Moving in day!

Watershed Official Launch and Open House - June 10, 2023

Watershed Cohousing broke ground in May of 2021, occupancy status was granted as of November 1, 2022, and on June 10 the Watershed Cohousing initiative was launched! Featuring tours of units and shared facilities, a jazz band, and speeches by local worthies MP Lloyd Longfield, Provincial Green Party leader Mike Schreiner and Guelph's mayor Cam Guthrie, the official launch was a great success!

WA'-TER- SHED (wau'ter shed), n 1. a critical turning point affecting action, 2. beginning of a new stage, 3. pivotal moment, 4. improved quality of life

Vision Statement

Our Watershed Vision is to live well within community.

Watershed Values

We are committed to healthy and sustainable living, creativity, kindness, and having a sense of humour. We know, trust and care for each other. We are an inclusive community embracing all races, genders, sexualities and spiritual beliefs. We respect the uniqueness of each individual. We listen with open minds, open hearts, and open will. We are resourceful and take responsibility for ourselves, our community and our environment.

Watershed Practices

We decrease our footprint by sharing and using resources wisely. We share the load, amongst ourselves and on our planet. We encourage open non-violent communication. Our commitment to ourselves and the earth are reflected in our policies.

About Guelph

Guelph Ontario is a thriving community of 125,000 located about 100 Km west of Toronto. Often showing up on Canada's "most livable communities" lists, Guelph features a vibrant downtown core as well as an exciting arts, music and culture scene, scenic walking trails, bike-friendly streets and many heritage buildings.

Rich in history, Guelph is also a progressive, forward-looking city with a strong social and environmental focus. It is situated on land that is steeped in rich Indigenous history. Archaeological evidence indicates Indigenous Peoples were present in the area now known as Guelph as early as 11,000 years ago. Up until their collapse in the 15th century, the Attawandaron, commonly known as the Neutral peoples lived, farmed, and hunted here. In 1690, the Mississauga peoples entered the area. The land was purchased from the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation of the Anishinaabek Peoples by the British in 1784; this transfer of land is covered by Upper Canada Treaty No. 3, 1792.

Often called "The Royal City", Guelph was founded in 1827 by Scottish novelist John Galt, who named it Guelph after a family name of the British royals at the time. Based on a series of roads radiating from a focal point at the Speed River, its street plan resembles that of a European city centre, complete with squares, broad main streets and narrow side streets, resulting in a variety of block sizes and shapes.

About The Site

Location

The Watershed Cohousing site is located on the corner of Woolwich St. and Mont St., a block away from Exhibition park, riverside walking and bike trails, a short walk to The Park Eatery Cafe, With The Grain Bakery, Polestar Hearth Bakery and a ten-minute walk from downtown Guelph amenities, including the main library, Bookshelf Cinema, River Run Performing Arts Centre, Youth Music Centre, shopping, pubs, restaurants, Old Quebec St. Mall, churches, the Guelph Farmers Market, Guelph Civic Museum, schools and the Sleeman Sports & Event Centre.

The Watershed Cohousing site is served by dedicated bike routes, the city’s main bus service and riverside walking trails with access to Guelph Lake. GO Train, Greyhound and GO Bus service is a 15 minute walk away and there is a car share space at Exhibition Park.

There are 9 parking spaces on site with provision for EV’s, indoor secured bike park garage for 9 bikes plus visitor bike racks.

There is a mobility van parking space and covered wheelchair access to the building with elevator access to all floor levels above grade.

Landscape plans include gardens on the south, east and west sides for edible native plants, shrubs and trees and vertical gardens across the balconies. There are several community gardens nearby.

Design

About The Building

Built in 1897 the heritage home located at 360 Woolwich along with a direct addition on 1 Mont St, includes five new one bedroom plus den apartments of approximately 1000 sq ft, and a sixth apartment of the same size on the second floor of the existing Woolwich home and office building.

The retrofit and new build has been designed to be healthy, sustainable and energy efficient, featuring Passive House and Net Zero criteria, including increased thermal insulation, air-to-air heat pumps providing heating and air conditioning, energy recovery ventilators for fresh air, triple glazed windows on all sides for natural cross ventilation, solar gain and day lighting to all occupied rooms, thermal mass walls & floors, wastewater heat recovery and roofs oriented to maximize photovoltaic panels. Healthy building criteria include natural materials and finishes, wiring for electromagnetic radiation mitigation and a quiet living environment.

Rainwater harvesting provides for garden irrigation, toilet flushing and emergency water supply.

Construction is non-combustible with block walls and structural concrete floors for durability, low maintenance, fire safety and long-lasting construction. Rock wool batt insulation and concrete construction provide high levels of sound separation both from exterior noise and between residential units. More on Sustainable Design

The Commons

The 3rd floor of the existing Woolwich building features a large 800 sq ft open common area for shared community activities and as a guest suite. The lower level of the building includes another 800 sq ft of common space, set up as an art and crafts studio, workshop, a guest room, bathroom, kitchenette and storage rooms.

Individual Units

The six units feature spacious open living, dining, kitchen areas and a den for home office, visitors or hobbies. In addition to balconies across the front, all units have access to shared balcony areas on the second and third floors. With no interior load-bearing walls and accessible electrical and plumbing services, layouts can be readily modified for resident needs.

The Offices

The 1500 sq. ft. of office space on the ground floor of 360 Woolwich was home to David’s Architectural firm.

Photo Gallery of the Build

Watershed Cohousing’s contractor is SHED. Construction began June 2021 with occupancy granted in November, 2022.

First step: demolition of the abandoned house at 12 Mont...