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Sunday, July 19, 2020 - Discovering Nelson, British Columbia's Silver Lining

Nelson, British Columbia is a vibrant and engaged counterculture community of more than 10,000 residents. With palatable winters ranging from -5 C to 5 C, Nelson instills instant meteorological envy across Canada.

Known as the “Queen City,” Nelson is a breath of fresh air. Located in B.C’s southern interior, on the extreme West Arm of Kootenay Lake (one of the largest lakes in the province). Vancouver and Calgary are both a one-hour flight from the nearby Castlegar Airport.

The restored heritage buildings along Baker Street are a living museum and reminder of the silver rush glory days. The stacked cornices, fine masonry and pressed tin ceilings of more than 350 buildings are a display of a successfully revitalized downtown. In fact, there are more restored heritage buildings per capita than anywhere else in the province.

Did you know?

The Big Orange Bridge—also known as “BOB,” is a 628-metre-long icon. It’s the only bridge that crosses the Kootenay River in Nelson. It was built to replace an overtaxed cable ferry that had been in operation since 1913. 
At Cartolina, a unique paper goods store housed in a former 1890s miner’s hotel on Baker Street, cartography pundits go crazy for the map department. Cartolina has one of the largest selections of vintage maps in B.C.
The longest free ferry ride in the world is the best way to experience all aspects of Nelson! The super scenic 35-minute Kootenay Lake Ferry passage from Kootenay Bay to Balfour Bay (one hour from Nelson) is a gorgeous introduction to the Selkirk and Purcell mountain ranges. 

Housing market

According to the Kootenay Association of REALTORS®, the average price of a home in May 2020 was $346, 085, reflecting a 2.6% increase from the $337,219 average in May 2019. New listings activity started to normalize around the first week of May, however, active listings are still down close to 24% year-over-year. 

Nelson’s newest five-storey condo development, just one block off Baker Street has listings for 612 square-foot.  suites with a rooftop amenity area starting at $309,900. On the flip side, just steps from the Granite golf course, an executive 1.83-acre, 5376 sqft. 5-bedroom, 4.5 bathroom estate offers 20’ ceilings, an imperial staircase entry, triple bay garage and heartbreaking views of the Kootenay glacier mountain ranges for $999,000. 

Where to live

Whether you’re enrolled at Selkirk College School of Arts or identify best as a ski bum wanting to be closer to heli-skiing on a whim, Nelson delivers. In fact, you can earn an arts education and still take in the powder at Whitewater Ski Resort.

There are three elementary schools (two public, one private), one middle school in Nelson and two secondary schools (one public, one alternative). The Wildflower School is a program option within School District 8 (Kootenay Lake) featuring multi-age classrooms and theme-based learning.  

Nelson is just  7.2 square-kilometre, so, wherever you choose to live, you’ll be just minutes from the charm of Baker Street, a pub, biking trail, park or lakeside picnic. Just be prepared for the hills! Nelson’s city limits have grown tenfold since the city was first incorporated in 1897. However, Nelson’s chief residential neighbourhoods are defined by Uphill, Fairview, Rosemont as well as South Nelson and Mountain Station.  

What to do

Nelson knows how to celebrate everything from fat bikes to garlic. There are festivals at every turn from Master Shucker & Caesar Throwdowns to art walks to the Elephant Mountain Literary Fest. When large social gatherings and public events are deemed safe again, Nelson will be at the ready to celebrate! 
Ainsworth Hot Springs is one of the oldest communities on Kootenay Lake, just 50 km northeast of Nelson. Here, nature meets nurture with therapeutic springs, cold plunge pools, caves and a resort with all the spoils. 
Oso Negro Cafe was established in 1993 and is the creative soul of Nelson. Take in the artwork of local artists inside or chill in the perennial gardens. Or, grab a chocolate cake dark roast to go and check out the shops along Baker Street. From new age bookstores to cycle and ski shops to the Kootenay Co-op, you won’t leave the downtown empty-handed.

If you feel like you love the vibe of Nelson, maybe you should explore the magic valley north of Whistler—Pemberton! For a bigger city with a country heart, consider Maple Ridge, on the north side of the Fraser River. Maybe you want to be surrounded by water on three sides. If so, Delta, B.C., is your ticket! Before you begin to explore, be sure to connect with a local REALTOR® who can offer important insights and recommendations tailored exactly to your needs and budget.

Looking for Real Estate ?- let me introduce you to one of my contacts there!

Source CREA cafe June 2020

posted in Places to visit at Sun, 19 Jul 2020 15:34:07 +0000

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