Treehouse Village Ecohousing is one step closer to completion, as construction begins on the multigenerational cohousing development in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.
And Treehouse members Emma Savage and her husband Mike Mackenzie are looking forward to their dream becoming a reality.
“It’s happening, and sooner, rather than later, we’ll finally be moving in,” says Emma.
“Hey, this is actually happening,” adds Mike. “We’ve been using Treehouse as a frame for our life, talking about goal-setting and where we’ll be in a couple of years. And soon, it’ll be a reality.”
Emma, Mike, and their two young daughters, Rosie and Tilly, will be joining other members at the Treehouse Village site on Saturday, August 21 to celebrate the start of construction. The event, which is open to the public, will be marked by activities including planting of a fruit tree by the community’s children, refreshments, music, speeches, and other festivities. Mike has offered to play his guitar at the event and has recruited his future neighbour, Max, to accompany him.
This is a better choice, a great choice for the children, and a better choice for us, given our values. We’ll be part of a supportive community.
Emma
The family is excited about the new opportunities cohousing offers–being surrounded by folks and families who share their values in sustainable, healthy, community living. Preparing for the move to Treehouse Village, also has them thinking … about what possessions they will take with them and what they will part with as they transition to a new space. “It’s been good to look at all the stuff we have and wonder ‘Will that go in our private home? Or will it be added to the community library of tools or toys or kitchen gadgets? Or should we keep it at all?” Emma laughs.
“This is a better choice, a great choice for the children, and a better choice for us, given our values,” Emma says. “We’ll be part of a supportive community.” She notes that Treehouse’s vision is to create a joyful, healthy, multigenerational cohousing community that lives lightly on the Earth.
Rosie is also looking forward to the move, Emma says (Tilly is still a bit too young to understand what’s going on). “Rosie was telling me, ‘So baby Nina is going to live across the common green, and Alfie is going to be right next door, and Máel and Elvira are going to be around the corner.’ We’re learning whose windows we’ll look at or whose doors we can throw a snowball at.”
Mike is looking forward to getting involved in various activities with other Treehousers in the common house, or just sitting back on the green, sipping his coffee and watching the kids play.
It’s just been so enriching to be surrounded by other folks who share our values and our interests.
Emma
For both Emma and Mike (and Rosie), one of the things they’re looking forward to most is finally meeting all the other members of the community in person. Some they’ve met before, but others they’ve connected with only over Zoom. “The online connection has been fulfilling and enriching, but it’s not the same,” says Emma. “We’ve spent days, hours, weekends with this community, and it reinforced that this is the right decision. It’s just been so enriching to be surrounded by other folks who share our values and our interests.”
There will be adjustments, they acknowledge. Downsizing from their single-family home is one. Leaving their current, walkable neighbourhood is another. Mike is also concerned about being an hour farther away from his parents, who live in Cape Breton. But that’s only an issue a few times a year, he notes. The move to Treehouse Village will be worth it.
There’s a lot to look forward to for the young Nova Scotian family. When completed, in fall 2022, Treehouse Village Ecohousing will feature 30 private, energy-efficient homes and a 5,000-sq.ft. shared common house on a 15-acre property. The common house includes a community kitchen, dining room for shared meals, a lounge, guest rooms, a library/co-working space, fitness room/yoga studio, and a workshop.
The property is a short walking and biking distance from Bridgewater’s shops, restaurants and amenities. It’s also close to historic Lunenburg, and to the beautiful Atlantic coastline.
Six of the 30 homes are still available for sale, and Emma and Mike encourage other families to jump at the opportunity to join the Treehouse Village community.
“Get to know the community, have some conversations, know that it’s a multigenerational community and we’re ready and willing to help even though we haven’t met you yet. It’s been wonderful, as a young parent, for me to walk in and meet strangers and feel the support of other members who barely knew me,” Emma says.
To learn more about Treehouse Village Ecohousing, visit our website at treehousevillage.ca. Check out the pre–sale prices for our two- and three-bedroom homes! And if you can, join us at our celebration on the land on Saturday morning, August 21. All are welcome! #TreehouseCelebration
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