“What we’re promoting in our show home is what you see is what you get,” Brian Balson, Alberta sales manager with Vesta Properties Ltd., says.

And, at first glance, what you see is that the 68 homes in the heart of Luxstone Park Estates come on a very attractive setting of greenspace, not far from all the conveniences needed for day-to-day life.

Given the opportunity to invest in Airdrie, Vesta quickly bought in. And the city has proven to be just as popular a draw for new homeowners. “Our experience in Airdrie has been a good one,“ Balson says. “We enjoy the community spirit, just the small-town feel Airdrie has to it … the laid-back charm, yet being so close to Calgary and the airport— we just saw it as an excellent area.”

Over the years, since Vesta began developing properties in in Airdrie, it has seen it evolve. Large retailers have moved in and yet still the city boasts the quaintness which just can’t be found in larger cities.

As for On the Park, the community is linked to a path system which leads to Nose Creek Park where the Festival of Lights—with Vesta as its main sponsor—is held each year.

From the exterior, the homes aren’t all clones and a noticeable aspect is the lack of all-consuming garages. “You see a lot of homes in lots of developments and go, ‘Hey, nice garage, where’s the front door,’” Balson says.

Instead, the homes on these lots, which are a spacious 42 by 110-feet, range from 1,665 to 2,135 square-feet with double garages that are not so daunting as to drown out front doors.

The additional trim and attention paid to detail, some feature stonework and cedar shakes, is a purposeful bid to ensure houses don’t all look the same.

Potential home-owners have five floor plans to choose from, two-stories with full basements (with ample potential which can be developed for about $28,000) as well as a bungalow option.

Walking into the Cypress show home at 2035 Luxstone Blvd., one quickly feels pleasantly dwarfed by nine-foot ceilings, plenty of window light and an inviting openness. The entry boasts 18-foot ceilings and looks ahead to the great room, just off the dining and kitchen area. Windows on either side of the door make the area even more bright and plenty of pot lights keep the bright and airy feel after the sun goes down.

A tile inlay leads to maple hardwood floors and a living room with a gas fireplace, flanked by two small windows to add more natural light. The living space is adjacent to the dining area positioned by a large window and a rear deck beside an open kitchen with a corner pantry.

“The open great room concept is popular in Alberta,” Balson says.

The kitchen, with its maple cabinetry, features granite countertops and a tile backsplash (with several designs to choose from) and an island large enough to provide ample room for meal making or simply to have guests gather around while chatting with those at the dining room table—or even in the great room since there are no walls or doors to obstruct the view.

The main floor has a two-piece bathroom off the garage, right next to a flex-room perfect for a study or guest quarters.

The staircase is in keeping with the open feel, with wide with metal spindles and a stained maple handrail. It leads to a loft, carpeted, as is the entire second floor, which overlooks the front entry and has several windows and an inviting built-in window seat.

“It could be a sofa bed in here for guests, it could be a home office, it could be a children’s area,” Balson says.

An interesting addition is a double closet which hides laundry facilities, conveniently located outside the three bedrooms.

A bathroom sits between two bedrooms while the master bedroom boasts simply luxurious space. Even with a king size bed and oversized furniture set up in the show home, it is still spacious and sunny. There is a walk-in closet and a tiled bathroom with a soaker tub, adjacent shower and double vanity.

There are homes available both on and near the park, with prices from $349,000 to $399,900. The community is one of Luxstone’s final phases, in a pretty, with its long stretch of greenspace, quaint pond and a children’s play area.

Show home hours are 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Thursday, and 12 p.m to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information visit http://www.vestaproperties.com