Welcome to Groundswell Cohousing - (multi-generational cohousing at Yarrow Ecovillage)

Imagine living in one of 33 residences nestled between our mixed use commercial/residential and a 20 acre Organic farm within the Yarrow Ecovillage. Know your neighbors, enjoy fresh veggies grown by your community farmers, enjoy the natural swimming hole, children’s play areas (complete with other children to play with!) and all the local amenities Yarrow Central has to offer.

Each household occupies a private on-site residence with its own kitchen. The residences are mostly owner-occupied, not rentals, though some rental will be available.

Grounsdwell Cohousing is not a commune nor co-op housing. We aren’t affiliated with any particular religion nor do we have a guru, or leader.   The legal structure of our cohousing is that of a strata which is typical of most multi-family town-home and apartment developments in British Columbia. Similar to a Condo, we offer shared spaces. Our common spaces have been designed by residents to include a play room, craft room, music room, guest room, kitchen and eating area, laundry facilities, huge BBQ area, hot tub and sauna, wood shop and other bonuses special to being on farmland.

Residents chatting on the street in the village. The site has been designed with the intention to bump into people much more frequently than you would in a typical western neighbourhood

A typical family day in the village might look like this;

Residents chatting on the street in the village. The site has been designed with the intention to bump into people much more frequently than you would in a typical western neighbourhood

  • wake up and have breakfast with your immediate family, or wander down to a neighbor’s if you’d rather
  • get on with whatever your day hold for you, after bumping into a neighbor who reminds you about a scrapbooking workshop/ board game night/ yoga session being held in the common space that evening.
  • come home to water your garden (each household has access to a garden space if they desire)
  • cook up something yummy for a pot luck
  • wander down to the common space for supper, with or without your family. Sometimes Hubby might choose to just stay in.
  • Enjoy a dinner with friends in the community, then pitch in and do some dishes
  • perhaps there is a group meeting about a subject your are interested in to attend, perhaps not.
  • So-and-S0 pulls out a chess board in the sitting room, you watch for a bit, then head over to the craft room for that scrapbooking session.
  • when the kids get tired of the play room you huddle them off to bed.
  • hmmmm…. Kids are sleeping, now Hubby decides to challenge the winner of that chess match. You toodle on to your deck with a book while he wonders down for some chess. If you feel like being alone, you sit on the back deck in your private yard. If you don’t mind company you sit on the front deck and I’m sure some interesting conversation will find you.
  •  after a nice night you pay the baby sitter… NO WAIT! You did all this from home and within seconds of your front porch! Hubby returns gloating his victory and you toast his victory before heading off to bed.