Watercolour Westport Stories

It’s the things you can’t see in Watercolour homes that make them so exciting. At least, that’s the case for Dave, a military veteran with a background in technology and a familiarity with the construction industry.Many things influenced Dave’s decision to move to Watercolour, but the exciting technologies and forward-thinking building techniques were among the top deciding factors. High-speed internet, his appreciation for nature, and reduced commutes helped seal the deal. In this episode, Stephen and Wafa talk to Dave about what drew him to Watercolour and how he is connected to the town that inspired the community, Seaside, Florida._____________________________Connect with Us! Learn more about us ⁠on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westportFollow us on social media to stay connected: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/watercolourwestport/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatercolourWestport⁠⁠YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/@landarkhomesThanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.

When Stephen Rolston, founder and owner of Land Ark Homes, decided to get back into home building to create a new kind of community, he knew that he wanted to do things differently in all aspects of his business. The first person he called was Kevin Rankin, who now serves as Watercolour Westport’s General Manager.In this episode, Stephen and Wafa are joined by Kevin as they discuss the aspirations behind Land Ark Homes 2.0 and how they hope that their pioneering efforts in the area of Net Zero home building will pave the way for many more builders to create sustainable communities rather than continue to build obsolete housing. _____________________________Connect with Us! Learn more about ⁠us on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westportFollow us on social media to stay connected: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/watercolourwestport/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatercolourWestport⁠⁠YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/@landarkhomesThanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.

Every element of Watercolour Westport has been thoughtfully designed, from the length of each block to the parks and protected land. Each decision was informed by sustainability and a desire to preserve the natural beauty and historic feel of Westport for generations to come.In this episode, you’ll meet Mark Snider, who has many years of experience as a land planner.. He is also a Westport boy, born and raised. In this conversation, he shares what it was like growing up in Westport and how he is helping Land Ark design smart and sustainable neighbourhoods that will help preserve the unique character and setting of the village.____________________________Connect with Us! Learn more about us ⁠on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westportFollow us on social media to stay connected: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/watercolourwestport/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatercolourWestport⁠⁠YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/@landarkhomesThanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.

What’s better than waterfront cottage living? How about the cottage lifestyle without the waterfront upkeep?Meet Lorne, who made the move to Watercolour with his wife Doris, after realizing that they no longer wanted the upkeep of a waterfront cottage property. Moving from Ottawa, Lorne has rediscovered the friendly, small-town feel, how much he enjoys all of the events in Westport, and the benefits of a simplified and slower way of living. They have a home and cottage in one. Then came adding solar panels to their home. The family has embraced the security of having this backup power source in case of future energy disruptions._____________________________Connect with Us! Learn more about ⁠us on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westportFollow us on social media to stay connected: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/watercolourwestport/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatercolourWestport⁠⁠YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/@landarkhomesThanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.

When cities became huge hubs of commerce and culture, neighbourhood communities were replaced with condos and green spaces were paved over. People began to spend more time commuting and less time getting to know their neighbours. For many, city living is now isolating and overwhelming.That was true for Beth and her husband, who realized one day that everything they’d loved about their home and community had changed over time. They started seeking out the village vibes they’d grown up with, and explored many communities before finding Watercolour. In a sort of “Goldilocks moment,” they realized that it was exactly what they were looking for.In this discussion with Stephen and Wafa, Beth talks about developing and changing communities, shifting cultural values, and how Watercolour residents and the existing community in Westport mutually benefit from the development of this thoughtfully created neighbourhood._________________________________Connect with Us! Learn more about ⁠on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westportFollow us on social media to stay connected: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/watercolourwestport/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatercolourWestport⁠⁠YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/@landarkhomesThanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.

Living in a big city, it’s easy to feel disconnected from the people around you.But, in Westport, the small population of year-round residents band together for volunteer initiatives and community events to keep the town thriving and build relationships.Joe and his wife decided to downsize and simplify their lives by moving to Westport, where they quickly felt at home in the community. As Wafa chats with Joe, he shares about his passion for antique cars and how he was able to find like-minded neighbours who inspired him to revive the Westport Car Show. He also talks about the ease of working from home and how much he enjoys the picturesque setting of Westport for his photography hobby.________________________________Connect with Us! Learn more about ⁠on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westportFollow us on social media to stay connected: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/watercolourwestport/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatercolourWestport⁠⁠YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/@landarkhomesThanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.

Have you ever considered that where you live impacts how you work?Research shows that living in a quieter, more rural area and working remotely can be beneficial for productivity because it offers a better pace of life.In this episode, Stephen chats with Jamie, who has been in Watercolour for less than a year, but has already made many connections and felt more at peace since moving in. She shares her perspective on how everything fits perfectly for her in Watercolour Westport.Jamie found this to be true when she moved to Watercolour. Having lived in the city all her life, she found it easier to get outdoors when living in a rural setting. She has also discovered that errands are more efficient and the setting brings her much more calm, which leads to less stress and even better quality of work._________________________________Connect with Us! Learn more about ⁠on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westportFollow us on social media to stay connected: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/watercolourwestport/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatercolourWestport⁠⁠YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/@landarkhomesThanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.

Picture this: a quaint, but vibrant village surrounded by nothing but natural landscapes and the sounds of wildlife. And yet, urban life and city centers are still conveniently close.In this episode, Stephen speaks to Shawn. Shawn and his wife started planning to downsize as their children moved out, and that was when they found Watercolour. What Shawn loved most was that the village reminded him of his days living near a park—but instead of nature being surrounded by a city, Westport is a town surrounded by nature.Shawn shares how making this move made it easy to continue working remotely while enjoying all the pleasures of rural living. He also shares how Westport allows for solitude, yet seems to be so centrally located between Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto._________________________________Connect with Us! Learn more about ⁠on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westportFollow us on social media to stay connected: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/watercolourwestport/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatercolourWestport⁠⁠YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/@landarkhomesThanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.

People who move to Watercolour Westport are searching for and finding community. In this episode, Stephen sits down with Mona, Watercolour’s first resident. Having previously lived in Westport before moving to Watercolour, Mona shares her local expertise on attractions, activities, and social groups with new and potential residents. As she says, “There’s always something to do.”The highlight of Mona’s experience in Watercolour is the community connections, from her interactions with the staff at Land Ark Homes to getting to know each of the new residents as they arrive. She is always struck by how easy it is to build friendships and networks, especially in a walkable neighbourhood._________________________________Connect with Us! Learn more about ⁠on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westportFollow us on social media to stay connected: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/watercolourwestport/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatercolourWestport⁠⁠YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/@landarkhomesThanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.

Imagine living in a place where nature is everywhere and traffic doesn’t exist, but everything you could need is just minutes from your front door.In this episode, Stephen and Joan chat about walking, hiking, swimming, and being part of social groups in the community. When Joan heard about Land Ark’s vision for Watercolour Westport, she knew that this was where she wanted to live. She fell in love with the idea of having a home in the same part of cottage country where she grew up vacationing with her family. Keeping an active social life was important too! Joan also makes her observations about Westport’s potential as a natural blue zone: a place where life expectancies could be longer as people live lives centered around natural activity, community engagement, whole food and plant-based diets, and spiritual connection._______________________________Connect with Us! Learn more about ⁠on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westportFollow us on social media to stay connected: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/watercolourwestport/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatercolourWestport⁠⁠YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/@landarkhomesThanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.

At Watercolour, you really can have the best of both worlds!That’s what John and his wife found out when they stumbled upon Watercolour on a trip into Westport several years ago.Although they’d made the difficult decision to give up their nearby family cottage, the Bumas still loved spending time in and around Westport. It wasn't until they spoke to the team at Land Ark Homes that they realized that they could enjoy cottage living without long drives, scheduling stresses, and multiple properties to maintain. Instead, they chose a cottage and home in one! In this episode, Stephen interviews John on the transition from Grimsby to Westport, how he has been involved in restoring public spaces in the village, and what it was like making new friends in a new place._________________________________Connect with Us! Learn more about ⁠on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westportFollow us on social media to stay connected: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/watercolourwestport/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatercolourWestport⁠⁠YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/@landarkhomesThanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.

Why sit in a sea of brake lights when you can walk to where you want to be? Remote work has opened up new possibilities for young families looking to escape the busyness of urban life and get in touch with nature.In this episode, Stephen meets with Jonathan, one of the early residents of Watercolour Westport, who was drawn in by the possibilities of a better work-life balance. Jonathan shares how he relocated with his wife and young girls to escape the pace of city living and embrace a different kind of convenience: where nature is at their doorstep and village amenities are a short walk from home._________________________________Connect with Us! Learn more about ⁠on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westportFollow us on social media to stay connected: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/watercolourwestport/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatercolourWestport⁠⁠YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/@landarkhomesThanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.

Welcome to episode 1 of the Watercolour Westport Stories Podcast!In our very first episode, Wafa Martin, Marketing Lead, sits down with Stephen Rolston, founder of Land Ark Homes, to explore the heart behind Watercolour Westport.Stephen shares what drew him back into home building, why he chose the charming village of Westport, and how the vision for this unique neighbourhood came to life.As they chat, you’ll catch glimpses of the many stories and people who have shaped Watercolour and discover the lifestyle that makes this community feel so special. It’s the perfect place to begin your journey into what makes Watercolour more than just a neighbourhood—it’s a way of living.Watercolour Westport is a thoughtfully designed Net Zero Ready community in the heart of Westport, Ontario. Surrounded by nature and built with intention, it offers better homes, better value, and better living. Whether you're looking to downsize, relocate, or find your forever home, Watercolour combines small-town charm with modern craftsmanship._________________________________Connect with Us! Learn more about ⁠on our website: https://watercolourwestport.com/⁠Book a tour: https://calendly.com/watercolour-westportFollow us on social media to stay connected: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/watercolourwestport/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatercolourWestport⁠⁠YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/@landarkhomesThanks for listening—and welcome to the story of a community like no other.