All eyes are on Bear Mountain this week with the PGA Tour Champions! The tournament is being broadcast internationally on the Golf Channel to more than 190 countries, for a potential reach of 330 million viewers world-wide, including 80 million U.S. viewers. However, that’s just part of the exciting changes happening at the community.
Ecoasis bought Bear Mountain in 2013 and has developed the two 18-hole golf courses, making the location the home of Team Canada’s men’s and women’s development golf teams. It is also the performance training centre of the Canadian National Mountain Bike Team.
If that weren’t exciting enough, a clay-court tennis facility will be opening in the spring of 2017.
There will be 8 covered clay courts at the foot of Mt. Finlayson. Memberships will be on sale next month and are expected to go fast! When complete the tennis centre will have among other features: a member’s lounge, pro-shop, apparel and repair services, a courtside refreshment center, central viewing area and roof-top deck, as well as professional clinics from renowned members of the Canadian tennis community.
With emphasis on an active outdoor lifestyle, there will also be over 15km of trails, linking the resort community to thousands of acres of neighbouring parklands and other Greater Victoria trail networks.
A master plan for the next stage of development was drawn with the consultation of the 3,500 residents. The projected population is 10,000 residents over the next 10 to 15 years. Forty percent of the land however, will be set aside for greenspace including gold courses and parks.
The plan includes 3540 new dwellings ranging from condos, townhouses to single family lots. Elevate for example will be a condominium with all the benefits of resort living, including a sun-drenched infinity edge 60 foot pool and resort-style hot tub overlooking the 18th fairway.
Also underway is the completion of the Bear Mountain Parkway. This project will see access completed from the intersection of Leigh Road at McCallum Road (the upper end of the Leigh Road Interchange) continuing approximately 3.3km uphill. The road will connect with the existing Bear Mountain Parkway located at the Country Club Way roundabout. It is anticipated that the new entrance will be opened before Canada Day 2017.
