White: First builder group for urban village Taza Park named

Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. The Tsuut’ina Nation recently announced the builders for the first phase of the residential component Taza Park, their 6,500-home urban village on their land at the southwest edge of Calgary, near Grey Eagle Resort and Casino.

Brookfield Residential will be marketing Rhythm at Taza Park — two- and three-bedroom townhomes. Crystal Creek Homes announced Juniper Ridge Villas, side by sides, some with views of the Weaselhead Flats and the Elbow River. And Homes by Avi will be offering two- and three-bedroom townhomes with options for secondary suites.



The sales and marketing centre for Taza Park will open on May 24. Taza is a Tsuut’ina word meaning “something wonderous.” I expect many Calgarians have been wondering what the Tsuut’ina Nation’s ultimate plans are for their lands along the southwest leg of the Calgary ring road given the popularity of the Buffalo Run Costco (one of the top five in Canada) and the Grey Eagle Resort and Casino (one of the busiest hotels and casinos in Alberta).

Yes, both are part of the Nation’s ambitious vision for capitalizing on the southwest leg of the Calgary ring road to create an ongoing economic engine for the Nation, while also sharing their stories and culture with Albertans and visitors. The vision, as I understand it, is to create something wonderous, which will invite Calgarians of all backgrounds to live, work, play, recreate and be entertained within a village that reflects a uniquely Tsuut’ina sense of place. The 1,200 acres will link Calgary’s existing communities of Lakeview with Discovery Ridge by creating three villages — Taza Park, Buffalo Run and The Crossing.

It is by far the largest infill project in the Calgary region. The Grey Eagle Resort and Casino opened in 2007. It existed all by itself for several years, waiting for the southwest leg of the Calgary ring road to be completed.

The completion of the freeway in 2016 created a unique opportunity for the Nation to issue a request for proposals for a partnership with a major real estate developer who could assist them in developing their land to maximize the economic benefit of their people. This resulted in a 50/50 joint venture between the Tsuut’ina Nation and Canderel, one of Canada’s major developers based in Montreal. Taza Park is a huge 470 acre project — more than twice the size of Calgary’s University District.

It will be designed around a linear park that will allow residents to walk through the park all the way to Weaslehead Flats. Or, they can walk up to the Grey Eagle Resort, which will be expanded to become a more diverse entertainment/recreational hub. Unusually for an urban village, the first developments were three major car dealerships, however, strategically they will generate the revenue needed to support the development of a traditional, three-block long main street with two-storey commercial buildings (no residential above) and surface parking at the back.

These in turn, will provide the amenities needed to attract people to want to live and play in the village..