It’s often been said good things come in small packages. In the case of the Village of Belcarra, it’s unquestionably true that this small, intimate community offers a plethora of not just good things, but downright marvelous ones.
“I’ve never met anyone who had to move from Belcarra, who didn’t leave with a tear of regret in their eye,” says long-time resident and realtor, Debbie Filippelli. “This is a community that you can be as involved in as much or as little as you like, and if you’re into hiking or nature, you just can’t beat it.”
CELEBRATING DIVERSITY
Debbie isn’t kidding. For sheer diversity, this village of only 250 homes offers up a selection that’s little short of astonishing. Hiking, mountain biking, miles of walking trails, fishing, water skiing, sailing - the list goes on. “A few months ago, a gentleman from California called me to ask if it was true that he could be swimming in a warm lake, half an hour later be kayaking and crabbing, and then a hour after that be on Grouse Mountain skiing,” she says laughing at the recollection. “When I told him, yes it’s true, he said he didn’t believe me. I told him to come and see for himself, and when he arrived he was so impressed that he bought the first house we looked at.”
But it’s far from just outdoor recreation that keeps this community humming with activities. Belcarra is a community where neighbours know each other and enjoy time spent together celebrating life. The Community & Recreation Association of Belcarra (CRAB) organizes dozens of such Old World activities as an annual Easter Egg Hunt, a children’s Halloween Party, a community Fall Barbeque, a New Year’s Eve Dance at the Village Hall, and a favourite summertime tradition, Belcarra Days filled with music, races, storytelling, firefighter and police displays, a raffle, plus food and refreshments.
“You really have a little bit of everything here,” says Michelle Forsberg, another Belcarra resident and realtor. “And if you need help with something, there is always someone ready and willing. I can’t imagine living anywhere else because you just can’t replace this type of lifestyle.”
FINDING YOUR DREAM
With so few homes comprising Belcarra, Michelle notes there are seldom more than three or four on the market and all tend to fall into the “high end” category. Although some can be had for less than $700,000, the majority run $850,000 or above, and any waterfront property on Indian Arm is virtually
But for the discriminating purchaser, each is unique - as individual as the people who will call them home. “We are surrounded by parkland and the water,” Michelle says. “So there isn’t any room for expansion. And you definitely won’t see any subdivisions here - no two homes are ever alike. For example, my business partner, Brian, lives in a log house next door to a California-style rancher. Whether you’re looking for ultra modern or very traditional, you can probably find it.”
Belcarra is located just north of Port Moody near White Pines Beach. For more information plus a series of totally charming local histories, check out the Belcarra website at www.belcarra.ca. Be sure to browse a few issues of the Belcarra Barnacle Community Newsletter that proudly “welcomes your contributions - be they useful, useless, sensible, or absurd - from poetry, artwork, history, recipes, gardening, birding, outdoor adventures, scuba diving, scholastic achievements, sports, to bull fighting or snail races.”
By: Susan M. Boyce
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