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Going Green at Cordova Bay Golf Course

May 6th, 2010

Cordova Bay Golf Course Green Committee

I recently interviewed Dean Piller, Superintendent of Cordova Bay Golf Course and the Ridge Course at Sayward Hill and here are his thoughts about “greening of golf courses” and our very own Green Committee at Cordova Bay. 

The buzzword on television and on the radio these days seems to be about the reduction of resource consumption and waste disposal. Phrases like ‘Carbon Footprint’ and ‘Sustainability’ are tossed around in many day-to-day conversations. As these issues continue to creep to the forefront I believe golf courses will soon be acknowledged for their leadership and contribution to sustainable environmental practices and I will use some examples of practices that are gaining more acceptance by our industry to illustrate this.    

Waste stream management is one of the first areas that comes to mind. Think of how much recycling you carry out to the curb these days for a family of four. I believe sound recycling practices are common place in most households, but I still believe there is a lot of organics waste like tea bags, coffee filters, food scraps etc. that are still deposited into the garbage can for delivery to the local landfill site.  

On golf courses this is changing dramatically. Imagine the byproduct and waste created by 250 people playing golf for 4 hours and the packaging etc. required to service these people. Broken tees, scorecards, napkins, paper hand towels, coffee cups and food scraps are just a few of the items that until recently found their way to the landfill. Golf courses are now purchasing compostable cups and food containers and hiring the services of a composting company to pick up their food and paper waste every week.   The feedback I am receiving from peers in the industry is the industry is a reduction of close to 80% in the amount of materials that find their way into the dumpster at the maintenance building or clubhouse area. These compostable products are taken to compost facilities, ground up into fine mulch and composted for short periods of time before becoming extremely nutritious compost for use in garden landscapes.  

Recyclables are another area where I believe many industries have a long way to go before they catch up to the leadership of the golf industry. Most golf courses have developed sound recycling programs where virtually everything is recycled. For instance, we have a bin for all used steel which might include old aeration tines, work out reels and bed knives, old rebar, etc. All these items are sorted into this bin and returned to a salvage yard for recycling. Another example, and probably one of the more dramatic that comes to mind is the use of rechargeable all the C and D batteries that run our soap and paper towel dispensers in the washrooms in the clubhouse, secondary buildings and course washrooms. A total of well over 150 batteries were converted, which will save an estimated 1,800 batteries minimum over the course of one year, if these batteries were changed monthly and in most cases they are changed more often that this. 

Deer Enjoying Greens @ Cordova Bay

Greens Committees have been a part of many golf course operations for a long time and as our industry continues to lead in environmental responsibility I can envision the role of these committees changing to set policy and guidance as a ‘Green Committee’ that ensures golf courses lead in environmentally sensitive programs including recycling, composting and the reduction of resources. 

 

Cordova Bay Golf Course Compost & Recycling Programs: 

  • bottles, cans and plastics are all recycled
  • all batteries – over 150 in total have been switched to rechargeable batteries in all soap and paper towel dispensers. This will eliminate close to a thousand batteries going to landfill yearly.
  • all aeration tines, bed knives, rotary mower blades and steel of any kind is collected and recycled through a salvage yard.
  • all food waste, golf tees, scorecards, pencils and paper products are collected and sent to ReFuse for composting.
  • all oil filters, oil containers and used motor oil are sent to the proper recycling facility for recycling.
  • all plant by products, grass clippings, aeration cores, etc. are composted and reused on the golf course in landscape gardens and as mulch around golf course trees.
  • over the past 8 years we have been slowly converting to organic fertilizer for the majority of our turfs nutrition. This years spring application of fertilizer on tees, fairways and rough is 65 percent organic based.
  • in the past 6 years, 12 acres of turf has been converted to naturalized meadows for wildlife habitat enhancement. These areas are no longer irrigated, fertilized or mowed which has contributed to a reduction in water, fuel and fertilizer consumption.

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Green Living At Sayward Hill

April 21st, 2010

Celebrate Earth Day April 22

 To mark the celebration of Earth Day on April 22, it seems appropriate to share what Sayward Hill is doing to reduce the carbon footprint of our condominium owners and neighbours in Cordova Bay. Our development is located within the District of Saanich who has recently undertaken a climate action plan of their own. If you could compress the amount of carbon dioxide being pumped Saanich’s air annually — about 521,000 tonnes — a 3.2-centimetre deep mass covering 8,800 square kilometers over Vancouver Island would be the result. However, Saanich has a plan to cut that amount by one third over the next ten years as they became the first Capital Region municipality to adopt a climate action plan into its official community plan recently. By 2020, the goal is to see residents and businesses cut their emissions by 33 per cent. The municipality aims to cut its own emissions in half. The crux of the plan is dealing with emissions from vehicles, which makes up 62 of all greenhouse gas emissions in Saanich. The plan calls for short-term steps like improving sidewalks, bus shelters and adding bike lanes and trails. It also expects that 10 per cent of Saanich drivers will own electric cars by 2020, another provision that we are including in our buildings at Sayward Hill.  Mayor Frank Leonard said the plan isn’t perfect and will need the community to get behind the goals laid out. “Our work is still cut out for us there,” he said.

We commend the District of Saanich for tackling this issue and are proud to share some of the green living aspects that we have incorporated into our homes at Sayward Hill to help reduce the buildings’ impact on the ecosystem and provide a healthy living environment:

  • Low-emissivity (LowE) glass reduces heat gain and loss and the energy consumed in heating and cooling. In addition it filters out UV rays protecting your furniture from fading and avoiding the health concerns associated with UV rays.
  • Concrete construction reduces heat gain and loss reducing energy used in heating and cooling.  
  • Native, drought resistant, and low maintenance plantings reduce water consumption and use of fertilizers and pesticides.
  • Storm water from Sayward Hill is collected by the golf course and used for irrigation. 
  • Energy efficient appliances significantly reduce energy and water consumption.
  • Low flow toilets reduce water consumption.
  • Cork flooring, used in the kitchens, is made from the bark of the cork tree, which re-grows its bark, making it a completely renewable product.
  • Marmoleum flooring, used in the laundry and storage rooms, is a natural, biodegradable product that contains no formaldehyde and produces no toxic off-gases.
  • Napoleon fireplaces were selected for their high efficiency rating for heat production.
  • Low VOC paints only used through the suites and common hallways and lobbies.
  • Insulation contains 60% recycled material.
  • Cordova Bay Golf Course is a certified Audubon Sanctuary and adheres to high environmental standards. Cordova Bay is further designated as a bird sanctuary with over 70 different species of birds.

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Posted in Community, Golf at Cordova Bay, Green Living, Luxury Condominiums | 1 Comment »

How to Save $22,750 with the HST

March 31st, 2010

Save Almost $23,000 with HST

July 1, 2010 is fast approaching but there is still time to save before the harmonized sales tax (HST) comes into effect, especially with the purchase of new real estate at Sayward Hill. Here is a quick snapshot of what the new tax is all about and how you can save almost $23,000 if you act before July 1st.  

The HST combines the five per cent federal goods and services tax (GST) and the seven per cent provincial sales tax (PST). The GST and PST will be eliminated. With the HST, some things will likely cost more. For example, goods that are now exempt from the PST will have the HST added on; for those items, consumers will pay a 12 per cent tax, instead of 5 per cent for just the GST. 

Examples of items that will have a higher cost because of the HST: 

  • restaurant meals 
  • bicycles 
  • private sales of vehicles, boats and aircraft 

Taxes reduced as a result of the HST: 

  • Provincial portion of the HST on accommodation reduced to seven per cent from eight per cent 
  • Provincial portion of the HST on liquor reduced in restaurants to seven per cent from 10 per cent 

Measures to offset increased costs to some industries: 

  • Point-of-sale rebates for the seven per cent portion of the HST on books, motor fuels, children’s clothing and footwear, children’s car seats, children’s diapers, feminine hygiene products 
  • Provincial rebate and credit for the provincial portion of the HST payable on energy purchased for residential use 
  • Purchasers of new houses costing up to $525,000 will be eligible to receive a rebate of 71.43 per cent of the provincial portion of the HST, up to a maximum of $26,250. Houses over $525,000 will receive a flat rebate of $26,250, but the buyer pays the higher rate on the balance.

We have calculated how you can save almost $23,000 based on the new HST tax formulas: 

758 Sayward Hill Terrace

When a sale of one of the remaining new condos at 758 Sayward Hill Terrace takes place after July 1st, Jawl Developments, as the Builder/Developer has the ability to claim back the embedded PST that was otherwise incurred during construction of the building which would otherwise not be paid back through the HST. The BC Government estimates this amount at 2% of the consideration paid, estimated as follows: 

$1,029,000 price including GST   
$     49,000 5% GST   
$  980,000 Consideration paid   $980,000 x 2% Builder’s Rebate = $19,600   

We estimate the  Builder’s Rebate amount of $19,600 which we can reduce the purchase price by and claim back from the government. In this scenario, with a contract signed after July 1st, a buyer would be subject to HST, so the new calculation of the purchase price is as follows: 

$    980,000     Consideration 
$+ 117,600      12% HST Paid  
$-     26,250      BC New Housing Rebate (maximum rebate) 
$-     19,600      Less Builder’s PST 2% Rebate  
$1,051,750      TOTAL PURCHASE PRICE after July 1, 2010 
$1,029,000     TOTAL PURCHASE PRICE on June 30, 2010

$      22,750     TOTAL SAVINGS

In summary, a savings of $22,750 is available if a purchase is made before July 1st, 2010.  For more information on the remaining,  3 brand-new residences at 758 Sayward Hill Terrace,please contact Ingrid Jarisz of our Sales Office at 250-658-4700 x1 or email to info@saywardhill.com . 

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Selkirk Waterfront an Example for Ontario

February 15th, 2010

An Urban Form Case Study

The Ontario Growth Secretariat has just released the Selkirk Waterfront Community as a case study of recently completed projects that illustrate key policies in the Growth Plan for the Province of Ontario. The Jawl Development Corporation project at the Selkirk Waterfront was selected because it:

  • Illustrates density targets established in the Growth Plan
  • supports nearby transit, encourages walking, and are mixed uses
  • demonstrates high quality urban design and built form
  • is highly marketable, economically successful, and award-winning.

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Jawl Dev. Support Olympic Indian Luger

February 1st, 2010

Indian luger Shiva Keshavan defines ‘makeshift’ for 2010 Games

Indian luger Shiva Keshavan is hoping to carry his country’s flag at the Olympic Winter Games next month in Vancouver, BC. He will likely get the nod, given that he is the only athlete from India to qualify so far for the 2010 Games. Keshavan arrived last month in Vancouver, where he met an old school friend and went sightseeing, before heading up to Whistler today to try out the Olympic luge track. “We will all be trying out the track and getting as much practice as we can. It is the fastest track in the world,” Keshavan said in an interview Friday.

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2010 Real Estate Predictions for Victoria

January 20th, 2010

A New Year is a time to reflect on the events of the past, recharge, regroup and plan for the future. But we can’t forget the events of 2009, especially the ups and downs of real estate within the province of British Columbia.  The year began with home sales trending at a 25-year low and ended at a 20-year high. MLS® sales climbed 132% to 5,703 homes in December 2009 compared with the December 2008. More homes were sold last month than in any December on record except 1989, when 6,014 units were sold. No one predicted the events of last year but the experts do all agree that they are still amazed when looking at the statistics on a graph and seeing the great, big “V” that stands out amongst the peaks and valleys during the past decade.

BC MLS Residential Sales 2000-2009

Predictions are just that: not a solid science or a guarantee and what we have learned from the experts is that real estate is difficult to predict. In Victoria, the start of each year also brings the Canadian Home Builder’s Association “Crystal Ball” event where real estate and construction experts gather to analyze the events of 2009 with graphs and statistics and peek into the real estate crystal ball for the coming year’s forecasts. With the mist of uncertainty clearing and positive signs of recovery emerging in the economy, the experts’ presentations included predictions for 2010 of continued momentum and an increase in sales and prices during this period of historic low mortgage rates and below-average inventories of active listings.

Regardless of the statistics, figures, graphs, opinions of the experts and trends during this past year, Jawl Developments are fortunate not to have to rely on the crystal ball for answers or predictions. Our reputation for sound business practices and quality developments provides a guarantee for our buyers and neighbours that their investment at Sayward Hill will continue to be solid and secure into the future whatever the crystal ball shows!

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