Neighborhood of the Week: Twin Lakes Village

We all remember the good ol' days. Even if you're too young to remember them yourself, you've heard your parents and grandparents reminiscing about them. Those days when neighbors watched out for each other, brought over a casserole when someone was sick, played games, walked their dogs, sat on porches, shared meals - in other words, formed a community.

Even in this hectic, do-it-now world that we live in, there are still places that retain that Old Americana feeling. And Twin Lakes Village is one of them.

"It's small town community based living," said Kevin Sharrai, general manager of Twin Lakes Village. "Golf is the framework that the community is built around, but it's more about the neighborhood and the community and the social network. People watch out for each other. There's a huge sense of community here. "

The neighborhood is designed to support 375 homes. There are currently 343 - a mixture of custom homes, townhouses, duplexes, condominiums and building lots. Prices range from approximately $100,000 for a condominium to $400,000 for an upper-end single family home; homes average between $250,000-300,000.

The 18-hole golf course features well-groomed fairways, fountains, and greens adjacent to Lower Twin Lake. White sand bunkers and water hazards, set amidst towering fir and pine trees, provide the perfect golf challenge. Course amenities include a practice range, putting and chipping practice greens, a practice bunker, and a full-service pro shop with golf cars, pull carts, and club rentals available.

Dues are $302/month, which cover maintenance of the roads, golf club, clubhouse and pool, and common areas including tennis courts, pickle ball courts, barbecue area, horseshoe pits, and playground. Condominium owners have additional HOAs that covers water, sewer and maintenance costs of their units.

"When you buy a home here, you become an owner of both the golf course and the amenities," Sharrai said. "The owners are all part of a non-profit corporation; all dividends go back into the development."

The golf course is considered "semi-private." Homeowners have unlimited access to the golf course for anyone listed on the deed and their dependants. The public is welcome to play for a fee. Those fees help offset maintenance costs and lower dues for the members.

If you're a golfing family, consider the cost of paying greens fees for you, your spouse and children. You might find that the dues here are well worth it in comparison.

There's a wide range of activities in Twin Lakes Village. Obviously, one of the more popular is golf. There are golf leagues ranging from just for fun "giggle" golf leagues all the way to competitive leagues. The PGA pros on staff teach a wide variety of classes, from beginner to "get ready" to advanced.

"Our aim is to be relaxing and fun," Sharrai said. "We want you to feel confident and have a good day, not be intimidated. It's supposed to be a game; it's not supposed to be torture."

Then there are the amenities, such as the lake. There are 24 docks available for lease - although there is a waiting list for the slips. Residents also enjoy fishing and kayaking in the summer, and ice-fishing in the winter. The paths are perfect for snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in the winter and hiking and biking the rest of the year.

There's a full service bar and restaurant, "The Turn," which is a focal point for many of the activities, not to mention just meeting for lunch or a cup of coffee.

Residents drive their golf carts within the boundaries of the community. The speed limit is 20 mph, so they also feel safe biking or walking on those same roads. And a short ride on the bike path will take you to the hundreds of miles of trails on Rathdrum Mountain.

Twin Lakes Village is a transitional point for the Rathdrum Adventure Race, Sharrai said. Held the first week of September, it's a combination biking/running/kayaking race that starts and ends in Rathdrum; the kayaking portion is on Upper Twin Lake.

There's always something going on in Twin Lakes Village. Independence Day is a special holiday, with a golf cart parade and barbecue on the 3rd, and community celebration on the 4th complete with a flag raising, flyovers, and the Mountain Men firing their muskets.

The residents are a mix of everything from families and retired snowbirds to Canadians buying summer and vacation homes. The neighborhood is attracting more young working people, with both Spokane and Coeur d'Alene a short half-hour drive away.

Residents can choose between Lakeland and Timberlake schools, although they have to drive their children to Timberlake; Twin Lakes Villages is in the Lakeland School District. Twin Lakes Elementary School is "right next door" - walking distance.

It's different from a regular subdivision, Sharrai said. People feel a sense of community; those connections don't always occur in other places.

So, if you'd like to become a part of this old-fashioned community and experience the four-season, active outdoor lifestyle that is Twin Lakes Village, stop by and take a tour, Sharrai said. Twin Lake Village is located just north of Rathdrum on Highway 41.

"Come for a day or come for a lifetime."