How Slokker Homes is honouring the legacy of Aspen Spring’s acreages

Article originally appeared in the Calgary Herald 

Stagg Pond at Aspen Spring

Slokker Homes’ goal as a homebuilder is to create vibrant centres for lifestyle, recreation and community – with one important element of community being a sense of history. That’s why when Slokker purchased acreages in Aspen Spring in West Calgary from the original owners, it ensured that their heritage would be remembered for generations.

Specifically, Slokker honoured the owners by preserving one of the most cherished places on their lands as well as placing tribute stones to commemorate their legacy.

The initiative not only paid respect to the owners, but it also contributed to the master planned Aspen Village becoming a welcoming, family-friendly neighbourhood in which a sense of history contributes to every resident’s sense of belonging.

Rock at Stagg Pond commemorating the Stagg family.

Words etched into one tribute stone near a central Aspen pond states: “This pond is dedicated to the Stagg family, whose legacy of cherished family and friend traditions, festive gatherings, and coaching spirit will foster community on this land and around Stagg Pond for years to come.”

Rod Stagg and his wife Michelle spent years building a close-knit community for their sons, nephews, parents, in-laws and friends on their property. Rod’s journey began in 1996, when he fulfilled his dream of purchasing a five-acre plot brimming with aspen and spruce trees, wild raspberries and wild roses. Deer, moose, cougars, wolves, muskrats and eagles frequented the property, where Rod also ran his plumbing business.

Initially consisting of a house and storage buildings, Rod extended the family home and grew an expansive garden. Large get-togethers for reunions, birthday parties, special events and traditions became customary; as a coach for a variety of team sports, Rod transformed the property into a playing ground with a large open field for practices, a winter skating rink and a box lacrosse area. His son Joel went on to represent Alberta at the football National Championships, and son Jeremy excelled in lacrosse; many other young athletes who trained on the Stagg property eventually played in the NHL, CFL and NLL professional leagues.

Another tribute stone at Aspen reads: “These apple and spruce trees stand in tribute to the Taylor family, whose 60 years of love, hard work and the joy of family togetherness have shaped this land. Their story will continue to inspire future generations.”

Rock commemorating the Taylor family at Aspen Spring

The Taylor family owned the land where the Aspen Village community now stands; Bill Taylor, originally from Prince Edward Island, and his wife Blanche (who hailed from Manitoba) began their journey together in Alberta. They purchased their first five acres in 1964, when Calgary’s population was only 300,000 and Crowchild Trail was just a gravel road.

Bill operated a truck for Maple Leaf Mills, and Blanche worked at National Trust; two sons, Terry and Wendell, were born in 1965 and 1968 respectively, and a daughter, Lynn, was born in 1977. Bill and Blanche augmented their family by building a barn, and soon their property was home to miniature ponies, cows, hundreds of chickens, a llama and even a racehorse.

Over the years, the Taylors planted spruce and poplar on the property, and a greenhouse brought rhubarb, potatoes, carrots and peas to the table. Eventually, they purchased an additional five acres, and as time passed, grandchildren and great-grandchildren continued the legacy of family gatherings and outdoor adventures, where deer, moose and rabbit roamed.

The Taylors sold their land in September 2023, but their legacy endures for all Aspen Village residents, symbolized by their beautiful trees now standing beside Stagg Pond.

Given this local heritage, Slokker Homes is developing Aspen Spring with strong attention to detail in every step, even including the use of drones to calculate ideal building elevations throughout the community to ensure great views for each homeowner.

The homes themselves are designed to create a sense of ‘hygge’ – Danish for warmth and coziness, and invisible elements such as efficient hot water and heating circulation lines lead to far less maintenance expenses for homeowners down the road.

The homes in Aspen’s Wolfberry, Juniper and Aurora projects that Slokker is currently focused on developing contribute to Aspen being a place where urban living is combined with green spaces and quiet escapes: a scenic natural reserve, extensive walking trails, a north and south pond, a playground, a parkour station and neighbourhood gathering spaces.

While Aspen’s features and amenities are the outcome of forward thinking, its vision draws on the legacy of the Taylor and Stagg families, whose gatherings created lasting memories that are sure to inspire Aspen’s new residents well into the future.