Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: workshop (was How are your great room ...)

[dahako (dahako]

 Hi -

Although we do have some differences of opinion about this around here, I think 
a workshop is a horse of a different color in a common house. During 
development at Eastern Village Cohousing, I and two or three other households 
negotiated for a workshop during our design charrette and afterward.? Our idea 
was not that everyone in the community would use the room and tools regularly.? 
It was that tool-users could set up and totally equip a woodworking, messy 
craft, and bike repair shop and, in return, they would loan out some simple 
tools and do a couple projects for the community a year.

Among other projects, my husband installed a keybox for back-up keys, cut 
shelving for various members, and loans out his laser level and power drill 
when asked.? He and another tool user helped the community reuse some extra 
cabinets as a sideboard in the dining room. The bike mechanic set up some 
community bikes and provides help keeping bikes running.? Most of the tool 
users participated in setting up the playground on the green roof. It only 
takes a couple of projects a year to pay the "rent" for the (not very pretty) 
space.? 

We keep the space locked and only a few people know the combination offhand.? 
Kids under 18 are not allowed in the room unattended by an adult.? At one point 
we did have some problem with theft, so we changed the lock combination.? The 
insurance company knows about the room, but didn't seem to care.? Because all 
the equipment is privately owned, breakage by a non-owner and replacement looms 
as a possible issue.? 

Recently, to help non-tool-owners know more about the workshop, our daughter 
did a web page showing each piece of equipment and giving information about the 
room and how to use it.? We hope to launch it soon for the community.

-Jessie Handforth Kome
Eastern Village Cohousing
Silver Spring, Maryland
"Where my kids cooked our contribution for the community potluck this week.? 
Whee!"