Hello Grand House friends,
I hope that this summer finds everyone well.
It's been a while since we've sent an update to our larger community, which always makes it hard to know where to start. But we have big news: very soon, if you drive by the house, you'll see a "for sale" sign outside. After 7 years of operation as a co-operative, and 4 years of living co-operatively in the Grand House that we built together, we're in the process of closing up shop.
As you can imagine, arriving at this decision has been very tough for the Co-op. If you were involved in the early, heady days, you'll remember the excitement of imagining, planning, and community building; of working with the many people engaged in great efforts of design, construction, and fundraising. After the physical building reached completion through late 2008 and 2009, the Grand House became primarily an adventure in housing: the excitement of many new housemates, conversations around our very excellent kitchen, sunny afternoons spent on the balconies, and dancing in the living room. What has remained a defining experience throughout our existence has been the unique community that the Co-op has brought into being, the rewarding and often unexpected encounters and relationships that it has made possible. Another theme that has flowed through the life of the Co-op has been the opportunities for a deep learning about the unique environmental materials and systems on our site: beginning with research, following through procurement and installation, and finally getting acquainted with how they perform up close and over time.
But as many of you know, the road hasn't been easy or smooth, and has involved constant growth and change. Our story has been one of successes and mistakes, negotiating and rethinking, troubleshooting, organizing and reorganizing, and lots and lots of learning, fueled by simply countless hours of work on a volunteer basis. In the end we have found the Co-op still confronting large organizational and financial hurdles, without the resources to move past them. While it still seems unimaginable, it became clear to us this winter that our only option was to let go.
It is humbling to consider the number of people who contributed time, money, materials, and effort to make the last seven years possible, and those who threw themselves into the Co-op experience, not knowing exactly what it would bring. Together, we got our hands really dirty, had a lot of good times, and shared worthwhile struggles. Many have gone on to pursue careers in sustainable architecture and construction, or to complete ecological renovations in their own homes. Others have been influenced by the rich and transformative experiences of co-operative work and living. Thank you for part you took; it has influenced all of us and our community at large.
So what happens next? First, we have a beautiful and entirely unique building to sell. While it's incredibly hard to let such a loved thing go, we're trying to keep in mind the many things have been written about the new beginnings that come with endings. Obviously the Grand House could remain as housing or, as the property also bears a commercial zoning and downtown core location, could accommodate a number of other uses. Do you know anyone who would be interested to buy it? Our real estate agents are two fine people from Century 21, Rick Lewis and Julie Martin. They're also excited about the opportunities that the building offers. Please direct any real estate inquiries to them. The property is posted on MLS and is viewable online.
Once we sell the house, we will be able to settle our debts with the patient folks who have lent us the money to help make the Grand House possible. And then we'll work toward winding down the Co-operative. I'd like to add that as we are a not-for-profit Co-op, any funds that may be left over at the time of dissolution shall, in keeping with our bylaws, be donated to other local student co-operative initiatives. We think you'll be interested to know that any surplus resources that have contributed to our project are willed back into the local Co-op movement.
If you have any comments you'd like to share with the world at large, we invite you to post them on our blog. If you'd like to contact the Board, please send us a message by email. All the addresses you need are included below.
With our heartfelt thanks to our whole community for making the last years so rich,
Laura Knap, Andrew Haydon, Andrea Hunniford, Anna Jarvis, and Darryl Nunn
The Grand House Student Co-op Board of Directors,
and Chantal Cornu, founding member
on behalf of the Co-op membership.
Email: ghcoop@gmail.com
Website: www.grandhouse.ca
Blog: ghcoop.blogspot.ca
Real estate listing: www.cambridgegrandhouse.com
or here on MLS
Friday, August 3, 2012
Sunday, November 15, 2009
SUMMER SWINGS!
Grand House as playground:
photos from a fourth-year landscape installation this summer!
snaps by: Andrea Hunniford.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Home/land Security
Home/land Security Opening Saturday November 21st at 6 pm - beginning at the School of Architecture and ending up at the Grand House for an outdoor film showing!
The Grand House is ecstatic to be participating in the Home/land Security Exhibit curated by Jeff Thomas. The main exhibit is at the UW Render Gallery on the main campus of the University of Waterloo, in co-ordination with Andrew Hunter. The exhibit engages the work of local artists on issues of homeland, public land, private land, land rights and security, and ideas of land ownership; notably engaging a Six Nations perspective.
In support of this work, the Grand House is currently hosting an installation by Jamelie Hassan, and will also be the site of a film screening outdoors on Ainslie Street, on Saturday November 21st. The screening is being held in co-ordination with the exhibit opening and a panel discussion on the work at the School of Architecture. Join us! More details to follow.
Following is a statement by Jamelie Hassan on her installation work.
Crown Land Beware
Prior to my conversations with Jeff Thomas about his Home/land Security project, I had been in an antique market in St. Jacob's and saw a fragment of a wooden fence with black text that read CROWN LAND BEWARE on it. I bought the fragment to consider it in a future work. Later a group of us involved in the Home/land Security exhibition met in Cambridge with Jeff Thomas and Andrew Hunter. Laura Knap was at the meeting and suggested we make a visit to Grand House Student Coop to consider this location as well for potential exhibition site - I was struck by the Grand House site, in particuliar the "ghost" steps. I had been thinking about the use of wooden survey sticks which are white with red tops - I kept coming back to this idea as Jeff talked about surveyors & mapping - public space, private property and land issues. I was thinking of ways to use the survey marker sticks within a stucture somehow on the obsolete steps at the student’s housing co-op. I decided to create a gate-like barrier/screen with wooden sticks which I painted red and white and install this structure at the based of the steps. The structure includes the found CROWN LAND BEWARE fragment and also a half wheel wooden fragment which I found in a flea market in London. This structure was built with the technical assistance of Ron Benner.
Three original found survey marker sticks were installed in the UW Render gallery, situated with a photo from family archives and photographs I took of the The National Museum of Beirut, with a soldier guarding this site. In Lebanon the security barriers - which continue to be in use - are painted red & white. There is an obvious link with security measures.
-- Jamelie Hassan, London Ontario.
The Grand House is ecstatic to be participating in the Home/land Security Exhibit curated by Jeff Thomas. The main exhibit is at the UW Render Gallery on the main campus of the University of Waterloo, in co-ordination with Andrew Hunter. The exhibit engages the work of local artists on issues of homeland, public land, private land, land rights and security, and ideas of land ownership; notably engaging a Six Nations perspective.
In support of this work, the Grand House is currently hosting an installation by Jamelie Hassan, and will also be the site of a film screening outdoors on Ainslie Street, on Saturday November 21st. The screening is being held in co-ordination with the exhibit opening and a panel discussion on the work at the School of Architecture. Join us! More details to follow.
Following is a statement by Jamelie Hassan on her installation work.
Crown Land Beware
Prior to my conversations with Jeff Thomas about his Home/land Security project, I had been in an antique market in St. Jacob's and saw a fragment of a wooden fence with black text that read CROWN LAND BEWARE on it. I bought the fragment to consider it in a future work. Later a group of us involved in the Home/land Security exhibition met in Cambridge with Jeff Thomas and Andrew Hunter. Laura Knap was at the meeting and suggested we make a visit to Grand House Student Coop to consider this location as well for potential exhibition site - I was struck by the Grand House site, in particuliar the "ghost" steps. I had been thinking about the use of wooden survey sticks which are white with red tops - I kept coming back to this idea as Jeff talked about surveyors & mapping - public space, private property and land issues. I was thinking of ways to use the survey marker sticks within a stucture somehow on the obsolete steps at the student’s housing co-op. I decided to create a gate-like barrier/screen with wooden sticks which I painted red and white and install this structure at the based of the steps. The structure includes the found CROWN LAND BEWARE fragment and also a half wheel wooden fragment which I found in a flea market in London. This structure was built with the technical assistance of Ron Benner.
Three original found survey marker sticks were installed in the UW Render gallery, situated with a photo from family archives and photographs I took of the The National Museum of Beirut, with a soldier guarding this site. In Lebanon the security barriers - which continue to be in use - are painted red & white. There is an obvious link with security measures.
-- Jamelie Hassan, London Ontario.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Grand House [hearts] North House
Best of luck to GH Members Chris Black, Andrea Hunniford, and Andrew Haydon; to our fellow UW architecture and engineering folks, our beloved electrician Robin (Red Electric), and the rest of the team as they head to the Washington Mall with their cutting-edge solar-powered house. You guys are doing amazing work!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Defining Innovative
The Grand House is featured this month to define "innovative" at the University of Waterloo. Check out our article on the UW website !
In other less surprising news, the garden continues to produce many zucchinis.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
The Grand House meets Papua Indonesia
Monday, June 15, 2009
Gardening Sunday!!
Breakfast to fuel up before the big day.
Susan, John, and Ava survey the scene.
The first task was to move out the sand pile left over from plastering.
Melissa and Giuseppe work on the path. Melissa : "I feel myself returning to my Irish potato farmer roots".
12 cubic yards of topsoil to be ferried about by wheelbarrow and raked out for the garden areas. The rest of the soil area on site will be remediated and improved with plantings.
Terraced beds are built into the hillside, and wheelbarrow loads of topsoil are brought down site to fill them in about 6" deep. Reena, John, Lauren and Kit finish up the morning's work.
Straw is spread above the beds as mulch; the small mounds of earth on the slope are for creepers like squash, cucumbers, and zucchini.
Gravel left over from the rainwater tank installation, and reclaimed p.t. timber steps make a good path. Anna and M'lex finish it up.
John and Chris tackle the weeds beside Roseview Ave.
Andrew and Anna against a late afternoon sky threatening rain.
We put down newspaper and topsoil over the weeds, to ready for Chris's corn plantings (interspersed with zucchini plants). Put it in the history books: Man from Sasketchewan plants his first corn seeds in Cambridge Ontario.
Laura nestles in some pepper and tomato seedlings
Our new snaky path and gardens! We couldn't believe how much we accomplished in the day.
Susan, John, and Ava survey the scene.
The first task was to move out the sand pile left over from plastering.
Melissa and Giuseppe work on the path. Melissa : "I feel myself returning to my Irish potato farmer roots".
12 cubic yards of topsoil to be ferried about by wheelbarrow and raked out for the garden areas. The rest of the soil area on site will be remediated and improved with plantings.
Terraced beds are built into the hillside, and wheelbarrow loads of topsoil are brought down site to fill them in about 6" deep. Reena, John, Lauren and Kit finish up the morning's work.
Straw is spread above the beds as mulch; the small mounds of earth on the slope are for creepers like squash, cucumbers, and zucchini.
Gravel left over from the rainwater tank installation, and reclaimed p.t. timber steps make a good path. Anna and M'lex finish it up.
John and Chris tackle the weeds beside Roseview Ave.
Andrew and Anna against a late afternoon sky threatening rain.
We put down newspaper and topsoil over the weeds, to ready for Chris's corn plantings (interspersed with zucchini plants). Put it in the history books: Man from Sasketchewan plants his first corn seeds in Cambridge Ontario.
Laura nestles in some pepper and tomato seedlings
Our new snaky path and gardens! We couldn't believe how much we accomplished in the day.
Rainwater tank - backfilling and first collection!
Thursday, June 11: The beginning of another day of major transformation. Before.
Ferrying more gravel down the site...
The overflow pipe in place.
Once sufficiently covered in pea stone, the cistern is completely swaddled.
The inflow pipes are put in place.
It was raining as we hooked up the pipes... which meant the instant gratification of getting water in the cistern right away!
(this inflow setup was obviously temporary).
On the right, you can see the trickle of water coming from the filter overflow.
The gravel over and around the cistern is complete.
.. the final grading, at last. 2" of rigid insulation (4' wide) went in over the length of the inflow pipe - you can just see it peeking out at the far left.
Big thanks to our project sponsors:
Unit Precast for donating their labour (co-ordinating and installating the pump system)
ZCL for donating the massive fibreglass tank!
...
and to our excavators and earthmovers, Alltask Property Improvement.
Ferrying more gravel down the site...
The overflow pipe in place.
Once sufficiently covered in pea stone, the cistern is completely swaddled.
The inflow pipes are put in place.
It was raining as we hooked up the pipes... which meant the instant gratification of getting water in the cistern right away!
(this inflow setup was obviously temporary).
On the right, you can see the trickle of water coming from the filter overflow.
The gravel over and around the cistern is complete.
.. the final grading, at last. 2" of rigid insulation (4' wide) went in over the length of the inflow pipe - you can just see it peeking out at the far left.
Big thanks to our project sponsors:
Unit Precast for donating their labour (co-ordinating and installating the pump system)
ZCL for donating the massive fibreglass tank!
...
and to our excavators and earthmovers, Alltask Property Improvement.
Rainwater Tank Hookups
The plumber and electrician met on site with the folks from Unit Precast / RH20 to co-ordinate their systems. On the left (below) is the filter chamber, and on the right is the tank access manhole.
the pump
installing the inflow pipe
looking down into the tank
the tank outflow connection, through which water is sent back to the building
Here is the filter system in place. The white pipes are the overflow . The upper pipe is an overflow at the filter - about 5% of the inflow water drains away immediately, to get rid leaves and any other matter that might find its way along the eavestrough. The lower pipe is an overflow directly out of the tank. (Inflow pipes still to come.)
Big thanks to our project sponsors:
Unit Precast for donating their labour (co-ordinating and installating the system)
ZCL for donating the massive fibreglass tank!
the pump
installing the inflow pipe
looking down into the tank
the tank outflow connection, through which water is sent back to the building
Here is the filter system in place. The white pipes are the overflow . The upper pipe is an overflow at the filter - about 5% of the inflow water drains away immediately, to get rid leaves and any other matter that might find its way along the eavestrough. The lower pipe is an overflow directly out of the tank. (Inflow pipes still to come.)
Big thanks to our project sponsors:
Unit Precast for donating their labour (co-ordinating and installating the system)
ZCL for donating the massive fibreglass tank!
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