Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: getting off the ground

[Patty M Gourley (pattymara]

Dear Don and List,
Thanks to Don for the articulate description of site selection, and the
consequences.  In Don's words: " For me one of the hardest parts of
getting a coho community going has been saying goodbye to good friends
along the way. "   

This was true for us at Tierra Nueva, on the central CA coast.  Our
founding group searched for a couple of years in the San Luis Obispo
area, with several hopeful sites being snatched away or number crunched
to oblivion.  This quaint little town with walkable downtown streets and
a university and art and culture and bike paths and creek was the
original dream destination.  After several disappointments the group
foundered, with no promise of land available or affordable.  Then, out of
the blue, an elder who had earlier offered 5 acres of land for sale (much
too expensive)  (20 minutes south of San Luis in the suberbs with no bus
lines or connections), decided that she would be willing to "give" the
group the land, with some definite strings attached.  The group responded
(somewhat out of desperation) and entered into a "very long strange trip"
of acquiring the land where we now live.  

Many friends were lost along the way with us too.  But many joined in,
and here we are.  The original vision is just the starting point.  Things
happen, and the dream has to change.  Funny, the same thing is happening
to us after construction and move-in.  

I loved your banker poem, Don...I wrote too many tirade poems about our
architects, but a year or so ago I resolved to release all that angst, so
I won't repeat them here.  Dealing with "professionals" in this long
strange trip of design, development and construction was a grueling
education for me.  Fortunately, there are the Jim-Chris-Chuck-Katie-Mary
angels who can guide new groups down the rocky paths of their dreams. 

coheartedly,
Patty Mara Gourley
Tierra Nueva, cen CA coast













mmm. 


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