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Explore Your Artistic Side Tomorrow

 

For those of you who have children, one of the best things about Pathways is its proximity to an array of schools. This allows you to waste no time in dropping them off at school, plus your mind will be at ease knowing that your little ones are so close to home.

Better yet, Robert F. Hall Secondary School, just across the street from Pathways, houses a local branch of the Caledon Public Library, which hosts diverse activities for young and school-age children (as well as teens and adults).

For example, the Caledon East branch will offer a Watercolours Workshop starting at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow, aimed at children aged 8 and older. This free event will allow your children and you to learn the 6 techniques of watercolour painting — plus you’ll all get a chance to create your own masterpiece.

Whether it ends up framed in the living room or stuck to your fridge door with a magnet, it will surely remind you of a fun morning spent in the company of your family Have you taken your loved ones to any of your local library’s activities? What did you like best about it?

What: Watercolours Workshop
Where: Caledon East Public Library, Robert F. Hall Secondary School, 6500 Old Church Rd Caledon East, ON (right across the street from Pathways
When: Saturday, July 28, 10:30 a.m.

Help Us Choose a Colour Palette for Our Upcoming Home Design

You’ve likely painted a home before, but have you ever chosen the exterior colour palette of a home design?

Today at Pathways, you can do just that.

This fall, we’re launching two new home designs and we’d love to know what colours you’d like one of them to have.

Called Mystique, this design will feature two elevations, both of which are shown below.

The Mystique is a beautiful four-bedroom design with a gas fireplace,
a library,  and a layout that's ideal for both entertaining and everyday
family living alike. Help us decide what colour it should be!

If you’d like to have a say in what our new home design will look like, visit our Facebook page gallery,  where we’ve posted 4 images depicting 4 colour palettes. “Like” the one you prefer, and we’ll tally up the votes on Monday morning, choosing the two most popular ones.

We’re excited to find out what your preference is — let us know now!

CUISINE-ART Brings Amazing Art and Delicious Food Close to Pathways

A week from today, an amazing culinary festival will take place in the historic Alton Mills Arts Centre, close to Pathways and co-sponsored by Brookfield Homes.

Called CUISINE-ART, this is a weekend-long culinary and artistic festival that brings together fine art by 25 talented artists and delicious food that will be prepared by award-winning regional chefs with local ingredients. What’s more, you will also get a chance to enjoy craft beer, fine wines, cider, lemonade and ginger syrup.

If you’d like more detail about the event, please click here.

CUISINE-ART is only four years old, yet its attendance has been steadily increasing, no doubt due to its winning combination of art and food. Not surprisingly, 1,500 people are expected to attend this year alone.

Will you be one of them?

Celebrate Summer With This Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

What comes to mind when you think of summer? The sun? Warm temperatures? A tan, perhaps?

While all these things do define a summer, in our opinion no summer is complete without fresh, luscious strawberries.

Besides their amazing health benefits (which researchers still rave about), these berries offer a delicious taste of the season. Little wonder that many locals rush to farmers’ markets everywhere in Ontario to pick up delicious ripe strawberries, or that strawberry picking remains a tradition for many families.

The following recipe is sure to help you celebrate summer with a burst of flavour.

Strawberry shortcake recipe


• 1/5 kilo strawberries, stemmed and quartered (for optimal results, pick your own delicious, ripe, locally-grown berries at Bayle’s Farm, Kang Farm, or closet of all, at Rock Garden Farm)
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• whipped cream

Directions 

Mix strawberries with 3 tablespoons sugar and refrigerate for at least half an hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F/200 Celsius.

To make the shortcake, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, remaining sugar, and salt into a bowl. Add heavy cream and mix until just combined. Then place the resulting mixture in an ungreased 8-inch square pan and bake until golden (18 to 20 minutes).

Remove shortcake from pan and place on a rack to cool. Cut into 6 pieces and split each piece in half horizontally.

Spoon some of the strawberries with their juice onto each shortcake bottom. Top with a generous dollop of whipped cream and then the shortcake top. Spoon more strawberries over the top and serve. 

What’s your favourite strawberry recipe?

Local Canada Day Celebrations

One of the many ways to celebrate Canada Day. 

This weekend there are some great local events in Caledon East, so get the family together and get ready for a great long weekend!

On Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm, the 24th Annual Canada Day Strawberry Festival will be held at the Caledon Fairgrounds, located a 20-minute drive from Pathways on Hwy 10. This free event will feature a Silent Auction and the ever-popular Strawberry Pancake Breakfast. Other highlights include a car show, face painting, food, and a firefighter demonstration. We’ll be there too, so drop by the Brookfield booth to say hi and to enter our draw to win a $150 gift certificate for the Millcroft Inn & Spa (where you could enjoy an overnight retreat in the charming accommodations, a delicious meal, or indulge in spa services).

Another great event is the Canada Day Strawberry Festival at Downey’s Farm Market. Located just over 15 minutes away from Pathways, Downey's Farm Market is a popular spring and summer destination. On Sunday at 10:30 am, the whole family will be able to celebrate Canada Day by picking strawberries, eating pancakes and enjoying wagon rides.

Also on Sunday, the Albion Hills Conservation Area will host live entertainment and offer free admission. There will be a magic show, children’s activities, food, picnicking, hay rides, a petting zoo, pedal boat and canoe rentals, and much more, as well as a spectacular fireworks display at dusk.

Lastly, at our Presentation Centre we’ll be giving away free Brookfield Homes Frisbees, so drop by and say hi!

Brookfield Homes to Launch Another Great Community Close to Pathways

Are you a Pathways homeowner who has a friend or relative looking for a new home? Or maybe you are interested in the community, but haven’t decided yet whether you should purchase a home here.

Either way, you might be interested in our Fieldstone community, coming this fall to Mono, near Orangeville and just north of Caledon.

Fieldstone will feature grand estate-style homes in a beautiful natural community with unique enclaves. View the neighbourhood amenities here and consider registering — it might just be the perfect community for you and your family.

Fieldstone is located north of Caledon, a short drive away from Brampton
and Toronto which is convenient for commuters.

Also, if you’re on Facebook, you might want to “like” Brookfield Homes’ corporate page. This is a great way to get benefits like:

• Staying updated about future communities,
• Participating in fun sweepstakes like the current iPad sweepstake,
• Meeting future neighbours, and
• Referring a friend, which will allow you to make $500 when they buy and move into a Brookfield Home

Questions? Comments? We look forward to hearing from you!

Father’s Day at Pathways

With Father’s Day just around the corner, it’s probably a good idea to begin planning what you’ll be doing on Sunday.

Thanks to Caledon Day, which is taking place this Saturday, you’ll have plenty to do the day before, whether you want to take your father to the Caledon Cruise-In Car Show, end the night with music by Canadian rock star Kim Mitchell, or take the little ones to the Kid Zone (which Brookfield Homes is proudly sponsoring).

Having this many activities available to you just the day before is great, but it also means you and your family might just want to spend a relaxed Father’s Day in the company of your dad or the father of your children.

One option is to have dinner or lunch at the nearby Royal Ambassador. Another is to relax and have fun with a family BBQ. The following recipe is easy to make and brims with smoky goodness.

Grilled Marinated Flank Steak (serves 4 to 6) 

Ingredients 

• 1 whole flank steak (trimmed) (You can substitute skirt steak) 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (Or use shallots for variety) 
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 
• 1/4 cup soy sauce 
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 
• salt and pepper to taste 

Mix everything but the steak into a large freezer bag, seal it, and shake it. Open the bag, put the steak inside and reseal while squeezing out as much air as you can. Refrigerate for a least a few hours.

Take the bag out one hour before grilling. Preheat the grill, pour the marinade into a bowl, and pat the steak dry. Season with a generous amount of salt and pepper and place on the grill. Cook over high direct heat for about 5 minutes if you like medium rare. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil, letting it rest for 10 minutes before you slice it thinly across the grain. Serve with the boiled marinade.

Happy Father’s Day!

Exciting June Events in Caledon

Although the entire family will have plenty of reasons to enjoy
Caledon Day, kids will especially be sure to love it.

You may have noticed it. Kids just seem to become more playful. People smile easily as they enjoy the longer days and warmer temperatures. It’s the beginning of summer. It’s part of what makes June an exciting month.

Even more exciting is June in Caledon and surrounding areas. Just tomorrow, the Wines of the World event will take place. Two lucky fans of our Facebook page and their guests will spend a full evening tasting wines and sampling cheeses, hors d’oeuvres, and delicious treats — all because they won our Wines of the World Facebook sweepstake.

What’s more, Brookfield Homes will have a booth at Wines of the World, where they will be doing a draw for a free wine gift basket. If you decide to come out, be sure to say hi!

Next on the calendar 

This weekend, we’ll be at the Caledon Fair, where we’ll raffle off dinner for two at the Royal Ambassador. The Caledon Fair is one of the oldest annual fairs in southern Ontario and draws spectators from Caledon and also from Orangeville, Erin, King and Brampton.

On June 16th, the ever-popular Caledon Day will take place from 2 pm to 10 pm and we’ll have a booth set up there.

Caledon Day takes place right across the street from our Presentation Centre, so if you haven’t seen our designer-decorated model homes yet, you can take a stroll over and check them out.

The highlight of the event is the Kid Zone, which we’re proudly co-sponsoring. It will entertain children with interactive games, puppet shows, spooky masks, a hula-hoop challenge, characters like Clifford and Curious George, a Bouncy Castle, and much more. We’d love to see your family there!

That’s not all, though —among the other day’s highlights are:

• A Taylor Swift tribute to start the afternoon, with New Hollywood taking over in the evening and Canadian rock star Kim Mitchell as the grand finale before the fireworks 
• The Rotary Club of Bolton will offer domestic beer, wines and coolers at the Beer Garden adjacent to the stage 
• The Caledon Cruise-In Car Show will be there, now including motorcycles 
• The Ontario Provincial Tournament Round Cup will take place, hosted by the Caledon Soccer Club 
• A showcase of costumes, dances and rituals from around the world including the Claymore School of Highland Dance, the Bellydance Dance Troupe and Folklore Music 
• A disc-throwing clinic for junior handlers and a demonstration of the dog's amazing abilities, and more.  

Are you coming to Caledon Day? We look forward to seeing you there!

Pathways’ One-Year Anniversary Party

Last Sunday, we celebrated our 1-year anniversary the best way we could think of — in the company of Pathways homeowners, registrants and friends.

The celebration included a BBQ and family-friendly activities. We also raffled off a few prizes, like two pairs of tickets to the Wines of the World event taking place on June 8. (By the way, congratulations to the lucky winners John and Judy Pesce and Alan and Anna Smales!)

As the images below show, both kids and adults had a lot of fun. It was a great event and we’re already looking forward to our 2-year anniversary.

If you’d like to view more images, view our Facebook gallery here.

If you attended our event, we’d love to hear from you — what you did you like best about it? Anything you’d prefer to see at our next event? Let us know!

Don’t Miss Pathways’ Raffles and Sweepstakes

Two weeks from today, at 6 pm on June 8, the Wines of the World event will take place at the Caledon Equestrian Park on Pine Avenue in the village of Palgrave, a 14-minute drive from Pathways.

If an evening spent tasting wine, cheeses, hors d’oeuvres, chocolate, and other treats sounds appealing to you, this event is simply a must-go.

What’s more, Brookfield Homes will have a booth at the event, where we’ll be doing a draw for a free wine basket.

It gets better — we’re currently giving away two free pairs of tickets on our Facebook page (an $80 value per pair). All you have to do for a chance to win is leave a quick comment telling us what your favourite meal is. 

Hurry, though— the sweepstake ends on Tuesday, May 29! 

Alternatively, we’ll be giving away yet another two pairs of tickets to Wines of the World at our 1-Year Anniversary Party this Sunday at the Pathways Presentation Centre, so you now have one more reason to drop by, in addition to our BBQ, a host of family-friendly activities like face painting and balloon animals, and a draw for a gift certificate for the Millcroft Inn & Spa. 

We look forward to seeing you at Wines of the World and this Sunday at our Presentation Centre!

Celebrate with Pathways!

Summer is the season of BBQs. What better way to kick off the season than with a BBQ party to celebrate the 1-year anniversary of Pathways in Caledon East?

Come out to Pathways’ Presentation Centre and celebrate with us next Sunday, May 27th. Bring along the kids too, because Belly Button the Clown will be there to do face paintings and give out balloon animals.

With free food, family fun, and hopefully amazing weather, you can also look forward to a draw for a gift certificate for the Millcroft Inn & Spa.

Take this opportunity to also explore and visit our two new designer-decorated model homes. Get some inspiration on how to decorate your future home and at the same time, see for yourself what living at Pathways is all about.

Come out to enjoy the sun, grilled food, and to meet your potential new neighbours. Mark the date now! Next Sunday, May 27th starting from 12 noon and going until 3 pm.

See you soon at the Presentation Centre!

What: Pathways in Caledon East’s 1-Year Anniversary BBQ Party
When: Sunday, May 27th 12 noon – 3 pm
Where: Pathways’ Presentation Centre Across the street from Town Hall (6311 Old Church Rd, Caledon, ON L7C 1J6) 905-584-2225

Local Mother’s Day Events

While your children bring you boundless joy and happiness, it's great
to have one day when mothers are truly recognized and appreciated. 

Mother’s Day is almost here, and while a cozy family brunch (or breakfast in bed!) is often a great way to celebrate, sometimes it’s also good to go out and do something unexpected.

For example, Palgrave United Church will host a Mother’s Day Plant and Bake Sale on Saturday from 8 am to noon. You’ll be able to get annuals, perennials, and hanging baskets. There will also be a BBQ Bacon on a Bun Breakfast. (Palgrave United Church is at 34 Pine Avenue, in Caledon, a 13-minute drive from Pathways.)

From noon to 3 pm on Sunday, Downey’s Farm Market will host an event called Mother’s Day Tea, complete with a strawberry custard tart, cookies for the little ones, and clay pot painting. (There is a $10 fee.) Downey’s Farm is located at 13682 Heart Lake Road, Caledon, a 16-minute drive from Pathways.

What are your Mother’s Day plans? We’d love to hear about them, especially if this is your first Mother’s Day at Pathways!

Don’t Miss This Family-Friendly Event Across the Street From Pathways

We’ve often mentioned the fact that the Caledon Community Complex is just across the street from Pathways. Besides arts classes, hockey, and other sports, great events are often hosted there, which puts a wide array of entertainment options right at the doorstep.

This Sunday at 2 pm for example, the Caledon Concert Band will perform the Sounds of Spring with the Allan Drive Middle School Jazz Band as special guests.

Exposing your children to music may pay off later on. 

With admission costing only $10 for adults and nothing for children 12 and under, this is a fun, inexpensive activity for the family — and it’s just at your doorstep.

(If you’re not familiar with the Caledon Concert Band, this blog post offers a brief introduction.)

Do you have any plans for the weekend? Remember that our Presentation Centre is open from 11 am to 6 pm, so come pay us a visit! Even if you’re already a homeowner, we’re always there for a coffee and a chat.

What: Sounds of Spring concert
When: Sunday, May 6, 2012
Where: Caledon Community Complex, 6215 Old Church Road, Caledon East (just across the street from Pathways)

Introducing: Our New Designer-Decorated Models!

Did you miss our model home opening earlier this month? Drop by and visit them this weekend, or take a peek below!

Indeed, whether you’re already a Pathways homeowner or are considering becoming one, a visit to our two stunning designer-decorated model homes will give you a vision of your future life and home that drawings and photos just can’t convey.

The exceptional designs come to life as you walk through the models, seeing how the floor plans are perfect for today’s busy families. Get inspired by the décor choices made by our professional interior designer. Can you imagine yourself living here?

If you’re moving to Pathways soon, you’ll no doubt be excited to see this sample of your future new home. And if you haven’t purchased a Pathways home yet, seeing one in person, both inside and outside, should help you reach a decision.

Modern art, an elegant fireplace, colourful vases, and books
displayed in a different manner make this sun-filled room stand out.

A great home for your family — like all Pathways homes. 

Michelle, Danielle, Rose and Robert check out a Pathways kitchen.

Brookfield Homes’ VP of Sales & Marketing Marc Thibault cuts the
ribbon with Regional Councillor Patti Foley, Caledon Mayor Marolyn
Morrison, and Regional Councillor Richard Whitehead.

The model homes are the Peridot and the Crystal, both of which are 50 ft. designs and can be viewed here along with all our other designs.

Want to see more images? Visit our Facebook gallery.

Questions? Comments? Post them below, or contact our Presentation Centre at 905-584-2225 or pathways@brookfieldhomes.ca (open Mondays through Thursdays from 1 pm to 7 pm and on the weekends from 11 am to 6 pm).

On a different note, the BILD Awards will be announced tonight. We’re nominated for Project of the Year (as well as several marketing awards). Wish us luck!

Caledon Home Show is This Weekend!

This weekend, Caledon will be home to the 2012 edition of the Caledon Home Show.

Besides supporting the Caledon Chamber of Commerce’s programs and services with its proceeds, this popular event features live entertainment in addition to exhibitors, so everyone in the family will have something to enjoy.

We’ll be having a raffle at the Home Show for a $150 gift card for the beautiful Millcroft Inn & Spa. If you win, you can use the gift card for the spa, restaurant, or simply to stay in the Inn. So make sure you enter our raffle!

What are your plans for this weekend? Will we see you at the Show?

What: Caledon Home Show
Where: Albion Bolton Community Centre
When: Friday, April 20 (4 pm – 9 pm), Saturday, April 21 (10 am – 6 pm), and Sunday, April 22 (from 10 am).

Designer-Decorated Model Homes Open Tomorrow!

We’re happy to claim a stake in two of the most exciting events taking place this weekend in Caledon East.

First, we’re opening two new designer-decorated model homes tomorrow at 2 pm. You can come visit the Crystal and Peridot models to see what a Brookfield Home is like in person and get a feel for the quality and design. Get inspired by the beautiful open concept layouts and stylish decor, and you’ll be picturing yourself living here in no time!

We’re so excited about this, we’re offering a special discount, valid this weekend only: purchase a 50- or 60-ft home on one of the specified homesites*, and you’ll get $5,000 worth of free Dream Dollars to use at our Inspiration Studio. Just print this post and show the coupon below to our staff:

Second, we’ll be taking part in the Spring Masquerade Gala at 5:30 pm at the Royal Ambassador, a mere 4-minute drive from Pathways. The best part? Some of our homeowners and Facebook fans will be there.

Thanks to the sweepstake we held this week, they and their guests will enjoy a four-course dinner, open bar, dancing, live music, door prizes, and both silent and live auctions — all for free.

Whether you’re curious about our new model homes, wish to purchase a Pathways home, or are partying with us later, we’re looking forward to seeing you this Saturday!

What
New Model Homes Grand Unveiling

When 
Saturday, April 14th, 2 pm

Where 
Pathways Presentation Centre, on Atchison Drive, right across the street from Town Hall (6311 Old Church Road, Caledon East, L7C 1J6)

*Homesites 54-62, 100-102

Local Family-Friendly Activities Are Plentiful This Spring

One of the best things about spring is that it gives you a perfect setting to spend more time with your loved ones, engaging in all sorts of fun activities.

Last weekend, we held a Spring Celebration event at our Presentation Centre, complete with an egg hunt, light snacks, face painting, and balloon animals. (You can view event images here.)

In the same family-friendly spirit, we’re pleased to report that the Caledon Public Library’s Family Time program has started this week at the Caledon East branch, just across the street from Pathways.

Whether you have a baby, toddler, or older kids up to 6 years old, you’re sure to have a fantastic time with them, thanks to the program’s array of stories, rhymes, and songs.

That’s not all — this Saturday, Downey’s Farm will host its own egg hunt, as well as a magic show with Steve Baker, puppets, face-painting, wagon rides, and more.

The farm is located at 13682 Heart Lake Road, a mere 15-minute drive from Pathways, and tickets cost $11.

When it comes to your family, what are you looking forward the most this spring?

A Lively Weekend at Pathways

This weekend, there’s lots going on at the Pathways Presentation Centre.

First, our hugely popular 40-ft designs, which were until recently sold out, will become available once again. They are now available on generous 50-ft homesites, which makes them even more desirable, and include:

• 9’ ceilings
• hardwood floors
• granite countertops
• kitchen islands
• gas fireplaces
• premium landscaping packages,
• and more

So if you’ve been considering joining the Pathways community, this would be an excellent time to do so.

The Sandstone is one of several beautiful 40-ft Patwhays home designs. 

Already own a Pathways home? Perhaps a friend would like to live here. Use the “I Love My Brookfield Home” Referral Program to make $500, while you give your friend free bonus upgrades. What’s more, this program is very easy to use, whether you’re on Facebook or prefer doing it in person (see our website for details).

Our second exciting weekend event has to do with spring. At 2pm this Sunday April 1st, we’re hosting a Spring Celebration, featuring an egg hunt, Belly Button the Clown, face painting, balloon animals, and more, including light snacks.

We look forward to seeing you and your family this weekend!

Note: the Pathways Presentation Centre is located on Atchison Drive, right across the street from Town Hall (6311 Old Church Road, Caledon East, L7C 1J6)

Get Inspired With Our Model Homes, Coming Soon!

We have always done our best to provide our homebuyers with as much information and inspiration as possible.

That’s why, in addition to our website, we have a community Facebook page, a corporate Facebook page, and of course this blog.

In the same spirit, it pleases us to announce that our two new designer-decorated model homes will open at 2 pm on Saturday, April 14th. 

These model homes will show you just how beautiful a Pathways home can be — and we’re so excited to be opening them up to the public!

So whether you’ve already bought a home at Pathways or not, visit us on April 14th to experience the quality craftsmanship and beautiful attention to detail of a Brookfield home in person.

What 

Model Homes Opening at Pathways in Caledon East

When 

Saturday, April 14 (2 pm)

Where

Pathways Presentation Centre, on Atchison Drive, right across the street from Town Hall (6311 Old Church Road, Caledon East, L7C 1J6)