet in size.

To learn more about how Kenora is rebranding itself as a tourism and 55 plus retirement community and how Qualico’s Headwaters luxury condominium project is playing a leading role, go to

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/kenoras-tomorrow-57602637.html

Email: grobertson@kenorahomerealty.com or call 1-877-808-4777.

Visit headwatersliving.com to view which suites are reserved or available.

Complete pricing for The Current can be found at the Headwaters website at www.headwatersliving.com.