Riding your bike along Winding Waters Way you pass a neighborhood park with a lake. The ducks are sunning and a heron shines bright white against the lush green of the park. Straight ahead is a children’s park. Turning right you wave to neighbors jogging, children playing and the first signs of spring are already in evidence.

Where is this? It could be your home; your neighborhood. It’s Swift Creek in Niceville.

Swift Creek is a neighborhood where nature’s beauty surrounds the community. Developed by Ruckel Properties, Inc. as a master planned community, Swift Creek has become the most desirable address in Niceville. A variety of beautiful homes have been built and there are home sites still available.

The amenities are numerous. In addition to the two parks already mentioned, there is a nature trail that weaves its way through the entire property. If lazing by the sparkling pool at the community center is not enough activity for you, there are tennis and basketball courts connected by sidewalks in another park-like setting. The center itself has an indoor kitchen, bar and "living area." The outdoor kitchen encourages taking advantage of those beautiful summer days.

In the heart of Niceville, tucked inland just enough to be off the beaten path, Swift Creek is really a community within a community. Niceville has such a sense of being a town, a place where you know your neighbors and you are part of something. Swift Creek has that sense of "place." You have "small town living" that still boasts easy access to an airport, interstate, great schools, nearby shopping and is a very short drive to those beautiful sugar-white beaches. Small town living does not have to mean lack of choices.

The covenants of Swift Creek ensure that nature is preserved. One of the things that strike you as you move through the community is that the lots are not clear cut. A canopy of native trees maintains that feeling of being a part of the natural environment. Builders must be approved by the Architectural Review Committee as does each house plan. This helps to ensure that Swift Creek remains attractive, that standards are maintained and property values remain solid.

There is a very active homeowner’s association that participates in various activities in Swift Creek. They had an outdoor Christmas lights contest and there are activities scheduled periodically at the community center. The local bird watching society has gratefully received the benefits of walking the nature trail. The gently winding streets and slopes make it a dream to walk, jog or bike.

Walt and Jim Ruckel, Chairman and President of Ruckel Properties, Inc., have developed communities that respect nature and contribute to the community. Swift Creek as well as Rocky Bayou and Fairway Woods, to name a couple of examples, attest to their success. "We have strived to develop Swift Creek into the premier community it is. We started with the concept of preserving the natural beauty of our area so that the quality of life would be enhanced. Then followed through with amenities for the homeowners to enjoy without compromising our vision. We are very proud of the success of Swift Creek and we intend to stay true to our vision of creating first class developments in the Niceville community," Jim Ruckel said.

Phase VI home sites are available for sale. Located behind the community center, Phase VI boasts both flat and sloped lots. Some of the more private lots are buffered by a greenbelt and farther on by the actual Swift Creek. Phase VI cul de sacs have landscaped medians.

Ruckel Properties is offering a builder’s incentive program open only to licensed Florida builders. For more information please call the Swift Creek office at 850-678-1900. You can also obtain information from the Ruckel Properties website: www.ruckelproperties.com.

Swift Creek is located on Partin Drive (Hwy. 285) between John Sims Parkway (Hwy. 20) and College Blvd.