Dec 17/2007; Real Estate Development Profile from the Publisher of GVRD.COM:

Earlier this summer I had the time to visit the Silver Ridge development in Maple Ridge... I'd heard the Developer was doing to some good things in regards to environmentally responsible development practices at Silver Ridge... and because I like to promote things that are environment friendly, I thought I'd pay an unannounced visit to the project with the intent of gathering information and possibly writing an article about the project (if I liked what I saw)... I ended up liking what I saw, and I've just had some extra time to compile my notes and some pictures.

Traveling to the project from the Lougheed Highway was a short and easy trip, as Silver Ridge is located just a few miles north of the Lougheed Highway in Maple Ridge.

I really liked the location, because Silver Ridge is located close enough to the Lougheed Highway for quick access to the main transportation routes, but is located just far enough back towards the mountains/hills that it reminded me of being located in a peaceful country setting.

For nature lovers, Silver Ridge is an ideal location... Silver Ridge is located just approx. 1 mile away from Maple Ridge Park, approx. 3 miles away from the entrance to Golden Ears Provincal Park, and approx. 7 miles away from Alouette Lake... Silver Ridges' location offers a very rich array of recreational/outdoors opportunities all located within just a 10 - 15 minute drive of the project.

If you like natural pets, IE: wild birds, squirrels, etc... a bird feeder in a back yard at Silver Ridge will be sure to attract a very rich array of wild birds and local critters.

For growing families, there are several schools located within approx. 2 - 3 miles of the project.

For those buyers concerned about their ecological footprint and sustainable development, Silver Ridge is a very unique project, and one that a home buyer could possibly genuinely be proud to call home;

• Approx. 40% of the 105 acre development site is being preserved as green space,
   
• All front & backyards have approx. 3-times thicker than the normal amount of new topsoil to;
  • absorb rainfall,
  • reduce the need for watering,
  • provide better growing conditions,
  • protect the environment by preventing washout from heavy rainfall.
     
• A unique & comprehensive rainwater management system has been designed and built into the project which mimic's the natural absorption of rainwater into the earth.

While many buyers at Silver Ridge will likely overlook the leading-edge environmental features their community contains (choosing to buy based solely upon the quality and value of the homes) hopefully, the environmental benefits and possible future development trends that Silver Ridge sets into motion will last for generations and act as an example for other Developers to follow. In my opinion, the environmental features at Silver Ridge are approx. 10 years ahead of the avg. development.

If you are considering purchasing a single-home in the Fraser Valley, I do recommend checking out Silver Ridge... in my opinion, the single-family homes in this development offer among the best value for the money compared to other developments in the Fraser Valley (especially when compared to homes located South of the Fraser River)... in fact, if I was the developer of this project, I'd seriously consider raising the price of the homes in this project... however, it's possible that after the new Golden Ears Bridge is completed in 2009, some upward pricing pressure might felt on these homes, and the Maple Ridge area in general (however, this will depend largely on the overall real estate market conditions in Greater Vancouver at that time).

Click here for a comprehensive photo gallery of Silver Ridge ...

Click here for the official Silver Ridge home page ...

Click here for an interactive map to Silver Ridge ...

Disclaimer: The Publisher of GVRD.COM is "not" being paid a fee of any type for doing this profile on Silver Ridge... the Publisher of GVRD.COM considers this profile of the environmentally friendly Silver Ridge development "public service" work.