At Alpine Ontario Alpin (AOA), we’re proud to work with sponsors who share our passion for mountain living and quality craftsmanship. This remarkable story from Normerica showcases exactly the kind of excellence we love to highlight for our community.
When Speed Meets Quality
In recent years, a family faced every homeowner’s nightmare: fire destroyed their beloved Blue Mountain chalet. They were anxious to recover what they’d lost. But this wasn’t just about rebuilding a structure — it was about restoring a gathering place where generations of memories had been made and ensuring it would be ready for the next ski season.
Working against an incredibly tight timeline, this family partnered with Normerica to reimagine their mountain retreat. What resulted was something even better than what was lost.
A Chalet Designed for Real Family Living
Inspired by Normerica’s Nipissing model but completely customized for the mountainside property, the new 2,852 square foot chalet doubled the original footprint by incorporating a full basement beneath the 1,426 sq ft main floor.
The transformation is remarkable: six bedrooms now provide space for adult children, spouses, and grandchildren — no more fighting over who sleeps on the pullout couch! But it’s the practical details that really stand out: a generous mudroom designed for actual ski gear storage, a dedicated dog-washing station (because we know your four-legged family members join every mountain adventure), and direct basement access for equipment and seasonal storage.
These aren’t decorative features — they’re the essentials that make chalet life actually work for active families.
How They Built It So Fast
Here’s what makes this project remarkable: this entire rebuild was completed in just over a year from the family’s first contact with Normerica to move-in, without cutting a single corner on quality.
Their secret? Advanced prefabrication systems. Floor cassettes and wall panels arrived at the site ready for rapid assembly, compressing the construction timeline while maintaining the exceptional quality control Normerica is known for.
And the energy performance? Outstanding. Their panelized building systems achieved less than 1.0 air changes per hour at 50 pascals — delivering a mountain retreat that’s as efficient as it is beautiful.
Your Mountain Retreat Awaits
Located steps from a Blue Mountain ski club, this chalet proves that when family memories are waiting to be made, you don’t have to choose between speed, sustainability, and uncompromising quality.
Check out all the photos and full project details to see how Normerica transformed devastating loss into a reimagined family legacy.
If you’re looking to capture the beauty of timber frame for your home, cottage, or ski chalet, reach out to the Normerica team.
Some projects aren’t just about building — they’re about creating spaces where your family’s story continues for generations to come.
Normerica — Fall in love with craftsmanship.