For over four decades, over 90% of cohousing communities were in rural and suburban settings. But in the last ten years, more and more cohousing projects are being launched in cities, sometimes even in ultra-urban downtown cores. How did urban cohousing become part of the mix? In the beginning it was rural, all the way …
What do you do when the life you’ve made for yourself is thousands of miles from family and home? Building a new one might be a viable solution. Born and raised in Scotland, Alistair left the UK for a two year job in Kingston Ontario in 1992. His move mirrored his uncle who immigrated in …
I grew up in Red Deer Alberta, the oldest daughter in a large family. In those days, families ate their meals together. As kids, we even ate our lunch at home with our dad because we all ‘worked’ close enough to home. Our large family meals were about what you’d expect. Noisy. Newsy. Sometimes contentious. …
I became interested in cohousing long before I even knew cohousing existed. Even in my twenties, I sensed that there had to be a way to live in community with people who liked and supported each other. In my home country South Africa, nothing like cohousing existed so I had no name to put to …
Many young couples head for the suburbs when their first child comes along, seeking more space and a big backyard. But, many more, we think, would happily trade a long daily commute for city living if there was a viable option. Our cohousing community is offering an alternative for young families who want to stay in Vancouver. …
Read more Can cohousing help young families stay in the city? Maybe.
OUV is in our final sprint, breaking ground in just a few months. This article is a thank you note to the cohousing communities in British Columbia. Without you, we would not be here today. It’s likely that cohousers everywhere share their experiences with new communities. I have a feeling, though, that BC’s communities have …
Read more It takes a community. How BC’s cohousing communities support each other.
In the last few weeks, Tomo Spaces has received the Development Permit for the project from the City of Vancouver, putting us one step closer to our (literal) “ground-breaking moment”. The next step is to get a Building Permit! We are eagerly anticipating watching the demolition work start sometime this fall.
Like many people who eventually wash up on the shores of cohousing, I had been feeling for a long time that the way I was living didn’t make sense. I’m an introvert, so I wasn’t unhappy with my singular life, really, but I felt something was missing. I had loving daughters and a great circle …
The average time from formation of a cohousing community to move-in is a heart-stopping 5-7 years. Our own community will likely take 6 ½ years. Over that extended period of time life often intrudes with members moving away, personal financial circumstances changing or major external events (like COVID) impacting a project. Even without such challenges, …
Read more Workshops. The secret sauce for cohousing communities?
For Tara Gallen, it started with a cargo bike. Ms. Gallen was looking through a Facebook page for families who bike and saw mention of a co-housing style project that was cargo-bike friendly. Because cargo bikes are wide and awkward, they don’t fit into the average bike storage room. Tomo House, on Vancouver’s Main Street, …