Happy Easter

Easter is this weekend and we wish everyone a Happy Easter and a great Spring.

Here is an article from our friends at Houzz magazine.  Some of the ideas are for outside the home but you can have the baskets inside and take them out when our weather becomes a bit warmer. 

Easter Baskets Filled With Spring Flowers

New Listing - 204 - 901 Mountain Street, Canmore

Check out this 1 bedroom 1 bathroom mountain condo in Canmore.

Gas fireplace, large covered deck with mountain views, granite countertops, in-suite laundry and a full suite of recreation amenities make this a great property to own.

 Flexible zoning allows nightly rental (currently in the Bellstar onsite hotel management program), optional self management for nightly rentals, full time living, or rent long term to a residential tenant.

There is an indoor pool with waterslide, separate splash pool and hot tub. Utilize the on-site fitness room, and optional spa services.

No pets allowed. Subject to GST.

Top home improvements to add value to your home.

Homeowners often look to customize their home for personal enjoyment and to appeal to future buyers.  So, we ask, which remodeling projects add the most value?

Homeowners are often inclined to renovate to suit their individual preferences and lifestyles. However, while turning a garage into a music studio may be your heart’s desire, it’s important to be cognizant that future buyers will likely just want to park the car.

Regular and systematic home maintenance provides the best return on investment. Although, there are a few renovations that consistently offer above average return on investment.

According to the Remodeling 2018 US Cost versus Value Report the following are among the mid-range renovations that homeowners who are looking to sell may wish to consider. To protect your investment, be sure to obtain work permits and consult a professional before embarking on any project where maximum return on your investment is sought.

Garage door replacement. Maximum impact on curb appeal and increase functionality. Recoup up to 98.3 per cent of your investment.

Attic insulation (fibreglass).You can recoup more than 90 per cent of the costs based on immediate energy savings and your home’s future resale value.

Manufactured stone veneer. Add curb appeal to the exterior of your home, or to accent specific areas within the home. Recoup up to 97.1 per cent of your investment.

Entry door replacement (steel). Quickly improve the curb appeal of your home while reducing heating and cooling costs. Estimated return on investment is more than 91.3 per cent.

Deck addition (wood). Add a deck to increase outdoor living space and recoup up to 82.8 per cent of your investment.

Minor kitchen remodel. Based on a mid-range investment of about $21,000, you can expect to recoup about 81.8 per cent.

Siding Replacement and Vinyl Window Replacement will recoup around 75% of your initial investment each.

The more you align the features and attributes of your home with those preferred by consumers, the greater the value you will create.

Canmore Does It Right at the Paralympics

Canmore is a place where many Olympic Athletes train and live. With the Pyeong Chang Olympics this year the big joke in town is "You only know one Olympic Athlete?".  This year a few outstanding athletes from Canmore cleaned up at the Paralymics.  Here are three articles applauding our local athletes.

Arendz goes 5 for 5 at the Paralympics

Photo by CBC

by Paul Clarke RM Outlook

Mark Arendz caped a career week winning bronze in the 10-km classic cross country standing event, March 17. The bronze medal marks five medals in five events in PyeongChang.

Mark Arendz will come home with at least five Paralympic medals around his neck, a record haul for the three-time Paralympian.

He capped off a career week with a bronze medal in the 10-km classic cross country standing event finishing 20.3 seconds behind the winner Yoshihiro Nitta of Japan, March 17.

The bronze medal marks five medals in five events for the 28-year-old in PyeongChang and the seventh Paralympic medal of his career.

“It feels amazing,” said Arendz. “It just proves that the programs on the skis have been running well and I think it also proves how well the team is running. Every aspect was well taken care, well looked at before we got here.”

He started the Paralympics winning a silver in the men’s 7.5-kilometre standing biathlon on March 10 and bronze in the 12.5-km standing biathlon, March 14.

He followed up those events with a bronze medal in the 1.5 km classic sprint, his first career medal in cross-country skiing.

Determined to stand atop the podium, he finally tasted gold after winning the 15-km standing biathlon on March 16 – a career high for the P.E.I native.

During his postrace interview he struggled to pick which achievement stood out the most, however it was clear the gold medal was the heavy favourite.

“That’s a tossup right now,” said Arendz, adding winning a gold medal was a dream come true.

Arendz carries Canadian flag into Paralympic closing ceremony

by Paul Clarke RM Outlook

Capping off the best week of his career, Canmore's Mark Arendz was all smiles as he carried the Canadian flag into the closing ceremony of the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, March 18.

The three-time Paralympian won six medals in six events, including a long sought after gold in biathlon and a bronze medal in cross-country, his first in the sport.

He also won a silver in the 7.5-km biathlon and a bronze medal in both the 10-km cross country race and the 12.5 km biathlon.

If that wasn’t enough, he added a silver medal to his resume after anchoring Canada in the 4x2.5-km mixed relay event, March 18. Canmore's Emily Young and Chris Klebl also took home silver in the team event along with fellow Canadian Paralympic athlete Natalie Wilkie.

The 28-year-old now has eight Paralympic medals including a silver and bronze in Sochi and was the most decorated Canadian Paralympian at this year's Games.

"This is an absolute honour and a privilege to receive the flag from my teammate, mentor and hero Brian McKeever to lead a record-setting group of Canadian athletes into the Closing Ceremonies," Arendz said in a press release.

"I suffered a very serious injury as a young boy growing up in small town Prince Edward Island. My performance this week is proof to young boys and girls across this country that regardless of where you are from and the challenges in front of you – if you dream big and work hard in pursuit of your goals – incredible things can happen in life. Like Brian has done for so many of us, I hope the next generation of young Canadians see me carrying that flag in and are inspired the same way I was to chase their dreams."

Todd Nicholson, chef de mission of the Canadian Paralympic Team, had only kind words and praise for the Arendz.

"Mark has been one of the absolute standout stories of these Paralympic Games for Canada," said Nicholson, in a press release.

"He has been one of the busiest athletes here in PyeongChang and to have won five medals including his first Paralympic gold is just unbelievable. He is a phenomenal Canadian, athlete, and person, and we are in awe of his talent and unrelenting dedication."

 Brian McKeever becomes Canada's most decorated Winter Paralympian

Canmore, Alta., cross-country skier earns record 14th medal

CBC Sports 

Canada's Brian McKeever cemented his legacy as Canada's most successful Winter Paralympian with his 14th career medal. (photo: Carl Recine/Reuters)

Brian McKeever became Canada's most decorated Winter Paralympian with his record 14th medal on Monday in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

The 38-year-old of Canmore, Alta., raced to his third straight Paralympic title in the men's cross-country 20-kilometre visually impaired freestyle event in a time of 46 minutes 02.4 seconds alongside his guide Graham Nishikawa. It was also McKeever's 11th Paralympic gold medal.

McKeever surpassed para alpine skier Lana Spreeman, who won 13 medals in her five Paralympic appearances.

Earlier this week, McKeever led the Canadian contingent as the flag-bearer for the opening ceremony in his fifth Games.

He'll look to improve on his medal total on Wednesday in the 1.5 km sprint.

Canada's Emily Young and Natalie Wilkie finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in the women's 15 km standing free. Young, from North Vancouver, finished with a time of 51:51.4, while Wilkie of Salmon Arm, B.C., clocked in at 52:12.9.

Pilea May Be Your Next Favorite Houseplant

Charming Pilea peperomioides, also called pancake plant or Chinese money plant, makes a big impact with little effort

You may have spotted this houseplant with round, pancake-shaped leaves popping up in photos of Scandinavian interiors, often positioned in a place of reverence on a minimalist bookshelf or a midcentury modern side table.

Pilea peperomioides, commonly called pilea, pancake plant or Chinese money plant, has an ultra-adorable, almost Seussian form that adds character and a hit of green to any interior space. Although it’s less common in the U.S. than in Europe and the U.K., we’d place our bets that this houseplant soon will be making the jump across the pond.

While you’re scouting out the best spot for your future pilea, here’s what to know about how to keep these charming little plants happy and healthy.

Botanical name: Pilea peperomioides
Common names: Pilea, pancake plant, Chinese money plant, missionary plant
Temperature requirement: Grows anywhere as a houseplant; outside, grows best in warm, mild climates with a minimum temperature of about 50 degrees Fahrenheit, or 10 degrees Celsius (some sources say they are hardy down to freezing)
Water requirement: Low to moderate (water only when dry); thrives in well-draining soil
Light requirement: Bright, indirect light; needs shelter from intense sun
Mature size: About 12 inches tall and wide
Benefits and tolerances: Like other houseplants, pilea can improve air quality
Seasonal interest: Evergreen grown as a houseplant; forms tiny, inconspicuous white flowers

Where to put it. Pilea thrives in bright, indirect light — like a sunny north-facing window or a south-facing window with a gauzy curtain. Direct sunlight can cause the delicate leaves to burn.

In mild climates, you can move the plant outside in summer — a good time to wash off the leaves if they’ve become dusty — as long as you keep it out of direct sunlight.

How to use it. Show off pilea’s quirky form by potting up plants in simple containers like plain white or natural terra-cotta that won’t compete with it for attention. Because pilea stays desk-topper size, it’s a perfect plant to place on side tables, bookshelves, windowsills, sideboards, desks or kitchen shelves. Position plants close to eye level, where you can appreciate the slightly translucent quality of the leaves and notice small changes in your plant.

Why we love it. Pilea brings loads of character for its pint-size form. It’s almost a child’s drawing of a plant, except it’s real and — best yet — super easy to grow. Pilea holds its round, lily pad-like leaves at a jaunty angle from the main stem as if it’s greeting the day with its hands reaching upward.

Care tips. Pot up plants in well-draining potting soil and make sure all containers have a drainage hole. If you’re dropping a nursery container into an outer ceramic pot without a hole, make sure to set the nursery container on a layer of gravel to elevate the soil from standing water.

Water about once a week, perhaps a bit more in the warm summer months, allowing the top 2 inches of soil to dry out between waterings.

To keep your pilea from growing unevenly, turn the container around every time you water to face the opposite side of the plant toward the light. Pilea is naturally a slow grower, but feeding it with a water-soluble fertilizer (according to package instructions) in spring and summer can speed up new leaf growth.

How to propagate it. Pilea is easy to propagate. Once you have one plant, you can quickly create a small jungle or share them with your friends by potting up plant starts that spring up from the mother plant. Plant starts show up either in the soil a few inches away from the mother plant or as tiny plants growing directly from the main stem.

For the plant starts that sprout from the soil, use a clean knife to gently cut the plant start free a few inches below the soil. Hold on to as much soil as you can around the mini root ball and immediately pot up the baby plant in a small container with fresh potting soil. Keep the soil moist until the plant start sprouts new leaves and then reduce watering.

For plant starts that spring from the stem of the mother plant, gently snap them off where the baby plant meets the main stem and place the plant start in water until roots develop. Then transplant it to a small container with fresh potting soil as described above.

Where to find one. Pilea isn’t yet common in the U.S., so tracking one down at a nursery can be tricky. Your best bet is to find a fellow plant enthusiast — perhaps online — who would be willing to share a cutting with you. If you can get your hands on one, in the spirit of tradition, share a few cuttings with your friends and family.

History. As the story of pilea goes, the plant originated in Yunnan Province in southern China and was brought back to Europe by a Norwegian missionary. He then passed on cuttings of the easily propagated plant to friends and family to grow as houseplants. Pilea quickly spread throughout Scandinavia, Europe and the U.K., finally to be recognized by Kew Gardens in a published story in the 1980s.

Source Article

Just Listed: 102 - 1206 Bow Valley Trail

Canadian Rockies Chalets - Vacation/Revenue Condo PRICED TO SELL! Enjoy a great vacation property that can pay for itself with on-site management. RMS measure is 629 sf. Established and popular Hotel Condo awaits you in the gorgeous Rocky Mountains.

Explore this full ownership opportunity with unlimited personal use up to 30 consecutive days at a time, plus nightly revenue income. Note: cannot be lived in full-time. Comes with tasteful furnishings and everything you need to enjoy your stay in Canmore.

Friendly front desk reception, housekeeping services, easy access from the highway and walking distance into town; this location is very popular and heavily frequented.

Two nice bright bedrooms and a four piece bath plus two patios provide lots of spread-out space for family or guests.

Your views include Lady MacDonald and Grotto Peaks, and right outside your door is the Club Hot Tub. Nearby is Elevation Place, a $41m Multiplex with competitive indoor climbing wall and swimming pool.

More info

Contact Jim or Jordy at team@canmorerealeestate.ca

Secret Spaces

Secret spaces in your home are just... well, cool!  If you have ever had a desire to have a hidden secret space in your home it really is not that hard.  Hide an office behind a bookshelf or a wine cellar under your kitchen floor.  Following are some ideas or just some hidden spaces to dream about.

 Hidden behind a book case.

Safe in a dresser.

Playroom under the stairs.

Hide the car!

Or just as importantly, hide the wine.

Time to Plant Some Seeds

Spring is just around the corner and whether you are an avid gardener or just want to have a few pots of plants on your back deck it is time to plant a few seeds.

Here in Canmore we live in the hardiness zone 2B.  Spring comes late with a chance of frost even in the summer months.  Your best chance of having a great growing season is to plant some of your seeds right now. 

Tomatoes and Peppers should be planted from seed from mid February - Mid March. 

Planting from seed is not hard. 

Get a box of peat pellets or a peat pellet tray at your local home centre.
Purchase a good grow light as well.  This helps your plants not become "leggy".

Add water to the pellets, add your seeds and wait.  Water when the top of the pellet goes dry.

Hardening off

When the weather starts to get nicer, put your plants outside during the day and bring them in at night.  After about 2 weeks the plants should be ready to plant outside.

In Canmore cold spring nights with frost can last till mid June so keep an eye on this if your plants are going straight into your garden.

A nice solution to moving your plants every night is a cold frame or mini-greenhouse (available at your local home centre) or you can make your own with a few pallets and 5 mil poly. This gives the plants a chance to survive a hard spring frost or freezing rain.

Your next planting time will be directly into your garden sometime in April. 
Here is link to Anything Grows Alberta with a full chart of Seed starting dates.