Life on the ridge

Michelle and Hollie Cressy put down Alberta roots with new Sunset Ridge home

Newlyweds Michelle and Hollie Cressy landed in Alberta nine years ago – Hollie from Australia and Michelle from Hamilton, Ont. Both came for work opportunities and a new experience, each thinking that it would only be a short-term stay, but the beauty and majesty of the Rocky Mountains captured their hearts. The couple, who were married in 2015, had previously been renting an apartment in Calgary's inner-city and considering taking the plunge into homeownership. A trip to Cochrane to visit friends in March 2016 sped up their plans.

After viewing several neighbourhoods and home designs, the couple purchased a semi-detached, two-storey, three-bedroom home by Jayman Built in Sunset Ridge.

"We looked at townhomes first because that is what we thought we could afford. We toured a bunch in several different communities, but none of them felt right. Then we looked online at Jayman's semi-detached and realized they were in our price range. We met with the sales manager, toured the showhome and when we walked in, we were like, 'this is the house for us.' It felt like a real home with lots of character." – Hollie Cressy

"We wanted to live in Sunset Ridge from the outset. I really liked being up on the hill, above everything. You are out of the town, but just minutes away. It is very family oriented and there is a school and playgrounds – those were definitely on our must-have list, as we are eventually planning on having children." – Michelle Cressy

"We definitely wanted a good-sized kitchen and entertaining area. We cook a lot, so to have space was a real necessity, and we have people over fairly often, especially for holidays and events. We do Thanksgiving, a pre-Christmas dinner and Easter – all the big holidays – and birthday parties, too. We find reasons to entertain. We don't have any family here, so we do friend versions of everything."
– Michelle Cressy

"Going to the design centre was one of our most fun days. We got to pick everything that you could imagine – cabinets, countertops, flooring and wall colours. They make it really easy. They have swatches of everything and once we chose, they put it all together to make sure that it flowed. We upgraded the chandelier in the dining room and chose window coverings, too." – Hollie Cressy

"Jayman thought of everything. When we moved in, they gave us a bottle of wine and a gift card for Boston Pizza. On the counter there were cleaning supplies, along with a step stool, and on the door, there was a big, red bow. A few weeks after we moved in, the sales agent came by with a framed photo album of the build-process journey. So many lovely touches."
– Hollie Cressy

"One of our favourite places to hang out is the Townhall. It's a local pub and eatery. There is a wood-burning oven and it's really neat because it is right in the community."
– Michelle Cressy

"We love Cochrane because it is a small town, but you still have everything you need – some big box stores, but lots of small local businesses, too. And Sunset Ridge is a great community. We use the walking trails a lot, especially around the pond, where we take our dog, Nixon, for long walks." – Hollie Cressy