Progress at Greensward Hamlet

I  conceived Greensward Hamlet during the summer of 2007 while I was on  retreat with Thich Nhat Hanh at Plum Village in Southern France.  In our small family group, we talked about the advantages of having a sangha or a community of like-minded people to keep us on the path of mindfulness and compassion.  My dream of building a community crystalized during these discussions.  I had read about ecovillages and cohousing for several years and did not have the wherewithal to get such a community started.  Gathering a group of people together to try to live together in community is not an easy feat as witnessed by the long process it has taken other communities to manifest.  Being so inspired by the "green" technological advances  I saw and the mentality of the people I met  during my travels in France, I came back to Maine with the courage to move forward on a long-time dream.  I decided to take the plunge and get a community started, knowing the time has come for a different way of living on this planet.  We cannot wait ten years -  now is the time to act.  I formed F.E. Paradis Enterprises, LLC and began assembling a team of builders, architects, engineers, landscape architects, and friends who are interested in the concepts of cohousing, "green" construction,  and fossil fuel-free homes that are sustainable.  After much reading about the successes and challenges of other cohousing communities, the team is designing a community based on their experiences and our own inner knowings.  
 
All permitting is in place.  The Zoning Board of Buxton approved the project June 9, 2008 and DEP approved it in November 2008.  We will start construction as soon as we have  enough members and financing.

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