Dennis and Jeannine Ready believe having fun is a very important aspect of life. With this in mind, the couple decided to sell their large four bedroom home in the Fraser Valley and pre-purchase a two bedroom condominium in Concord Pacific's Aquarius II. "We're planning on having a lot of fun in our pre-retirement and retirement years," explains Jeannine, a busy health care worker in the Fraser Valley. "When we're working, we work hard, but on our days off, play is definitely our focus. It helps keep us young at heart."

  When the Readys, both 40 plus, move to their new home in two years, they will have a lot more time for the leisure and cultural pursuits they enjoy. By then, their three children will have left home, leaving the Readys empty-nesters for the first time. "We've done our job raising our children," explains Dennis, a comptroller in the forest industry. "Now it's our turn."

  Though they are looking forward to their freedom, the Readys decided to purchase a two bedroom home for a specific reason. "We wanted our kids to have a bedroom here so they can visit us anytime," says Dennis. "We'll probably see more of them when we're living downtown."

  Excited about the varied attractions of downtown Vancouver, the Readys plan to purchase season tickets to the Grizzlies' games. "We can walk to BC Place and GM Place," says Dennis. Once retired, both want to sell their cars and rely on transit and walking. "Everyone will still be leaving the parking lot after the games and we'll be at home already tucking ourselves into bed."

  In addition to sporting events, the Readys have a passion for ethnic food and festivals. Both Dennis and Jeannine have lived and worked in other urban environments and are excited about returning to an area with mixed demographics. "We like the variety of personalities and nationalities," says Jeannine, who has driven into Vancouver for the past five years to attend the Chinese New Year celebrations. "We enjoy eating out and then strolling through downtown."

  Cruising the high seas is also on their to-do list. "We look forward to just phoning a taxi and arriving at Canada Place to board a cruise ship," explains Dennis.

  The close location to hospitals, banks, specialty stores and a grocery store is also what attracted the Readys to Aquarius II.

  Says Dennis: "There's convenience and fun for both young and old at Concord Pacific Place."

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  John Petersen knows his real estate. Petersen, 33, has been following Vancouver's real estate market for more than a decade. "I've seen a lot of changes in the downtown core," say Petersen, who for the past 13 years has worked at Stanley Park, helping to keep the park sparkling clean. "By far the most exciting change is the development at Concord Pacific Place."

  Petersen, a bachelor who is wisely thinking ahead, was so impressed with Concord Pacific that he purchased a spacious two-bedroom home in the Peninsula building. He combined his knowledge of real estate with his expertise in Vancouver's green spaces to help him make the all-important decision to buy his first family home. "I wanted to take advantage of all the things the area has to offer," explains Petersen. "I wanted to be close to the heart of downtown, yet near the water where it's more tranquil. It's definitely having the best of both worlds."

  Petersen finds the location ideal. Living close to both work and the seawalk are major advantages. No longer needing his car, he parked it permanently at his parents' house in Fraserview. He now enjoys the gorgeous scenic view as he rides his bike or strolls along the seawalk to work. In the evenings, he rollerblades or jogs to Science World. How does he relax? "Sometimes I just like to sit on a park bench and watch the ocean."

  Not surprisingly, Petersen greatly appreciates the more than 50 acres of neighbouring parkland planned into the community. The generous greenspaces provide a welcome opportunity for both solitude and enjoying the company of others. "I really like the idea of having David Lam Park nearby because, like any other park, it's the heart of the community. Parks are a meeting place for people."

  Both enjoy the convenience of being able to walk to GM Place and the Ford Centre, only minutes away from their quiet home. "I really like going to the basketball and hockey games whenever I get the chance," says Leanne, an avid skier and golfer in her late twenties. "We find that our place is central to everything. We wanted the location, but not the density that comes with being right in the middle of downtown."

  Both first-time buyers "like living downtown because it's so convenient," says Sharon. "I eat out almost every night. Living on the North Shore, I wasn't getting home until late in the evening. The location of Concord Pacific was exactly what we were looking for. Now I can go home after work before I go out at night."

  The Chans are thrilled with their two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom townhome. "Not only did we feel we got a good price on square footage, but we also feel they paid attention to the extras. The space is so well designed that we knew we wouldn't be living on top of each other," says Sharon, whose hours are different from those of her sister.

  Sharon enjoys staying out later at night, while Leanne is an early riser. Explains Leanne: "The Crestmark allows us to have fun together as well as giving us our privacy. They've planned things so well that it provides us with the best of both worlds."