Spirit Bay is the culmination of an innovative partnership between the SciaB次元官网网址檔ew First Nation and the Trust for Sustainable Development that puts a premium on respecting the property upon which the project is being built.

The development speaks volumes about the level of co-operation between the partners, said SciaB次元官网网址檔ew Chief Russ Chipps. B次元官网网址淲hen the land heals, the community heals with it,B次元官网网址� he added.

Trust founder David Butterfield said the goal from the beginning has been to work together to build something better than what was there before.

B次元官网网址淎 critical part of the project is to respect the integrity of the property,B次元官网网址� he noted.

Spirit Bay encompasses amazing water views on 400 wooded hectares of south-facing shore property adjacent to the Beecher Bay Marina in Metchosin. When completed, the town will include about 400 to 500 homes on 40 hectares with a commercial town centre, playing fields and a world-class spa.

B次元官网网址淭he Salish Seas Wellness Resort and Waterfront Spa will have rooms and separate cabins, as well as B次元官网网址榞lampingB次元官网网址� opportunities and luxury tenting,B次元官网网址� said Andrew Reeve, director of communications for the Trust.

Phase one of Spirit Bay consists of 50 homes ranging from 650 square feet on smaller lots to 1,800-sq.-ft. structures on larger waterfront lots, with prices running from $340,000 to $1 million-plus. Eight lots are under construction in phase one and 23 have been sold to date. Purchasers can choose from one of eight B次元官网网址渧illage homeB次元官网网址� designs, which they can customize or personalize, Reeve explained. Buyers can also use their own builder to create a home the way they want, providing it remains within the village design aesthetic guidelines.

B次元官网网址淲e are committed to using vibrant colours in a style everyone associates with an east coast fishing village,B次元官网网址� Reeve said. B次元官网网址淏ecause we are a trust, weB次元官网网址檝e taken the approach that the existing landscape defines our design.B次元官网网址�

The $500-million Spirit Bay development on East Sooke Road recently unveiled phase two, Sunset Point, which features 14 lots with pristine waterfront views and West Coast nature at its finest, Reeves added. The properties went on the market June 27 and seven lots valued at $4 million sold in just one day, underlining the projectB次元官网网址檚 unique qualities, Butterfield added.

The project received a $400,000 Clean Air First nations Clean Energy Business Fund grant  from the provincial government in 2015 to develop ocean thermal technology that will greatly reduce the cost of heating and cooling in Spirit Bay, Reeve noted.

Visit for more information or call 250-478-7789.

reporter@goldstreamgazette.com

Q: WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS THESE DAYS FOR WATERFRONT LIVING IN AND AROUND THE WEST SHORE?

As a coastal community, Greater Victoria has tons of waterfront, some of it saltwater and some lakefront. In real estate terms, however, thereB次元官网网址檚 a big difference B次元官网网址� especially price B次元官网网址� between waterfront and water view.

Even on the West Shore, where three of five municipalities touch the ocean and the other two (Langford and Highlands) have lakes in their midst, youB次元官网网址檒l pay a premium for having a home that backs onto the shoreline.

View Royal has perhaps the highest percentage of its boundaries at the waterB次元官网网址檚 edge. The older section of the town faces Esquimalt Harbour and all of its minor bays such as Thetis Cove. Much of ColwoodB次元官网网址檚 shoreline is taken up by Esquimalt Lagoon, but a handful of homes are very close walking distance to the ocean.

Same for Metchosin, which has the longest coastline but very few homes right on the beach. Many of LangfordB次元官网网址檚 lakefront homes have a cottage country feel, which has led many homeowners to stay in them for decades.

So while the actual waterfront homes are few and far between, thereB次元官网网址檚 plenty of water view living to be had here.

GREATER VICTORIA MARKET UPDATE 禄 MONTH TO DATE JUNE 27/16 COURTESY VICTORIA REAL ESTATE BOARD

禄 977 / 910 -- NET UNCONDITIONAL SALES / TOTAL, JUNE 2015

禄 1,137 / 1,346 --NEW LISTINGS / TOTAL, JUNE 2015

禄 2,323 / 4,003 -- ACTIVE RESIDENTIAL LISTINGS / TOTAL, JUNE 2015