Thursday, June 18, 2009

Cohousing!!!

For nearly a decade, I have been interested in intentional community. For a little over a year, I had the opportunity to live in community at Bowers House in Chicago. Day to day living in Bowers caused me to shed my rose-coloured glasses and see that living in community is not the utopian, resource-sharing, hand-holding, Kum-Ba-Yah-singing, isn't-it-great-we-all-get-along? ideal I must confess I held. Managing chores, debating the benefits of composting, fighting over lentils, and arguing about somebody using too much bandwidth are just as much a part of life together as planting gardens, working side by side, lending a helping hand, and sharing in communal meals. But while I may have lost a bit of my romanticism, I remain even more passionately committed to intentional community.

I am particularly drawn to co-housing a form of intentional community comprised of private homes for individual households sharing common spaces (larger kitchens, children's playrooms, gardens, music rooms, libraries, guest rooms, et al). Before and since moving to Edmonton, I sought out co-housing opportunities, but nothing existed here. Until now.

Last night, Craig and I attended a Co-Housing Meet-Up where we met other people who are interested in co-housing, particularly in developing a co-housing community close Edmonton's city core. Developing a community takes time. We are still likely 3-5 years from move-in. But we are ecstatic that such a plan is beginning to emerge. We are delighted to find others who share our values and commitments to community and sustainable living. And we are thrilled to be in on this project from the very beginning.

yea!! Co-housing!!

4 comments:

  1. Hello!

    Just wondering where you found this co housing group and how to get more information??

    Thanks.

    My email address is hgoodings@hotmail.com to respond:)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Could you please give me the same info as requested above?

    Thanks,

    mnutter@interbaun.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am also interested in the information you may have as to your current status of development, please email me as well. :D

    ebbysoobies@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am also interested!! nahanni.olson@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete