What’s happening?
New West Cohousing Society members are hosting a public presentation about the group’s vision for cohousing in New Westminster. Topics will include the cohousing movement worldwide and in the Lower Mainland, and why the society thinks the time is right for this type of housing community in New West.
Details, please:
The presentation is on Sunday, April 23 from 2 to 3 p.m. in the River Room at Centennial Community Centre, 65 East Sixth Ave. It’s free, but registration is required for entry; seating is limited.
You can get tickets and more information at www.eventbrite.ca (search for New West Cohousing Information Presentation.)
What is cohousing?
According to the society, cohousing is an intentional community of privately owned homes, centered around shared living spaces. Each independent home has the typical amenities one would expect in a private home, such as individual kitchens and washrooms.
Community living spaces typically feature a common house or amenity room, which may include a large kitchen and dining area, laundry, and recreational spaces, while shared outdoor space may include parking, walkways, open space, and gardens, said the society’s press release.
“Households have independent incomes and private lives, but neighbours collaboratively plan and manage community activities and shared spaces. Neighbours gather for regularly-scheduled shared meals, parties, games, movies, or other events,” said the press release. “Cohousing makes it easier to form clubs, organize child and elder care, and carpool. This type of development and community provides social, practical, economic, and environmental benefits by facilitating interaction and collaboration among neighbours, making for a much more resilient community.”
In the case of a multi-storey building, the society said the legal structure proposed is that of a typical condominium with an assemblage of strata-titled units. Units are individually owned, and there are monthly strata and municipal fees.
What’s happening in New West?
The New West Cohousing Society, established in 2018, is currently accepting new members and is looking forward to meeting prospective new members at the upcoming information presentation.
The society’s goal is to create a fun, livable space in New Westminster with a group of like-minded people who value inclusivity, a sense of community, and the environment. It envisions an active, multi-generational community that participates in various outings and dinners together, while balancing the need for individual space and privacy.
“Joining the project at this early stage has many benefits. Households will have the opportunity to participate in designing their future home and building,” said the press release. “The goal is to move toward a tangible project within the next five years, which offers a lot of opportunity for new households to get involved and shape the direction of the project.”
The society has a few core value to help potential members decide if New West Cohousing is the right fit for them and their family.
These values are: eco-centric thinking (making decisions that minimize impacts on the environment – from construction to daily life); inclusivity (creating a welcoming community for people of all ages and backgrounds where everyone feels they have an equal voice in the community); and affordability (working together to find creative ways to provide ownership of market units by tapping into affordability programs and reducing the cost of living by sharing amenities, expenses, and growing food.)
Need more info?
For more information about cohousing and what’s being planned in New Westminster, visit www.newwestcohousing.com or email the society at [email protected].
