Evergreen Home and Cottage, for one.
Cedar Glen
I’ve always liked research. When I was in school, I always liked getting projects or essays – assignment that would take me into the library, digging through books and papers to find that elusive quote or statistic that would tie everything together. I look at this blog as an on-going research assignment. I’ve been discovering lots of information about Bethany and there is tons more out there, about the businesses and people that make the village of Bethany into a community. I hope to be a resource for those doing their own research if they are looking to make a move into the area.
For this post, I thought I would look into one of the builders who are offering the new homes in Bethany Village.
Evergreen Home and Cottage is a custom home and cottage builder/renovator. Owned and operated by Randy and Cathy Burke. They decided to open their own construction business in 2000 after
The Maples
returning to Canada from volunteering in West Africa and now have a staff of between 12 and 20, depending on the time of the year.
Oak Ridge
There are two things I found very impressive about Evergreen – other than the really nice houses they build. (I’ve included pictures!) The first thing is how they offer cost-effective design solutions for people with physical disabilities, so that they can work and live more independently. Evergreen Accessibility began in response to the aging population in Canada with the realization that many will need modifications to their homes in order to remain comfortable and safe. They have worked with architectural firms specializing in accessible construction as well as client-requested work. Randy was a committee member with the Canadian Home Builders Association on their Accessibility Roundtable and in 2008, Evergreen won the City of Kawartha Lakes Accessibility Award for Excellence in Design. The services they provide are intended to provide solutions for people who require improved access in a workplace, home, or cottage setting. Since Jeff works quite a bit with clients with mobility challenges, I thought having a builder in Bethany who is able to focus on helping their clients achieve greater accessibility in their homes and cottages is a great fit.
The other fact about Evergreen is that their sister company, Evergreen Power, has been designing and installing renewable energy systems since 2006 – solar photovoltaic systems. Their N.E.W (Natural Energy Worldwide)
Randy and Cathy Burke
project was launched in recognition of Randy and Cathy’s concern for the underprivileged in our world today and their sincere desire to give back where it is needed most.
Cathy told me about how in their time overseas, they encountered great poverty and difficult conditions which inspired their charitable attitude and their hope to help improve the lives of others less fortunate. Along with offering PV systems to cottage customers who are located far from existing power lines, Evergreen was also awarded a contract to design and install 10 kW grid-tied PV systems on 14 schools across the province. They also donated Solar PV Microfit and Solar thermal systems in the Community Care facility in Lindsay.
And not only that, but Evergreen Power COO Tim Burke will be fulfilling the company’s desire to give back when he travels to Haiti to install a PV system in a new school in the earthquake affected zone. The photovoltaic system was designed to power lights, computers and other basic amenities for the remote village of Embouchure, allowing the students to study at night, which will be particularly important for the girls, since they help provide food for their families during the day for their families.
Not only do Evergreen build beautiful, comfortable homes, but they care about the planet as well. Randy Burke is co-chair of the 2012 United Way campaign in Kawartha Lakes. The company’s focus on
Hilltop View
energy conservation and green building technology is a core value of Evergreen Home and Cottage.
Exceptional client experience – on budget, on time – is the motto for Evergreen.
Check out the Bethany Village website for more pictures and floor plans of their homes.
Bethany Ontario 