Life on the Home-Front – by Susana Michaelis
For those of you who are holidaying or living away right now, here is a tidbit of what is happening on the homefront. Kari, Kathryn, Sharon and Judy have been busy moving into their units. Mia, Tim and I have all camped out on the floor for various nights to keep security going on-site and provide company to Kari who was the first brave soul to stay on-site.
Kari and I were the first to stay overnight, nervously wondering what it would be like. It turned out to be peaceful and although neither of us slept particularly well on the floor, there is a lovely quietness at the property that you don’t often get in a city. Owners have seen beautiful sunsets, young deer, two bucks, squirrels, pileated wood-peckers, ducks on the pond with baby ducklings, a raccoon, and listened to birds and tree frogs.
Every day there are new things completed. A start has been made on landscaping and soon the property will be transformed.
Our Shareholder meetings have been held in Kari’s nice cool unit and the Open Houses have been well-attended by visitors. People are impressed by our building and they love the beautiful green space by the river. Wait until we have organic gardens in full production! That is not seen in other condo developments.
The weather in Nanaimo has been phenomenal all summer. If you like sunny days, blue skies, views of the mountains, and all kinds of outdoor festivals, music and community activities……you will love it here!
Potlucks – You’re Invited
Our evolution as a community has taken another step with the introduction of our weekly potluck suppers in our Common House. When we have opened the big glass doors, we’ve discovered how beautifully our communal dining room and patio connect the indoors and the outdoors. Our casual potlucks are for us Pacific Gardeners, for our friends and neighbours, and for anyone who is curious about cohousing. We gather at 347 Seventh Street, Nanaimo at 6 pm on Thursdays. If you live in town or are passing through, we would love it if you joined us.
Two Corner Units Now Available
Unit #301, a one-bedroom-and-den on the upper floor, and #202, a large two-bedroom unit on the first floor, have now become available. Unit #301 faces north-east, has its own deck, is elevator accessible, and is a generous 846 square feet. It has a wonderful view of our pond, which is home to all kinds of flora and fauna.
Unit #202 is the largest two-bedroom in the building, at 1038 square feet, with 59 square feet of under-stair storage space. This unit has a walk-out patio to our planned gardens, and a beautiful vista of Mt. Benson. If you’re interested in purchasing these units, please contact us.
Co-Ownership Opportunity at Pacific Gardens
In the “Co-ownership at Pacific Gardens” article in our June Bulletin, we noted that the co-buying and co-owning revolution was alive and well in the minds of people wanting to have a smaller foot print on earth, while enjoying the benefits of ownership at reduced cost.
We now have two of our members working out a co-ownership agreement. Another owner who has lived in both shared accommodation and alone, has found she far prefers living with people. She too wants to share owning/living within our cohousing complex.
Her reasons are that she is nearing 60, and is finished with the collection and ownership of ‘things’ that fill every nook and cranny in a household – and after all, there is plenty of common space for all those collectibles in cohousing! She also wants to reduce her living costs here, so that she can explore neighbourhood Earth knowing she has a safe, comfortable and companionable home to return to.
She is open to purchasing a two-bedroom or two-bedroom-and-den with one other person, or a three-bedroomand-den with two other folks, either male or female.
Some of the reasons for living together are companionship, cost effectiveness, investment in property. Some of the people this may appeal to include citizens of other countries who can’t live here year-round, those from out of province who have other housing arrangements, or people who work abroad, to name a few.
If you are interested in co-owning and sharing living space, you can contact Rosalind McKenzie on her cell, 1-250-618-8218 or e-mail her at mckraj@shaw.ca. You may contact her directly or through our marketing group at joinus@pacificgardens.ca.