Living at Greyrock
What is Cohousing?
“Cohousing helps individuals and families to find and maintain the elements of traditional neighborhoods- family, community, a sense of belonging- that are so sorely missing in our society. Pioneered in Denmark, the cohousing concept re-establishes many of the advantages of traditional villages with the context of twenty-first century life. “(page 1)
From Creating Cohousing: Building Sustainable Communities by Kathryn McCamant and Charles Durrett, 2011. New Society Publishers.
Privacy balanced with Community
Greyrock Commons was intentionally designed to balance individual needs for privacy with easy community connections. Each attached townhome is self-sufficient and acoustically isolated from adjacent neighbors. Front porches offer the opportunity to see and enjoy community life, while homes and back yards/ gardens are private. A walk alone or with a friend around the 16-acre site offers peaceful wildlife viewing and a beautiful landscape with spectacular views of the Rocky Mountain foothills and our dramatic skies.
Many hands make the load lighter... and more fun!
Greyrock provides many opportunities for individuals and families to participate in community life and care. These opportunities also build important neighbor-to-neighbor connections. Here are some of the ways that community members share their energy, skills, and interests for the greater good:
· Join a team… some examples of long term Greyrock Teams
Landscape
Common House Care
Community Life
Information Technology (manages our Local Area Network and Google platform/ site)
Community Meeting Agenda Planning
Community Meeting Facilitation
Greyrock Chickens and Eggs
HOA Board of Directors
Attend Community Meetings
Scheduled approximately 6 times a year- an opportunity to participate in community planning, budgeting, and decision making
· Coordinate an activity or team
Halloween festivities
Holiday Tapas party
Tool Sharpening
Website updates
Organize a house concert at the Common House
Community Meal Coordination and scheduling
Organize a weekend “snow day breakfast" at the Common House
Organize a game night at the Common House
Teach something! Art? Juggling? Hula hooping? Bird watching?
Organize a “movie night” on the Green
·
Attend community workdays, all ages and skills welcome!
January workday: the main focus is deep cleaning and routine maintenance in the Common House.
April workday: the main focus is spring clean up on the landscape.
October workday: the main focus is fall clean up and putting the landscape “to bed” for the winter.
Join a dinner group
Adopt a community garden plot
·
Share!
participate in the informal Greyrock borrowing/ lending/ sharing “economy.” Share a cup of sugar, a specific tool, childcare, carpooling, and more.
The Common House
An important feature of all cohousing communities, the Common House serves as a resource and a hub for many activities and is used by all members of the community. Built on two levels, the main level includes a well furnished kitchen, dining room, and a cozy living room all with beautiful daylighting. The playroom is nearby as is the walk-out patio with comfortable seating surrounded by gardens. The lower level of the Common House includes a guest suite, a large recreation room with ping pong and comfortable seating, a laundry room, and an exercise room. Both levels of the Common House have ramped access.
Community meals happen at the Common House on a weekly basis and every other month or so, Community Meetings take place in the main dining room. Individual residents can also reserve areas in the Common House for private events including the guest suite for your guests.