OUR COMMON SPACES

Common House

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We have elected to build a unique structure, a yurt, as a Common House. We hope that it will add character and beauty to our Common Space. The Common House will primarily serve as a gathering space. Although small, it will have a kitchen, bathroom, storage and multipurpose area. We plan to hold our Members' meetings and monthly meals within its walls. Committees will likely use it for meetings as well. The space will also be available for family gatherings, book clubs, game nights, planned and impromptu events.

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The foundation of the Common House was poured the spring of 2022. Construction of the Smiling Woods Yurt began in late fall and we anticipate its completion in the spring of 2023. 

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Central Corridor

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Our homes face a central corridor with reinforced fire lanes below the green spaces. We created two rain gardens in the middle as the runoff catchment areas which are part of the stormwater management system. There's also a network of interconnected sidewalks for pedestrians and Members alike.

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Common Garden

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We currently have plantings - raspberries, asparagus, rhubarb, etc. - for all Members to share. There are 10 raised beds that the garden committee helps manage along with a comprehensive composting system. Individual Members invested their own money in the purchase of materials for a raised bed and therefore 'own' that bed until they wish to transfer it to another Member.

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Carports

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Carports are important for the Members whose homes border the canal as they do not have garages. The Members who use the carports funded the construction of the structures and, in return, have been granted permanent leases for use of the space. Those Members also pay a small annual rent to the Association to cover insurance and maintenance of those additional structures.

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and More

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The Common Space also consists of our easement areas, parking lots and tree-lined grassy spaces to the north and south of our community.