When Stephen Rolston, founder and owner of Land Ark Homes, decided to get back into home building to create a new kind of community, he knew that he wanted to do things differently in all aspects of his business. The first person he called was Kevin Rankin, who now serves as Watercolour Westport’s General Manager.

In this episode, Stephen and Wafa are joined by Kevin as they discuss the aspirations behind Land Ark Homes 2.0 and how they hope that their pioneering efforts in the area of Net Zero home building will pave the way for many more builders to create sustainable communities rather than continue to build obsolete housing. 

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Learn more about ⁠us on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/

⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westport

Follow us on social media to stay connected: 

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Thanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.

Every element of Watercolour Westport has been thoughtfully designed, from the length of each block to the parks and protected land. Each decision was informed by sustainability and a desire to preserve the natural beauty and historic feel of Westport for generations to come.

In this episode, you’ll meet Mark Snider, who has many years of experience as a land planner.. He is also a Westport boy, born and raised. In this conversation, he shares what it was like growing up in Westport and how he is helping Land Ark design smart and sustainable neighbourhoods that will help preserve the unique character and setting of the village.

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Connect with Us! 

Learn more about us ⁠on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/

⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westport

Follow us on social media to stay connected: 

⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/watercolourwestport/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatercolourWestport

⁠⁠YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/@landarkhomes

Thanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.

What’s better than waterfront cottage living? How about the cottage lifestyle without the waterfront upkeep?

Meet Lorne, who made the move to Watercolour with his wife Doris, after realizing that they no longer wanted the upkeep of a waterfront cottage property. Moving from Ottawa, Lorne has rediscovered the friendly, small-town feel, how much he enjoys all of the events in Westport, and the benefits of a simplified and slower way of living. They have a home and cottage in one. 

Then came adding solar panels to their home. The family has embraced the security of having this backup power source in case of future energy disruptions.

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Connect with Us!

Learn more about ⁠us on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/

⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westport

Follow us on social media to stay connected: 

⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/watercolourwestport/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatercolourWestport

⁠⁠YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/@landarkhomes

Thanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.

When cities became huge hubs of commerce and culture, neighbourhood communities were replaced with condos and green spaces were paved over. People began to spend more time commuting and less time getting to know their neighbours. For many, city living is now isolating and overwhelming.

That was true for Beth and her husband, who realized one day that everything they’d loved about their home and community had changed over time. They started seeking out the village vibes they’d grown up with, and explored many communities before finding Watercolour. In a sort of “Goldilocks moment,” they realized that it was exactly what they were looking for.

In this discussion with Stephen and Wafa, Beth talks about developing and changing communities, shifting cultural values, and how Watercolour residents and the existing community in Westport mutually benefit from the development of this thoughtfully created neighbourhood.

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Connect with Us! 

Learn more about ⁠on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/

⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westport

Follow us on social media to stay connected: 

⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/watercolourwestport/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatercolourWestport

⁠⁠YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/@landarkhomes

Thanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.

Living in a big city, it’s easy to feel disconnected from the people around you.

But, in Westport, the small population of year-round residents band together for volunteer initiatives and community events to keep the town thriving and build relationships.

Joe and his wife decided to downsize and simplify their lives by moving to Westport, where they quickly felt at home in the community. As Wafa chats with Joe, he shares about his passion for antique cars and how he was able to find like-minded neighbours who inspired him to revive the Westport Car Show. He also talks about the ease of working from home and how much he enjoys the picturesque setting of Westport for his photography hobby.

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Connect with Us! 

Learn more about ⁠on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/

⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westport

Follow us on social media to stay connected: 

⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/watercolourwestport/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatercolourWestport

⁠⁠YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/@landarkhomes

Thanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.

Have you ever considered that where you live impacts how you work?

Research shows that living in a quieter, more rural area and working remotely can be beneficial for productivity because it offers a better pace of life.

In this episode, Stephen chats with Jamie, who has been in Watercolour for less than a year, but has already made many connections and felt more at peace since moving in. She shares her perspective on how everything fits perfectly for her in Watercolour Westport.

Jamie found this to be true when she moved to Watercolour. Having lived in the city all her life, she found it easier to get outdoors when living in a rural setting. She has also discovered that errands are more efficient and the setting brings her much more calm, which leads to less stress and even better quality of work.

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Connect with Us! 

Learn more about ⁠on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/

⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westport

Follow us on social media to stay connected:

⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/watercolourwestport/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatercolourWestport

⁠⁠YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/@landarkhomes

Thanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.

Picture this: a quaint, but vibrant village surrounded by nothing but natural landscapes and the sounds of wildlife. And yet, urban life and city centers are still conveniently close.

In this episode, Stephen speaks to Shawn. Shawn and his wife started planning to downsize as their children moved out, and that was when they found Watercolour. What Shawn loved most was that the village reminded him of his days living near a park—but instead of nature being surrounded by a city, Westport is a town surrounded by nature.

Shawn shares how making this move made it easy to continue working remotely while enjoying all the pleasures of rural living. He also shares how Westport allows for solitude, yet seems to be so centrally located between Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto.

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Connect with Us! 

Learn more about ⁠on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/

⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westport

Follow us on social media to stay connected: 

⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/watercolourwestport/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatercolourWestport

⁠⁠YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/@landarkhomes

Thanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.

People who move to Watercolour Westport are searching for and finding community. In this episode, Stephen sits down with Mona, Watercolour’s first resident. Having previously lived in Westport before moving to Watercolour, Mona shares her local expertise on attractions, activities, and social groups with new and potential residents. As she says, “There’s always something to do.”

The highlight of Mona’s experience in Watercolour is the community connections, from her interactions with the staff at Land Ark Homes to getting to know each of the new residents as they arrive. She is always struck by how easy it is to build friendships and networks, especially in a walkable neighbourhood.

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Connect with Us! 

Learn more about ⁠on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/

⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westport

Follow us on social media to stay connected: 

⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/watercolourwestport/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatercolourWestport

⁠⁠YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/@landarkhomes

Thanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.

Imagine living in a place where nature is everywhere and traffic doesn’t exist, but everything you could need is just minutes from your front door.

In this episode, Stephen and Joan chat about walking, hiking, swimming, and being part of social groups in the community. When Joan heard about Land Ark’s vision for Watercolour Westport, she knew that this was where she wanted to live. She fell in love with the idea of having a home in the same part of cottage country where she grew up vacationing with her family. Keeping an active social life was important too! 

Joan also makes her observations about Westport’s potential as a natural blue zone: a place where life expectancies could be longer as people live lives centered around natural activity, community engagement, whole food and plant-based diets, and spiritual connection.

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Connect with Us!

Learn more about ⁠on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/

⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westport

Follow us on social media to stay connected:

⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/watercolourwestport/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatercolourWestport

⁠⁠YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/@landarkhomes

Thanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.

At Watercolour, you really can have the best of both worlds!

That’s what John and his wife found out when they stumbled upon Watercolour on a trip into Westport several years ago.

Although they’d made the difficult decision to give up their nearby family cottage, the Bumas still loved spending time in and around Westport. It wasn't until they spoke to the team at Land Ark Homes that they realized that they could enjoy cottage living without long drives, scheduling stresses, and multiple properties to maintain. Instead, they chose a cottage and home in one! 

In this episode, Stephen interviews John on the transition from Grimsby to Westport, how he has been involved in restoring public spaces in the village, and what it was like making new friends in a new place.

_________________________________

Connect with Us! 

Learn more about ⁠on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/

⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westport

Follow us on social media to stay connected: 

⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/watercolourwestport/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatercolourWestport

⁠⁠YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/@landarkhomes

Thanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.