The Treehouse Blog
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Be our guest!
By Allyson Rowley, Community Reporter When friends and family come for an overnight stay at Treehouse Village, there’s no need […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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Bridgewater Wins Sustainability Award for innovative energy poverty program
By Terry Lavender, Treehouse Village community member The Town of Bridgewater, home to Treehouse Village Ecohousing, has been recognized with […]
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Highlights of the holidays
By Allyson Rowley, Community Reporter. Photos by community members. After a busy year finishing construction projects, planting trees and gardens, […]
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“Cohousing gaining traction”: Treehouse Village in the News
Treehouse Village Ecohousing, Atlantic Canada’s first cohousing community, was mentioned this week in a Canadian Press feature on housing affordability […]
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Tea and Cookies with the Candidates
By Allyson Rowley, Community Reporter Like the rest of the province, the Town of Bridgewater is in the midst of […]
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Canadian think tank urges planners to look to Treehouse Village for inspiration
By Terry Lavender, Treehouse Village Media & External Relations Coordinator “For inspiration, Nova Scotian planners and communities could look to […]
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The Common House is Open!
A birthday dance party and a children’s summer camp are just two of the many activities that marked the opening […]
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Celebrating Sustainability and Community
Treehouse Village Ecohousing’s Inaugural Open House By Terry Lavender On June 22, two days after the Summer Solstice, Treehouse Village […]
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Treehouse Villagers Choose Condo Board Directors
Treehouse Village reached another milestone on April 28, as the community’s newly registered condominium corporation held its first Annual General […]
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Treehouse Village is alive with fun activities this spring!
By Allyson Rowley, Community Reporter From a wood carving workshop to dance parties in the Common House to a Wellness […]
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You’re invited to Treehouse Village on Saturday, June 22!
Come celebrate the Summer Solstice with us! SAVE THE DATE: Treehouse Village is hosting a Community Open House on Saturday, […]
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‘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 […]
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“We did it!” Treehouse Village celebrates the completion of our eco-friendly, multi-age cohousing development
Photos by Shirley Robb, Treehouse community member By Allyson Rowley, Community Reporter Treehouse Village Ecohousing, Atlantic Canada’s first cohousing development, […]
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The Maple: A bright, spacious home in a unique multi-generational community
Now available: Treehouse Village’s bright and spacious top-floor home — the Maple! This 1,006-sq.ft. condo offers two bedrooms, two bathrooms, […]
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Treehouse in the News
Atlantic Canada’s first cohousing community is generating a lot of interest in the media, both regionally and nationally. In recent […]
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From Berlin to Bridgewater in less than a year
By Bastian Gruber, Treehouse Village community member It has been a big year of trade-offs and jumping in an adventure […]
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The Oak: Perfect for families or working from home (or both!)
By Allyson Rowley, Community Reporter Heather Yundt and Etienne Baqué moved into their Oak in September with their twin six-year-old […]
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First Snowfall!
Treehouse Village woke up on December 4 to a blanket of snow covering our community. The residents lost no time […]
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More About Solar
Recently we published a blog post about Treehouse Village’s solar power (“Here Comes the Sun“). The post piqued the curiosity […]
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Pictures of welcome: Treehouse Villagers are moving in
Pictures of welcome: Treehouse Villagers are moving in At Treehouse Village, we’re fortunate to have a professional photographer in the […]
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“While I’ve moved many times before, I’ve never moved to a place that already felt like home”
Teri (far right) joins in a welcome ceremony for her new neighbours. Teri and her family moved to Treehouse Village […]
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Community Life | Families | Members | Moving
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 […]
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Here comes the sun!
Solar panels are on the rooftops of all our buildings at Treehouse Village. Our eco-friendly homes are almost ready! Photo […]
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“We were home”: Treehouse Village Ecohousing Welcomes Its First Residents
Treehouse Village Ecohousing, Atlantic Canada’s first cohousing community, has its first residents. The first family to move in was that […]
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Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Many families are moving to Bridgewater, and when Arlene, Wendy and Cedar (their 13 yr. old Labradoodle) pulled up stakes […]
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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 […]
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A multilingual cohousing community
Pourquoi? Warum? Por qué? Waarom? Why are so many folks flocking to purchase a home at Treehouse Village Ecohousing in […]
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Construction Update
Signs of spring are popping at 54 Pearl Street, including some accelerated progress on the building of Treehouse Village! Despite […]
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Two bedrooms, a mudroom and a view of the Common Green – what’s not to love about the Pine?
A spacious kitchen with a breakfast bar, an open concept living and dining area, two bedrooms and a front door that opens onto green space, and all this for under $400,000. What’s not to love about the Pine?
For Teona and Max Bjork, it was an easy decision to make. Originally, they had planned to move into a 3-bedroom Oak, but when a Pine became available, they quickly opted for the smaller residence. Their two young children are looking forward to moving into their bunk beds in the second bedroom. (“What kid doesn’t love a bunk bed?” Teona asks.) Max and Teona also love the mudroom just inside the front door.
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14 Reasons We ❤️ Bridgewater and the South Shore of Nova Scotia
1. Eating….
2. Playing….
3. Walking…. -
A big deal about a small town
I’m one of the many Canadians who have decided in the last year or so to escape urban life for […]
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The Maple: Bright, spacious and perfect for families or working from home
It was the windows and the work-from-home potential that drew Megan Beliveau and Matt van Bommel to the Maple. “We […]
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The Oak: Our largest home is ideal for family living
A home for their children to grow into. A home office. Enough room so that the grandparents can visit. Being […]
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Treehouse Village and Climate Resilience
With the extreme weather we are seeing, the resiliency of Treehouse Village is at the forefront of my thoughts. When […]
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Bridgewater | Community Life | Condo | Families | Members | Moving | Passive House
What are you waiting for? Come home to Treehouse Village!
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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Work Party
Treehouse Villagers in the local area were able to help with the physical build o
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Land Acknowledgment
By Katherine Harman and Kathy Horton Since July 2020, we have opened our Zoom Full Circle Gatherings and Meetings with […]
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Bridgewater | Community Life | Families | Members | Passive House | Project Timeline | Project Updates
Treehouse Village Welcomes More Than 130 to our Official Groundbreaking Celebration
On Saturday, August 21, Treehouse Village Ecohousing celebrated a major milestone — the start of construction on our 30-home, $12-million cohousing development project in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.
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Designing a New Kind of Community
Since the beginning of this journey, we felt honoured and privileged to be brought into this group and treated like one of the community members.
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Breaking Ground
The Treehouse Village Ecohousing groundbreaking ceremony will take place on Saturday, August 21, 2021
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The Dream is Becoming a Reality
Treehouse Village Ecohousing is one step closer to completion, as construction begins on the multigenerational cohousing development in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.
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Groundbreaking Ceremony for Atlantic Canada’s First Cohousing Community
Treehouse Village Ecohousing celebrates start of construction What: Official Groundbreaking Celebration for Treehouse Village EcohousingWhen: Saturday, August 21, 10:00 a.m. […]
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Community Resilience in the Time of Pandemic
Not only have our members found that working on our development is an excellent distraction from the boredom of social isolation, we’ve also been able to draw emotional support from each other in these trying times.
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Greening Your Grocer: Bridgewater’s Cornucopia of Farmers’ Markets and Community Supported Agriculture
In Bridgewater, there are so many options! From farm stands to farmer’s markets to CSAs.
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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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The Biggest Gift I Could Give My Only Child
We already live in a society where parenting in isolation has become the norm. Our “DIY” culture has us striving for our own house, yard, and all the “things” we need to be a self-sufficient family unit. With that DIY attitude comes the mindset that we are also to be all to our children.
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Condo | Moving | Passive House
Condo Fees that Save You Money — and Pay for Your Internet!
Did you know that condo fees at Treehouse Village will include your heat, electricity, water — and your internet? Read on for more details!
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Taking an Active Role in Energy Efficiency with Passive House
Are you interested in a more sustainable way of living on the planet? Have you heard of Passive House? Treehouse […]
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Why would I buy a home in a place I’ve never seen? The community, that’s why
Normally, I would visit a place before I bought a home there. But this isn’t a normal time. And Treehouse Village isn’t a normal place.
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Cut the heating bill, celebrate energy efficiency! Pooling resources to build a Passive House neighbourhood
It’s hard to believe we anticipate cutting our heating bill by almost 90% once my family moves to Treehouse Village in 2022.
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Bridgewater | Community Life | Families | Members | Moving
Treehouse Village’s First “Next Gen Housing” Webinar: A Home That Reflects Your Values
Treehouse Village Ecohousing is building an intentional, multigenerational community that lives lightly on the Earth, shares resources, and creates a wonderful place to raise our kids.
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East is the new west, or “Go east, brave homeowner!”
Are Canadians moving east because the Maritimes have done a good job managing COVID-19? Or because so many of us can work remotely now? Or maybe it’s the more affordable housing? Probably all of the above.
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Moving made easier with a little help from my cohousing neighbours
When we moved to California, we decided that when we moved back to Canada, it would be to Nova Scotia. Our move was a logistical challenge.
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Tree Clearing
Last weekend, we prepared for cutting the trees in the “disturbed area,” which is the part of the land where we’ll be building our homes.
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How I Justified Purchasing an “Expensive” Cohousing Home
My gut soon told me that this project was hitting many of my hopes and dreams for the future in one fell swoop. But my head … my head required some analysis to validate the feelings from my gut and heart.
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The Cat’s Out of the Bag – We are now on MLS!
The word has been “out” for quite some time, but it’s now “out” in a different way. Treehouse Village has […]
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A walk around the block doesn’t need to be boring
…since moving to Bridgewater, I’ve found several places to walk – some without driving and others less than a five-minute drive from home.
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Cohousing: A safe place for children to play and build friendships
It seems to be only the blink of an eye before your child has grown from infancy to toddlerhood and you’re looking for opportunities for your little one to make friends. Here are some social benefits cohousing can offer your growing children.
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We’ve Selected our Homes!
The Equity members of Treehouse Village took a leap of faith, worked together, and consented to purchase not just a unit, but a specific home.
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Something is Happening!
This week we are making the first real changes to our land – creating a driveway and small parking area.
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What Does PHIUS Certification Mean to Treehouse Village Ecohousing?
We want to reduce our environmental footprint, and one of the ways we will be doing that is by building our homes to a very high standard of energy efficiency.
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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 […]
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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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Multigenerational Cohousing Group Seeks Young Families
The vision for Treehouse Village Ecohousing is a multigenerational community of 30 privately owned homes, together on a shared property with common amenities. In December 2018 members took the bold step of reserving half of the homes in the community for households with at least one member under the age of 40.
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What size cohousing home is right for me?
As we move closer to selecting the homes we will move into, I find myself second-guessing my preference for the size of my unit. Although many of the factors may be relevant to deciding to buy into and join a cohousing community, when it comes to considering the size of your home, there are some other things to consider.
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Our Development Agreement Is Approved!
On November 9th 2020, the Bridgewater Town Council unanimously approved the development agreement (DA) with Treehouse Village Ecohousing. Fifty-four Pearl Street will be the future home of a sustainable 30-unit collective residential development.
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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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“Yes! Let’s do it!” – Building a cohousing community in Bridgewater
My first introduction to Treehouse Village came when friends reached out to share their big dream of building a cohousing community that would become the greenest neighbourhood in Nova Scotia. I wanted to help them make it happen. In order to build this custom neighbourhood, future neighbours would have to join as early as possible to finance the project and act as the developer – self-organize, collaborate, dream big, and work hard. Mike’s first reaction was, “Yes! Let’s do it!”
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Common Cohousing Myths and Misconceptions
I’ve been with Treehouse Village since the get-go, and there aren’t many questions about it that surprise me anymore. “Is […]
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Spoiled for Choice: Four Beaches Near Treehouse Village
In a cohousing community like Treehouse Village Ecohousing, I expect that opportunities to go to the beach will arise naturally. Every sunny weekend, I imagine there will be a friend or neighbour who says, “We’re off to the beach, wanna come?”
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New 3D Renderings Are In
The vision for Treehouse Village Ecohousing is coming to life! We are so excited to share the newest image (above) from our architects.
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The Pull of the Little City
I think I’ve finally found the solution to my rural versus urban quandary in Treehouse Village Ecohousing. Bridgewater offers the amenities which I usually associate with urban living in addition to the benefits of a more rural lifestyle, and when you add cohousing into the mix, it covers all bases!
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My Accidental Swim
I am a 16 year old cat, long, lanky, and orange, with the beginnings of grey showing around my ears and whiskers. I have lived in many places in my long life, all (except for the very first bit, which I don’t remember very well) with my family of humans. The story I’m going to tell you is from my time on the boat.
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Buzzing with Possibilities: What Cohousing Could Offer My Family
My mind was buzzing with possibilities as I walked home from the info session. I was playing out my daily routine in my house and comparing it to life at Treehouse Village. It was clear we could do a lot more with less. The move would involve downsizing to a home with considerably less square footage but grant us more shared space, amenities, and community support than we could ever access on our own. I wondered: what might I be able to share and achieve in an intentional community where my neighbours are also committed to lightening their ecological footprint?
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We’re Hiring a Marketing Firm!
Our present goal is to start construction in November, 2020. In order to reach our target of 24 Equity households by the end of October 2020, we have decided to engage the services of a professional marketing firm.
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Updated Design Documents
As we finalize this design phase, the most incredible feature of our neighbourhood’s design is the strength of this growing community.
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Treehouse Village’s Cohousing Colour Challenge #cohocolourchallenge
While we all are isolating at home, the pandemic hasn’t stopped Treehouse Villagers from strengthening our community. When Cate emailed with the invitation to take on the colour challenge, I was thrilled to see her family’s pink pose, but reluctant to join in. It was only after the “reply alls” filled my inbox from members stepping up to the challenge that I was nudged to play along.
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Finding Treehouse Village
“I’ve found a cohousing project on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. It looks interesting and they have an information session on YouTube. Do you want to listen to it while we drive?”
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We are one step closer to building our community
Last month, we gathered virtually and consented to the design for Treehouse Village. This is one big step closer to building Atlantic Canada’s first cohousing neighbourhood! Consenting to the design was a big decision. Although we are excited to reveal the details of the physical common kids room, the unit floor plans, and the many gardens, the biggest development is the resiliency of this social community.
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A Grand Adventure in Bridgewater
In late February, Erin McQueen, sister to Treehouse Village Ecohousing member Caitlin Stonham, joined her family on a weekend in Bridgewater while they attended Treehouse Village meetings. Here, Erin shares some of the highlights of the town, from a visitor’s perspective.
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Birds of a feather flock together – Online fun during Covid-19
Last Friday, rather than having fun with just the adults at Treehouse Village, we decided to try and have some […]
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The Tree of Compassionate Connection – Resolving conflict in a cohousing community
Cohousing communities are intentional communities – communities made up of like-minded people from diverse backgrounds brought together with a shared vision of harmonious living. A united community, thriving as a team, supporting each other at every turn –and never, ever falling out about anything – right? WRONG!
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Unit Availability Update
We still have 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom homes available for you to choose from. Get in touch with us as soon as possible to reserve a home that will suit your needs.
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Why does cohousing make sense for our families?
Treehouse Village parents weigh in When I decided to write a blog post to share my family’s thought process on […]
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Finding our village: Why cohousing is right for our family
As we watched, my husband Dan and I looked at each other. We were both thinking something along these lines:
This is genius!
Why doesn’t everyone live like this?
Could we do this? -
A Newcomer’s Guide to Treehouse Meetings
Meetings are run a bit differently here. You’ll find some impressive things (like a group being completely civilized and focused on reaching an agreement quickly) and other things that make you wonder what’s going on (like the process of checking in at the beginning and out at the end). Here’s a quick overview of what to expect and why we run our meetings this way.
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First 3D Rendering
✓ Design workshop series completed. We are now in the Design Development stage, where those designs will be refined and […]
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Workshop #4 and Approval of Schematic Design
On December 7-8 we did our final design workshop. At the workshop we approved the schematic design, the architects will […]
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Design Development – Here we come!
This weekend we held the fourth and final design workshop with our architects. They presented us with a set of […]
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We have land!
We’re so happy to share that we have secured the land for our future community. It’s an incredible 15 acre […]
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Design Workshop #3 – Private Homes
The weekend began with a great reveal of the initial design of our common house based upon the input provided […]
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Design Workshop #2
Our Sept 14-15 workshop was all about designing the common house. In cohousing, the common house is the heart of […]
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First Workshop Success!
We had so much fun letting our creative juices flow at our first Design Workshop! On day #1 we spent […]
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Meet Our Architects (Caddis Collaborative & RHAD)
Today we welcome on board our architecture team: two firms that combine specializations in cohousing, green building, as well as […]
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Design Workshop #1: Site Plan
The first design workshop us all about the Site Plan: identifying what kinds of activities we want to do on […]
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Welcome to the team, Caddis!
We are delighted to announce that Caddis Collaborative will be the cohousing architectural firm for Treehouse Village! We were humbled […]
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An Offer on Land
We are so excited to announce that we have an accepted offer on an incredible parcel of land, located at […]
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Welcome to Treehouse Village Ecohousing
We are diving into 2019 with a new name, new look, and incredible momentum! Proudly introducing…. A family-friendly green neighbourhood in […]
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Associate Membership Opens
The first level of membership (“Associate Membership”) will open immediately following the December 9th meeting to those who attended the […]
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First Member’s Meeting & Group-Forming Series
What a great group came out for our first members’ meeting on Oct 21st! We broke the ice, asked and […]
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Bridgewater Cohousing Launches
By the response to our first Info Session, it’s clear to us that Bridgewater Cohousing has now launched! But it’s far […]
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Studying Cohousing Communities
We are just back from a full and fulfilling 4-day cohousing study tour of Vancouver Island. We attended a 2-day […]
