Group Update
From: Chris/Meri-Kate Holt (holtsMNSi.Net)
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1998 10:25:58 -0500
Hidy Ho, Neighbours!  From the Great White North!  Just thought I'd send
the list a brief update on the state of the Windsor Cohousing Group.

Our project has taken a few dramatic turns in the past few months.  First
off, we have almost completely replaced all interested persons in the group
with new future cohousers.  This all happened in the span of a month.  I
know this is the norm when it comes to a project of this scope, but it is
still disenchanting, nonetheless.  Second, the physical form of the project
is expanding to realms I would have never expected in this blue-collar,
white-bread town I live in.  I seems we are turning to more of an
eco-village approach, while still retaining the same cohousing community
social outlook.  Needless to say, this is more than I could have ever hoped
for.

We have been in contact with a man a few of you may recognise.  His name is
Malcolm Wells.  He is arguably the forefather of the earth-sheltered home. 
He is also the man we want to design our future community.  For those of
you who do not know of his work,  he designs buildings which are built into
hillsides, covered with earth, face south, and take advantage of every
green technology applicable to the house.  While this is  not all he does,
it certainly applies to what we envision for our finished form.  We still
plan on following the existing cohousing model, (We have no desire to
reinvent the wheel!)  possibly bringing Chuck and Katie to Canada one day, 
but we want Mac Wells to design the actual physical environment the
underground way!

Another man we are working with a Dr. John Todd of the Ocean Arks Institute
in Falmouth, MA.  Dr. Todd has pioneered a biological way of dealing with
sewage and waste water that not only treats the water in a chemical-free
process, but it is also built right alongside the common house in a
greenhouse, does not smell, adds employment possibilities to the community,
and generally increases the aesthetics of the development.  We hope to be
able to offer our eco-village to the educational community as well,  so the
nearby university, college, and even high school and elementary school
students can learn from our examples and maybe even teach us a thing or
two.

This is a very exciting development for a guy who was just dreaming of a
wonderful place to raise his family.  We are on the road to that, as well
as a place my daughter can work next to environmental engineers in the
"Living Machine", and my son can grow up with a respect for the natural
environment and maybe even save the world one day!

OK, I'm starting to get silly, so it's time to sign off.

Chris Holt
Windsor Cohousing Group
Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Results generated by Tiger Technologies Web hosting using MHonArc.