For 35 years, Pat and Wendy O鈥機onnor have lived in a two-storey home on a cul-de-sac in Surrey.It鈥檚 where they raised their kids, alongside a wonderful community of neighbours doing the same. They hosted birthday parties and end-of-season wind-ups for their children鈥檚 sports teams, and tended to a large yard with four fruit trees.

Now their kids are grown, the last family from those precious years has moved out, and tending to the fruit trees has become more of a challenge.

鈥淭he new neighbours are lovely, but we don鈥檛 have the same community,鈥� Wendy says.

鈥淲e always knew downsizing would be our future. We don鈥檛 need all of the rooms in this big house anymore,鈥� Pat adds.

So the couple started the search for their next community, and in January of this year they became equity members of .

鈥淭he best man at our wedding has lived at WindSong for years, so we were familiar with cohousing. We followed Compass as their plans progressed, and eventually put money down to reserve our spot,鈥� Wendy says.

Checking all the boxes

Pat and Wendy had a long list of wants and needs for their next home, and Compass Cohousing covers almost all of them.

• Location: Pat is a retired transit driver and he loves that Compass is near major bus routes. Located near , it鈥檚 walking distance to grocery stores and other shopping 鈥� and also boasts three different walking trails only a block away. 鈥淲e鈥檒l be able to walk our dog without getting in the car,鈥� Pat says. They鈥檒l also be closer to their two children, and the grandchildren they often babysit.
• Kid-friendly: Pat and Wendy are very happy to be involved in raising both sets of grandkids, and love that Compass is a place where children are welcomed, not just tolerated. 鈥淲e looked at a few age-restricted gated communities in 91原创, but the bylaws aren鈥檛 totally welcoming for children,鈥� Wendy says. Compass includes an indoor children鈥檚 play area attached to the common room, plus a car-free grass-covered courtyard. 鈥淲e recently hosted a Compass social at our house and we brought two of our grandkids along. They鈥檙e already becoming part of the multi-cultural, multi-generational community.鈥�
• Environmentally conscious: Pat and Wendy already know their next car will be electric, and Compass will have EV charging stations roughed in to the parking stalls. The building will also use heat pumps, and be solar-panel-ready. 鈥淚鈥檓 very environmentally aware that we can鈥檛 be doing what we鈥檝e done in the past 鈥� that鈥檚 what led us to this climate crisis. So we鈥檙e very happy that Compass is leading the way in that,鈥� Pat says.
• Shared resources: Inflation and interest rates are on the rise, and a downpayment for a condo at Compass is no cheaper than anywhere else in 91原创. But daily expenses are significantly reduced: shared internet and cable, shared resources like a snowblower, lawnmower and a workshop full of tools, a gym populated with equipment donated by residents. Pat and Wendy are downsizing, but they鈥檙e not concerned about a lack of space 鈥� there鈥檚 room for their bikes in the shared storage, where neighbours will also share canoes and kayaks. When it鈥檚 time to host family from out of town, they鈥檒l reserve the two guest suites so everyone has a comfortable place to stay.

Every two weeks equity members meet to continue planning, making decisions by consensus, and developing the strong relationships that form the foundation of the community.

鈥淚 already call many of them good friends,鈥� Wendy says.

has passed its fourth and final reading at 91原创 Council, and construction is expected to be complete by spring 2024. The building is well over 60 per cent sold, but there are still a good variety of units on offer. To learn more, visit or email members@compasscohousing.com.