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Tag: neighbours

  • 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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  • 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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  • 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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  • 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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  • 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, while Sue leads the “Craft & Chat” group and has taken on the role of Guest Room Steward. “We’d been investigating cohousing since 2021, when we first learned about the concept and Treehouse Village,” says Phil. “We were taken with the idea of living lightly,…

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  • Megan Beliveau

    A special “Rite of Passage trek” to Treehouse Village

    A Rite of Passage is a ceremony or event marking an important stage in someone’s life. My partner, Matt, and I decided to go on a very special pilgrimage – to mark our own “rite of passage” as we transition to our new home at Treehouse Village. We decided to walk the 130 kilometers (80 miles) from the front door of our last apartment in Halifax to the front door of our new home at Treehouse Village in Bridgewater! So, on August 31 we set out and began to walk. Right away, we had blisters on our feet and realized…

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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, with construction slated for completion in early 2023. The 30-unit, eco-friendly condominium community is building to Passive House standards with energy-efficient units and solar photovoltaic panels on rooftops. Homes range in size from one to three bedrooms. Treehouse Village Ecohousing is a “cohousing” community, which…

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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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  • Treehouse Village

    Work Party

    Treehouse Village members and professionals from Tate Engineering wearing hardhats pose for a photo after a day of assembling the styrofoam forms for the insulated concrete form walls of their common house. A dog joined the photo op.

    Treehouse Villagers in the local area were able to help with the physical build o

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  • Treehouse Village

    Sounds Like Life to Me: Parenting in a Busy World

    When I heard about what families are trying to create with Treehouse Village Ecohousing, I understood this to be more than just a community with energy-efficient homes and a pretty cool common house. To me, it was a way of creating a lifestyle that gives you more time for the things that are really important.

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