GABLE 41

For those whose weeks revolve around Winnipeg, the journey offers a manageable change of pace. Approximately 80 minutes from the city, depending on departure point and conditions, the house is close enough for a spontaneous weekend and equipped for a much longer stay. Year-round access makes that relationship possible through every season.

Inside, the roof opens into a living room with a ceiling rising approximately twenty feet. The height lends generosity to the gathering space, while the wood-burning fireplace gives it a more intimate centre. As daylight recedes, the room’s focus shifts towards the hearth: the movement of flame, the sound of burning wood, the pleasure of settling in after time outdoors.

The kitchen and dining room sit across the hall from the fire, a second place to gather. One group can cook and talk around the island while another settles in by the hearth. It is a layout that accommodates the small rituals of being together: a long breakfast, another pot of coffee, dinner assembled gradually while someone sets the table.

Three private bedrooms provide places to withdraw, while the treetop loft offers another perspective within the house. That balance between gathering and privacy matters. A home shared with family or friends feels more comfortable when there is room both for company and for a quiet hour alone.

The sauna and hot tub extend the experience beyond the interior. Their appeal changes with the weather. An autumn sauna might follow a day around the lakes; a winter soak brings warmth into sharp contrast with the cold air. Returning indoors to the fireplace completes a sequence that is simple, physical and deeply restorative.

There is a practical foundation beneath that sense of ease. A heat pump provides heating and cooling, and an energy recovery ventilator supports fresh-air exchange while recovering energy from the outgoing air. Smart humidity sensors help monitor changing indoor conditions. The drilled well is another valuable part of the home’s infrastructure. It tested at about 40 imperial gallons (180 litres) per minute, enough for a full house of family and friends and for watering the whole lot every day.

Attention to the electrical system and mechanical equipment carries the same intention through the less visible parts of the house. These are details that shape the experience of living here: comfortable rooms, functioning amenities and systems that support use throughout Manitoba’s changing seasons.

The last three hydro bills, August to October 2026, came to 614 to 788 kWh a month, about $71 to $88 before tax, with the sauna and hot tub kept hot throughout. The heat pump has been in service since April 2026, so a full winter on it has not yet been metered.

Outside, completed landscaping creates a finished setting with straightforward upkeep. Time here can be given to the surroundings, with Falcon Lake and West Hawk Lake nearby and Lake of the Woods within reach for a day’s outing.

Yet the house also makes staying in feel like a complete day. Light moves through the living space. A meal takes shape in the kitchen. The sauna warms, and someone brings in wood for the evening.

Over a weekend, those ordinary acts begin to set their own pace. The city remains within reach; for a while, the next thing on the calendar can wait.