Kia Ora

This sixth irregular newsletter is being typed so enthusiastically because on Friday I participated in a site-visit.  Our Builders, Stevenson and Williams, scheduled guided site-visits, so as S&W employees downed their tools for lunch we donned hard hats and filed in to take a look at the work that has been done.  First attraction was the Common House.  The kitchen area has been created, guest rooms are recognisable, workshop, meeting room, office … so exciting to see it taking shape.  We took particular note of the position of our wood-burner – more specifically, where the flue for the woodturner will go.  The actual wood-burner is one of the items on our list of “out of any money left in the contingency once the build is completed”.

There are some photos attached, and you can get a drone-eye view, thanks to the ODT, here - https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/housing-project-progresses

Budget-wise things are looking good.  We drew down the first portion of money from our Kiwibank loan this month, which puts us pretty much on track with the plans we made before the build commenced.

When we started construction, we were still looking for buyers for two units.  Three wonderfully philanthropic people “bought in” with no intention of living at High Street Cohousing, but wanted to see the project proceed and were hoping to sell their two units before settlement.   Interest in our project at the last induction workshop was such that these two units have now been re-assigned.  Now we even have a waiting list for any units that may become available.  Our thanks and gratitude to these three, whose financial support enabled us to get started.

It is great to feel that our community is at last complete.  We’re enjoying our monthly “Body Corp” meetings, although we are still to get to grips with task of refining our rules!  In the most recent we shared ideas about what we wanted to bring to the community, and the skills and knowledge that we hoped others were going to be able to contribute so we can create our personal vision of what living in cohousing is going to be like.  As always when my fellow cohousers get together, there was more food than we could eat and just the right amount of laughter for an enjoyable and productive Saturday afternoon.

Once again, our thanks to University of Otago’s Sustainability Centre for making their seminar room available to us while construction keeps us away from our High Street site.

We do have a presence on social media, if you want to keep in touch that way - on FaceBook @HighStreetCohousing or on twitter #highstreetcohousing

Hei kona mai

Jan