Cohousing-L Mailing List: Most popular Common House amenities

[Pacific Gardens Cohousing Community (cohousing]

Hello everyone,

I sent this request out New Year's Eve without realizing that I wouldn't 
get responses, so Sharon suggested that I resend it, as it is very 
important for developing communities.

We are trying to decide on which rooms are the "must haves" for our common 
house and which are the "nice to have" if we can afford them.

We would love to know which amenities you would not part with, that are 
well-used and which ones were a great idea, but never really served the 
needs of the community.

What we are wanting is:

- large kitchen and dining room (what percentage of the residents regularly 
show up for meals?)
- pantry
- storage area for tables, decorations, janitor supplies
- laundry room with room for machines, sink, table to fold clothes
- exercise room which can accommodate equipment
- woodworking room
- crafts room with a sink for painting, pottery etc
- teen room
- children's room
- living room (overlooking our local mountain and gardens)
- multipurpose room which can be used for workshops, meetings
- office
- storage lockers
- bicycle room
- 2 guest rooms, 1 bathroom with shower (not ensuite)
- 1 wheelchair  bathroom near the dining room and 1 other unisex bathroom
- mudroom at an entrance, and a greenhouse near the garden

Our common house is approx. 5000 square feet on 3  levels with elevator 
access to each level.

Do you have enough storage? How did you accommodate large items like skis, 
kayaks, bicycles, Christmas trees, recreational and camping equipment?

Now many of you have been living in Cohousing for a number of years, I'm 
sure that some of the original Common Rooms may have changed purpose or 
been added due to the changing needs of the community. I would really 
appreciate hearing from anyone who would like to share their experience 
with common amenities.


Susana Michaelis
Pacific Gardens Cohousing Community,
Nanaimo, BC (Vancouver Island)
Canada
www.pacificgardens.ca