Tranquille (Padova) Real Estate Development, Kamloops
Tranquille, also known as Padova is located at the eastern bay of Kamloops Lake. It is a beautiful piece of real estate that has been sitting vacant and overgrown for numerous years and it’s future has often been questioned. Recently the Kamloops This Week reported that plans are in the works to develop this site. I have included the article written by Melissa Lampman below detailing those plans.
After years uninhabited, worn and dilapidated buildings and mounds of overgrown vegetation are the only things still visible on the site of the historic Tranquille Sanatarium. But looking through the eyes of the property’s owners, it’s the beginning of what will one day be an extraordinary agrarian resort town.
BC wilderness Tours, owner of the property since 2000, shared it’s vision this week. Estimated at $1 billion by completion, Tranquille on the Lake will be built around a 300-acre farm and feature eco-friendly and sustainable lifestyles. “We want to develop it into something we have never seen in the past,” said Tim McLeod, the company’s development manager. “We think it’s world class, we think it’s unusual and it’s in Kamloops.”
After getting the nod from the City of Kamloops, the plan is to design an entire town of about 4,000 people around a state-of-the-art organic farm, including greenhouses and a vineyard. The town will include lake shore pathway systems, a public beach, a marina, a five-star hotel and a mix of single and multi-family housing that’s affordable for most people.
“It’s not going to be gated. It’s not for the rich and famous – it’s for Kamloops,” McLeod said. The plan includes construction of 1,200 to 1,800 units at an average of 1,000 square feet, each designed so that 80 per cent of the sites remain as green space. In designing the town, the developers plan to use healthy building practices, such as recycled and energy-efficient materials, as well as incorporating solar and geothermal technologies. “It will take about 15 years to build entirely,” he said. “But we’re doing it for the love of healthy and healthy living.”
However, there are many inherent challenges – and Phase I is expected to cost about $100 million. Among the priorities is building a new water-supply pipeline, getting rid of the $1.5 million worth of asbestos, eliminating all lead paint and dismantling most of the existing site.
McLeod said the developers will restore and reuse as much of the original buildings and infrastructure as possible, including the old fire house and some of the cottages as well as fully restoring the sunken gardens and cemetery. “It’s going to take $5 to $6 million to take the town apart,” he said, adding they will be working with the historic society. “We’ve got quite a complex site…but we’ll be retaining it’s history and preserving it as we move forward.”
Phase I is slated to begin in the spring with other developments getting underway in 2010.
More information can be found here: Tranquille on the lake
Sun Peaks is Canada’s second largest four season resort. Located 4.5 hours from Vancouver and 45 minutes north east of Kamloops. Sun Peaks is perfect for the whole family. There are a number of flights to Kamloops airport in the winter 
from Vancouver, Seattle and Calgary with shuttles from the airport to the mountain. There is 3,678 acres of diverse terrain, with 122 runs on three mountains. Sun Peaks has a small ski through village with numerous retailers, hotels and restaurants. Sun Peaks is known for it’s dry powder snow that is easy to ski. For people who don’t ski or snowboard, there are other activities to enjoy such as snowshoeing, dog sled rides, ice skating, snowmobile rides and snow tubing.
in comparison to other ski resorts in British Columbia. Lots, apartments, townhouses and chalets are all available for every buyer on any budget. Many homes have ski-in, ski-out convenience. Large exclusive homes are located just outside the village with varying lot sizes.
Whitecroft is part of the area known as Heffley. Many people that are interested in Sun Peaks real estate, but choose to be out of the village area choose to look at real estate options in Whitecroft. The homes in this area are more affordable with more square footage in comparison to the homes in Sun Peaks. It is a five to ten minute drive from Whitecroft to the hills of Sun Peaks.
There is a small grocery store in Barnhartvale. The newest shopping is now located at the foot of Todd Road on Dallas Drive. There is a grocery store, liquor store (located in the Petro Gas Station), a Subway Restaurant and smaller retailers. Tumbleweeds Pub/Restaurant is also located in Dallas on Dallas Drive at Bogetti Road.