WWHC July 2021

West Wind Harbour

6609 Goodmere Road, Sooke, British Columbia

After five years of planning, move in began at West Wind Harbour Cohousing in February 2021—in the midst of final construction and the ongoing pandemic. By early summer, nearly all members were happily in residence, enjoying our beautiful waterfront homes and the west wind that keeps us cool in our 34-unit facility, which achieved Built Green Gold Canada designation.

With the Salish Sea at our doorstep and many nature trails for hiking and biking close at hand, our location provides abundant opportunities to enjoy the rugged beauty of BC’s Juan de Fuca coastline. As might be expected in such a fortunate setting, Sooke is also home to a thriving community of artists and musicians. Fresh produce is available at the seasonal farmers’ market, as well as directly from nearby farms. Sooke boasts restaurants and pubs that specialize in locally sourced ingredients, including Vancouver Island wines and beers. Local amenities in the nearby town core add the convenience of walkability to the many other benefits of our beautiful home on Sooke Harbour. Victoria is a 40-minute drive away and is also accessible by regular bus service.

Our architect, Peter Treuheit, who has designed many of western Canada’s cohousing communities, worked with our members to develop a facility that met a multitude of desires with creative designs for compact, light-filled homes, ranging from just over 600 to nearly 1200 square feet. Every unit has spectacular views from private balconies. The original family home on the property has been retained to augment the common amenities in our new building and to provide guest rooms for visitors. In total, the community has approximately 7,000 square feet of common facilities, including: arts and crafts studios, workshop, music and media rooms, library, fitness spaces, a panoramic rooftop deck, and expansive common kitchen and gathering areas that open onto a terrace with views of Sooke Basin and the Sooke Hills. Local landscape architect Carole Rossell’s designs and plantings cleverly suit our hillside location, providing a strong foundation upon which our own enthusiastic gardeners are adding creative pocket gardens and making the waterfront a peaceful spot to pause and watch the sea life or launch a kayak for a paddle in the protected waters of the harbour.

Our vision is to flourish as a compassionate, diverse cohousing community, living respectfully and lightly on the earth, engaging fully in life as we evolve both individually and as a community.

Check out our website at www.westwindharbour.ca or email us at: info@westwindharbour.ca