Canada's healthiest, happiest and most-active community

ARIVA's vision is both exquisitely simple and incredibly complex.

"We're simply building ARIVA to be the healthiest, happiest and most active community in Canada," said Barry Johnson, who is developing the luxury, lakeview condominium estate in West Kelowna with his son, Kevin.

"We're also having 700 different aspects of the community measured and have been pre-certified by the International WELL Building Institute. We're on track for ARIVA to be the first platinum WELL-certified community in Canada," added Kevin.

"It's all about incorporating people's health and wellbeing into the development."

The elements measured fall under 10 concepts -- air, water, light, mind, materials, sounds, movement, nourishment, thermal comfort and community.

As such, it includes everything from how air is purified and the quality of water that comes out of the tap to how ARIVA promotes residents' physical-and-mental health and sense of community.

With WELL certification, ARIVA will be keeping good company.

Currently, 30,000 like-minded projects in 98 countries are applying for WELL certification.

The four-office-tower Bentall Centre in downtown Vancouver that sits atop a mall is the only BC project with certification.

And the likes of Yankee Stadium, American Savings Bank and Montage Hotels & Resorts have WELL certification in their categories.

ARIVA racked up a lot of WELL pre-certification points for its under-construction Social Hub, which includes the pool, fitness centre, bistro, wine bar, lounge, pickleball courts, barbecue area, outdoor dining pavilion, co-lab work spaces, dog wash, amphitheatre, community gardens, terrace, fire pit and e-bike fleet.

"People will get to know their neighbours at the Social Hub," said Barry.

"We also have an activities coordinator, a director of fun, who will also act as a catalyst for residents to other people by organizing bocce ball tournaments, pickleball league, cooking, art and music classes, wine tastings and wine tours, gardening club and shuttles to restaurants."

In fact, the neighbourhood bonding will start before phase one is even complete in the spring with a reception next month at Mission Hill Winery for the people who've already purchased condos.

WELL points were also gained for ARIVA's spectacular, 12.5-acres natural setting on the Westside overlooking Okanagan Lake just north of the Bennett Bridge at 1770 Old Ferry Wharf Road.

In all, ARIVA will have over 200 condominiums in five, 6-storey buildings completed in four phases to the spring of 2024.

The first phase of Social Hub and 37 condominiums in building one will be complete in March.

The condos in phase one are all spoken for and phase two's 42 condos are being sold right now at prices starting from $549,900 for a one-bedroom unit and $724,000 for a two-bedroom.

The units are spacious, stylishly finished and light-drenched thanks to the sliding-glass walls to generous terraces.

"ARIVA's signature element is definitely the outdoor living rooms," said Barry.

"They are big enough for a barbecue, dining table for six and sitting area with outdoor fireplace. It's the ultimate creation of indoor-outdoor space."

Check out ARIVAKelowna.ca.