Torval uses the river path system for running. He is also very content to walk along city streets to his office downtown.

“I take Isaac outside to the parks nearby twice a day or to a playground close by,” says Jennifer Mork of their two-year-old son. “We go to the Talisman Centre for swimming. Isaac knows all the landmarks including Starbucks and Jugo Juice,” she says with a laugh. “I hear other moms talking about how they have to put their children in their car seats when they have to take them wherever they need to go.” Jennifer can leave thoughts of car seats and driving at home in favour of a stroller, and says she never worries about traffic or weather.

“All the services are here: Safeway and Shopper’s (Drug Mart) are just across the street,” she says adding their bank and doctor a short walk away. “On a Friday night, we walk across the street to Earls for supper. I have no shame in saying I visit Mercato three times a week.” The location came in handy for last-minute antipasto platters for Isaac’s second birthday party recently.

“We wanted to be able to walk to all our amenities,” adds Torval. “I’ve known this since I was in university.” He opened his own video store while in his fourth year at the University of British Columbia. He quickly became a production assistant in the film industry in Vancouver, followed by a production co-ordinator.  Not long after that he was the owner of a film production company, making television commercials and music videos. “I sold that, then took three years off, moved to Ottawa, joined a band, and met Jennifer.”

This 34-year-old entrepreneur dabbles in many things. “What I’m doing now is what I want to do for the next 20 years,” he notes, citing his passion for the arts. Not surprisingly, the home’s second level is dedicated to music and a massive DVD library. Among the wealth of instruments are four acoustic guitars, one a high school graduation gift from his parents, and a 1918 Gibson mandolin, given to Torval for his post-secondary grad. Retro and modern electronics also help fill this space, including a 1968 amplifier, two keyboards, and the latest Macintosh computer on which Torval is able to mix his music.

But the young patriarch may not be the only resident musician. “Issac knows how to drum on the electronic drum set,” notes Jennifer.

Downstairs, the bright open living area boasts an Apple TV—a home media controller set up on their 60-inch plasma screen that hooks into their Mac wireless network, providing direct access to all of their MP3 music and photo catalogue. “It’s always on,” says Torval of the setup displaying a multitude of candid images snapped amidst the young family’s everyday life and travels. “We tried many different arrangements of furniture and this was the best set up for the space; to be honest, I’d rather stare at the images,” he says, noting the TV blocks a fireplace. “When we have the system thumping, no one hears it.”

Common areas at Roxboro House were also among the initial appeal for the Morks. Off the second floor, access to their second patio is found, leading out onto the terrace, recently renovated with planters and trees. “It had been tennis courts but they were not being used, so a courtyard was created. Here, Isaac can ride his tricycle. No one is ever out here,” she adds. “And it’s beautiful at night.” In the basement of the condo building, Torval is able to pursue his artwork and paintings. “I love the work room. It is about the size of our living room. Only one other person uses it. I keep all of my tools down there.”

There is also a huge exercise room and lap pool. “If the weather is poor, I can just go up and swim 1,000 metres without having to drive anywhere” says Torral.

“I have become a diehard condo person, having already experienced living in a big house with my family in Ottawa,” says Jennifer. “In terms of yard work, I view it as something that gets in the way of getting out and living life; I do not want to spend my week worrying about having to rake leaves on the weekend.”

“We are minimalists,” continues Torval. “We’ve moved a few times in the past few years and each time we shed a lot of extraneous belongings. There are only so many times I’ll pack and unpack, for example, something I haven’t used in five years. Even with all this storage space in this property, most of it is empty, which is quite liberating. We don’t meet many people who share our way of thinking of what is the ideal way of living. We feel like we are an island unto ourselves. It is hard to explain to people why we choose to live in a condo.”

Jennifer concurs. “However, it’s a matter of having the right condo. We have the patio facing the Elbow River, the patio off the second floor that leads onto the terrace, the right square footage and the right floor plan. We had a different townhome in the same building, but realized a year or so later we wanted a river view versus the Fourth Street view. When this one became available, we bought it immediately, moving in five weeks later.”

Their décor, punctuated by white walls with black and grey accents, speaks to the couple’s spartan approach. Splashes of colour are found on the walls from Torval’s canvasses. “It’s not a home. It’s a gallery for my art and we happen to live here,” he muses. Facing south, natural light streams in on both levels.

“We have blinds in our bedroom, but we never use them.” This allows the couple to maximize the view of the river and trees from their sitting area under the sloped floor-to-ceiling windows in their master bedroom, living and dining areas, as well as from Isaac’s sunny bedroom.
Jennifer sums up living in the inner city for their young family: “It is perfection for us.”

“There is no place like it,” adds her husband.  CL