Cranberry Commons Cohousing


Member Profiles
	Anne and Ian are the parents of Theresa (July '96) and Alexander (Sept '98). Ian sells computer networks and servers at MicroServe Burnaby, while Anne raises the kids and advocates for and co-ordinates therapy for Alex, who is on the Autism Spectrum. To find out more out Autism Spectrum Disorder see the B.C. Autism Society. Although originally born in Montreal, Ian grew up in Victoria and met Anne while taking his B.B.A. at nearby Simon Fraser University. Anne is a third generation Vancouverite (a rare thing indeed) and abandoned her B.B.A. to pursue a Liberal Arts degree in English Lit. Ian's hobbies include cars, French cars, and sometimes cars. Cohousing appeals to them as a sensible way to live, where seldom used and scarce resources can be shared. Anne likes to crochet and quilt, and has combined two of her other favourite pursuits by publishing an article on wine tasting. Together they are enjoying living in Cranberry Commons, a friendly place, where Theresa enjoys having her friends just outside her door, and Alex is thriving in the rich society the community provides him.
Jennifer and Kurt, parents of Kya (February '97) and Theona (February '00) are both displaced Islanders. They met as Student Leaders at Simon Fraser University and married in 1993. Jennifer, originally from Hornby Island, has spent the last 6 years completing a Masters in Counselling Psychology at SFU and starting a family. She currently works as a Substance Misuse Counsellor at Burnaby Youth Custody Centre. In her free time, Jennifer loves to spend time with her family, read, garden, and practice her silversmith skills. After moving from Saltspring Island and completing a B.Sc. in Computing Science at SFU, Kurt has honed his skills as a Software Engineer in a variety of environments. He currently works as a Senior Technologist with Ionysys Corporation, but his first love is games. He hopes to one day run a computer gaming company in the Lower Mainland. Kurt's hobbies include programming, filmmaking, and playing with his daughters. Cohousing had instant appeal for both Kurt and Jennifer because they believe that it takes a village to raise a child. Cranberry Commons is the best of all worlds: private space to nurture the close family bonds and community space to foster a strong sense of interdependence and community.
	Tim and Ruth are parents of Shaun (b.Aug.94) and Thea (b.July 97). The decision to become equity members of Cranberry Commons in October, 1998 was the culmination of a long standing interest in and desire to live in community. As Quakers, Tim and Ruth seek to live in a world in which all people can coexist in peace with each other and with the earth. Ruth's background includes a 3 year degree in ceramics and a B.A. in Fine and Performing Arts from Simon Fraser University. She currently works part time as a potter and part time with Tim on their home based business. Her interests include hiking, reading, kite flying, home schooling, singing, yoga, cooking, dancing, drumming and living lightly upon the earth. Tim is an electronics engineer self employed in professional audio, whose interests include hiking, improvisational keyboard music, studio recording, comedy, and staying grounded in the midst of the chaos of raising 2 small children.
Lawrence has retired from a career of teaching and research in soil science. His research interests included the control of soil degradation, and the use of composting in management of agricultural and forestry wastes, as well as the development of soils formed on volcanic ash in Japan, Mexico and New Zealand. His interests include reading, genealogy and family history, gardening, investment, travel and cohousing. He has a wife, three children and four grandchildren. Rosemary was born in London, England and met Lawrence when they were both working at a school for maladjusted boys. After marrying they came to Canada and spent several years at Macdonald College, outside Montreal, where Lawrence completed his MSC and PhD and Rosemary worked in Parasitology. They then moved to Edmonton with their 2 little girls and added a baby boy to the family before moving to Vancouver and a civilized climate! The children are all grown up; 2 are married with children of their own and live in Ontario, the third works as an electrical engineer with Celestica in Portland. Rosemary looks forward to the mixture of age groups we hope to have in our cohousing community. She plans to pursue her interests in reading, petit point, learning to quilt, genealogy, trying new foods when sharing meals, getting the family photos into albums, swimming, bible study as well as doing some more travelling.
	Ronaye and Brad met at Haven By-the-Sea on Gabriola Island in 1994 while participating in an experiential group process workshop called "Come Alive". They subsequently spent the next year together at Haven doing full time in-residence training primarily aimed towards developing skills of working with people, group leadership and counseling. Brad sold his property on the Queen Charlotte Islands and shut down his forestry consulting business of 18 years in order to pursue a career as a personal development consultant and workshop facilitator. He has completed over 3000 hours of training in humanistic psychological approaches to self-awareness and human relationships including the level III Hakomi training with Ron Kurtz. Brad's other interests include cooking, wine-making, writing, community, and the raising of consciousness in our society. His travels have taken him to the South Pacific, Southeast and Central Asia, parts of Europe, the Caribbean and South America. Ronaye has a degree in Environmental Studies and 16 years experience in conventional real estate development. In 1996 she began working as a cohousing development consultant and now works full time as a consultant with groups in BC and other parts of Canada. For more information about Ronaye's consulting work visit: www.cohousingconsulting.ca. Her interests include: philosophy, psychology, spirituality, the environment, and creating healthy human communities. Ronaye has traveled in South America, the Caribbean and Western Europe. Brad and Ronaye chose to live in cohousing because of their desire to live in a more environmentally and socially sustainable community.
Barbara was born and grew up in Vancouver. After doing a B.A. at University of British Columbia, she went east, married, raised a family, divorced, and had a career in public libraries before returning to live in Vancouver. She plays the piano, and wants to encourage lots of music-making and other forms of participatory entertainment at Cranberry Commons.
	Fran and John are the parents of Morgan (19) and Jordie (16). Twenty five years ago John and Fran met while both working at the H. R. MacMillan Planetarium at the Space Centre. Since then Fran has worked in the restaurant business, co-founded a Montessori program within the Vancouver School system and is currently working in the financial services industry, to name a few and John still works for the planetarium and in local radio. Their interests include, astronomy, music, (all types between the four of them.) dancing (that would just be Fran), movies, live theatre, reading, snowboarding (that would just be Jordie), DJing (that would be Mo), and crafts to name a few. Fran anticipates learning more about gardening, dancing more and working on simplifying her life when she moves into co-housing. John would like to avoid dancing as much as possible and looks forward to observing the night sky from the roof deck. Both Morgan and Jord are looking forward to all the fine cuisine that will be up for consumption at the common meals.
Sean and Barbara, before meeting each other and since, have been an ongoing concern for their "worried" parents; wandering the earth, working here and there, leaving their loved ones to wonder if they would ever sit still close to home - the prairies ... big blue skies and lots of sunshine on grain fields. After living in Chicago for two and half years, Barbara finally laid down the law ... "No going to Caracas, no relocations to Nairobi, we're moving back home where I can get a real job as a speech pathologist!" So move they did to sunny, big blue sky Vancouver! Vancouver was a natural selection for both Sean and Barbara's interests. Barbara, in addition to seeking fulfilling work, wanted to find people with big ideas and dreams beyond how to make a quick buck that she could draw out in discussions long into the evening. Sean, having realized that engineering pipelines wasn't doing anything to make the world a better place to live, was seeking a chance to learn about and practice sustainable urban design. Barbara now works at a real hospital where patient care still means something and Sean is at the UBC Office of Sustainability and preparing to start his Masters studies. They both love people who are open minded and alive. Their lives are intertwined with the natural world: Barbara marveling at the details of small creatures and plants; Sean loving Barbara's pace but often being drawn to more robust adventures. They plan on having some children soon and want those kids to grow up in a place where there is community, diversity, safety, and beauty (like the small towns in which they were raised).
	Dave grew up in a small community near Peace River, Alberta. After leaving home Dave lived in several communal houses in Edmonton and participated in a food co-op and a housing co-op. Janet and Dave moved to Vancouver in 1982 where they lived at 3 different housing co-ops. In 1990 Dave went to SFU and worked for Horizon Distributors, a worker owned wholesaler of health food. Dave now has a degree in Criminology but still works for Horizon where he is the head of shipping and relief supervisor. Dave has an interest in organizing a buying club at Cranberry Commons for bulk food buying. Dave likes to read mysteries and any “meaty” fiction. He loves working with wood and claims to have produced the wormiest compost ever. He wishes he had a half-acre garden. He loves to discuss politics, philosophy and religion. Janet also grew up in small towns, in the Okanagan. While attending SFU in the seventies she lived in a communal house one block from the Cranberry Commons site, so the neighborhood feels like ‘home’ to her. She started her career in public libraries at the local McGill branch, then started another career in the eighties as a counsellor when she took a lay counselling course at Burnaby Family Life – also in the same neighborhood.. She has worked in the anti-violence movement for fifteen years as a counsellor and administrator, but recently returned to library work with the Legal Services Society Law Line. Her interests include writing, internet research, social justice and spiritual philosophies, attending small live theatre, vegetarian cooking, distance swimming and Iyengar yoga. She looks forward to joining in the music-making of the community, and hopes that the car-sharing will extend to kayaks and canoes!
Ksenia and Stephan are former Ontarians, who met while pursuing their biology studies at McGill University in Montreal. A desire for urban life combined with access to outdoor recreation prompted their relocation to the Vancouver area in the early 90s. They enjoy hiking, paddling, observing nature, travelling, and cooking. Formerly a biologist, Stephan now works as a firefighter for the City of Delta and practices several martial arts. Ksenia explores the province working as a biologist specializing in ecology and botany. She loves novels and good conversation. The couple joined cohousing in May 2001. At Cranberry Commons, they are enjoying life in a community setting. They particularly like spontaneous activities with neighbours such as sharing meals, going for walks, cross-country skiing, shopping, going to movies, and hanging out in the courtyard.
	June is a long time resident of Burnaby, and is originally from Winnipeg, Man. She is a retired Teaching Assistant for the Burnaby School Board. She has two children (Allan & Sheila), four grandchildren (David, Lee-Ann, Steven & Bria) and one great-grandson (Joshua). June enjoys long walks, travel, reading and genealogy. She really likes the community living, the diversity and the pot lucks and common meals.
Beth is originally from St. Catharines, Ontario and has been living in western Canada for 30 years. After returning to university in 1990, Beth completed a B.A. with an English literature major and a BSN at UBC. The mother of Cameron (23), Katie ( 22), and Emily (19), Beth works as a nurse in Burnaby, as a liaison between acute care hospitals and long-term residential care facilities. Interests include movies, reading, theatre, music, vegetarian ethnic cooking, staying fit and exploring ideas of how to treat each other and the earth gently. She is looking forward to living in cohousing with a social and supportive network close at hand, and learning more about gardening from others in the group.
Katherine and Keith	Joyce	Charles, Alexa, and Valerie