I support Jess's suggestion of spending some time working on the principles of how we want to live in this neighbourhood together. What are the values that drew us to this concept and how do we want to articulate them now?

Two other more specific issues, which are not of first priority, but I would like us to discuss soon in such a workshop, are: # what is the scope and freedom we give our workgroups - how far do they work autonomously, and when do they need to get approval and feedback from the Toiora Group? # how do we organise and communicate around working bees: when they are happening, the scope of work being planned, perhaps how many people are needed for the work.

I support Rainer's reaction to the idea that the commons can be 'leased'. However we address the question of personal use of common facilities, I don't think monetizing it is the way to go.

I will circulate a Doodle poll to establish a date for our first Toiora weekend - to celebrate our life together in this neighbourhood. In the original suggestion back in October last year, we agreed "The emphasis will be on fun and enhancing our enjoyment as members of Toiora High St Cohousing."

Anne

On Fri, Aug 13, 2021 at 2:56 PM Jessica Shields < jess.alice.shields@gmail.com> wrote:

Kia ora koutou

This was also keeping me up last night. I’m glad others were feeling as bad as I was about the garden discussion and how that made Donald and Miriam feel.

I propose we use at least one Thursday of the “off weeks” a month for workshops dedicated to specific issues (e.g. use of commonhouse, use of garden space, what is cohousing to us/ what do we want from it/what can we give to it?, communication incl. how to use Gather, what concepts/word associations do we have with Toiora cohousing (this will be particularly helpful for the signs group, and any future murals we might want).

For this to work I would think ideally everyone would come, but for those that couldn’t attend, ideas could be left in the commonhouse on the walls for people to add to/peruse, and after such workshops the various groups that have already been working in the respective areas would get together and work with what the whole group had put forward, then being clarified ideas back to the group at meetings.

I’d suggest we do the discussion about how we see cohousing and what it means to us as the first one, as this relates back to our vision statement and what we all envisioned we were joining.

I thought last night’s meeting illuminated some of the issues we haven’t put time into yet, and was really excited by Catherine’s comments, which is where this proposal comes from. I am really looking forward to such evenings with everyone - I think they have the potential to be fun, provide bonding between us and be helpful to get us all seeing things in a cohesive way.

So what do people think?

Jess

On Fri, 13 Aug 2021 at 1:04 PM, Rainer Beneke rainer.ucol@gmail.com wrote:

...

*Toiora weekend Hui:*

Hi All

I feel disturbed about last nights conversation about the use of the vegetable garden area. I noticed that Donald felt very hurt, not being acknowledged about his efforts of transforming a heap of hard dirt into a usable vegetable garden, and that he has informed us that he will not be working on the vegetable garden any further until it is sorted who can use it.

Especially upsetting I found Alex’s comment that it is possible for the bodycorp to ‘lease garden plots to people interested’. If we would want to do this we may as well charge for on-site parking, levy wash house users, ‘lease’ land for the sauna area (at least 2 garden plots worth), lease the workshop area to those who store their personal tools there (currently there are no common tools), charge for bike storage space. And should those who opt out of wanting to use the guest accommodation get a credit? etc.

This would of cause have implications, as people who use the sauna will not only pay $3 to the bodycorp for electricity, but I would charge $15 per person to recoup cost of lease and the $1100 I invested for fence, deck, bench etc. I would need to charge for use of space and tools in the workshop, charge the body if it’s for common use.

We may as well change our name, as ‘cohousing’ seems inappropriate. It was a very stupid comment Alex, and I already regret your long and winding reply to this email.

Overlooked in this gardening question is that growing your own vegetables is usually much more expensive than buying them, not to mention the ongoing hard work to succeed. Overlooked also is that we have not sorted how we will pay for the common cooked meals? I know that some fear it will be expensive. At Earth song the group who prepares the meal pays for it.

Clear to me is that while there is a designated vegetable garden, the vegetables grown are not automatically free to anyone who wants then, just like our workshop doesn’t mean anyone can use any tool in sight.

Jeffrey suggested a Toiora weekend hui, which I agree is badly needed. But the question is not: ...what do we want from our community'? ( Jeffrey). *The question to ask is what do I **want to give** to our community?*

Regards Rainer

*Please call me if you need an urgent reply.*

Rainer Beneke +64 21 144 7700 _______________________________________________ Ucol-shareholders mailing list Ucol-shareholders@list.king.net.nz https://list.king.net.nz/listinfo/ucol-shareholders

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