Summary: Replies from the City for the Technical Adequacy Review and from CMHC on our funding application; Peterborough Artisan Centre for the crafts in Peterborough; Kris Robinson Staveley discusses what attracted her to cohousing; KCC members in the news. (Apologies for no November newsletter.)

**Some new and old KCC members get to know each other better at the Silver Bean Cafe in the Canadian Canoe Museum.**

We welcome feedback and ideas. Send email to outreach@kawarthacommons.ca.

NEW READERS who are asking “What is cohousing? What are KCC’s goals? What will the building and site be like?” “How can I find out more?” will find lots of general information on our website: kawarthacommons.ca. For more detailed information on how to become an Explorer member, please register as soon as possible for the monthly information session January 11.

This and subsequent newsletters will have three main sections.

UPDATE ON THE SITE AND THE BUILDING
GETTING TO KNOW OUR PETERBOROUGH: What Peterborough area has to offer you.
OTHER KCC NEWS (including “What has attracted me to cohousing”, part of a series by members)

UPDATE ON THE SITE AND THE BUILDING

We have heard back from our CMHC application for funding for rental co-op housing. As expected, we did not receive funding in this round because our Maryland Ave. site has not yet received the required City rezoning. We asked CMHC for information to improve our application, and were directed to the Co-operative Housing Federation (CHF) for advice and we are proceeding on that. The next opening for CMHC applications in 2025 has not been announced, but we will be ready!

The City has also just replied (only six weeks late, which is why we had no November newsletter!) with their Technical Adequacy Review report on the 16 studies it required from us, We are still digesting those comments with help from our urban planner and Coolearth Architects. We look forward to a good discussion with the City in early January on how our concept plan addresses the goals of the City’s Official Plan. We’re inching ahead, slow but steady.

Some great news is that Mortlock Construction has agreed to be our builder and is already discussing with Coolearth the most economical approach to achieve our cohousing goals. Craig Mortlock is very enthusiastic and a great new member of our team!

GETTING TO KNOW OUR PETERBOROUGH:
What Peterborough area has to offer you.

The Artisans Centre By Lois Watson

The Artisans Centre is composed of three groups – Peterborough Weavers and Spinners Guild, Kawartha Gourd Society and ACP Woodturners. We have a cooperating relationship with the Kawartha Potters Guild.

We exist to pass on the skills we have learned, over many years, to interested members of the public. We have large pieces of equipment that need to be housed where they can be used by students and members of the groups. Often, there is not room for these items in a member’s home. We consider our skills as of a heritage nature – we don’t want what we know to be forgotten.

A membership to ACP is $55 per year. This entitles a member to a discounted price on ACP classes and the opportunity to participate in Artisanity, which is our twice a year show and sale. If a member belongs to one of the three founding groups, the same privileges apply.

Coming together with others who have similar interests has benefits beyond satisfying one’s creative passions, important though that may be. We find our worlds expanding, experiencing other members knowledge and interests.

We are located in Peterborough Square, 300 George St., in the lower level next to the Atrium. Visitors are more than welcome, 10 to 4 Mon to Fri., 10 to 1 on Saturdays. Our website is artisanscentre.ca.

Peterborough Reframe Film Festival 2025

This great annual event, focussing on social and environmental justice documentaries, takes place Jan. 23 - Feb.2: in-person program January 23-26th, and virtual program January 27th-February 2nd. A group of KCC members is deciding which films to watch so they can get together afterward for a discussion.

OTHER KCC NEWS
(including “What has attracted me to cohousing”, part of a series by members)

What has attracted me to cohousing

by Kris Robinson Staveley

In 1971, when I was 9 years old, my father and some therapist colleagues started a commune on a 100 acre farm near Buckhorn, Ontario. People filled the old farmhouse, camped out in the barn or in tents, and we built a geodesic dome. The commune only lasted a few years, but our family kept the land, and my husband Marc and I still live there today.

Despite the early demise of the commune, the land and the buildings on it have always been a great place for people to gather, and it became an ongoing tradition to meet up at the farm, break bread together, and share the stories of our lives. When tragedy struck our family, those same people came and offered vital support. It was that sense of community that really struck a chord - that is what I want in my life, and it feels like what the world needs - now more than ever. So I started a quest for a way to create that kind of community on a more permanent basis, found out about cohousing, and have been working toward creating it in Peterborough ever since.

KCC members in the news: Linda and Alan Slavin are given the Paul Harris Awards for their environmental service, by the Peterborough Kawartha Rotary Club.

Alan has worked toward nuclear disarmament through the Peterborough branch of Project Ploughshares, and is a member of Science for Peace and Canadian Pugwash. He was on the steering committee that oversaw the development of the Peterborough area climate change action plans.

Linda is retired from community organizing (social entrepreneurship, gender rights, anti- racism/colonialism, food security, anti-poverty, environment and reconciliation) as well as international development through Trent University. She is a founding member of Sustainable Peterborough and sat for many years on its co-ordinating committee and the food and farming working group.

Both Linda and Alan are active members of the climate activist group For Our Grandchildren.

**Linda and Alan are at the lower right in the photo above.**

COMING EVENTS

Holiday Potluck at the Slavins, Dec. 28. Our annual potluck will feature favourite foods, parlour games and a singsong.

Next SuperWeekend Jan 17-19, 2025. This is a great opportunity for Explorers and Equity members to get together in person. We will have dinners together, a trip to the Peterborough Museum, a potluck dinner and games night at the Unitarian Fellowship/Jewish Community Centre, a brunch in some members’ homes and an opportunity to visit the site where we will build.

Sign up for a free online information session

Inching forward