Our Blog

  • Kathlyn Hunter

    Kathlyn Hunter

    A modern multi-storey building with dark siding and a large rooftop deck is illuminated by the warm light of sunset. A faint rainbow arcs across a dramatic sky filled with pink and coral-colored clouds. Two people stand on the upper deck with their arms raised beneath the rainbow, while trees and greenery surround the building in the background.

    I’m Kathlyn Hunter—a retired teacher, a mother, and proud “bi-coastal grandmother.” I spent my career teaching in New Brunswick, where I also raised my two daughters. Today, one lives on each coast of Canada, and for many years I used every spare vacation to travel west and stay connected with family, always searching for balance between work, family, and home. Midway through my teaching career, I was fortunate to take a deferred leave that allowed me to travel extensively. Over five and a half months I explored the United Kingdom, East Africa, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, China, and…

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  • Máel Sheridan

    Máel Sheridan

    Person wearing a bright green cap and dark jacket stands on a sandy beach, holding binoculars and looking out over a sunlit ocean. Light reflects off the water, with gentle waves at the shoreline and a partly cloudy sky overhead.

    In November 2004, when it became clear that the growing hostility toward 2SLGBTQ+ people in the US had become a political reality, I was one of tens of thousands in the US who went online and searched “moving to Canada.” In the spring of 2005, I applied for Canadian permanent residency. While exploring where in Canada to go and focusing on Nova Scotia, I discovered a cohousing project that was, at that point, in its infancy. Ultimately, it was not completed. No matter. I had received permanent residency in 2007 and, for reasons entirely unrelated to housing, moved to New…

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  • Allyson Rowley

    All the world’s a stage

    Treehouse Village member Andrew at a rehearsal for a play.

    I’m blown away by the amount of arts & culture on the South Shore of Nova Scotia, where Treehouse Village is located. I’m directing a play for the South Shore Players, a community theatre here in Bridgewater. I’ve cast my neighbour Andrew (also a Treehouse Villager) in the play. Here he is on the left, overseeing some silliness during rehearsal! Our production is a special staged reading of Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, a hilarious and thought-provoking spin on Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Two minor characters from Hamlet — the attendant lords Rosencrantz and Guildenstern — now find themselves at…

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  • Rebecca J Hogue

    Rebecca Hogue (Becky)

    My name is Rebecca Hogue—though my neighbours call me Becky. I’m a writer, a podcaster, a puppy mom, and one half of Scott-and-Becky. Until fairly recently, I never imagined myself living in cohousing. That wasn’t because I disliked the idea of community—it was because I didn’t really understand what cohousing was. Once I learned that we would have our own condo, complete with a private kitchen and personal space, everything changed. What suddenly made sense was the balance: independence when you want it, connection when you need it. That combination is what ultimately led us to Treehouse Village. Cali, our cavapoo, and I love hiking and beach walks, and one of the unexpected joys of living at Treehouse is how rarely I need to do those things alone. There’s almost always a neighbour available for a walk, a hike, or a quick outing. One neighbour has become my accountability buddy—the person who helps drag me out the door on days when I know I’ll feel better if I go, but motivation is in short supply. That kind of casual, low-pressure connection is what cohousing does best. There’s no obligation and no forced participation—just people nearby, living their lives, open to joining in. One of the ways I enjoy giving back to the community is by organizing common meals. With the help of a couple of wonderful sous-chefs, we prepare food for 30 to 40 people at a time. These meals are always optional, but they offer a chance to sit down together and share conversation as well as food. As someone with celiac disease, I was initially concerned that common meals might be difficult. Instead, they’ve been surprisingly easy. I know what’s being served, I know who’s cooking, and I can always check ingredients. Some nights I bring my own food and join for the company; many nights, I’m happy to enjoy my neighbours’ cooking. Having that choice makes all the difference. Because of a bad back, I can’t shovel snow—but I still wanted to help with winter maintenance. Fortunately, a neighbour was happy to teach me how to drive the tractor. I didn’t expect to be very good at it, but it turns out I’m not half bad. On snow days, I genuinely enjoy spending a few hours clearing laneways and helping keep the community running. That’s something I’ve learned about living at Treehouse: there’s room for everyone to contribute in ways that match their abilities, rather in ways that wear them down. Before moving here, Scott and I lived in Ottawa for 20 years, followed by seven years in California’s Bay Area. I was surprised by how much I enjoy living in a small town like Bridgewater. Most of our day-to-day errands—groceries, shopping, doctor appointments—are a five-minute drive away. We joke about downtown “traffic jams” when we have to wait more than five minutes at a light. Despite the small-town pace, there’s no shortage of culture. Scott and I love folk music, and we’ve discovered the Folk Harbour Folk Festival in nearby Lunenburg. Every August, for five days straight, you’ll find us making the 25-minute drive to spend our days soaking up local and international talent. Year-round, we enjoy folk concerts in Liverpool, Lunenburg, and Chester—remarkable quality live music, just a short drive from home. One of the most important things I’ve learned since moving to Treehouse Village is that cohousing isn’t static. It’s a living organism that changes with the seasons. Different people step forward at different times, each bringing their own passions, skills, and ideas. That leads to new ways of learning together, new traditions, and new ways of having fun. It also means there’s always room for new people to help shape what the community becomes. I don’t agree with everything my neighbours do—but that, too, is part of living in community. For me, the benefits of connection, support, and shared life far outweigh the challenges. Treehouse Village isn’t about giving up independence. It’s about choosing how—and with whom—you want to live your life.

    My name is Rebecca Hogue—though my neighbours call me Becky. I’m a writer, a podcaster, a puppy mom, and one half of Scott-and-Becky. Until fairly recently, I never imagined myself living in cohousing. That wasn’t because I disliked the idea of community—it was because I didn’t really understand what cohousing was. Once I learned that we would have our own condo, complete with a private kitchen and personal space, everything changed. What suddenly made sense was the balance: independence when you want it, connection when you need it. That combination is what ultimately led us to Treehouse Village. Cali, our…

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  • Scott Drennan

    Something for Everyone

    Two people eating spaghetti creatively, one using an egg beater

    Our community is diverse, and there are many different food restrictions and preferences among our members. From early in our forming phase we asked our members to share their restrictions and preferences. While we know we can’t accommodate everyone at every Common Meal, our Meal Leads do consider people’s dietary restrictions when choosing what to make. Recently, we’ve add different styles of eating our meal repertoire. On three nights in succession last weekend, we hosted three very different meals: Pictures of the first meal weren’t that exciting, but the Messy Spaghetti meal certainly made up for that. Photo credits: Cate…

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  • Allyson Rowley

    We love all our visitors!

    A big advantage to being a “cohousing” community is the shared connections we have with each other at Treehouse Village — and with each other’s visitors, who come for the afternoon to hang out, or the evening to attend an event here, or to stay overnight in one of our guest rooms. We’ve welcomed at least eight visitors to Treehouse Village over the past week! They got to explore our 4000-sq.ft. Common House, our 11 acres of forested land, our climate-smart housing development (with solar panels on our rooftops!) … along with the chance to have spontaneous conversations with residents…

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  • Allyson Rowley

    With a little help from our friends

    What’s your definition of “cohousing”? For some, it’s about designing a different kind of housing that allows for both privacy and social interaction. For others, it’s about bringing multiple generations together and solving the loneliness crisis. Most of all, cohousing is about intentionally creating a sense of community. Recently, I’ve seen three great examples of how my neighbours at Treehouse Village have supported each other as a community — in ways you might not immediately think! Parlez-vous français? Last September, I put out a call for neighbours who speak French. I needed someone to join me when I met a journalist from Radio-Canada…

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  • Rebecca J Hogue

    Repair Café: Where Treehouse Meets Bridgewater

    At Treehouse Village Ecohousing, we believe that community thrives when people come together to share skills, stories, and laughter. That spirit was on full display at Bridgewater’s recent Repair Café, where Treehouse residents joined forces with neighbours to breathe new life into well-loved items. The Repair Café, co-led by Treehouse resident Etienne and a couple of his friends, brought together a team of handy volunteers—many from Treehouse Village—to help with various repairs, from sewing to repair of small appliances. It was a day filled with creativity, problem-solving, and connection. Sewing Stories Sue, who volunteered at the sewing station, described one…

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  • Allyson Rowley

    Be our guest!

    By Allyson Rowley, Community Reporter When friends and family come for an overnight stay at Treehouse Village, there’s no need to book a hotel, motel, or B&B for them. They can stay right here in one of the comfortable guest rooms in the Common House. Guests can experience Treehouse Village first hand, while also having their own private space. The smaller “blue room” is great for a single guest, while the “green room” can sleep several visitors. Both suites are decorated with lovely quilt art, created by one of our Treehouse residents. The rooms are scent-free and smoke-free, and guests…

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  • Katherine Harman

    Who needs a gym membership when you have Cohousing?

    By Katherine Harman, Treehouse resident “There is no drug in current or prospective use that holds as much promise for sustained health as a lifetime program of physical exercise.” – Walter M. Bortz I admit that there was confirmation bias at play when I first read that quote from renowned age researcher Walter Bortz. I have always had a steady presence of exercise in my life. When we were imagining what the Treehouse Village Common House would be like and the elements that we valued, I was encouraged when I heard others in my future community identify a gym or exercise…

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