Life at CRCA
What’s it like to live at the CRCA?
Everyone works together to keep the houses running – each person is part of a weekly cooking team, and we all take on various tasks according to our skills and interests. These tasks include cleaning, shopping, gardening, computer/network maintenance, house maintenance, data entry, financial administration, renovation management and more. Members also attend monthly house meetings which give everyone a chance to address issues and make group decisions regarding the CRCA.
Each member has their own private room and access to all shared areas including the kitchen, stocked pantry, laundry room, library, TV room, bike shed, storage space, workspaces, gardens, etc.
Our shared meals on Sunday – Thursday nights are an opportunity to chat and come together informally as a community, over a delicious meal. We’re used to eating really well here–if you aren’t a great cook before you come to the CRCA, you’ll have to learn to be one pretty quickly!
We have a lovely living room to hang out in, and occasionally use a projector in there for movie nights. There are social occasions throughout the year, like our annual Christmas party, as well as other holiday meals and random tea parties, pumpkin carving parties, and dance parties. But generally the CRCA offers a quiet and cozy environment where people can relax, work or study in peace.
In the words of our members:
Angela, 32 – living at the Co-op since 2006
“Living at the co-op is kind of like living with all the cool members of your extended family–all the cool aunts and uncles and cousins. We tease each other like family… there’s a lot pf people with different backgrounds and interests that I never would have become friends with if I hadn’t met them here. It’s a pretty great place to learn new things, like how to interact with people or different skills like renovations and repairs, caring for a home, cooking and learning new recipes, and picking up new approaches to tasks or problems.
Saying goodbye to all the amazing people who live here when they move on is hard. And it can be challenging to not take things personally, especially when people are having a rough day. It can be frustrating putting up with the same little annoying things over and over again.”
Jessica, 38, living at the Co-op since 2017
“While I’m still a relatively new co-op member, I’ve lived at the CRCA long enough to get a sense of this great community of people, and have developed quite a fondness for the overall feeling of living here. The houses are full of character and warmth, the dinners are nourishing (for both body and soul), and it’s been enriching getting to know the other members, with their varied life paths and ways of being.
While honouring my responsibilities here has taken some getting used to, it’s added a rhythm and structure to my life that I may have needed more than I realized! I feel thankful to have the chance to experience such a unique a way of living; it’s made living in Vancouver more doable, and has brought a welcome dynamism to my days.”
Ty, 68 – lived at the Co-op from 1969-1971, and 2001 – 2015
“What’s good about it is the people. There’s been lots of very interesting people living here over the years, and that’s great. What’s challenging is that it forces you to live in close quarters with others… your stuff gets reflected back at you… which does provide an opportunity for you to learn about aspects of yourself you need to deal with.”
Devin, 34 – At the Co-op from 2010 – 2014
“It forced me to be social, as an anti-social person. That’s actually why I moved in. If I hadn’t moved in I might have developed into an evil scientist. I like the fact that these are big houses and there are a lot of common areas and amenities to share like the library and the fireplace, but also enough privacy for me.”
It can be hard to find the time to live up to your responsibilities here, while living a super busy life.”
Andrew, 42 – living at the Co-op since 2009
“I like the people and the community and it’s close to everything: parks, the Quay, Skytrains, lots of different restaurants and pubs, the new movie theatre, Douglas College and other schools… it’s a nice neighbourhood. The culture of the co-op, how we share cooking, share ideas and responsibilities… games nights, music, parties.
If you’re a private person that’s OK, but you’d have to learn to break out of your shell here. And you have to be willing to cook for a lot of people, which can be a little scary at first. It’s a good place to hone your skills and put them to use and help others.”
Jasmine, 40 – living at the Co-op since 2012
“I love the feeling of community here. I enjoy coming home every day and having interesting conversations with people from different generations and backgrounds, and I feel really lucky to have a home-cooked meal waiting for me 5 days a week. Surprisingly, I’ve come to really look forward to the nights when it’s my turn to cook, too. When you’re making a meal for 20 people, you’re forced to learn your way around the kitchen fast and get creative. We have regular game nights and movie nights, and occasional sing-alongs and dance parties… and when I want privacy and quiet time I can just go to my room and close the door.
It can be tricky to navigate all the different personalities and expectations here, so I think it takes a lot of patience and a willingness to compromise in order to live harmoniously at the Co-op.”
Isaac, 29 – lived at the Co-op from 2010 – 2015
“It’s like an instant social network, which really helps people coming from out of province who don’t know anyone in the city. It challenges you to adapt to a new environment, different types of personalities. It definitely gives you a sense of community. There’s always something going on, someone up late at night, someone coming home from work, stories being told, good times. Oh, and the food is amazing.
The biggest challenge has been adapting myself to live with other people and adapting my communication techniques to work with others. And creating balance between your personal life and co-op life can be hard. It’s easy to just stay home and hang out with people because there’s often social activities going on.”
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