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Versant Ouest
foreword
Versant Ouest
Envisioning Session
5775 Marine Drive
West Vancouver, BC
V7W 2S1 Canada
Phone (604) 922-2900
info@ groundswellglobal.com
groundswellglobal.com
foreword
December Fourth and Fifth, 2007
Bromont, Quebec
“The whole difference
between construction and
creation is exactly this: that a
thing constructed can only be
loved after it is constructed;
but a thing created is loved
before it exists.”
– Charles Dickens
The Envisioning Experience
2
The Spirit of the Eastern Townships
4
The Vision for Versant Ouest
21
50 Minutes From the Bridge
22
Bienvenue À Bromont…Ville Branchée
25
A Resort Waiting to Be Recognized
26
La Belle Vie
31
Township Trends
32
Agenda
35
The Competitive Landscape
37
About Groundswell
40
Versant Ouest Envisioning Session
contents
1
2
the Envisioning
Experience
On December 4th and 5th, 2007, a select group of
visionaries – including business mavens, architects,
storytellers, consultants, connectors, opinion leaders,
and more – will gather in one of the best-known
corners of Quebec to ponder the potential of a place
known today by its working name as “Versant Ouest.”
During this stimulating and thought-provoking two
days in December, we will imagine what it will
be like to live, stay and play at Versant Ouest. We
will work towards coining the aesthetic that will
constitute this project’s identity. And we will fashion
an experience so exceptional, that it will elevate
Bromont to international destination status in the eyes
of Montrealers, Torontonians, the Eastern Townships,
New England and the world.
Welcome to the Versant Ouest
Envisioning Session.
Through presentations, discussions, and no-holds-barred brainstorming, the session aims to wrest
the collective knowledge and experience assembled to achieve five concrete objectives:
1.Author a shared story
(vision) for Versant Ouest
as it will be experienced by
residents and guests of the
hotel upon build-out.
2.Position the Versant Ouest
story in the context of
a story of the Eastern
Townships generally and of
Bromont specifically.
3.Establish as part of
that vision what will
set the project apart,
both regionally and
internationally.
4.Begin developing a general
marketing strategy for the
project. How do we most
effectively tell the most
compelling story possible
of the Eastern Townships,
Bromont, the mountain,
and Versant Ouest in that
order? Who is the audience
for this story? What
storytelling materials will be
required to do so?
5.Generally, create clarity,
establish consensus and
formalize a Next Steps
action plan.
3
The Spirit of
the Eastern
Townships
4
For those familiar with the area, mention of the Eastern
Townships conjures soul-stirring vistas of gently rolling
meadows and boreal forests punctuated by deep blue
lakes and ancient hills and mountains. For those who
consider themselves “Townshippers,” thoughts turn
to the quiet goodness of a farm-fresh life, the comfort
and support of good neighbours, and the embracing
nature of a wilderness accustomed to the company of
civilisation. Unlike the wilder, denser, more rugged
Laurentians, the Eastern Townships have been farmed,
landscaped and sculpted by human need for so many
centuries that every tree, boulder and clearing seems
strategically placed to inspire residents and visitors
alike. It is because of the profundity of its natural
history and the array of four-season activities it hosts,
that the region known as the Eastern Townships has
grown into one of the most beloved sanctuaries
in the Northeast.
5
6
Geology &
Vegetation
In terms of vegetation, the Eastern Townships lies in a
transitional area of mixed forest and deciduous forest zones
(also called hardwood forests). Because of the climate (mean
annual temperature of 7°C), this zone has the highest diversity
of species, numbering over 1,600 vascular plants and 440
vertebrates. Its relatively longer growing season of almost 200
days and its fertile soils make this zone the heart of agricultural
activity, and provides Quebec with its only wine region.
The “Eastern Townships” region refers to the southeast
corner of the province of Quebec, just south of Montreal,
bordered on the west by the old seigneurial lands along the
Richelieu and Yamaska Rivers; on the south by the Vermont
border; on the southeast by the New Hampshire and
Maine borders, and on the east and north by the historic
seigneurial lands along the Chaudière and St. Lawrence
Rivers. While the Appalachian uplands are responsible for
the signature rolling hills of the Townships, their northern
edge – encompassing Granby, Bromont and Cowansville
– are actually part of the Monteregian Hills, formed along
the St. Lawrence River Valley. Extending from Montreal
to the Appalachian uplands, the St. Lawrence Valley (or
Plain) is almost entirely flat because of the clay deposits
left behind by the Champlain Sea (now a lake, which once
covered all of Montreal). The intrusion of igneous rocks
into the softer and older sedimentary rock layers laid down
in the St. Lawrence Valley created the eight Monteregian
Hills – Mount-Royal (in the centre of Montreal), St. Bruno,
Beloeil, Rougemont, Yamaska, Shefford, Brome (now
Bromont ski hill) and Johnson.
7
Quebec’s Wine
Country
8
2003 was a banner year for Eastern Townships’
gastronomy and tourism. Quebec inaugurated a
unique viticulture in the Brome-Missisquoi region of
the Townships by establishing a 132-kilometre Wine
Route featuring 14 wineries and 15 fine restaurants.
Also along the route are cultural attractions ranging
from art to theatre, outdoor activities on land and
water, and from luxury auberges to campgrounds,
some of the most scenic lodging in the country.
From raspberry and strawberry wines to hydromel – a
sweet, honey-based liqueur – sampling the intriguing
variety of divine nectar produced by Quebec grapes
goes hand-in-hand with experiencing the Townships’
legendary hospitality. Most wineries are familyrun, as are the various farms and orchards open to
agrotourism included along the route.
9
10
The boundaries of the Eastern Townships’ tourist
region (Cantons de l’Est) differ from the administrative
entity of ‘Estrie’, which includes only a fraction of the
historic Eastern Townships. The original Townships
were named following a proclamation in 1792 by
Alured Clarke, Lieutenant-Governor of Lower Canada
(Quebec), when this vast territory was subdivided into
townships. The process eventually resulted in the
creation of 95 townships and 12 counties (Athabaska,
Brome, Compton, Drummond, Frontenac, Megantic,
Mississquoi, Richmond, Stanstead, Shefford,
Sherbrooke and Wolfe).
The history of the Eastern Townships begins with
the Abenakis, who, according to oral tradition, had
a number of villages in the region. The Abenakis
used the region’s forests and waterways for hunting,
fishing, trade and travel. Their travels included visits
to their ancestral lands in New England where they
exacted revenge on the English settlers who had
displaced them. The Abenaki presence is still visible
in the Eastern Townships in the many place names
reflecting features of the landscape, the rivers, lakes,
and mountains that were so vital to their survival –
Memphremagog, Magog, Massawippi, Missisquoi,
Tomifobia, Megantic, Yamaska and Coaticook, among
many others.
In 1792, the British decided to open the un-surveyed
parts of Quebec (Lower Canada) to settlement.
The system of freehold land tenure in Britain and
the United States was employed in these areas, and
distinguishes the Eastern Townships from much of
the rest of Quebec. Instead of dividing the land into
seigneuries granted to feudal lords, the British divided
it into townships (10 miles by 10 miles) granted to
“leaders.” The system was intended to make good land
available at no cost to the government, and at little cost
to hard-working pioneers. By the British government’s
own definition, United Empire Loyalists were people
who were living in the American colonies at the time
of the American Revolution, who had voluntarily
supported the British Crown (in many cases resulting
in persecution and loss of property), and who had
emigrated to Canada in 1783 or shortly thereafter. It is
often said that the first settlers in the Eastern Townships
were Loyalists.
History
& People
11
12
Architectural
Styles of the
Townships
Loyalist, or Victorian architecture is famous for
its eclecticism, and the Eastern Townships is a
veritable goldmine of historic styles. Fashion changed
dramatically throughout the period (1837-1901), which
saw the adoption, one after another, of a succession of
architectural styles from earlier periods in European
history. Several major revivals achieved immense
popularity, with considerable overlap in time. These
included the Georgian, Classical Revival, Gothic
Revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Neo-Romanesque,
and Queen Anne styles. Elements of these various
movements are found, often in combination with
other styles, in most buildings of the period, from the
humblest dwellings to the grandest public edifices.
Covered Bridges
A century ago, there were over 100 covered bridges
throughout the Townships. Today, only 22 remain.
Designed originally to simply protect the bridge’s
structure from the elements, they were more
romantically referred to as “kissing bridges” – secret
meeting spots for lovers.
Round Barns
The One-Room
Schoolhouse
There was a time when virtually every Township
neighbourhood had its own one-room schoolhouse.
Erected by villagers themselves, many of these served
until the early 20th century. A handful remain, and
are among the architectural attractions visited by
tourists every year.
There are nine original round barns still standing in the
Eastern Townships. Created for their spatial efficiency
in organizing cattle and hay, better ventilation and
available natural light, it was also believed that a
round shape promoted health, happiness, and better
motivation in work. Some of these beliefs, in particular
one about avoiding the devil hiding in corners, may
have originated with the Shakers, a religious group
that erected the first round barns in New England in
the 1820s. Round barns, like much of early domestic
Eastern Townships architecture, covered bridges, and
even popular beliefs and superstitions, were imported
from New England.
13
Township
Attractions
14
Lakeside living is common in the Townships due
to the abundance of lakes of various sizes. Though
the exact number of Township lakes and ponds
is impossible to count, Lake Memphremagog
stands out as the largest, most scenic and most
storied. Reputedly Abenaki for “Beautiful Waters,”
or less romantically “the Great Pond Place,”
Memphremagog stretches 27 miles (44 km) from
below Newport, Vermont in the south, all the way
up to Magog, Quebec in the north. Tourists and
seasonal vacationers come to the Townships for
the sailing, boating and diving offered on Lake
Memphremagog, Lake Brome, Lake Massawippi,
Lake Lyster and many more. During the 1850s,
the majority of Eastern Township cottagers were
Americans, as they had easy access to the region
due to the superior condition of American roads.
American tourists still make up a significant
portion of visitors today, although Canadians from
across the country have added to their numbers.
Lakeshore development in the 1970’s contributed
to a shift toward winter tourism, as 80 percent of the
Townships’ lakefront became privately owned.
The Eastern Townships’ trail network makes seeing
the region by bike a pure joy. Coursing with fantastic
biking, walking and hiking networks, as well as four
National Parks, the Townships are also a popular
destination for camping. The summer season is
the busiest in the Townships, when the village
populations often triple due to seasonal cottagers.
Tourists come for the quaint B&Bs welcoming
visitors keen to attend the Circuit des Arts, take a
tour of Bleu Lavende lavender farm, drop in on the
cheese-making monks at St. Benoît-du-Lac Abbey,
see a play at the Piggery Theatre in North Hatley,
and dine in any number of the Township’s fine
restaurants and bistros. Foliage is the main attraction
in autumn, when sunny days and winding roads find
happy drivers slowing only occasionally to digitally
immortalize the living tapestry in snapshots and
videos of the region.
15
16
The four most well-known Townships ski stations are
Bromont, Orford, Sutton and Owl’s Head. At 850 metres,
Orford is the third highest peak in Quebec and adjoins
Orford National Park, where snowshoeing, cross-country
skiing and retreats are also popular draws. In recent years,
political battles between Orford’s owners and operators
have caused a steady decline in the mountain’s popularity,
and rumours that the station is likely to shut down in the
coming years are not unfounded. Sutton’s main attraction
is its exceptional natural snowfall – the highest in the
Eastern Townships. Sutton has been a favourite family ski
resort since the 1960s, when up to 2,000 skiers could be
seen on the slopes on any given weekend. Family-run Owl’s
Head, named after a departed Abenaki Chief, though off
the beaten track, is still a well-loved ski station, but doesn’t
come close to Bromont in terms of annual visitors. In the
last ten years, Bromont has steadfastly climbed its way to
the top of Township ski stations in terms of skiable terrain,
annual memberships, day visitors and night skiing.
Ski Stations
17
The Sweet
Success of
‘Sirop’
18
Maple syrup, one of the iconic flavours of la belle
province, is produced in most regions of Quebec,
and the Townships have their share of sugar bushes.
Waterloo, not far from Bromont, is also home to
Turkey Hill Sugarbush, which annually buys a million
pounds of maple syrup and packages it into hundreds
of products, from tea to cookies and chocolates,
for export. Quebec is the largest exporter of maple
products in the world, and the province’s best
customers are the US, Japan and Germany. There
are some 10,000 syrup producers in Quebec and the
industry is worth upwards of $150 million annually.
And while thousands of Quebecois still enjoy a
traditional pilgrimage to sugar shacks for an annual
maple syrup feeding frenzy – Syrup on bacon! Syrup
on eggs! Syrup on snow! – the product is also used in
the most refined recipes of five-star restaurants around
the province.
19
In order to be irreplaceable one
must always be different.
– Coco Chanel
20
For a man of humble background, born and raised
in the Townships, next-door to what was then just
a small ski hill and typical Township village, to see
his former skiing, riding and stomping grounds grow
into a destination with world-class resort appeal is a
journey few have the privilege to witness, and fewer
still have the chance to support. Mario Menard rode
his first chairlift at Bromont. His children raced for its
ski team. They all rode and kept horses here, played
here and returned to live very near here. Versant Ouest
represents a vision of love, patience and timing – a
dream that took painstaking steps to put in place, and
the reason for this Envisioning.
Bromont is the first major town and ski hill as you
enter the Eastern Townships, and a well-loved
recreation destination for Montrealers. Located on
land strategically acquired when Mario caught wind
of a new lift to be installed on the mountain’s western
slope, Versant Ouest is 40 acres of northwest facing,
slope-side property on 100 metres of sharply inclined
terrain – a true ski-in ski-out location. Just as Bromont
is the gateway to the Eastern Townships, its westfacing slope is the gateway to the City’s most beautiful,
affluent and discreet neck of the woods.
Pulling off Highway 10, past the contingent of outlet
shops and fast-food joints, turn right on Rue Shefford.
Cruise along Bromont’s original main street into the
homey warmth of an authentic country village. Turn
Deeper into the forest and higher up the mountain
is the future site of 15 residential buildings, staggered
to capture the views of Bromont village along their
100 metres of northwest-facing mountainside. Each
comprising 12 units, nine of these buildings will be
A-type, featuring exterior stairs and outdoor parking,
while six will be the larger and more luxurious B-types,
featuring elevators and underground parking. The
A-type advantage will be the convenience of belonging
to the hotel’s inventory of suites.
Bisecting the site is La Ceinture de Randonnée du Mont
Brome – a safe, public, multi-use, 25-kilometre trail,
closed to motorized vehicles and ideal for walking, biking,
cross-country skiing and riding. A leisurely 15-minute walk
along la Ceinture will take owners to the Versant Ouest
Equestrian Club – a private, handsomely renovated,
indoor riding arena that Mario built overlooking
Bromont’s horse park and Olympic equestrian facility.
The Vision For
Versant Ouest
left on Rue de Gaspé toward the Olympic Park, turn
left at Old Dunlavey barn onto the winding driveway
until you reach a white house tucked away in the
woods. You have arrived at Versant Ouest. The white
house will eventually be the welcoming entrance
and reception area to an upscale, auberge-style, 75 to
100-unit condo-hotel. Comprised of suites within the
hotel itself and condos owned by seasonal users that are
managed by the hotel, the heart of Versant Ouest will
also include a fine restaurant, spa, indoor pool, outdoor
pool, fitness area, and technologically-advanced
meeting facilities. The main road into Versant Ouest
is public, which means maintenance costs will be
handled by the city, rather than rolled into the resort
neighbourhood’s monthly owner fees.
21
Tremblant would kill to have a runway of this size five
minutes from the ski hill like we do, and it’s unused,
under-exploited. It’s something we have to put in the
story and find a way of exploiting.
– Mario Menard, Versant Ouest Founder
22
50 Minutes
From The
Bridge
the Townships’ trademark rolling landscape. Capping
the convenience is Bromont’s position off Highway
10 – the mountain rises less than two kilometres from
the exit, at the end of a well-paved road that winds past
the outlet shops and restaurants immediately off the
highway and the historic village of Bromont.
Bromont’s accessibility is one of its greatest advantages.
For work-weary Montrealers, knowing that freedom and
fresh air lie a mere 50 minutes beyond the Champlain
Bridge is an assurance that makes city congestion
tolerable. Plans to build Highway 30, connecting the
401 directly to Highway 10, means that Ontarians
will be able to bypass Montreal altogether to access
Bromont, shaving a solid hour off their trip. Adding
to the magic is Bromont’s visibility several kilometers
before its Highway 10 exit, when the glow of ski-hill
lights becomes visible beyond the flatlands that precede
For corporate tenants of Bromont’s industrial park, the
presence of the Eastern Townships Airport only adds to
the area’s appeal, providing a quick and convenient point
of entry to the region for cargo, corporate leaders and
visitors. Founded in 1983 by the towns of Cowansville,
Granby and Bromont, the airport has a runway capacity
capable of receiving aircraft as large as a Boeing 737
or a 100-seat Challenger. This convenience, among
others, lured IBM’s largest North American plant
(counting 2,800 employees) as well as those of GE
Canada and a host of other high-tech companies.
Thought Starter:
Challenge AND Opportunity. Bromont’s greatest
advantage – its proximity to Montreal – is both a blessing and
curse. Close enough to attract Montrealers and visitors for the day,
it is also as easy to return to the city at night. What will it take for
Bromont to turn its day-visitors into extended-stay vacationers...and
eventually into owners and residents?
23
Thought Starter:
As Townshippy as Knowlton or North Hatley
24
Though Bromont may be the red-headed stepchild of the Townships
in terms of location, it possesses all the qualities and characteristics
unique to the region – Loyalist, agricultural vernacular; rolling, forested
countryside; small lakes; discreet wealth and authentic village charm.
How do we take this place from its current perception (the road more
traveled) and help potential visitors recognize that Bromont, too, has that
je ne sais quoi, a coveted cachet?
In 1873, following the American Revolution, a
number of Loyalists fled the States, crossing the
border and settling in the Townships. One such
Irish-American Loyalist by the name of John
Savage founded the tiny village of West Shefford
(incorporated in 1888). Nearby, an English
merchant by the name of George Adams settled in
and founded the neighbouring town of Adamsville
(incorporated in 1916). The two villages would
eventually come together to form the City of
Bromont in 1964, founded by brother entrepreneurs
Rolland (whose son, Charles Désourdy, now owns
and expertly operates Bromont ski hill) and Germain
Désourdy. Between 1964 and 1977, the City
expanded to include annexed territories, to total over
a hundred square kilometres.
The original 19th century village of West Shefford
is still discernable in the many heritage homes that
line Rue Shefford, Bromont’s original Main Street.
The city’s Anglo-Saxon forefathers established their
homesteads in styles typical of their eras, often
encompassing agricultural barns and outbuildings,
preserved and visible today along Bromont’s Heritage
Walk – the one-kilometre stretch of mapped history
that charts Bromont’s historic quarter and village heart.
As a community, Bromont prides itself on taking
care of its citizens and staying on the cutting edge
of technology. The term Ville Branchée refers to
Bromont’s program to achieve fully wired status.
High-speed Internet access is available throughout the
community and residents have access to free computer
training as well as to an online library catalogue. They
can also access municipal affairs via the city’s website,
which doubles as an interactive portal into community
life. From schools to hospitals, dentist office to
pharmacy, Bromonters have everything they need
to live a happy and healthy life within their bucolic
setting.
Bienvenue À
Bromont…
Ville Branchée
25
A Resort
Waiting to Be
recognized
26
Terrific Terrain: Bromont is about being outside. The
seasons dictate the activities and the city keeps its
grounds groomed and prepared for the constant influx
of weekenders and adventure-seekers. From spring
through fall, a 120-kilometre network of trails provides
raucous challenges for mountain bikers, scenic ambles for
equestrians and intimate exploration of mountain forests
for walkers and hikers. The warm summer months bring
golf lovers to Bromont’s four courses, water babies to Lake
Bromont and the impressive water park (soon to include
a wave pool), while tennis courts, soccer fields, skate parks
and more provide dry land activities. In winter, the ski
hill with the Townships’ highest number of season-pass
holders opens its seven slopes and 104 runs to skiers and
snowboarders of every level, while cross-country skiers and
snowshoers have their run of the trail network. And for
every Bromont sport there is a club, an association, and
opportunities to share personal passions with like-minded
folk, make new friends, and discover new passions.
You don’t stop playing because you grow old.
You grow old because you stop playing.
– Author Unknown
27
Mountain Stats
Owned and operated by a direct descendant of Bromont’s
founding fathers, Charles Désourdy has managed to grow
Bromont from a small family ski station into the biggest ski
centre in the Eastern Townships.
• 7 slopes
• Ranked #1 in North America for night-skiing by Ski
Magazine (only night-skiing in Townships)
• 1994 World Camping and Caravaning Jamboree/World
Mountain Bike Championship
• 1993/1996 Quebec Mountain Bike Championship
• 1997 Mountain Bike World Cup
• 1998 Grundig/UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Finals
The Spa Story
• Known for guaranteed quantity and quality of snow
Bromont boasts two excellent and well-frequented spas.
Spa Bromont, a more traditional, Zen-like experience
offers everything from half-day to two-night packages.
Balnea, a more modern, eclectic experience tucked away
on a small, woodland lake beyond the Olympic Equestrian
Facility, offers an indoor-outdoor spa experience in a cool,
modern setting. Both are world-class. Both are now part
of Bromont’s identity.
• Highest number of season-pass holders in North America
• 1992 Canadian Mountain Bike Championship
• Best snow-making facilities in the Townships
(second only to Tremblant in Quebec)
• Largest skiable terrain in the Eastern Townships
28
• 1990 Eastern-Canada Mountain Bike Championship
Sporting Events Hosted
by the City of Bromont
• 1976 Olympic Games Equestrian Events
• Since 1977, The Bromont International
(qualifying event for the World Cup equestrian event)
• 1986 World Cup Freestyle Skiing
• 1989 World Cup Alpine Ski Finals
A Golf Destination
Bromont boasts a total of four excellent golf courses,
among which – the Royal Bromont played host to the
2007 CPGA tournament.
For eight years, Mario Menard owned and
maintained the horse park and riding facilities that
hosted the 1976 Bromont Olympics. When he
sold the property in 2005, it was on the condition
that a portion of the property be owned and run
by the City of Bromont and the horse park be
preserved in perpetuity. Every year, Bromont
welcomes professional and amateur riders from
around the world who come to experience
the only original Olympic equestrian site still
in operation in the world. State-of-the-art club
facilities, trails, riding classes and an Olympicgrade jumping park will all belong to Versant
Ouest residents.
Fox-Hunting
The Montreal Hunt Club – the oldest hunting
and social club in Canada – makes five to six
annual trips to Bromont for a traditional fox hunt
(a long-standing tradition recently declared illegal
in Great Britain).
If you wanted to go
out and built a resort
to develop real estate,
you would have to
spend a billion dollars,
like Tremblant did,
to build from scratch
what’s already here.
– Mario Menard
A Grand Equestrian
Tradition
29
30
Sylvie Chaput, an interior designer from Montreal
turned Eastern Townships realtor, moved to Bromont
seven years ago with her then ten year-old daughter – a
decision she has never once regretted. Stories tumble
quickly and easily from her starry-eyed smile…meeting
her best girlfriends for nature walks, coffee, or lunch,
knowing the faces she passes on her errand strolls,
feeling safe and secure enough in her home to give her
daughter more personal freedom than the city would
allow. She speaks animatedly of village life – how it’s
packed on weekends all year-round and how once
you’re here, you never want to leave. She describes her
life in Bromont simply as la belle vie – a beautiful life.
Culturally, Bromont is diligent about providing
programming to residents, guests and day-visitors in
enriching atmospheres and genuine camaraderie.
Concerts, fairs, and festivals dot summer calendars,
while merchants are given to hosting tastings,
exhibits, and soirées. There are art galleries and
micro-breweries, chocolate factories and antique
shops, and plenty of bakeries, bistros and cafés to
pause at in between.
Where so many new communities today move heaven
and earth to create a ‘village component’, Versant
Ouest has the incredible advantage of belonging to an
authentic historic village where the simple pleasures of
a bygone time are enacted – sans pretension – daily.
Age of Innocence
According to Sylvie, whose daughter is now seventeen,
teen life in Bromont is uncommonly healthy. Kids like
to get together after school and hike up the mountain.
On weekends they gather at each other’s family homes
and cook up elaborate dinners. Since friends often live
in neighbouring towns at considerable distances, boys
and girls alike turn up with overnight bags for group
sleepovers. As Bromont families tend to be more affluent
than those in smaller surrounding towns, teens often
either have their own car or have use of their parents’.
Responsible driving is learned at a young age, as is
mature socializing. Drugs and violence don’t figure in the
Bromont teen scene. Good friends, food, and fun, do.
Taxes
Due to excellent management of city funds, Bromont
property taxes have been on a steady decline and the
tax-rate is expected to drop to $0.90 or less in the next
two years.
La Belle Vie
31
If you’ve been raised in Quebec, a cottage
in the country for us, is not an apartment
in an apartment building.
– Mario Menard
Township
Trends
According to Bromont realtors, demand for second
homes in Bromont is steadily on the rise, and certain
criteria can make or break a project. The following is a
list of desirable characteristics not available within the
scope of any one existing real estate project:
Four To Five Bedrooms. Country homes are
places where extended family and friends flock. Few
projects offer homes with more than three bedrooms,
while many buyers are looking for room enough to
host large family functions and not have to worry about
additional accommodations.
What Bromont Is Missing
What It Has
Nightlife. Unlike more well-known vacation
Big Balconies. People buy homes in the country
destinations like Tremblant or St. Sauveur, Bromont
leads a fairly quiet and peaceful existence. There is no
nightlife to speak of, save the bi-weekly Nuit Blanches
(all-nighters) hosted by the ski hill.
in order to immerse themselves in the replenishing
calm of nature. Where small balconies remind one
of dense city dwellings, large balconies, verandas and
porches invite the great outdoors to figure as an integral
part of a family’s personal space.
32
choice option among today’s buyers. For multi-unit
projects, sound-proofing between units is crucial.
Parking Spaces. Standard practice among
Bromont real estate projects is to offer one parking
space per unit. Affluent families today often have
two or more vehicles for various uses and the
option to have a second covered parking space is an
appreciated convenience.
Privacy. While the village holds huge appeal, the
privacy promised by more remote locations is the
High-end accommodations. In May 2008,
Roger Deslauriers will be hosting a day of riding,
workshops, and networking for 140 of the UKs top
corporate presidents. As with every elite group that
comes to Bromont, they will have no option but to
stay in Montreal.
Gourmet dining. Bromont doesn’t lack for family
restaurants and the odd cozy, romantic dining room,
however upscale dining remains a high-end ticket item
yet to be added to the roster.
Thought Starter:
beyond the ordinary. If in fact Versant Ouest has a spa,
what would distinguish it from the two existing spas in Bromont? What
would it take to rise above mere pampering and to become an admired
destination that re-defines well-being – a facility dedicated to physical,
mental and social contentment and exhilaration? How could we do the
same with our meeting facilities?
33
34
Envisioning Agenda
Tuesday December 4th, 2007
Wednesday December 5th, 2007
8:00
8:00
Breakfast at the House
Breakfast at the House
8:30
Welcome Address,
Mario Menard
8:30Review of Homework
Question
8:45
Envisioning Welcome, Introductions & Rules of
the Game, Malcolm Weinstein
8:45Recap of Day One
9:15
Envisioning Objectives
and Process, Paul Smith & Geoff Duyker
9:30
Bromont Presentation:
Project Status, Mario Menard
10:00
Break
10:15Site Tour
12:00 PM Lunch at the House
9:15
Envisioning Begins
10:00
Break
10:15
Envisioning Continues
12:00 PM Lunch
1:00
Envisioning Resumes
3:00
Break
3:15
Envisioning Continues
5:00
Envisioning Session
Concludes
1:00An Afternoon of Presentations & Explorations
Break
4:00Presentations Continue
5:00Session Wrap-up &
Homework Question
6:00Reception & Group Dinner
at Le McHaffy
9:00
Evening Completed
3:45
35
Thought Starter:
EXPANDING THE VISION. One of Versant Ouest’s challenges,
36
as a relatively small resort neighbourhood, is to increase its
“presence”. What steps could we take to make Versant Ouest larger
than life, to give it a reputation that extends far beyond its physical
boundaries? Acquire and develop contiguous properties? Make
Versant Ouest the most respected departure point for day trips
through the Townships? How do we think bigger?
Le Cercle des Cantons, Bromont
There is little competition for Versant Ouest to
speak of in the current Bromont real estate market.
The only project to come close to Versant Ouest in
terms of price-point and size is the Medicam Group’s
neighbouring project, Le Cercle des Cantons.
Slopeside location, ski-in ski-out access and the promise
of an exceptional amenity centre got the Cercle off to
a solid start, selling out the first of eight buildings of 60
units each. However, not long after the second building
was erected, sales began to slow to a halt. Speculation
ranges from poor sound-proofing and little natural
light or views, to exorbitant condo fees, small balconies
and as-yet no amenity centre as reasons for the sudden
downward spiral. As the closest neighbour to Versant
Ouest, Cercle des Cantons residents will likely provide
an eager market for the coming dining, spa and
hotel amenities.
www.cercledescantons.com
The Ripplecove Inn & Spa, North Hatley
Though smaller than the Versant Ouest hotel in stature
with only 35 guest rooms, the Ripplecove Inn represents
one of the finest luxury auberge experiences in the
Eastern Townships. Offering compact conference
www.ripplecove.com
Manoir HoveY, North Hatley
The Manoir Hovey, the five-star inn and restaurant
in North Hatley, was voted one of the top hotels in
Canada in Condé Nast Traveller’s Readers’ Choice
Awards, published in the prestigious magazine’s
November 2007 edition. This is the second consecutive
time the inn made the list: quite an honour for a
small property in a country setting. This is yet another
important award for the grand Manoir Hovey, which
offers not only five-star accommodations but also one
of Quebec’s top tables – which has garnered countless
accolades such as Wine Spectator’s Best of Award
of Excellence, the maximum rating from both the
Voir and the Debeur restaurant guides and CAA’s
Four Diamonds award. Hovey’s cuisine has been
described as “perfectly mastered” in the Voir Guide,
and “exquisite” in Fodor’s. Renowned Montreal food
writer Lesley Chesterman best summed up the spirit of
Hovey’s restaurant, in The Gazette: “what appeals to
me most is the pampering, the fine food and
especially all the little details a restaurant review
can hardly capture.”
Competitive
Landscape
facilities, on-site spa and fine dining, the Ripplecove has
earned the CAA Four Diamond award, is a member of the
Select Registry, Distinguished Inns of North America and
ranked as a five-star hotel. Activities available at the inn
include cycling, tennis, swimming in Lake Massawippi
or their heated pool, horse-sleigh rides, ice skating,
snowshoeing and ice fishing.
37
My heart has always
lived in this area.
– Mario Menard
Mario Menard
38
You can take the man out of the Townships, but…a
well-worn saying that couldn’t be truer in the case of
Mario Menard. A businessman cum developer, tax lawyer
cum farmer, Mario is a man of the land, the city, and
ultimately of great contrasts. Responsible for two, high-end
urban real estate projects in downtown Montreal (“50
St. Paul Ouest” in Old Montreal as well as “Le Manoir
de Belmont” on the corner of Sherbrooke and Atwater),
Mario is now turning his attention to the territory he loves
most – the scenic, rural slopes of Mont Brome. Owner
of large tracts opposite the Bromont Olympic equestrian
facility, Mario has already divided and sold forested,
hillside legacies to a number of wealthy and prominent
Canadian families. Keeping the most strategic parcel of
land for his own vision of luxury Eastern Townships living,
he is now ready to create a resort neighbourhood that will
open discerning eyes to the magnificent beauty of the land
he has calls home.
39
About
Groundswell
Through our association with sister company
Envisioning + Storytelling of Vancouver, Groundswell
has guided the envisioning, master-planning, strategic
marketing and real estate sales of over a 100 destination
resorts and resort villages throughout North America,
Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, the Caribbean
and Europe. During the same 22-year span, the
principals of Groundswell have also contributed to the
transformation of how resort real estate is now sold – as
an experience rather than as a commodity. We were
instrumental, for example in developing Intrawest’s
highly successful storySELLING culture. Our
marketing and sales expertise has successfully crossed
both continents and cultures.
40
Paul Smith is the founder of Envisioning &
Storytelling, and the originator of the firm’s proprietary
processes, Paul has been an acknowledged leader in
resort development and marketing for the past 20 years.
His many innovations have included development of
the underlying principles of storySELLING; his deep
understanding of “placemaking” and “the experience
economy” especially as they relate to destination resorts;
his work in the area of “natural attractions”; and, most
recently, his breakthroughs in sustainable development,
which Paul prefers to call “celebratory development.”
Within Groundswell, Paul is responsible for further
innovations including “grapevining,” which uses the
Internet to build global communities of prospective,
highly engaged real estate purchasers months and
sometimes years in advance of a resort opening.
The President and one of two founders of
Groundswell, Geoff Duyker is a person with
a strong entrepreneurial spirit. For the past seven
years, Geoff has been busy building productive
relationships with the Best Of The Best real estate
developers across North America. Geoff holds a
Bachelor of Science Degree from the University
of British Columbia and has continued his formal
executive education through The Sauder School
of Business. He is a member of the Urban Land
Institute and a Board member of UrbanPromise,
a non-profit organization providing social and
educational support to at-risk inner-city children in
Vancouver, Toronto, Camden (NJ) and Wilmington
(DE). Geoff currently oversees the marketing and
sales of two resort projects in Canada, two in the US
and two in Mexico (in addition to Bromont).
41
Creating A
Groundswell
42
The resort development business is, quite literally, the
business of creating a resort, a village, a community
or a building “from the ground up”. And the way
Groundswell, the company, markets and sells that realestate is by initiating, intensifying and then, at exactly
the right moment, peaking the prospective-purchaser’s
level of interest in a real-estate offering. It is a matter of
making something irresistible and the decision to buy it
logical. Of creating a groundswell.
It begins with a story. An authentic story. A story like
the one we’ll be authoring together over the next two
days. A story that passes from one storyteller to the
next. In ever-growing numbers. Whether you think of
it as a social epidemic…or a pebble in a pond rippling
out from a central source…or a far-off underwater
event resulting in an upheaval of the sea experienced
on a coastline many thousands of miles away…it is
an important sociological phenomena. One that has
gained new credence with the advent of high-speed,
broadband internetting that allows small resorts
like Versant Ouest to create dialogue among buyers
wherever they may be in the world.
Versant Ouest
foreword
Versant Ouest
Envisioning Session
5775 Marine Drive
West Vancouver, BC
V7W 2S1 Canada
Phone (604) 922-2900
info@ groundswellglobal.com
groundswellglobal.com
foreword
December Fourth and Fifth, 2007
Bromont, Quebec

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Transcription

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