It's not about Costco: Why Rick Green is among first to move into Galway
First residents of Danny Williams's Galway development set to move in this spring
Rick Green is on track to become one of Newfoundland's first Galwegians but he's not moving to Danny Williams's St. John's mega-development for the weather or the shopping.
"This is a beautiful, beautiful area. The environment around here is exceptional," said Green, who expects to move into his new home in Galway in March.
We get an opportunity to see it develop and grow over the long term.- Rick Green
"When I look out the window here I see the trees and the sky. When I walked the streets and the pathways, I said 'Wow, this is a place I want to live.'"
It's been seven years since former Newfoundland and Labrador premier, Danny Williams, announced plans to build a 2400-acre community on the outskirts of St. John's.
The city's largest-ever subdivision is expected to one day include 5,000 residential units, including houses, townhouses, apartments and condos.
Critics have called it Dannyland or Afdanistan and scoffed that it will never happen.
But now, a handful of people are getting ready to call Galway "home." Green could be the first resident.
"It's exciting. We get an opportunity to see it develop and grow over the long term," he said.
Costco not the attraction
It's impossible to talk about Galway without mentioning Costco. When news broke that the popular retailer was moving from the east end of St. John's, it sparked a flurry of reaction — both good and bad.
But Green, 61, says he didn't move back to Newfoundland for the shopping.
Having grown up in St. John's, he's lived and worked in many parts of the world with the CHC Helicopter Corporation, spending 10 years in British Columbia.
"Newfoundland is a different environment. The people are different. Much more friendly I think," said Green.
"But what they are creating here is very similar to the planned communities I experienced in British Columbia. So Costco isn't a big attraction for me."
That may not be the case for everyone. For those looking forward to shopping at the new store, construction crews are busy preparing a large site for what is expected to be one of the biggest Costcos in Atlantic Canada
Might not be last stop
He and his wife, Cynthia, are keen to move in but having lived in more than half-a-dozen new homes over the years, Green jokes that Galway may not be his last stop.
"The fruits of all my labour turns out to be building this last house, as my wife says. I think it's probably my second-last one."
So, Where will his last house be?
"I'm not sure. It all depends on who's got the vision and the community that I may want to buy into in the future."
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