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The Owners
The following pictures and bios are some of the present members of the Pacific Gardens Cohousing Community:
Sharon Fulton
Living in the Pacific Gardens Cohousing Community is turning out to be surprising in many ways. Everyday offers an opportunity for learning and deepening relationships.I enjoy watching the community rise to challenges with creativity, teamwork and enthusiasm.
The cohousing movement touches many of the issues that we are facing in the world: how to be in community peacefully, how to live with more respect for the natural world and how to reach out to our neighbours to name a few. I am excited to be part of a group that is training leaders in cooperative decision making, and am thrilled to be living in a green building, where decisions are based on what is good for the earth. Together we can be the change we want to see.
I am a nurse with a grown son and a shy cat. I have dipped my toe in the hobby farm pool and am actively involved in the cooperative garden – organic of course. Group composting… bring it on! I am a lifelong learner, who enjoys cooking, reading, making music, and walking in nature. I am grateful to live in a community that allows me to live closely to my values.
Judy Roberts
I was born in Swaziland, Africa. My parents were pioneers, and created a sugar cane plantation in the bush. This was a mixed blessing. On the one hand, the notion of ploughing the wilderness and introducing monoculture was viewed as progress at the time. On the other hand, I later came to view the radical changes as disruptive to the social fabric of the Swazi people and the local ecosystem.
When I was in my mid twenties, I immigrated to Canada. I settled in Calgary, spent three decades there, and raised two sons who are working and studying there.
A few years ago, I watched the Prairie Sky co-housing complex being built in Calgary. Several of my friends joined it, and I observed them creating their community.
The co-housing model strongly appealed to me. It seemed to combine the best of both worlds. Although Prairie Sky was nested in a contemporary, urban setting, it incorporated many of the supportive cultural, social and environmental elements that I’d experienced amongst the Swazi people during my early childhood.
In 2008, I decided to fulfill my dream of living on Vancouver Island. In researching the island, I was delighted to discover that there still were available units in a co-housing complex that I’d found on the Internet a year or so earlier. This drew me to Nanaimo, a city that initially was not on my radar screen. A visit to Nanaimo revealed that I felt rapport with the Pacific Gardens owners and that Nanaimo itself enchanted me.
The location of Pacific Gardens Cohousing Community has turned out to be a delight. I love the quiet, wooded setting that nonetheless is conveniently close to the downtown core, the harbour and Vancouver Island University. I also am fond of our building’s design with the glass-covered pedestrian street running down the middle. Most of all, I am pleasantly surprised by the frequent potluck suppers we’ve been holding in our communal dining hall right from the beginning.
Maureen Brown
My name is Maureen Brown. I grew up in Edmonton, and when I was 13 we moved to the Keegano housing coop in Edmonton. I really didn’t care much about the philosophy of cooperatives at the time, but looking back I think that my desire to live in a community is partly because of Keegano. I have a deep respect for the original founders, and some of them are people who I still know and love.
I attended NAIT in Edmonton and became a computer programmer. That was about 20 years ago, when there were only mainframes, and there was no internet. A few years ago, I decided to return to NAIT to upgrade my skills and complete an applied degree. I’m still learning the ‘new stuff’ and will be for awhile, so my career is still in transition.
I have a great hobby that I love and it’s called ‘lampworking’ or ‘flameworking’. I work with glass in a torch and usually make beads, but sometimes small sculptural things. I am quite new at this, but I spend as much time as I can on it.
I am looking forward to living in Pacific Gardens. I am looking forward to learning from others, and sharing what I know. I am also looking forward to getting to know everyone. I tend to be a very supportive person who likes to give people kudos. I think celebration is a great thing to do as much as possible. I love to laugh, and I love to eat good food. I love music, and I love singing to music, even though I’m not that great a singer. I also love reading and I love solitude and being outside with trees all around me.
Kathryn Hazel
My birthday is April 3. Now, I don’t necessarily believe in astrology, but I do find it an interesting model, especially when it comes to my involvement in the Pacific Gardens Cohousing Community.
My birth sign is Aries, and in typical Aries fashion, I rushed forward into this project, with all the usual head-butting enthusiasm and fiery passion of someone born under the sign of the Ram.
In contrast, my rising sign is Cancer, which means I’m very attached to home; it is my place of retreat and refuge when I tire of the battle. I’m also a very private person, so peace and quiet are important to me.
My Moon is in Virgo, so I’m a perfectionist; I want my cohousing home to be absolutely right. I’m also a guardian and protector of people; I want Pacific Gardens to be a safe and happy place for everyone who lives there.
Alas, Saturn, planet of obstacles, exerts a strong influence on my astrological life, I’m told, but, fortunately, I’m used to this, and can persevere almost endlessly (even through really long meetings!).
Now, as to the more down-to-earth stuff about me: I have a background in journalism and media relations, as well as a PhD in Media Studies, and until recently was a part-time instructor in Media Studies at Malaspina University-College (now Vancouver Island University) here in Nanaimo.
I was born in Montreal, but grew up on Vancouver Island, and have lived in Victoria and the Alberni Valley. I lived in London, Ontario for 14 years, and for five years in Stirling, Scotland, while I was studying for my PhD. I moved to Nanaimo in the summer of 2003, attracted by the small-town life and the possibility of living in cohousing.
My favourite activities are singing, (I belong to the 75-member Malaspina Choir), reading (everything from novels to non-fiction, magazines to newspapers – I’m a print junkie), swimming (I’m a member of Nanaimo Ebbtides, a Master’s swim club in the city), Pilates, and working out at Curves.
I’m also on the executive of both the federal and provincial Green Party constituency associations and am running as the federal candidate in Nanaimo-Cowichan, serve on two committees at the First Unitarian Fellowship of Nanaimo, and of course, am actively involved in the life of Pacific Gardens, serving on the board and chairing the marketing committee.
I’m committed to a healthy lifestyle, eating organically, and living environmentally, but I’m only an intermittent vegetarian (if you cook it, I’ll eat it)!
I’m looking forward to more people joining us in our beautiful new home on Seventh Street.
Susana Michaelis
I was born in Brazil and lived there for 6 years, and then moved with my parents and sister to England for a year and Windsor, Ontario for 4 years. I eventually arrived in Nanaimo when I was in Grade 5 and completed high school and first year at Malaspina College here.
I am so glad my parents settled in this Island Paradise! I feel very spoiled and privileged to have beauty all around, which is especially noticeable when arriving home from other parts of the world. I loved traveling to countries on each continent, when I was single and fancy-free!
Chad and I have been together since 1996 and enjoy working on environmental projects together. We met at a meeting of the Community Shared Agriculture Farm Project where we served as board members and then coordinators of this organic farm project. We sure learned a lot about working in community – fund-raising, educating youth and growing wonderful healthy food!
My hobbies are walking, hiking, reading, learning holistic health, personal growth, workshops that enhance my learning, organic gardening, dancing, folk music and festivals, good films, and great discussions!
I worked at the Credit Union for 28 years, mostly in customer service and supervisory positions. Jointly with Chad, I have coordinated projects under Green Communities Nanaimo, the non profit organization we started to deliver many programs focusing on energy efficiency, pesticide reduction and healthy homes.
Currently we manage the local pod of the Co-operative Auto Network (a large Car Share Co-op) and run our own Green Store which specializes in all kinds of energy efficient and non-toxic products, including fair-trade and bulk organic food. I am now focusing on working full-time in marketing for Pacific Gardens Cohousing Community and, of course, Chad and I plan on living there ourselves.
My skills are in gardening, having good listening/counseling skills, brainstorming ideas, knowledge of local plants and a keen interest in local flora and fauna. I enjoy any community activities where I can take part with others.
I love any vegetarian foods, and prefer it to be organically grown. Ethnic foods are great!
I am looking forward to having friends to talk with, go for a walk, get more exercise such as dancing, learning new skills, interesting discussions and debates, planning fun events as part of a group.
Chad Henderson
Hello, My name is Chad Henderson. I was born in London, Ontario on October 10, 1970, but was raised in the warm Okanagan Valley in B.C. Work brought me to Nanaimo where I met the lovely Susana Michaelis.
I have been enjoying her friendship and passion in my life for the past 9 years. We were married under the canopy of tall Douglas Firs beside the Chase River on the Pacific Gardens property.
I have a B.Sc. in Biology and Environmental Studies from the University of Victoria. From this I did several years of wildlife studies on endangered species, and then helped start up several environmental organizations, including an organic farming project and energy conservation program.
Ironically perhaps I found myself more attracted to working with people and enjoyed developing my business skills, a far cry from my university teachings. I now operate the Green Store and an environmental center (where PGCC had its first office) in Port Place Mall in Nanaimo. Pacific Gardens Cohousing Community (PGCC) is now located just across the hall.
Although I “run a store” and am “saving the environment”, these are almost a cover for my greatest joy, which is helping people grow and enrich their lives. I’ve found that people won’t change their behavior to save the world, if they aren’t happy first!
When people walk into the store, if they say they don’t enjoy shopping, then I tell them they aren’t allowed to buy anything, and to go enjoy a nice walk or make that phone call to a good friend. I enjoy a great clientele of customers that enrich my day with their life experiences.
Although I am an introvert, I have long known that community is vital to my human existence, a necessary part of our social fabric. I can’t “buy” community on the market. They don’t sell it.
Cohousing is a great opportunity for a great, rich (and challenging!) life among friends- the best way to go!
Kari Fetherston
Kari Fetherston – My name is Kari Fetherston, and I was born in Dawson Creek, BC. I spent my teens in the Okanagan working in the family business of motel and orchard. I’ve lived on Vancouver Island for 22 years after coming to Victoria to go to University.
I’ve traveled some parts of Europe, Australia, and the South Pacific and spent a year working in New Zealand. Most of my work has been in health care. I have a BA in psychology and a B.Sc. in Nursing. Currently I work part time in psychiatric rehab and independently as a foot-care nurse.
Gardening is a favorite activity and aligns with my spiritual path. I have many creative pursuits including soap making, sewing, and painting. I approach most activities as opportunities for artistic expression, from cooking to gardening to exercising.
Cohousing feels like an adventure that will bring me to a place I can call home – somewhere to set down my roots so that the rest of me can blossom and continue to grow with others who share concern for social and environmental issues.
Norah Forrest
I have been involved with Pacific Gardens Cohousing Community since the purchase of the land. I am an enthusiastic supporter of the concept of cohousing and of the architectural plans for this particular project.
For me, the atrium is the heart and soul of this project, both architecturally and philosophically. The lack of space and amenities experienced by friends who live in townhouses and condos has been addressed in this project with guest rooms, workshop, craft room, common dining room and kitchen, and garden plots.
Now the building is completed, those of us who visit and live in the building have not been disappointed. No matter how dreary it is outside, the atrium and each unit are filled with light in the day, while at night the lighting is beautiful.
No one minds the deer who leave their footprints in our newly landscaped garden, and we enjoy watching the bufflehead and mallards who have returned to the pond.
Upon retirement 21 years ago, my husband and I moved from Prince George to Nanaimo with our daughter. We specifically chose Nanaimo for its size and closeness to the sea. As I was brought up in Victoria and Nova Scotia, the urge to return and live near the ocean was strong.
Nanaimo has never disappointed us. We attend amateur theatre (Belfry and Yellowpoint) and Western Edge Theatre and of course events at the Port Theatre. I enjoy the various parks close to the ocean, and the walk along the Nanaimo waterfront never fails to please and refresh. I am involved in the Canadian Federation of University Women, a womens’ issues reading group and an international foods group. I watch other people do the jogging, canoeing and biking.
Kaj and Doris Jensen
Kaj – I grew up on a farm in Denmark and came to Canada at the age of 20 (escaping the military service). I immigrated under an agricultural program, but as soon as possible, I went to the logging camps (where the pay was better). From there I soon found my way into fishing, which I enjoyed for over 35 years.
During that time I met Doris and, when Tim was in his early teens, we built a house near Ucluelet. By the time I reached retirement age, the government regulations were taking the fun out of fishing, and I thought I’d like to try some kind of hobby farming. So in 1996 we bought a 10-acre place at Coombs. We tried raising emus, then switched to chickens, both laying hens and meat birds. We also raised a few sheep, and of course we had an organic vegetable garden. We could have stayed on the farm several more years, but Pacific Gardens seemed like a good investment—and now I’m here, still keeping as busy as I want to be. (I do miss the fresh, free-range eggs.)
Doris -I grew up on a farm in a very rural area of Michigan; it was a few miles off the power line, and our life there was very “close to the earth”. After high school, I took a 1-year steno course and became an office girl. I came to Canada in 1962 as a bride, but my first husband (a fisherman) was lost at sea the same year. I didn’t feel I had seen the west coast properly yet, so I stayed around for a few years and got involved with another fisherman.
We lived 6 years in Nanaimo (where Tim was born) and 2 years on Saltspring Island. We were both interested in “health food” before we met, and on Saltspring, we discovered the whole “counterculture”, which has been our choice of reading ever since.
After we lucked on to a good property outside Ucluelet we lived in a small cabin (again without electricity) for 9 years before we got our own house designed and built. When we reached retirement age and Kaj wanted to try farming, I too, saw it as “returning to our roots”.
However, I’m also a computer addict. I wanted one, from the time I first heard of a “home” model, and I got my first laptop in 1989. (I now have a Macbook.) I like to play with spreadsheets (and the farm accounts gave me a good excuse). I also do word processing, and now I’m trying to learn how to handle pictures.
We both loved our trees and spaces on the farm, but the view from our windows at Pacific Gardens comes near to compensating.
Timothy Jensen
I was born in Nanaimo, but started school on Saltspring Island. Then the family moved to Ucluelet where we lived until I graduated. I usually went fishing with my father in the summer. It was on my father’s boat where I developed my attraction and interest in technology. I learned how the “Loran C” navigation system worked, how to operate the auto-pilot and other equipement, and pilot the boat (docking was more of a fine art handled by my father). It was here on the boat where I saw the nature of technology as being utilitarian, working for a purpose. It impressed me as the only reason for technology: to automate operations, save time and make our lives easier – the long unfulfilled promise of technology.
I went to BCIT, started the Robotics program, then switched to Computer Control systems, thinking this would lead to a dream job someday.
I graduated in 1994 and was lucky enough to find work with Glenayre Manufacturing, where I worked for 5 years and learned about the electronics manufacturing industry, manufacturing and assembly processes, product testing, quality control, inventory systems, engineering and saw ISO 9001 standards in action. I was laid off as part of the plan for shutting down the plant which was moved to the USA.
The layoff was a shock and a rude awakening; I was not fulfilled by that job or work. I took some time for myself to consider what I should do next. Considering the state of the electronics industry and the fact that one cannot work an entire life without changing careers, I started to think about leaving electronics behind. I dabbled in some software courses at BCIT and then VCC to prepare for University entry as I was now decided to go to Malaspina, but undecided as to what I would take. A job came up through an old Glenayre contact and so I took employment with Lexis Systems (now Cubic) to raise some money for education; it was a 2 year detour. I started my first year at Malaspina University-College in September 2006 and am studying for the bachelor of Business Administration. I hope this path will lead to an opportunity to apply my beliefs and principles relating to technology.
I am presently living on my parents’ farm and have entered into the Pacific Gardens Cohousing Community with my parents. I am attracted to the idea of cohousing because of the social aspect and my political and environmental interests.
Mia Jongkind
Living in an idealistic intentional community has been interesting as well as invigorating to the mind and body. Cohousing has challenged many of my preconceived concepts.
There is a need to balance the freedoms and values amongst us on a regular basis. I value freedom and autonomy above all. Notions about lifestyle lead to meetings where we search for answers in our cohousing journey, as conflicting ethics often lead to animated discussions.
The variety of exotic foods matches the number of conversational topics here. Living in community does not mean opting out; rather I have found it means being very involved in the community of Nanaimo. I have volunteered with great gusto for the Symphony and other music-related gatherings. Newcomer meetings were good socially, and I even took a mindfulness course. I love the book club in the downtown core.
So far Pacific Gardens has been an exciting, fortunate chapter in my personal book of life. Thanks to my inspiring, open minded, lovable neighbours, we collectively are blazing the cohousing trail in Nanaimo. I am utterly dedicated to the downstairs exercise room in the early mornings and at night I snuggle up in decadent couches for upstairs movie sessions.
Other folks deal with composting and gardening. There is strength in sharing the many possibilities that this community offers. I feel totally committed to the dream.
Rosalind McKenzie
I was born in North Vancouver and grew up at Sandy Cove on the beach in West Vancouver. I married, had a daughter and moved to Saskatchewan, Alberta and Northern BC for the better part of 10 years then came home to roost in West Van. again.
Having coffee at Trolls in Horseshoe Bay, a friend said he was moving to Nanaimo to live. We all thought he had gone off his rocker, until one day when I did a locum for a fellow massage therapist. I discovered Nanaimo to be beautiful, inexpensive and expansive and thought I could actually leave my beloved West Van. to move here, set up practice, afford a house, a summer place, a boat, and drive for miles uninterruptedly; so, off I set and I have not looked back. (And, to my great delight, my daughter, now married with children, decided to live here too. They are now residing in Yellow Point on 5 acres.) I did get my house and I am an owner of a vacation rental condo on the waterfront in Yellow Point (www.BlueMoonCondos.com), which I consider my summer home; although, I rarely get a chance to stay there. I am slowly working on the boat idea….but my desires to be in community with people has a stronger pull at the moment.
I also got a lot more than I bargined for. Nanaimo and surrounding Gulf Islands contain more ‘per capita’ elder activists, more alternative thinkers who are actually making their dreams a reality (ie: cob housing, windmills, grey water elimination, solar heat, living off the grid, organic foods, etc.), which has allowed me to get ‘turned on’ again.
Several years ago, I fell in love with the Windsong co-housing development in Langley and decided at that time that I would like to live in a co-housing community. I have recently decided to buy into the Pacific Gardens co-housing development, which already has an interesting and talented mix of people. I am really interested in the great opportunities available to us all because we are living in a community. I am interested in helping, sharing and brainstorming for great results on anything that may come up for us as a group. I am looking forward to personally testing the social and mental health ideas as put forth in the co-housing literature. I am excited about going greener and leaving less of a footprint on the land sea and air, and learning how to accomplish this with the strength of the many rather than the single strenuous effort of the one. One of my favorite sayings is ‘Many hands make light work’.
I have done some traveling in my life to India, Mexico, Hawaii, Bali, England and Portugal and hope to do more. I hope to participate in our garden, kitchen, library and conversations to enrich myself and others along the way. I want to do many things and know it is easier when many people are nearby than when going it alone. Another of my favorite expressions is ‘More heads are better than one!’
Congratulations Pacific Gardens…you have succeeded and I am glad to be a part of this new journey.
Community Involvement and Activities of the Owners
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“Community” extends well beyond the small circle of our group. The folks at Pacific Gardens are involved in a wide range of activities and volunteer with many community organizations. Some of them include: |
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| Alternative Healing
Aquariums Art Galleries/Museum Attachment Parenting Bird Watching Book Clubs Camping Canadian Federation of Canadian Mental Health Association Canoeing Coastal Community Credit Union Computer Club – Knowledge Sharing Council of Canadians Curves Cycling Dancing – Ballroom, Belly, Dialogue Groups Education Equal Access Projects Emergency Weather Shelter Environmental Groups Ethos Career Management Fair Trade Farming Films Financial Planning First Unitarian Fellowship Folk Coffee Houses Freecycle Friends of Bill W. Genealogy Geocaching |
Global Village
Green Drinks Green Party Harewood Community Hiking Independent Media Intergenerational Lounges Kayaking Masters Swimming Metaphysical Motorcycling Movies Multi-Faith Explorations Nanaimo Recycling Exchange Organic Gardening Partners in Health Photography Pilates Political Science Discussion Group Pursuit of Excellence Running Scuba Diving Singing – Everybody Sings, Skiing Spiritual Retreats Stream & Wetland Keeping Streets to Homes Tai Chi Theatre Traveling Volunteer with the homeless Walking Weightlifting Writing |
Directors and Professionals
| Architects | Jolyon Brown |
| Ian Niamath | |
| Landscape Architects | Victoria Drakeford |
| Mechanical Engineers | Patrick Berard and Brian Crawford |
| Structural Engineers | Opus Engineering |
| Electrical Engineers | RB Engineering |
| Code Consultants | Gage Babcock |
| Civil Engineers | Newcastle Engineering |
| Geotechnical Engineers | Lewkowich Engineering Associates |
| Surveyors | Williamson & Associates |
| Land Appraisal | Cunningham & Rivard |
| Quantity Surveyor | Beacon Construction Consultants |
| Lawyer | Shelby O’Brien of Ramsay Lampman Rhodes |
| Accountant | Jim Whiteaker of Whiteaker & Associates |
| Financial Advisor | Bob Moss of DTZ Barnicke |
Jolyon Brown (Architect)
Jolyon was born in India in the dying days of the British Raj; went “home” to a typical English boarding-school at the end of WW II, and after 2 years compulsory National service in the Royal Artillery, went up to Cambridge University. After 3 years undergraduate and 2 years post-graduate studies in Architecture, he was invited to join the private architectural practice of his professor, Sir Leslie Martin, where he worked for a further 2 1/2 years until he could become registered as a professional architect with the RIBA.
He then emigrated to Canada with his young family to a job in Ottawa, but within 6 months moved to a much more exciting job in Montreal. He worked for ARCOP for 5 years, mainly on the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. He has since worked for half his career in private practice and the other half for the Federal Government, on both large and small projects, ending up as Regional Manager of Buildings for A & E Services, in BC and Yukon for Public Works Canada.
After taking early retirement in 1995, he took out his licence to practice architecture on his own and moved to Nanaimo.
Jolyon first became interested in Co-Housing in Vancouver, when the Windsong project was being proposed in Langley BC, meeting Cathryn McCamant, the author of the definitive “Co-Housing’ book. Back in Nanaimo, after an 18 month assignment in Malaysia, as project manager on a large housing development, he joined the fledgling Nanaimo co-housing group as a member.
When it became apparent that city hall needed some architectural drawings before considering rezoning for the site chosen, Jolyon drew up the first proposals for the group on a ‘pro bono’ basis in 1999, but withdrew from the group as a member. Eventually in the fall of 2004, the newly named Pacific Gardens Co-Housing group asked him to take on the project again, but as their official architect.
As a sole-practitioner Jolyon decided he needed more help to complete this project, so asked the well-known Nanaimo architect Ian Niamath to join him on a joint-venture basis. They had worked together briefly, and had found they had similar backgrounds, training and interests in the field of architecture and urban design, so it is an ideal alliance that should benefit the clients. Jolyon is looking forward to buying one of the units himself, either for his son or as an investment/rental unit for the long term.
Kari Fetherston – Owner and Board Chair
Tim Jensen – Owner and Board Treasurer
Kathryn Hazel – Owner and Board Secretary
Susana Michaelis – Owner and Board Member
Judy Roberts – Owner and Board Member