Editor's Note
This editor’s note highlights the key facts and market implications behind “Rebranding: Homebuilder Tamarack Launches New Sh”, with emphasis on sourcing, product fit, fabrication, logistics, or buyer impact.
Homebuilder Tamarack Homes has opened new show homes at two of its Ottawa developments, Findlay Creek Village and Meadows, as part of a rebranding effort that has drawn widespread attention.
Megan Van Rijt, the company's sales manager, said the adjustments coincide with a leadership transition at Tamarack. Last fall, Michelle Taggart and Steve Parkes took over as co-presidents from their predecessors, marking the third generation of family leadership. Van Rijt and marketing manager Christie Shayler are also newly appointed executives, bringing fresh energy to the long-established builder.
Although the show homes were planned before the leadership handover, it was the new team that saw them through to completion.
"It's a really exciting time for everyone," Shayler said, citing changes to the Tamarack brand and logo, upgrades to sales centers in Ottawa and Kingston, and the introduction of new home models. "We are in a growth phase."
Show Homes in Findlay Creek
In the Findlay Creek Village community in south Ottawa, four new townhouse show homes have been added to the existing four detached show homes, designed by interior designer Sarah Taggart. They replace four townhouse show homes that opened in 2022.
The popularity of townhouses and shifting buyer preferences led to the introduction of new townhouse models in the community. Van Rijt noted that the existing detached show homes have held up well and needed no renovation, saying, "You can't tell they were built four years ago."
The four new townhouse show homes represent Tamarack's most popular models: two end units (Harmony and Camden), the smallest model (Abbey), and a middle unit with a mudroom (Samira).
"We wanted them to be classic, fresh, vibrant, and attainable, meaning people can walk in and not feel like they can't afford it because of too many upgrades, or that the sofa doesn't look comfortable," Van Rijt said.
Shayler said the show homes are also designed to let buyers see how the homes look with different upgrade levels. For example, the Harmony show home features the most upgrades for reference, while subsequent show homes have progressively fewer. Van Rijt added that the smallest show home, the Abbey model, has almost no upgrades, aiming to show first-time buyers the quality they can get at a lower price.
"The townhouse show homes opened in February, and the feedback has been very positive. People love the models and designs, and they're happy to see all the options available," Shayler said.
Van Rijt said the target buyers for these homes are first-time buyers, professionals, and young families, who are also the main purchasers.
Key features of Tamarack townhouses, reflected in the show homes, include finished basements, 9-foot ceilings on the main floor, quartz countertops, hardwood floors on the main floor, heat recovery ventilators, and smooth ceilings. Van Rijt said the homes are also Energy Star certified, allowing buyers to apply for a 35-year green mortgage through RBC.
Findlay Creek Village, launched in 2002, now has about 3,800 homes built by Tamarack and its sister company Tartan Homes, with about 500 more to be built.
Show Homes in Meadows
In the Meadows community in Ottawa's Barrhaven area, which has been under development for 15 years, two new detached show homes have revitalized the sales center.
The St. James model, on a 44-foot-wide lot, is one of Tamarack's largest and best-selling models. The show home showcases options such as a main-floor guest suite (a design increasingly favored by builders) and a finished basement with a bedroom and bathroom, allowing the home to have six bedrooms. With the finished basement, the living area reaches 4,300 square feet. "It's a big, beautiful home," Van Rijt said.
Designed by Anna Riopelle, who works for both Tamarack and Tartan, the model blends traditional elements with modern farmhouse style. She said she prioritized comfort, natural light, and a simpler aesthetic.
The other model is the Payton II on a 38-foot-wide lot, a four-bedroom home just over 3,100 square feet. While it can be optioned with a main-floor guest suite, the show home displays the standard layout, featuring a living room (complementing a large family room at the rear), a powder room, and a larger mudroom instead of the guest suite.
Like the townhouses, these detached homes are Energy Star certified. They also include features such as higher basement ceilings, walk-in closets in the mudroom, double sinks in the ensuite bathroom, 9-foot ceilings on the main floor, gas fireplaces, heat recovery ventilators, smooth ceilings, quartz countertops, and hardwood floors on the main floor.
Sales for new homes in the Meadows community began on April 25. Van Rijt said the community, launched in 2011, has about 900 of its planned 1,100 homes built.
For details on visiting the new show homes at Findlay Creek Village and Meadows, visit https://tamarackhomes.com/ .
Source: Read the original article | Published: May 10, 2026