A Legacy of
Land and Family

PROLOGUE.

The tale of the Soutzo family is a deeply moving narrative that echoes the dreams of countless new Canadians. Families from around the globe journeyed to Canada, hearts filled with hope and visions of a brighter future. For the young and old alike, coming to Canada symbolized the promise of new beginnings, fresh adventures, and a life brimming with happiness, safety, and security. The Soutzo family faced their share of challenges and hardships. Like many before and after them, they persevered, surmounting incredible obstacles to establish their lives in Calgary. The magnificent land where they settled would become the cherished home of five generations of the Soutzo family, weaving decades of precious memories. This land, later to be called Nostalgia Townlet, encapsulates the Canadian dream—a life filled with simple pleasures, safety, security, and serenity among loved ones.

THE BEGINNING.

After fleeing Romania and the oppressive Communist regime post World War II, Prince Constantin Soutzo yearned for a new beginning for his young family. In November of 1948, he found just that. Now, nestled at the foot of a steep ravine along the north bank of the Calgary Bow River stands a quaint farmhouse surrounded by sweeping vistas, snow-capped mountains and tall prairie grass—a sanctuary of tranquility. What had once seemed like an elusive dream in post-World War II Europe, became the start of a living dream in Canada.

Forced to abandon 700 years of family history, buildings, and land in Bucharest, Prince Soutzo arrived in Canada on a frigid winter morning, accompanied by his mother Elizabeth, wife Princess Ionoa, their six-year-old son Sandy, and stepdaughter Oana. Determined to start anew, he soon discarded his title, choosing to be simply known as Constantin—except for his barber, who insisted on calling him Prince Soutzo for the next twenty years.

Constantin’s foundational years in Europe earned him a prestigious education and molded him into a talented pilot and savvy businessman, the war had transformed his once ebullient life into one of fear, danger and survival. Upon moving to Canada, he gave up everything he had ever known for a simpler life on the ranch he purchased south of Calgary. His family was now safe, and that was what mattered most.

His young son Sandy became the true visionary of the ranch and, although painful memories of the family’s harrowing escape remain deeply ingrained, the land’s history, significance and legacy now run even deeper in Sandy’s heart.

In 1886, over 60 years before the arrival of the Soutzo family, the land was first patented to surveyor and homesteader William Crawley Ricardo. In 1906, renowned rancher and future Canadian Senator, Patrick Burns acquired the land to grow grain for his Calgary feedlots. After Constantin purchased the land from the Senator Burns estate in 1948, he built the iconic two-story white ranch house with red trim on the high bank overlooking the river. Since then, five generations of Soutzos have enjoyed the beauty of the river valley.

While the Ranch House was ideal for growing the family, the land proved to be less than ideal for growing grain. After ten failed years of attempts at farming, Constantin and Sandy seeded the land with grass for Angus cattle pasture. By this time, grass wasn’t the only thing growing new roots in the land. Sandy had become deeply attached to the ranch, with its open expanses and deep river valley, watched over by red-tailed hawks and bald eagles.

Sandy’s family discovered the ranch’s epic tobogganing hills and prime fishing spots. The land’s reputation grew, becoming a renowned destination for dignitaries and sitting presidents. It was celebrated for its picturesque beauty and world-class fly fishing at ‘Soutzo’s Bend,’ as locals called it. This land, full of surprises, was a world far removed from the war-torn life Constantin and Sandy had left behind.

Despite this, Sandy knew Calgary wouldn’t always be miles away, hidden behind the rolling land to the north. Alberta was booming, and the city was growing. Armed with a Diploma in Agriculture from the University of Guelph and encouragement from his father, Sandy began planning for the future. In the 1970s, he started the lengthy process of annexing his family’s land, knowing that one day, the city would be right next door.