Lifestyle(Archives)
The Oil Barons Dream Home
It would take up all the space available to name every single person and business who came together to build the Oil Barons dream home. Over 40 companies, countless volunteers and immeasurable hours went into this mansion in Eagle Ridge. And what a mansion it is. It stands out in a suburb of new expensive homes up on the hill above Fort McMurray, Southfork-like in its grandeur. Here is just a sample of what to expect.
The ensuite shower is almost large enough for the Oil Barons starting lineup, the mudroom is bigger than many apartment bedrooms while the basement entertainment area would easily cater for a victory party. Elsewhere the garage is designed for two trucks… plus the requisite Fort McMurray toys: Polaris 4X4, V-twin motorbike, Seadoo, Skidoo, five toolboxes and twelve cartons of Christmas decorations. And then there are the little details. State of the art is a term bandied about all too easily, but take a look at the kitchen appliances, the bathroom fittings, doors, walls, tiles, carpets, lights, décor, built-in vacuum… as I said, there isn’t enough room to name it all, but the state of it is indeed artistic, as well as functional and inspiring.
Local builders Cherrywood Homes and Casman Construction served as the leads for this grandiose project. Jordan Pipitone, spokesperson for the team, told us, “A project of this magnitude cannot be successful without the hard work, dedication, and last but not least, sponsorship from local businesses. Cherrywood/Casman was overwhelmed with the amount of donations that we received for the Oil Baron’s Dream Home. Every sponsorship made the dream home what it is.”
Much of the luxuriousness of the home is down to the quality of the finish and Romeo’s Flooring and Stone can take their share of the credit. The floors are temple-like in their grandeur, the tiling sumptuous and the kitchen so perfect that it is really a chef’s dream workplace.
Indeed it is hard to single out a few of the donors among so many, but The Final Touch also deserve mention. Their unique style enhances the quality build effortlessly, and one room of particular interest is the study, which has a desk that is a feature all on its own. You’ll buy a ticket just to have a chance to sit behind that for the rest of your life.
In addition to the big prize of the dream home, there are over a hundred others including two vehicles, five $10K cash prizes, two off-road 4X4s and electronic gadgets galore. It is the single largest competition of its kind in YMM, and the money raised goes to one of the most successful franchises in the AJHL.
So why do they all volunteer? Hockey is at the core of who we are as Canadians. It defines our spirit and our community and many of the Oil Barons alumni go on to successful careers in the game. More importantly many more of them go on to have successful careers outside of hockey, taking the opportunity they have as an elite hockey player and translating those skills into meaningful jobs and lives.
And that’s the point, that’s why so many people volunteer for this huge fundraising event every year. It’s not about having a successful team so much as giving the players the opportunity to find their own success. Which is pretty much the definition of what a community is.
The Oil Barons Dream Home lottery - defining a community.
