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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

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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

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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

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  • Katherine Harman

    Fancy Pants on the Green

    By Katherine Harman, Treehouse Village resident On March 26, my neighbour Clara and I received a personal invitation from hostess Cora to visit the newly established Fancy Pants on the Green. The smiling Cora welcomed us with a bell under the freshly painted sign.   We were delighted to see the café was already busy, with

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  • Treehouse Village

    ‘We felt at home right from the day we arrived’

    By Treehouse Village Ecohousing Treehouse Village Ecohousing is so excited to welcome our two new households! Sue and Phil Aylesworth made the trek to Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, from Windsor, Ontario, in January. They jumped right into the community — Phil operated the Treehouse snow plow and he now manages the site keys and access control,

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  • Allyson Rowley

    All Sold – Treehouse Village Ecohousing

    Atlantic Canada’s first cohousing community slated for completion in early 2023 A “seed of an idea” planted more than four years ago has come to fruition. Atlantic Canada’s first cohousing community – Treehouse Village Ecohousing – announced today that all units are pre-sold. The development is well underway at its location in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia,

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  • Terry Lavender

    What are you waiting for? Come home to Treehouse Village!

    Four grinning children sitting on a log surrounded by old-growth forest.

    Treehouse VIllage Ecohousing is looking for additional younger folks and families to claim the remaining homes in our unique, sustainable, healthy, multi-age community in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.

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  • Anne Wightman

    Returning to Nova Scotia

    I’ve lived a lot of places in my adult life. I confess that I was born in the US, so most of the places I lived were there, but I moved to Nova Scotia in 2006 and very quickly felt more at home than I had felt in any of the five states I had

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  • Wayne Groszko

    Five Week Storm

    The year 2020 will be memorable for many of us. My partner and I had an especially memorable event in October with the arrival of our first child. This time of distress really showed us the value of a cohousing community.

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  • David Stonham

    It takes a village to raise a child, so we’re building one

    It takes a village to raise a child, they say, but they don’t actually tell new parents how to find one. It sounds wonderful, but not necessarily realistic for many. Treehouse became “our village” long before we would build our home on the land. Now, we can be that village for others, too.

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