Cohousing-L Mailing List: Group Report: Greyrock Commons

[Willie Schreurs (willie]

To continue the group report trend, here's my attempt to give an 
idea of Greyrock Commons' current status.

The Common House is now all but finished; we've been having meetings in 
it for a couple of months now.  Its dedication was a couple of months ago 
and we expect a Certificate of Occupancy any day.

Buildings are popping up all over.  The first two families moved in almost
two months ago; the next three are moving in this weekend.  There are six
other buildings in various stages of construction, from hole-in-the-ground
to *this* close to being done.

On the rest of the site, we now have a windbreak (one foot high, but
beginning to grow) along the west edge.  Drip irrigation for the trees was
a community effort, helped along by the expertise and hard work of a local
consultant.  The grass we planted last fall on the flood detention pond /
future play area has begun to grow, reluctantly at first in our dry spring
with the minimal watering we could give it.  It should have been helped
immensely by the last two delicious days of rain.  The warm-season native
grasses planted last fall in our reserved natural area (with the aid of a
grant from the City of Fort Collins) are beginning to peek up and will
hopefully make a valiant effort to compete with the weeds.  The wild
asparagus growing along our irrigation lateral is indeed tasty and will
have to suffice until we get our garden established.  The foxes have
returned and are raising another family; they are becoming a familiar
sight and smell. 

The human community that has been sputtering into life through many (many,
many!) meetings is becoming more tangible and should continue to do so as
we slowly converge on the site.  Some slow-down and burnout is evident as
everyone is trying to concentrate on the building of their own homes and
of the community while also dealing with other minor issues like gainful
employment.  Still, there's already a wonderful sense of belonging as I go
to the site to check on the progress of my unit or of some other part of
the landscape and see more and more of my neighbours popping in and out
also.  Some of our more geographically dispersed members are starting to
come "home" and I look forward to their increased involvement.  All 30
homes are now spoken for; our final member joined up just in time for the
dedication of the Common House! 

Everything is in place for a busy, but truly wonderful, summer.
(And I won't even have to, or be able to, go on vacation!)


  /\                     Willie Schreurs                      /\
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