On Thursday, June 6, 2013, the Newinhomes.com team headed out to Vaughan for a very special event hosted by Townwood Homes at their Mackenzie Ridge Terraces Presentation Centre.

Standard sprinkler systems at Mackenzie Ridge Terraces

Two ground breaking public initiatives were announced at the event: Garage heat detectors and fire sprinklers in all the homes.

Townwood Homes is collaborating with Vaughan Fire Rescue Service and The Co-operators to offer these two features as standards at their new community, Mackenzie Ridge Terraces.

“As a city that is committed to improving the quality of life for everyone, I am proud that Vaughan will be the first municipality in Ontario where these important safety initiatives will be implemented,” said Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua in a release.

Vice-President of Townwood Homes Marcello Messersi added: “Townwood is proud to be the first production builder in Ontario to spearhead this important low-rise public safety initiative, which is in keeping with our ‘always a leader’ philosophy. Townwood’s large number of repeat buyers and next-generation purchasers is a testament to our long traditions of caring for the well-being of our purchasers, and for providing leading-edge design and innovative construction techniques.””

The garage heat detectors and sprinklers will be installed in every single one of the 142 homes at Mackenzie Ridge Terraces. In the event of a fire in the garage, the sprinklers will be triggered and an alarm will sound throughout the home.

Feel safer at Mackenzie Ridge Terraces

The highlight of the event at Mackenzie Ridge Terraces was the controlled burn demonstration. A trailer on one end of the Mackenzie Ridge Terraces parking lot was elevated and divided into two sections: One with a sprinkler and one without. Each “room” contained a fire alarm, a bed with sheets, a fabric-covered chair, and a television set on a wood stand.

The first room that the Vaughan firefighters ignited was the one without a sprinkler. The fire alarm was going off in less than 10 seconds. Within a minute, almost every piece of furniture was up in flames, and by two minutes and 43 seconds, the room was toast. It was shocking to see how quickly a room could be completely destroyed.

Next, the firefighters ignited the room with the sprinkler. Again, within 10 seconds, the fire alarm went off, and in about 40 seconds the sprinklers had been triggered. Once the sprinklers started, the fire was distinguished almost immediately.

The photos below compare the aftermath of each fire. We don’t think they really need labelling…you can probably guess which room had the sprinkler.

About Mackenzie Ridge Terraces

At Mackenzie Ridge Terraces, Townwood Homes is offering 136 townhomes and six semi-detached homes, for a total of 142 units. The selection of homes is broken down into three categories: Bristol Series 2-Storey Ravine Towns with Lofts, Devon Series 3-Storey Ravine Towns with Lofts, and Cambridge Series 3-Storey Village Towns.

The sizes of the homes at Mackenzie Ridge Terraces range in size from 1,845 to 2,400 square feet. Like every Townwood community, Mackenzie Ridge Terraces will boast an extensive selection of very impressive interior features and finishes.

Located along Major Mackenzie, just east of Dufferin St., Mackenzie Ridge Terraces actually occupies the pristine Maple neighbourhood of Vaughan. In Maple, Mackenzie Ridge Terraces will be nestled amongst beautiful rolling hills and healthy forests - some of the best natural surroundings in southern Ontario.

Maple, along with Vaughan, has flourished over the past couple decades. Along with showcasing a stunning natural environment, the neighbourhood also provides all the urban amenities you could ever need or desire. Shopping, dining, transit, parks, recreational facilities, galleries - you name it, it’s in Vaughan.

If you are interested in learning more about Mackenzie Ridge Terraces by Townwood Homes, then Register today!

We would like to congratulate and thank Townwood Homes, Vaughan Fire Rescue Service, and The Co-operators for spearheading this great initiative that will surely save lives and allow people to rest easy in their new homes.

For more photos of the event at Mackenzie Ridge Terraces by Townwood Homes, check out our Facebook Album!