Our B.C. travels also took us to Sooke on Vancouver Island where we toured Harbourside and West Wind Harbour cohousing (currently under construction, with units for sale).
Harbourisde is a seniors cohousing complex that has been around since 2013. Our tour guide Margaret is a strong advocate of cohousing helping other communities to form and develop their complexes.
Some details:
- Harbourside has 31 units and 44 people living there.
- In four years, 12 units have sold for varying reasons but they have an interested email list of 500 people.
- The unit we visited was purchased at $427,000 and is currently valued at $570,000.
- The average size of a unit is 960 square feet.
Our takeaways:
Location, location, location:
This complex is on the ocean and the way the complex was built allows for everyone to have an amazing ocean view. It’s scaled and multi-leveled. The unit we toured felt spacious because of the light and windows. The balcony also added an extra space to gather.
The common space:
The common space at Harbourside was built around an existing building – a former captain’s quarters – which was a large beautiful, open room. Community groups even use the space for meditation, yoga, environmental group meetings and other activities. The rooms for visitors are right off the common space and there’s also a library in that section of the complex.
Well organized and everything had it’s place:
Everyone has a job to do and shared the work for the common space and the grounds. From recycling to composting to a games room and a library and a movie room, everything was well run.
Here’s a few photos of the new seniors cohousing complex under construction. This will be the second one in Sooke!
You can read more about this complex in this Globe and Mail article: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/art-and-architecture/article-forget-institutional-living-smart-design-gives-this-seniors/
Silver Birch Village 