The Highlands Golf Club in the Edmonton River valley boasts some of the best forest views and fairways in the region. Members not only enjoy a round of golf in the gorgeous natural surroundings for three seasons of the year, but many locals also walk the trails with their pets during the winter or enjoy the warm hospitality at the clubhouse.
Renowned for the best patio in Edmonton, an extensive renovation of the clubhouse and expansion of its outdoor patio was undertaken during the winter of 2024/2025 to increase their capacity and capitalise on their growing popularity.
Renowned for the best patio in Edmonton, an extensive renovation of the clubhouse and expansion of its outdoor patio was undertaken during the winter of 2024/2025 to increase their capacity and capitalise on their growing popularity.
PROJECT DETAILS
- Project Name: Highlands Golf Club
- Project Type: Patio Upgrade
- Description: Exterior Decking for Clubhouse
- Products Used: Apex PLUS decking in Himalayan Cedar and Alaskan
Driftwood - Size: Various
- Date of Installation: June, 2025
- Project Location: Highlands Golf Club, 6603 Ada Boulevard,
Edmonton, AB, T5W, 4N5 Canada - Architect: Landon Hargreaves, GM, Highlands Golf Club
- Main Contractor: Norie Christian, Completely Custom Carpentry
A CLUB PAR EXCELLENCE
Highlands Golf Club General Manager Landon Hargreaves entrusted carpentry extraordinaire Norie Christian of Completely Custom Carpentry to convert the original clubhouse and patio into a club par excellence.The interiors were completely restructured and redecorated to accommodate an expanded kitchen and double-sided bar, while the popular patio was extended to expand the famous vantage point.
“We wanted to retain some of the traditional elements and colours from the original construction, while updating our facility using luxury, low-maintenance materials,” said Hargreaves.
The dated restaurant, bar and cloakrooms, originally built in 1986, were remodelled and restructured to a more open plan layout, using neutral grey palettes and natural materials including the existing rock/stone wall from the original Spike bar with warm wooden accents. The structural overhead beams, bar counter and castellated wood cladding on the feature wall lend a soft, natural tone to the sports bar and restaurant, complemented by the scenery outside through the original tall glass windows.
The modern, natural wood aesthetic was extended outdoors onto the elevated L-shaped deck to increase its seating capacity from 16-20 people to more than 65 seats. A covered louvred pergola with electric heating was added to ensure the fabulous facility could be enjoyed even during inclement weather or cold, snowy winters.
STYLE AND SPAN JUST A CHIP-AND-A-PUTT AWAY
The reconstruction of the extended deck and stairway was just a chip and a putt away given the site’s steep slope and topography, as well as the climate and performance demands.Regulatory safety precautions and building permits were obtained only after detailed sub-structural engineering plans for below deck reinforcements, material specifications, and inspections were completed.
Access to the clubhouse and stylish cantilevered Spike bar is via a resurfaced ramp and staircase from either the golf course and Pro Shop, or from the parking lot below. With approximately 40 treads from the parking lot or 28 on the lower set of stairs, it was critical that the surfaces provide superior traction and slip-resistance underfoot while withstanding the scuffs and scratches from the spikes on golfers’ shoes.
In addition, the deck and supporting sub-structure needed to provide a safe and secure platform able to handle the inevitable expansion and contraction resulting from the huge temperature differential between seasons. It must tolerate temperatures ranging from 30 degrees Celsius and above in warmer months to 30 degrees below zero in winter.
THE DRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE
Completely Custom Carpentry’s Norie Christian opted for the outstanding strength and tolerance of Eva-Last’s reinforced-capped bamboo-PVC composite decking, Apex PLUS.Its glass-fibre reinforced (GFR) core is ideal for installations over extended spans or elevations, while the protective acrylic polymer capping prevents scuffs and scratches on the attractive wood-look surface. Each board’s enhanced strength and stability allows for longer lengths with reduced sub-structural joists, while its specialized composition reduces expansion and contraction, ensuring the deck retains its aesthetic quality and won’t shift, crack or warp in the cold or heat.
The project was rolled out in phases, beginning with the main western deck off the restaurant in the winter, and the eastern deck and stairway undertaken during the warmer spring months. The popular colour of ‘Himalayan Cedar’ was selected, with the grey tones of ‘Alaskan Driftwood’ gracing the walkway leading up from the parking lot to the restaurant entrance. This follows the edge of the pergola and roof and complements the colour scheme inside. The diagonal direction of the planks installed on the landing adds a decorative touch.
“This was a major upgrade in appearance compared to the old deck,” said Norie Christian of Completely Custom Carpentry. “In addition, a much better slip resistance, and hidden fasteners could be used resulting in a cleaner look, quicker installation and significant cost savings on the project.”
Very little of the existing substructure from the original deck was reused. Only the frame of the main western deck was reused, with 2×4 strapping added to the top of the joists to ensure there was new wood structure to fasten the decking into. One existing beam from the original eastern deck was reused. The posts and beams are steel with pressure treated joists.
“There is a 12” spacing on doubled 2×10 joists for the majority of the main deck due to the joist span between beams, with a few sections on the main deck and the entire east deck with 16” spacing,” explains Norie.
Apex PLUS’s convenient grooved profile designs and hidden fastener system make calculating the necessary expansion gaps and material quantities easy.
“The Eva-Last breaker boards are great to use. Having one solid edge and one grooved edge allows for the use of more hidden fasteners and clips rather than face screws with plugs – a typical solid edge board would need to be screwed with two screws and plugs and the board alongside it would also need one additional screw with plug before any clips can be used. Apex PLUS only requires one screw and plug rather than three. For fasteners we used camo x wedge clips that have a 3/16 spacing,” he recalls.
“I found this decking much more stable than others I have worked with,” commented Norie. “The installation of the west deck was completed throughout the winter and all gaps have remained consistent throughout the summer. The east deck was installed in the summer and all gaps have remained consistent throughout the following months,” he concluded.
KEY INFLUENCER QUOTES
“I found this decking much more stable than others I have worked with,” says Norie Christian of Completely Custom Carpentry, commenting on Apex PLUS’s tolerance to expansion and contraction. “In addition to a much better slip resistance, hidden fasteners could be used resulting in a cleaner look, quicker installation and significant cost savings on the project.”Click here to download a PDF version of this case study.
