A late-March flurry of snow approaches the village, glimmering in the spring light. It’s the type of weather you’d be unfortunate to catch yourself in, but from Rae Nixon’s home in Burfield Heights, with soft music and lively conversation playing out, the view adds to the homey atmosphere.
Looking up from the main road at the Peaks West complex, it’s difficult to spot the Burfield Heights multiplex perched on the hill between the firehall and the Burfield Chairlift – much of the area has seen significant residential and commercial growth in recent years. But to long-time locals like Nixon and Roger Bourbonnais, this unsuspecting development of 34 units is not only the centre of their community, but the very start of the Sun Peaks we all know today.
“Originally, the only development that was in the resort when [Sun Peaks Resort LLP was] purchased was the Burfield Heights development. And then Burfield Drive, which was at the time called Bill Watson Road,” chief of development & infrastructure, Peter Nixon said.
“There wasn’t much here at the beginning. I think I estimated there were maybe 150 beds in the resort.”
After the completion of the Burfield Lodge and the five accompanying A-frame cabins located at the back of the property, the Tod Mountain Ski Village Ltd. needed an additional solution to house long-term guests on the mountain. In 1968, the first sixplex of Burfield Heights was constructed and fully furnished as a motel.
This solution didn’t last long, however. In 1971, facing financial difficulties, the mountain ownership stratified the original units of Burfield Heights and sold them as private units. Rae and her husband Lloyd Nixon were the first to buy.
Standing now in Nixon’s stunning home of ample lighting, a modern kitchen and comfortable decor encompassing her seating room, it’s hard to imagine the original version of these 660 square foot homes, complete with 70s orange hues, wood paneling and an acorn fireplace.
When talking about those early days in Burfield Heights, Rae describes a makeshift kitchen, with a small fridge and virtually no counter space to speak of.
“It’s just a two bedroom, and it was very very primitive,” she said. Burlap rug covered the floors and there was little space to host the abundance of friends and family who had come to ski.
“It wasn’t uncommon for my husband and I to have four adults and six kids staying here. And that’s what we did at that time. Because that’s all we had,” Rae said.
Roger Bourbonnais was the second owner of his unit, purchased in 1979.
“I bought in December… Skied down the hill, put a deposit on here and never looked back,” Bourbonnais stated. “When I bought this place… we’d have to chase the cows away to get to the front door.”
“My wife walked in here and she cried. It was brutal,” he laughed. “[The units] were indoor-outdoor carpeting. They were all panelling. In summer 1980 I started remodeling and I’ve been remodeling ever since.”
Bourbonnais has completed four major renovations over the 46 years he’s called Burfield Heights home.
The original two bedrooms and bathroom were replaced by a loft and spacious seating area, with nothing but CBC Radio for entertainment. A basement was later dug out by hand, opening up space for bunk beds shared by his grandchildren. The last stage, completed by a contractor, added an en suite and ski entrance.
“It’s unbelievable what I’ve done. I’ve got five levels. It just keeps going going going,” Bourbonnais marveled.
Most of the units in Burfield Heights have undergone similar remodels through the years, from “cowboy” renovations in the early days to more recent projects approved through building permits
“These are our treasured homes. We spend a lot of time up here,” Rae said. While many Burfield Heights residents split their year living between Sun Peaks and Kamloops, there’s no imbalance of admiration to be found.
Residential development would continue to progress in the village, expanding to the version of Sun Peaks we see today. But a unique atmosphere of community spirit remains at Burfield Heights, shared between the 34 units, many of which are still occupied by families of those first residents.
Birthday parties quickly become community events, Strata meetings are neighbourly chats over coffee, and the same owners who watched their own children grow up in Burfield are now watching the next generation of kids learning to ski.
“We look after our own,” Bourbonnais said. “For the first 14 years, we were the only people on the mountain.”
Over the course of their residency, much has changed on the mountain. Bourbonnais no longer has to chase roaming cattle away from his front door. But what remains is a strong sense of community and interconnection. Burfield Heights is more than just an origin story for Sun Peaks. For those lucky enough, it’s truly a place to call home.
This story was featured in SPIN’s Home Issue. To read more from this print edition, visit our archives.
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