Repost from Ontario section, group retreat/prepper community purchase
I found an eco village website that seems to be built along similar lines to what is being proposed. This community/neighbourhood is relatively self sufficient so you may be able to get some idea's from the site to further encourage more discussion and planning. All input on this topic (and the other thread/s along this line) is awesome....keep going
FYI "Earthsong Eco-neighbourhood" link (they are located in New Zealand, but there are others in Canada - some religious, some environmental)
http://www.earthsong.org.nz/about/sustainability.html

Excellent link Susannah755, thanks for sharing it. I want to build a community in which all ages are active members in one way or another. We need a common place in which adults can hang-out and a space for the kids to play as they grow. It's very important that we open the doors to opportunities for the future generation and keep them active physically and their minds busy. I would like to see the community offer our children options for education from within our community to minimize the amount of wasted time spent travelling to school. We could even create one of the first homeschooling communities if that is of interest to families. It would be great if we had elders that could help teach the kids different trades such as welding, woodworking/carving, electronics, cooking, etc., on site. In the end, having an active community that is united, is a happy community without criminal activity (hopefully).

Hello folks;
I am finding this to easily be the most interesting and important forum of all.

I like the idea of the RV park very much. It is a dandy way to create revenue along with the storage plan. Both are very lucritive and normally require a sizable first investment, but in the situation we are speaking about it would be much less strain on the pocketbooks of the members.

Fuel storage, gardens and defense are things which must be included. Thinking about water and sewer is also a top priority and my suggestion would most likely involve a river valley.

Putting in solar with wind and generator backups is next to add to a list for self suficient communities and with the right planning this can be done far less expensively than many people would like us to believe. I have been reserching this for 5 years now and there are ways to do this on the cheap $ but not poor quality.

The addition of offering wilderness training and a paintball course to paying customers also brings in needed operating capital, a way to keep our kids busy and happy along with being something that has a funtion before and after any possible SHTF or collapse of society.

I am very much looking forward to discussing these things at the next meeting.

Options for setting up a self sustainable community with living arrangements to suit everyone's needs and bank account should SHTF is a win-win situation. (RV setting verses brick'n'mortar community)

The self sustainable community my wife and I would like to create involves every aspect of what folks can think of under the sun such as a home with alternative heating systems, power system (solar/geo thermal/wind), air purification system, cooking solutions, food storage, recycling water, purifying water, storing water, sanitation solutions as well as raising livestock naturally. We would definitely encourage folks to open their own business on site but it would have to fit-in with the goals of the community along with additional financial investment by that individual. One important element of a healthy self sustainable community is making sure folks with a criminal background stay-out! (Speed tickets don't count.)

This is a topic that is dear to many folks we can tell and it's important that we are honest with each other and not take any comments out of context but continue to feel free to express our opinion without fear. I encourage everyone to continue to share your thoughts on what you invision as a self sustainable community regardless if you are interested in an RV park or a brick'n'mortar setting.

It all sounds good but in the new world we can't start be labeling people on wealth so by setting different levels of pricing is jus a history repeat. If we can all pool an intial equal sum and be on equal ground and work from that it will come better in the long run I think equalty is key to the process If humanity does not see it self as an equal we will still jus be barbarians when shtf. in anyway I'm diffently interested

This thread conversation is very similar to the ideas expressed by Dendrite on his underground bunker thread...

I'm thinking that it is quite possible for the 3 ideas; brick n mortar / RV park / bunker could co-exist and be mutually beneficial.

For example;
Regardless of the plan, you would need a legally binding co-operative with shares and administrative processes to be formed so that the land could be purchased and developed. The issue of membership versus associate membership could be hashed out in greater detail with people sitting in the same room rather than typing away.

Once the land is purchased, the RV park could be set up immediately to allow people a base to work from. Those of us who do not have the resources or ability to relocate (jobs are in a major center) would only ever develop an RV lot and store their supplies. Those who have the ability and passion to build a brick n mortar village could then do so with the skills brought to the community by all of us (RV included).

The group may decide that income from the storage lot and other posted ideas (paint-ball range) could help to pay for the power sources and water systems that the village uses pre-shtf. If it is designed correctly, then the RV park could be tied into the villages infrastructure after shtf so that we all have a starting point for rebuilding. Those living in the brick n mortar would have the advantage of nicer homes at first perhaps, but in a sense that would be their reward for making the full commitment early. I would not begrudge any one that, as we cannot leave the Calgary region because of work and would only be ble to commit to the RV Park idea. Post-shtf, those with RV lots could then develop them into more permanent structures with the assistance of the entire community.

p.s. Those wanting to build a bunker would then have a base from which they could start their development as well, probably while being members of the RV Park. This thread could almost be merged with that one?

thanks all,

It all sounds good but in the new world we can't start be labeling people on wealth so by setting different levels of pricing is jus a history repeat. If we can all pool an intial equal sum and be on equal ground and work from that it will come better in the long run I think equalty is key to the process If humanity does not see it self as an equal we will still jus be barbarians when shtf. in anyway I'm diffently interested

Nobody is labeling folks based on wealth here but unfortunately there will always be someone who wants "more" or "less" or "even different" and they shouldn't be judged based on the way they're wired. Setting up an "initial equal sum opportunity" is a great idea but difficult task because the cost of land is the first investment and we all know that it doesn't come cheap in this province at this time. I personally don't think it would be fare for those who are interested in an RV park to pay the same price for land as somebody like myself who wants an acre to put a bungalow on. There are folks who don't mind living in transient communities and then there are those who are looking for something long term. Just to clarify for those who are wondering what I mean by "transient"...I'm referring to a "high turn-over in the community by folks renting space to park their RV without any long term commitment." Keep in mind, the more transient a community is the harder it is to keep the criminal element out which is a big concerned for many of us.

This discussion is going the right way no matter how bad my spelling is...
We are getting fair and well thought out points.
No not everyone can put in the same money, but collecttively a group of good folks could get a ton accomplished.
It is difficult for those with great jobs in the larger centres to make a big move as it is just as difficult for someone who could put in a lot of time and effort, but does not have a lot of money to add to the sweat. That is okay! If there are enough of us on the same page then those with a little more cash and those with a little more time can put the two together and it will be a true community. When the time comes and we are all there to benifit from the work done to that point, we will be safe and together as a COMMUNITY.

I totally agree money is an issue but if one who has no money can build a house another who has no money can grow food then that has to become the equal to money in order for some of this to start we need to have an idea of what we individually can do in respect to financial,skills,materials and time available for Said humanity project

This needs to be a main talking point of the next meeting....

It all sounds good but in the new world we can't start be labeling people on wealth so by setting different levels of pricing is jus a history repeat.

C1986,

Interesting point. But I disagree. Are you familiar with triage, the system of determining who you can save in a medical incident. The main catagories are the dead - can't be helped, walking wounded - can be helped but they can wait, critically wounded - might be able to save however the resources and time to save them is too high and they will likely die, and finally the seriously wounded - can be saved but only if they receive treatment ASAP. What the hell does triage have to do with prepping, building a prepper community or this thread???

Triage is a systematic process to use resources to the maximum. The resources are usually in limited amounts, time, money, land, beans, bullets. You get the point. Survival is about resource management. Those with the most of everything should survive. In our current situation money is a resource, some have it and many do not. In the new economy money will be next to worthless. Skills, tools, stored resources and food will be worth more than gold.

To survive tomorrow we need to prepare today! Those with the available cash are needed now to buy the land, so a community can be established, now. This is not a communist, eutopian perfect world. In our current state, if everyone put in the same amount to be equal in the this project we would generate $10000 or maybe a bit more. Not enough. Many of the people interested in this project have skills, trades or talents needed tomorrow, but they do not have the financial resources today to buy in on an equal portion today. Tomorrow, no one will remember who put in how much. The group will be concerned who can lead us out of the SHTF situation and rebuild. Money cannot build all by itself, but today money can buy a starting point. A secure piece of land to stockpile resources so there is a possibility of being able to start over, is needed now.

If you are afraid some class system will be developed by how the buy-in begins, then start another project and have it on an equal buy in. If you end up with only a bunch of rich bankers and stock traders, but no carpenters, plumbers, loggers, farmers or soldiers - you reap what you sow.

Eutopia is great to think about, but a little too difficult to build in todays current world conditions.

Just my two cents,

Mountainman.

Dang,

Great observation. Use all the options as different phases of the same project!

Mountainman.

Does anyone think it's time to start two separate discussions: one for those who are interested in a self sustainable community based on a brick'n'mortar concept and one for those who are interested in a self sustainable community based on an RV concept? Doing so will allow the individuals to link-up with those who are interested in the same concept.

In my opinion we should not split the discussion according to style of build.
Those of us who are serious need to keep grooming the discussion and tradeing ideas and questions.
I think eventually we will find there are seperate camps of interest and those folks wil gravitate to each other.
Untill then everyone will benifit.

"I have to ask why no glacier sourced water??? I have been on few glaciers in the Rockies and the water is very good from this old ice. Are you concerned of contamination?? Or that the water source will melt and cease to exist?? I am just curious."
Mountaineer,

yes, on both counts. in a shtf situation many people are going to set up along the river's edge. with poor or no hygiene for toilet facilities, or proper septic fields, downstream of your water source lol.
plus I do believe the glaciers will melt and when they do all life will be forced to the large bodies of water, or main valley aquafer's with large rain collection ability and good sand filtration under our 20 feet of class 1 loam, but no flood plain even 100+ years. a surface stream running through the land for cattle and wildlife as well as feeding our stocked trout pond.
i have been looking for a piece of land for 3 years now and unfortunately I don't think prices are going to drop until the financial chaos hits and then its too late to buy. given whats happening to the euro, today, and the US coming up against some austerity measures this fall which could lead to another downgrade of their ratings and on and on it goes. if this was a business we would have put it out of its misery by now but because the banks might fold, due to gambling with our savings, we take down whole countries? am I blind or does everyone see where this ends up? wars for debt and resources!
but I digress
do we have the numbers interested in buying land together? how many and how much cash is available, and that should determine who is serious about getting this done. I intend to buy this year unless something happens with a co-op style offer here, or elsewhere.

"I have to ask why no glacier sourced water??? I have been on few glaciers in the Rockies and the water is very good from this old ice. Are you concerned of contamination?? Or that the water source will melt and cease to exist?? I am just curious."
Mountaineer,

yes, on both counts. in a shtf situation many people are going to set up along the river's edge. with poor or no hygiene for toilet facilities, or proper septic fields, downstream of your water source lol.
plus I do believe the glaciers will melt and when they do all life will be forced to the large bodies of water, or main valley aquafer's with large rain collection ability and good sand filtration under our 20 feet of class 1 loam, but no flood plain even 100+ years. a surface stream running through the land for cattle and wildlife as well as feeding our stocked trout pond. I have been looking for a piece of land for 3 years now and unfortunately I don't think prices are going to drop until the financial chaos hits and then its too late to buy. given whats happening to the euro, today, and the US coming up against some austerity measures this fall which could lead to another downgrade of their ratings and on and on it goes. if this was a business we would have put it out of its misery by now but because the banks might fold, due to gambling with our savings, we take down whole countries? am I blind or does everyone see where this ends up? wars for debt and resources! But I digress do we have the numbers interested in buying land together? how many and how much cash is available, and that should determine who is serious about getting this done. I intend to buy this year unless something happens with a co-op style offer here, or elsewhere.

Hawk,

We are serious about buying this year as well and hope to over the next couple months. We have a real estate agent working on this for us.

One thought (out of many) I believe the are some ghost or abandoned towns (coal towns) that are still out there that could be bought real cheap and maybe fixable, not sure since I haven’t been out that way since the early 80’s.