HOLIDAY SEASON

As the Holiday Season is upon us we find ourselves reflecting on the past year and on those people who have helped us to shape our business. We value the relationships we have built with our clientele and look forward to building new ones as we assist you in finding the right home to meet your individual retirement needs.


From Bev & Sheri our Sales Reps to Carolyn & Shirrell our dedicated hostesses who greet our clients we want to wish all of you a Happy & Healthy Holiday Season.

We hope you will enjoy our staff recipe for Whipped Shortbread

1 cup soft butter                                     1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 
2/3 cup powdered icing sugar                 1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla
 
Beat sugar & butter.  Add remaining ingredients & keep beating until mixture resembles whipped cream.  Drop by heaping teaspoon on ungreased cookie sheet.     Bake at 325 for 20 minutes.  Store in airtight container.

Our Sandycove Heroes

For the past 27 years the Sandycove Veterans Club have conducted a service on Remembrance Day which is attended by municipal dignitaries, guests and approximately four hundred residents from within Sandycove.  This year’s service was held on Sunday, November 7^th and the weather could not have been better and attributed to the wonderful crowd in attendance.

     

Sea, Army, Air Force and Navy League Cadets based at the Barrie Ontario Armory all send sizeable contingents led by respective officers.   They utilize one from each of the Cadet Corps (Navy League excepted) to lower and raise the Flags during the Last Post.

The Innisfil Pipe and Drum band attends as do also Police and Fire Services from the Innisfil Area.  A well attended luncheon was held at the Wheel Recreation Centre after the service with sandwiches and desserts donated by local businesses and residents. 

The Veteran’s Club recently held a Karaoke Fund Raising Dance & Social & raised $1,125 to update the Sandycove Cenotaph to recognize all past & present veterans and all service personnel currently deployed overseas.

A Month to Remember

Our Sandycove Veterans Club is a vibrant group with 294 members: 77 Veterans, 70 wives of veterans plus an additional 147 men & women who serve as social members.
In 1982 a group of Veterans started the planning necessary to erect a memorial within Sandycove to honour those men and women who paid with their lives so that we could live ours in freedom.

A field gun (shown in the photo) dating back to World War 1, was obtained at an auction and mounted beside the Hub Recreation Hall in the south park as part of the Sandycove memorial. This labour of love and respect was carried out by members of the Sandycove Veterans Club, two of the originating members are still in the park Jack Van Daalen and Muriel (Pat) Thompson. Pat served with the Wrens in World War II. Jack was serving with the Dutch East Indian Army when he was captured by the Japanese and held in internment from 1942 to 1945 when he was liberated by the allies.

Our Sandycove Veterans are a very active group in our community. They participate by organizing & marching in our Canada Day Parade, holding monthly activities & annual poppy sales.

MODULAR or SITE BUILT What is the Difference?

These questions are often asked of our Sales Staff by prospective purchasers.

The homes of Sandycove Acres can be divided into 2 general types Factory Built and Site Built.

Factory Built Homes were built and delivered to Sandycove Acres from 1971 to 1981. Initially these homes were built on steel frames and delivered by trailer to the building site – complete with a basic furniture package! From 1977 to 1981 the homes were built with a more traditional wood floor framing method. Steel roofing was replaced by the familiar asphalt shingle roofing on the newer factory built homes.

The factory built homes were erected onto foundation piers, usually poured concrete pylons, and for a while were placed on approved pressure treated wood foundation piers. Most of the homes were finished inside with wall panelling. You will see that recently many homeowners have either painted the panelling or replaced it with drywall.  Most of the factory built homes have attractive decks, 3 season sunrooms or 4 season Florida rooms added to them.

Site Built Homes: since 1982 Sandycove Acres Limited has become a home builder. All homes built since then are “site-built”; that is, constructed on site from the ground up just like most houses in Ontario. Interior walls have a drywall finish. The foundation is either block or concrete with a crawlspace under the living area. Some crawlspace floors have a gravel finish while some may have a concrete skim coat.

In 2006 Sandycove Acres introduced new exterior house designs which were featured in the Trellis Lane section of Sandycove. Open concept floor plans and vaulted ceilings give this latest generation style a very roomy feel. All these homes have two bathrooms, one with a convenient walk in shower. Sandycove continues to build new homes as part of an overall community rejuvenation plan.

Every house in Sandycove Acres has been built with an eye towards quality of construction and ease of maintenance. Houses were, and continue to be, built to the then prevailing regulatory codes, now known as the Ontario Building Code.

The state of repair of each house, be it older or more recently built, depends on the level of care given it by the previous and current homeowners. If you are a Sandycove homeowner considering the sale of your home, you would find it useful to have the Sandycove Sales Team identify the “must do” things that will make your house more attractive to a buyer. If you are a purchaser buying into Sandycove Acres, we recommend that you get a Home Inspection done. This is a very common requirement in home sales in southern Ontario these days.

For newcomers, we look forward to you being part of the Sandycove community. For those who already live here, we thank you for choosing Sandycove Acres.

Summer's A Buzz with activities

Sandycove activities seem to come alive with entertainment and events during the summer season.  Our outdoor courts are active with Bocce Ball, Horseshoe & Shuffleboard players.  The warm weather has residents taking advantage of the two salt water heated swimming pools, lounge areas and aqua classes.  Our mini golf course is ready for resident and visiting grand children's enjoyment.  While walking groups meet early mornings for their weekly get togethers.

Each of the three recreation centres has special events happening throughout the summer months.  The Wheel is hosting a popular 2 day Fashion Show & sale this June where a group of dedicated residents raise thousands each year for RVH Cancer Care.  Residents are also planning their Garage Sale towards the end of the month.  Dances & Inaugural Balls welcome the new executive committee members of each hall. 

Members of the Woodworking Shop will be hosting their annual Open House soon with a barbeque and display of resident talent.  The Photography Club is hosting an outdoor nature event & picnic for all camera buffs.  While our Sandycove Cloggers are getting ready to perform at Innisfil's Summerfest event.  

Life is what you make it and our Sandycove residents know how to embrace an active lifestyle enriched by new friendships made while living here.

April News

Spring has finally arrived and Sandycove residents have already started decorating their homes with spring flowers.   Our residents have planned another garden tour of Sandycove resident gardens this summer.  This always proves to be a popular event.  Watch for more details in upcoming months. 

Our 3 recreation centres are always busy with daily activities.  Some of the highlights have included spring dances taking place at all three recreation centres with various DJ's.  The Ladies Social Club is holding their luncheon this month after hosting a recent fashion show to get everyone in the mood for spring arrivals from Simply Casual, one of the merchants at the Sandycove Mall. 

The Photography Club held an OPEN HOUSE this month show casing the talent of our residents.  Special guest was renowned nature photographer John Warnica who put on a presentation of his photography, answered questions and guided members through suggested techniques.  Each year the Photography and Art clubs get together for a very popular Show & Sale. 

Our Farmer's Market has opened again and will be selling fresh produce, baked goods, meat, flowers, etc every Wednesday.   Even the staff head off to this one each week to pick up great local produce & products.

As you can see we are an active, vibrant community of residents who embrace life by getting involved.

Winter Blow Out!!

This is it! If you have been wanting to buy in Sandycove Acres, now is the time! We have just launched our Sandycove Acres new home winter blow out. Here is the deal....

If you buy a new inventory home through the Sandycove Acres sales office by the end of February 2010, you will receive $20,000 off the price of your home PLUS you will be entitled to the equivalent of 3 months rent...free!!!

This is a seriously amazing deal and if you have been thinking about a move to Sandycove or know someone who has....this is the ideal push you need to make it happen.  Call now to talk to one of our sales reps for all the details.  Call 1-800-348-7161

2010 already!!

Happy New Years to all of you! Its hard for me to believe we are entering yet another decade. Does time fly by or what?!  I like change but I also am a bit nostalgic and I hunger for the familiar. That's pretty much how I feel about Sandycove Acres. I love that there are changes - new homes, new amenities (like that fantastic farmers market held in the spoke), new staff (Donna now a sales rep!) - but I also appreciate the warm comfort of that which doesn't change - the small town feel, the monthly dances at the clubhouses, the mature trees, and the neighbours that remind you of the friendliness and goodness in people. Its a nice mix.

I have been coming up to Sandycove with my dad and grandpa since I was little. It was a nice treat to go to work with them, and it was always fun to come to Sandycove specifically. There was always so much going on! It gives me personally a warm feeling when I drive down Lockhart Rd and see the sign for Sandycove Acres... It reminds me of my grandfather and his belief that Sandycove should always be kept in its best state, it makes me think of how my dad would show me around. Although Sandycove has never been my home, it makes me feel at home. See how nostalgic i can be?! Haha.

Well here's to a great new year!

H. Rice