Homes by Avi’s Stampede Rotary Dream Homes have always been called works of art and now it has real works of art to go along with it, as Zimmerman won the award-winning builder’s “Calgary’s Next Top Artist” contest in February. Around 30 of his paintings will be displayed in the $765,000 Stampede Rotary Dream Home at the Stampede Grounds during the 10-day event from July 4 to 13. Samples of his work will also be on display at Homes by Avi’s show home at 85 Mike Ralph Way in the southwest community of Garrison Green.

Calgary’s ‘New North’
 Chad and Courtney Zararik picked up the keys to their new home on January 30 to become the first residents of Walton Developments’ SkyView Ranch in Calgary’s “New North.”
“It’s nice to be the first in the community as we can enjoy watching the community grow,” says Courtney. “We both grew up in the northeast so we wanted to stay in the northeast and enjoy some great times with family and friends.”
Chad says they have been anxious for Shane Homes to start building in the northeast for some time. Once he found out they were going to be building in SkyView Ranch, there were no second thoughts. 
With 24 show homes by award winning builders: Creations by Shane, Innovations by Jayman, Beattie Homes, Shane Homes, Morrison Homes, Excel Homes, Pacesetter Homes and Lionsworthe Homes, SkyView Ranch will play a major role in creating the vision of the “Calgary’s New North.”

SkyView Ranch is situated along Country Hills Blvd, turn north on Metis Trail and east on 128th Avenue N.E.  Show homes open Monday – Thursday 2 – 8 p.m., Saturday Sunday and Holidays noon – 5 p.m.

Chatting up The Chatty One
Homes by Avi’s Junior Reporter for February, Caley Jane McCreary, 12, got her big chance to interview one of the Calgary Flames star players, centre Craig Conroy.
Conroy has a reputation as one of the team’s most likeable players and its most talkative as well, and he did not disappoint. When asked if playing for the US men’s hockey team in the 2006 Olympics was the highlight of his career, the Chatty One responded: “I still think playing in the Stanley Cup finals for the Flames (in 2004) is the biggest, but it’s a close second. Anytime you get the opportunity to represent your country, it’s a lot of fun.”
Caley also asked him if he was happy that Barrack Obama won the US presidential elections. Conroy, a native of Michigan, says he was. “I felt the country needed a change, says a lot about the US, we needed a change and the American people spoke and now we have that change and hopefully everything’s going in the right direction.”
But Conroy may have to give up his ‘talky’ title; when Cayley asked who the noisiest player on the squad was, without missing a beat, he says: “(Winger) Andre Roy, by far, hands down, he came in and he stole the show.”

A taste for Tuscany
 The tasteful living that characterizes Tuscany Hillside Estates was brought to the fore literally, during the Chef At Home culinary event held at the northwest community’s Albi and Landmark show homes on February 28.
Around 200 visitors came in to partake in the exclusive culinary event where Chef Eric Giesbrecht demonstrated his culinary talents preparing Italian-inspired meals and shared his kitchen know-how.
Chef Eric showcased how the gleaming, contemporary kitchens at the show home complement any menu and entertaining style, while creating incredible array of Italian inspired meals.