I’d like to explore the hypothesis that the way we do friends/relationships in sprawling, downtown suburbia is hard and unsustainable. Often our friends and acquaintances live miles away. If we lived in a community village or similar, social exchanges would be incidental encounters which do not have to come with expectations, previous discussion, prior arrangement or multiple mobile phone calls and texts.
The way we do things now, often with much forward planning and organisation, gives us time for expectation to develop and our minds to play around with anticipation and prospect. My daughter quotes: ‘expectation is the diving board to disappointment’. Hmmmmm, I wonder what do you think?
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Potential and Surrender
Today I spoke to TWO prospective developer partners - in ONE day……HUGE!....and both people I thought have excellent scope to work with.
I have been holding this ecovillage project since Greenedge had to leave us for over a year now, struggling with the discomfort of sitting in the ‘not knowing’ and speaking to about 6 developers, all of whom had little interest in us or we had little interest in them.
Today was very sweet and i decided to go to a yoga class. At the end of the class during meditation/relaxation, I ran through my teacher’s all-embracing and powerful, prayer: Thankyou…….I surrender…….and asking for help. Anne tells us to smile, to choose joy, and in moments of complete contentment and peace, I had the image of a greater being smiling back at me. This face said: ‘you have at last reached a stage of readiness, it’s time for this project to move forward again’. With all this year’s feelings from frustration, impatience through acceptance and even some sort of ease with uncertainty flooding back to me, I smiled a broader smile and felt the power of that message in my heart.
I have been holding this ecovillage project since Greenedge had to leave us for over a year now, struggling with the discomfort of sitting in the ‘not knowing’ and speaking to about 6 developers, all of whom had little interest in us or we had little interest in them.
Today was very sweet and i decided to go to a yoga class. At the end of the class during meditation/relaxation, I ran through my teacher’s all-embracing and powerful, prayer: Thankyou…….I surrender…….and asking for help. Anne tells us to smile, to choose joy, and in moments of complete contentment and peace, I had the image of a greater being smiling back at me. This face said: ‘you have at last reached a stage of readiness, it’s time for this project to move forward again’. With all this year’s feelings from frustration, impatience through acceptance and even some sort of ease with uncertainty flooding back to me, I smiled a broader smile and felt the power of that message in my heart.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Building the Community
I have been thinking lately of all the many roles involved in developing a sustainable community and considering which roles I could do myself. I hold the analogy of me as part of an ant community, intent on building a small ant hill and this notion surely shrinks any inflated image I might have of my own capabilities.
I see my role has been to kick-off the vision and now to hold the project until those with other roles emerge. I wonder whose role it is to ground this project? And when and from where they will come?
I see my role has been to kick-off the vision and now to hold the project until those with other roles emerge. I wonder whose role it is to ground this project? And when and from where they will come?
Friday, December 4, 2009
Jumping Beans
How i love the feeling of ‘jumping beans’ within me, it’s such a natural high. I remember my father saying to me: ‘you are so full of beans today, Loodle’.
By embarking on this journey to ecovillage, I have boarded the excitement train. It’s carriages are full of new learnings, people with life and passion in their bellies also wanting to play a role in proactively designing their own lifestyle instead of just reacting and adapting to what’s on offer. And although there are challenging and frustrating times in all this, I find life so energising, interesting and thoroughly addictive.
How good is it to hear the thoughts of fellow travellers who take me beyond what i already know, who open my eyes to other possibilities so that my dreams are always morphing and refining. How can things just keep seeming better and better? Last week absolutely fantastic listening to one couple tell of their interesting life and goals and to witness them notionally choosing their block on Narara; seeing the talented work of Tom who has great CAD and 3D skills and has designed a helicopter ride over our future village layout. WOW.
And then to receive an email this morning from a woman: ‘I've only recently discovered your "Sydney Coastal Eco Village" project website and really enjoyed reading about it on your blog. I felt inspired; it was so uplifting, like warm glow coming over me... Yes! There are other people out there who dream of the same things as me? When I read how you described the vision and concept of the eco village community, I could only mutter: "I so want to live there..."'
And from Helens email: My belief is NEXT year we'll have a Christmas celebration gathering at Narara, and it will be secured and happening! I Love it.
Common you, jump on the excitement train with me, keep expanding me and taking me to greener pastures and hopefully i’ll do the same for you. Baby, bring it on!
.
By embarking on this journey to ecovillage, I have boarded the excitement train. It’s carriages are full of new learnings, people with life and passion in their bellies also wanting to play a role in proactively designing their own lifestyle instead of just reacting and adapting to what’s on offer. And although there are challenging and frustrating times in all this, I find life so energising, interesting and thoroughly addictive.
How good is it to hear the thoughts of fellow travellers who take me beyond what i already know, who open my eyes to other possibilities so that my dreams are always morphing and refining. How can things just keep seeming better and better? Last week absolutely fantastic listening to one couple tell of their interesting life and goals and to witness them notionally choosing their block on Narara; seeing the talented work of Tom who has great CAD and 3D skills and has designed a helicopter ride over our future village layout. WOW.
And then to receive an email this morning from a woman: ‘I've only recently discovered your "Sydney Coastal Eco Village" project website and really enjoyed reading about it on your blog. I felt inspired; it was so uplifting, like warm glow coming over me... Yes! There are other people out there who dream of the same things as me? When I read how you described the vision and concept of the eco village community, I could only mutter: "I so want to live there..."'
And from Helens email: My belief is NEXT year we'll have a Christmas celebration gathering at Narara, and it will be secured and happening! I Love it.
Common you, jump on the excitement train with me, keep expanding me and taking me to greener pastures and hopefully i’ll do the same for you. Baby, bring it on!
.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Scams are so disappointing!
I have never been part of an internet scam before but i guess i just have been! And it was interesting to watch my reactions ranging through excitement at the possibility presented, to intrigue then disappointment. If you would like to see why, you might like to read through the email transcripts, plus my reactions.
October 2009: This email arrived through the SCEV website: danieldoherty44@yahoo.com: My name is Daniel Doherty.I have lung cancer which is of a terminal nature,because of this situation,my investments can not be managed efficiently.In this circumstances, i want to help build a unique and sustainable community network by assisting people in need before the inevitable happens.
If you are interested,do get in touch with me as soon as you can to enable me give you more information of what is to be done.
LP: Oh my gosh, this is amazing!
19/10/09: Dear Daniel
I don’t think i have ever opened an email that within 30 seconds had such an effect on me:
prickly on my skin, eyes glued to reading and rereading your email, sick to my stomach, overwhelmed by your courage, tears in my eyes, absolute wonder and intrigue, altered heart rhythm.
We have similar goals! Below i have sent you two things. My latest blog on some land that i believe to be PERFECT for a unique and sustainable community and an information sheet on the project. I hope this is not too overwhelming for you and i will look forward to hearing from you back xL
22/10/09: Dear Lyndall Parris,
How are you and your family doing?I appreciate your heart felt understanding of my situation and your detailed response,which is very much straight to the point.I am seriously interested in developing a self-reliant,sustaining and people-friendly philanthropy network where we can create a multiplier effect in helping other people not directly involved.Thereby making a positive impact on lives universally.This something that your project is well suited for.I would want you to inform me in details about your intended community current budget,project cost and estimates(land purchase and development cost).I know it's a long term project but the earlier it begins the better.Posterity would judge us for the effort.
As regards my person,i am from the old school,served in the Merchant Navy, the Army and, as a practical person and international businessman. I hold myself to a higher standard than others.I was educated in England and South Africa. During the 1939/1945 war I was an evacuee, my sister and I spent 5 years with our cousin in Johannesburg,South Africa.After school,I joined a shipping company as a ledger clerk,transferred to their sea staff and became a Purser, sailed up and down Europe and the East Coast of USA.
In 1961,I was conscripted into the Army, served time in Cyprus,became married in 1965,promoted and discharged from the Army (1968) into the reserves for 7 years. I was a specialist, a MMG commander.
In 1968,i settled in London,United Kingdom.In 1973 I entered into corporate investment in Agriculture with significant investment farm holdings in Zimbabwe primarily Tobacco cultivation and exportation employing over 200 agents over the time. In 1995 I resigned and became an International Financier, which is my present occupation.I basically spent my whole life on building my investments,not until this time have i had the inspiration to be involved in community work.I really wish to see some purpose to my life after all this years.Hence,i would count myself worthy of being involved in building such a unique community,which i see would be a practical model to show how we all should live around the world.
I will request you get Yahoo Messenger on your computer to increase communication between us as well as your contact telephone numbers.Also,do inform me about yourself(educational,occupation and work experience).When i hear from you,we would then proceed as required.I appreciate your time and i will expect your next contact. Best Regards Daniel Doherty
LP: OK all this makes sense. He has obviously made a lot of money during his lifetime. Maybe he didn’t have any children or many close people to leave his wealth too. Yes, he could leave money to large organisations but so much gets eaten up in administration and bureaucracy and if he has a passion for something eg sustainable community then why not do a internet search, find a project in the world that is building such a community, contact the people and then if their response sounds plausible and heartfelt, back that project. Hmmmm i’m in wonder and cautious yet this is great. Emily believes in miracles and so do i.
23/10/09: Dear Daniel, Thanks for your email, information about your background and insight into your heart’s desire. How are you and your family doing? We are doing really well. I have a great husband of about 35 years, three amazing children ranging in age from 31 to 23 - happy, healthy, partnered up, in jobs and who all contribute, support and encourage me with my little project.....how does it get better that that?
I would want you to inform me in details about your intended community current budget,project cost and estimates(land purchase and development cost). The land that we have our eye on north of Sydney has just been revalued by the NSW State Government. It has approvals for approximately 120 dwellings and we have been told the sale price will be around $7M (before the ‘economic crisis’ it’s valuation was $9.65M)
We understand that the costs of development will be approx $50k per dwelling. We would want to develop a diversity of housing from studio apartments, through attached townhouses to single family detached homes. I have talked generally to a couple of developers who feel that the project ‘stacks up’ especially as with our database of 500 people we possibly have ‘presales’ of say 30 – 40, and that is having done no outreach and marketing as yet.
Your life sounds interesting and full, where are you living now?
As regard my person, i turned 60 this year, was formally educated (school and university) in Sydney, married David and moved from the city to the country, where we bought and ran a sheep property and raised our three children. I also taught economics and geography at the local high school and Dave worked as an electrical engineer. I later went back to university and studied accountancy. I am a CPA and not working in the industry at all now just taking forward or perhaps ‘holding’ this beautiful and important life project of mine - to develop an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable demonstration village. David works in renewable energy, developing wind farms and hopefully solar as the economics improve. Over the years we travelled internationally with our children and for the past 10 years or so have had a travel focus on visiting places that feed and inform our vision. I now live in Sydney with my husband and younger son.
My home/office phone number as below is +6129953 6699 and i have a mobile 0419279711.
Daniel, I will ask someone about Yahoo Messenger and look into that. Of course my favourite option is for us to get face to face.....and i look forward to hearing from you again and wish you as much health as possible.
23/10/09: Dear Lyndall, It's nice to hear back from you and i more than impressed by your experience, diligence,dedication and motivation you have displayed with your initiatives and activities.I want you know that i have little or no experience with charity work,that is why i am getting into this.I intend to assist in developing your project so that you can use your discretion to assist others.I am not in a good shape physically and healthwise as things have changed,I am about to undergo a surgery and i am making good my time on this earth.
I am not that conversant with computer technology apart from email applications.I live in London,here in England.I would want suggestions from you on how we could meet in the near future.I would be willing to assist you in develop this project inorder to donate to charity, under your experienced supervision.I will be making an all out donation to this cause,i would need to you to give me an accurate estimate(total figure) of what is to be done.Also email my lawyer Mr.John Child with the details jfchild@gmail.com .Let hear from you at your earliest convenience. Best Regards Daniel Doherty
LP: All sound pretty good, actually great but i wonder why his solicitor’s email address is a ‘gmail’account – i would have thought the name of a firm eg Parris, Parris and Child??
24/10/09: Dear Daniel
I am sorry to hear that you need some surgery but if it relieves your suffering, pain, discomfort then let it go forward quickly and easily and allow you more time and quality of life. It sounds to me that you have more good things to put in place before you leave your physical body.
Thanks for your email yesterday. There is nothing i would like more than to welcome you off a plane at Sydney airport but sadly that’s not to happen at the moment. I will get to London sometime but right now our budget does not permit. London time is 10 hours behind Sydney with our daylight saving programme. If you would like to ring me (or send me your phone number and i will call you?) you could call me your Saturday night between 9 and 10pm and i could make sure that i am home (bet 7 – 8am Sun morning, 28th Oct) to take your call. [+61299536699]
I too do not have much experience with charity work and i must make it clear to you that this is not what our project is about. I am very much into ‘user pays’ and sustainability - environmentally, socially and economically. More like teaching fishing rather that feeding people fish. However, the vision encompasses a broad range of housing to provide multiple points of financial entry to this project, including lower cost, affordable housing. We have had feedback from a few consultants that the financial viability of the community project ‘stacks up/has legs’ i.e. at the end of the day we hope it will be successful and pay for itself. My vision is for this village to provide a socially richer life, live more gently on the earth with built in technologies and processes and at the same time be economically sustainable too. Much of which i feel is a life that we have perhaps forgotten about and which now has it’s time to be reborn again using new technology, awareness, information and discoveries to help us. Then, for this place to be an inspiration to show, teach, remind others about another slant, still very much within the main stream, to live life.
So what would i really like? I would like some way of securing this amazing parcel of land near Sydney, enough cash to pay a deposit through our Incorporated Association, either in the form of a donation or perhaps a 5 year interest free loan, possibly a million dollars (£566,031.66!) that’s pretty big, so any contribution at all would be gratefully welcomed.
Once we have secured the land and can get some basic approvals from the local government then we can really start to muster people and raise more funds from potential residents to take the development forward. Remember you are the entrepreneur and good businessman, i am a woman with fire in her belly over one small project that i am hopeful may have a positive, ripple effect.
I am honoured by your trusting phrase: ‘so that you can use your discretion to assist others’.
I have copied this email to Mr John Child and he can read below from our first correspondence to the present.
Maybe i might hear from you by phone next time Daniel but right now it’s off to sleep for me. xL
29/10/09: ATTENTION: Lydall Parris RE:Mr.Daniel Doherty
I do apologise for the situation,i have been mandated to inform you that Mr.Doherty is presently hospitalised.He requested me to discuss travel and hotel arrangements for you but as for now everything is on hold due to his condition and the fact that he wasn't able to make conclusive financial arrangements before he got admitted.He instructed me to inform you that you would nevertheless hear from his bank.I would be in touch with updates. Yours Sincerely John Child
LP: Now wait a minute, the language in this email from a English solicitor living in London is not quite right.
30/10/09: remittance@barclaysonlineservices.net Attn: Lyndall Parris, Greetings from Barclays Online Services.We are currently processing the funds release and transfer of funds valued at US $1M (One Million United States Dollars) to you.
We intend to provide you with our unparallelled services by maintaining the scope allocated to us in the transfer of this funds.
We are currently in the process of effecting all revelant documentation to this end. At this point, it becomes imperative to have an online account activated in your name (as the beneficiary) with Barclays Online Bank, which goes to complete all documentation procedures of the funds transfer.
To enable us set up an online account for you, we require you to furnish us with the following details.
1. Contact Mailing Address
2. Occupation
3. Date of Birth
3. A valid means of identification
Also, we require you to choose an account type from the various
online accounts tailored for international remittances. Your preference can be in any of the 3 different account types.
=========================================================================
Barclays Bank (Silver Account) For Foreign Remittance
Transfer Limit per transaction £50,000.00
Activation Fee £405.00 Pounds
==================================================== ===================
Barclays Bank (Gold Account) For Foreign Remittance
Transfer Limit per transaction £100,000.00
Activation Fee £475.00 Pounds
============================== ==========================================
Barclays Bank (Platinium Account)For Foreign Remittance
Transfer Limit per transaction £200,000.00
Activation Fee £505.00 Pounds
============================== ========================================
Upon your selection of your desired account type and the payment of your activation fee, an online account will be set up for you. An online id and a pin number will be sent to you together with a secured web link with which you can access the funds and make an online transfer of the funds to your local bank account. A weclome kit for your new account will also be mailed to you at the contact mailing address you supply to us. We look forward to hearing back from you. Should you need any clarifications whatsoever, do not hesitate to contact me directly. We look forward to hearing from you soonest.
Sincerely, Steve Francis.
Director, Foreign Remittance Dept,
Barclays Online Services,
Barclays Bank Plc,
Switch Board: (44) 700 594 2319
Direct Telephone (Mobile): (44) 704 578 1623
Fax: (44) 870 490 8506
LP: OK now i am on full alert: want a lot of my details and ‘payment of your activation fee’ and look at the poor language in the email.....sadly that’s it – it’s a scam wow whata scam!! and actually did find reference to Steve Francis and Barclay’s on the internet.
ATTENTION: LYNDALL PARRIS
RE:Mr.Daniel Doherty
Mr.Daniel Doherty has been asking about you all the time.He sends his regards and encouragement,i must say he is quite fond of you and your Sydney Coastal EcoVillage project .He told me to inform you that everything would be alright and you shouldn't be worried.I have to inform you that the situation is tense at the moment.Mr.Doherty is under Intensive Care and communication is infrequent as he is under sedatives and he needs alot of rest.I believe you have been contacted by his bank to sort out your donation.I will suggest you get over the process as soon as you can,so you can find a way in getting your travel arrangements worked out to come visit him as soon as you can.I will be in touch with updates as usual.Do acknowledge as soon as possible. Yours Sincerely John Child jfchild@gmail.com
LP: Now i am intrigued and fascinated by this scam, not to mention a bit disappointed.
13.11.09: ATTENTION: LYNDALL PARRIS RE:Mr.Daniel Doherty
Have you heard from Mr.Doherty's bank.I want to inform you that he is stable but communication is still infrequent.I will be in touch with updates as usual.
Yours Sincerely John Child
13.11.09: Sadly because we do not feel that our communication is bona fide, you won’t be hearing from me again. I wish it was otherwise. LP
October 2009: This email arrived through the SCEV website: danieldoherty44@yahoo.com: My name is Daniel Doherty.I have lung cancer which is of a terminal nature,because of this situation,my investments can not be managed efficiently.In this circumstances, i want to help build a unique and sustainable community network by assisting people in need before the inevitable happens.
If you are interested,do get in touch with me as soon as you can to enable me give you more information of what is to be done.
LP: Oh my gosh, this is amazing!
19/10/09: Dear Daniel
I don’t think i have ever opened an email that within 30 seconds had such an effect on me:
prickly on my skin, eyes glued to reading and rereading your email, sick to my stomach, overwhelmed by your courage, tears in my eyes, absolute wonder and intrigue, altered heart rhythm.
We have similar goals! Below i have sent you two things. My latest blog on some land that i believe to be PERFECT for a unique and sustainable community and an information sheet on the project. I hope this is not too overwhelming for you and i will look forward to hearing from you back xL
22/10/09: Dear Lyndall Parris,
How are you and your family doing?I appreciate your heart felt understanding of my situation and your detailed response,which is very much straight to the point.I am seriously interested in developing a self-reliant,sustaining and people-friendly philanthropy network where we can create a multiplier effect in helping other people not directly involved.Thereby making a positive impact on lives universally.This something that your project is well suited for.I would want you to inform me in details about your intended community current budget,project cost and estimates(land purchase and development cost).I know it's a long term project but the earlier it begins the better.Posterity would judge us for the effort.
As regards my person,i am from the old school,served in the Merchant Navy, the Army and, as a practical person and international businessman. I hold myself to a higher standard than others.I was educated in England and South Africa. During the 1939/1945 war I was an evacuee, my sister and I spent 5 years with our cousin in Johannesburg,South Africa.After school,I joined a shipping company as a ledger clerk,transferred to their sea staff and became a Purser, sailed up and down Europe and the East Coast of USA.
In 1961,I was conscripted into the Army, served time in Cyprus,became married in 1965,promoted and discharged from the Army (1968) into the reserves for 7 years. I was a specialist, a MMG commander.
In 1968,i settled in London,United Kingdom.In 1973 I entered into corporate investment in Agriculture with significant investment farm holdings in Zimbabwe primarily Tobacco cultivation and exportation employing over 200 agents over the time. In 1995 I resigned and became an International Financier, which is my present occupation.I basically spent my whole life on building my investments,not until this time have i had the inspiration to be involved in community work.I really wish to see some purpose to my life after all this years.Hence,i would count myself worthy of being involved in building such a unique community,which i see would be a practical model to show how we all should live around the world.
I will request you get Yahoo Messenger on your computer to increase communication between us as well as your contact telephone numbers.Also,do inform me about yourself(educational,occupation and work experience).When i hear from you,we would then proceed as required.I appreciate your time and i will expect your next contact. Best Regards Daniel Doherty
LP: OK all this makes sense. He has obviously made a lot of money during his lifetime. Maybe he didn’t have any children or many close people to leave his wealth too. Yes, he could leave money to large organisations but so much gets eaten up in administration and bureaucracy and if he has a passion for something eg sustainable community then why not do a internet search, find a project in the world that is building such a community, contact the people and then if their response sounds plausible and heartfelt, back that project. Hmmmm i’m in wonder and cautious yet this is great. Emily believes in miracles and so do i.
23/10/09: Dear Daniel, Thanks for your email, information about your background and insight into your heart’s desire. How are you and your family doing? We are doing really well. I have a great husband of about 35 years, three amazing children ranging in age from 31 to 23 - happy, healthy, partnered up, in jobs and who all contribute, support and encourage me with my little project.....how does it get better that that?
I would want you to inform me in details about your intended community current budget,project cost and estimates(land purchase and development cost). The land that we have our eye on north of Sydney has just been revalued by the NSW State Government. It has approvals for approximately 120 dwellings and we have been told the sale price will be around $7M (before the ‘economic crisis’ it’s valuation was $9.65M)
We understand that the costs of development will be approx $50k per dwelling. We would want to develop a diversity of housing from studio apartments, through attached townhouses to single family detached homes. I have talked generally to a couple of developers who feel that the project ‘stacks up’ especially as with our database of 500 people we possibly have ‘presales’ of say 30 – 40, and that is having done no outreach and marketing as yet.
Your life sounds interesting and full, where are you living now?
As regard my person, i turned 60 this year, was formally educated (school and university) in Sydney, married David and moved from the city to the country, where we bought and ran a sheep property and raised our three children. I also taught economics and geography at the local high school and Dave worked as an electrical engineer. I later went back to university and studied accountancy. I am a CPA and not working in the industry at all now just taking forward or perhaps ‘holding’ this beautiful and important life project of mine - to develop an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable demonstration village. David works in renewable energy, developing wind farms and hopefully solar as the economics improve. Over the years we travelled internationally with our children and for the past 10 years or so have had a travel focus on visiting places that feed and inform our vision. I now live in Sydney with my husband and younger son.
My home/office phone number as below is +6129953 6699 and i have a mobile 0419279711.
Daniel, I will ask someone about Yahoo Messenger and look into that. Of course my favourite option is for us to get face to face.....and i look forward to hearing from you again and wish you as much health as possible.
23/10/09: Dear Lyndall, It's nice to hear back from you and i more than impressed by your experience, diligence,dedication and motivation you have displayed with your initiatives and activities.I want you know that i have little or no experience with charity work,that is why i am getting into this.I intend to assist in developing your project so that you can use your discretion to assist others.I am not in a good shape physically and healthwise as things have changed,I am about to undergo a surgery and i am making good my time on this earth.
I am not that conversant with computer technology apart from email applications.I live in London,here in England.I would want suggestions from you on how we could meet in the near future.I would be willing to assist you in develop this project inorder to donate to charity, under your experienced supervision.I will be making an all out donation to this cause,i would need to you to give me an accurate estimate(total figure) of what is to be done.Also email my lawyer Mr.John Child with the details jfchild@gmail.com .Let hear from you at your earliest convenience. Best Regards Daniel Doherty
LP: All sound pretty good, actually great but i wonder why his solicitor’s email address is a ‘gmail’account – i would have thought the name of a firm eg Parris, Parris and Child??
24/10/09: Dear Daniel
I am sorry to hear that you need some surgery but if it relieves your suffering, pain, discomfort then let it go forward quickly and easily and allow you more time and quality of life. It sounds to me that you have more good things to put in place before you leave your physical body.
Thanks for your email yesterday. There is nothing i would like more than to welcome you off a plane at Sydney airport but sadly that’s not to happen at the moment. I will get to London sometime but right now our budget does not permit. London time is 10 hours behind Sydney with our daylight saving programme. If you would like to ring me (or send me your phone number and i will call you?) you could call me your Saturday night between 9 and 10pm and i could make sure that i am home (bet 7 – 8am Sun morning, 28th Oct) to take your call. [+61299536699]
I too do not have much experience with charity work and i must make it clear to you that this is not what our project is about. I am very much into ‘user pays’ and sustainability - environmentally, socially and economically. More like teaching fishing rather that feeding people fish. However, the vision encompasses a broad range of housing to provide multiple points of financial entry to this project, including lower cost, affordable housing. We have had feedback from a few consultants that the financial viability of the community project ‘stacks up/has legs’ i.e. at the end of the day we hope it will be successful and pay for itself. My vision is for this village to provide a socially richer life, live more gently on the earth with built in technologies and processes and at the same time be economically sustainable too. Much of which i feel is a life that we have perhaps forgotten about and which now has it’s time to be reborn again using new technology, awareness, information and discoveries to help us. Then, for this place to be an inspiration to show, teach, remind others about another slant, still very much within the main stream, to live life.
So what would i really like? I would like some way of securing this amazing parcel of land near Sydney, enough cash to pay a deposit through our Incorporated Association, either in the form of a donation or perhaps a 5 year interest free loan, possibly a million dollars (£566,031.66!) that’s pretty big, so any contribution at all would be gratefully welcomed.
Once we have secured the land and can get some basic approvals from the local government then we can really start to muster people and raise more funds from potential residents to take the development forward. Remember you are the entrepreneur and good businessman, i am a woman with fire in her belly over one small project that i am hopeful may have a positive, ripple effect.
I am honoured by your trusting phrase: ‘so that you can use your discretion to assist others’.
I have copied this email to Mr John Child and he can read below from our first correspondence to the present.
Maybe i might hear from you by phone next time Daniel but right now it’s off to sleep for me. xL
29/10/09: ATTENTION: Lydall Parris RE:Mr.Daniel Doherty
I do apologise for the situation,i have been mandated to inform you that Mr.Doherty is presently hospitalised.He requested me to discuss travel and hotel arrangements for you but as for now everything is on hold due to his condition and the fact that he wasn't able to make conclusive financial arrangements before he got admitted.He instructed me to inform you that you would nevertheless hear from his bank.I would be in touch with updates. Yours Sincerely John Child
LP: Now wait a minute, the language in this email from a English solicitor living in London is not quite right.
30/10/09: remittance@barclaysonlineservices.net Attn: Lyndall Parris, Greetings from Barclays Online Services.We are currently processing the funds release and transfer of funds valued at US $1M (One Million United States Dollars) to you.
We intend to provide you with our unparallelled services by maintaining the scope allocated to us in the transfer of this funds.
We are currently in the process of effecting all revelant documentation to this end. At this point, it becomes imperative to have an online account activated in your name (as the beneficiary) with Barclays Online Bank, which goes to complete all documentation procedures of the funds transfer.
To enable us set up an online account for you, we require you to furnish us with the following details.
1. Contact Mailing Address
2. Occupation
3. Date of Birth
3. A valid means of identification
Also, we require you to choose an account type from the various
online accounts tailored for international remittances. Your preference can be in any of the 3 different account types.
=========================================================================
Barclays Bank (Silver Account) For Foreign Remittance
Transfer Limit per transaction £50,000.00
Activation Fee £405.00 Pounds
==================================================== ===================
Barclays Bank (Gold Account) For Foreign Remittance
Transfer Limit per transaction £100,000.00
Activation Fee £475.00 Pounds
============================== ==========================================
Barclays Bank (Platinium Account)For Foreign Remittance
Transfer Limit per transaction £200,000.00
Activation Fee £505.00 Pounds
============================== ========================================
Upon your selection of your desired account type and the payment of your activation fee, an online account will be set up for you. An online id and a pin number will be sent to you together with a secured web link with which you can access the funds and make an online transfer of the funds to your local bank account. A weclome kit for your new account will also be mailed to you at the contact mailing address you supply to us. We look forward to hearing back from you. Should you need any clarifications whatsoever, do not hesitate to contact me directly. We look forward to hearing from you soonest.
Sincerely, Steve Francis.
Director, Foreign Remittance Dept,
Barclays Online Services,
Barclays Bank Plc,
Switch Board: (44) 700 594 2319
Direct Telephone (Mobile): (44) 704 578 1623
Fax: (44) 870 490 8506
LP: OK now i am on full alert: want a lot of my details and ‘payment of your activation fee’ and look at the poor language in the email.....sadly that’s it – it’s a scam wow whata scam!! and actually did find reference to Steve Francis and Barclay’s on the internet.
ATTENTION: LYNDALL PARRIS
RE:Mr.Daniel Doherty
Mr.Daniel Doherty has been asking about you all the time.He sends his regards and encouragement,i must say he is quite fond of you and your Sydney Coastal EcoVillage project .He told me to inform you that everything would be alright and you shouldn't be worried.I have to inform you that the situation is tense at the moment.Mr.Doherty is under Intensive Care and communication is infrequent as he is under sedatives and he needs alot of rest.I believe you have been contacted by his bank to sort out your donation.I will suggest you get over the process as soon as you can,so you can find a way in getting your travel arrangements worked out to come visit him as soon as you can.I will be in touch with updates as usual.Do acknowledge as soon as possible. Yours Sincerely John Child jfchild@gmail.com
LP: Now i am intrigued and fascinated by this scam, not to mention a bit disappointed.
13.11.09: ATTENTION: LYNDALL PARRIS RE:Mr.Daniel Doherty
Have you heard from Mr.Doherty's bank.I want to inform you that he is stable but communication is still infrequent.I will be in touch with updates as usual.
Yours Sincerely John Child
13.11.09: Sadly because we do not feel that our communication is bona fide, you won’t be hearing from me again. I wish it was otherwise. LP
Thursday, October 1, 2009
If the Universe/God did Billboards..
If the Universe/God put a sign out the front of the Narara land for what s/he wanted it to become now, it would scream “ECOVILLAGE”. S/he would understand the Permaculture Principle relating to the reuse of existing structures and say: BIG OPPORTUNITIES HERE. The existing Administration Complex is a ready-made Community Centre/Economic Hub and could house a Cafeteria, Cooperative food and supplies shop, library, meeting/office spaces, mail boxes. There is a perfect Village Hall for parties, concerts, yoga, performance and community events that can start right now. The Heritage Fisheries building could make a great place for some sort of youth activities centre and/or a place to pick up our vegies delivered from a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) scheme. The fertile flood plain could produce the food to be distributed throughout our immediate and broader community. The beautiful Heritage Manager’s cottage could make an amazing gallery/museum/education centre, telling the stories of our white and indigenous local history.
There are numerous sheds for all sorts of usage including workshops, storage, additional rainwater and solar capture for village use. Around all this and the old heritage trees, we could place low-footprint housing in a sensitive manner respectful to this beautiful parcel of land. We have to secure this land – just think if this land falls into the wrong hands!
There are numerous sheds for all sorts of usage including workshops, storage, additional rainwater and solar capture for village use. Around all this and the old heritage trees, we could place low-footprint housing in a sensitive manner respectful to this beautiful parcel of land. We have to secure this land – just think if this land falls into the wrong hands!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Would we feel a little more secure living in community?
Last week I received an email from a friend:
“My first 2 week stint in Jakarta provided the new opportunity to experience 2 earthquakes (one of them 7.5 on the Richter and we were on the 10th floor - a bit scary and led me to consider the possibility of my death - that was interesting); ........ the week before I was in Bali, there was another earthquake on that island. And the day I was leaving to come back to Indonesia we had the dust storm in Sydney with my daughter waking me at 6.00am to ask if the world was ending!”
If such events happen while I am living in our ecovillage/community, I could debrief all this during ‘happy hour’ with my community and perhaps we could tap into the ‘wisdom of our group’ when ideas and solutions are required. Right now, I am pondering this alone and a little shaky in the office of my single family home, thinking that I must share this with Dave when he gets home from work.
“My first 2 week stint in Jakarta provided the new opportunity to experience 2 earthquakes (one of them 7.5 on the Richter and we were on the 10th floor - a bit scary and led me to consider the possibility of my death - that was interesting); ........ the week before I was in Bali, there was another earthquake on that island. And the day I was leaving to come back to Indonesia we had the dust storm in Sydney with my daughter waking me at 6.00am to ask if the world was ending!”
If such events happen while I am living in our ecovillage/community, I could debrief all this during ‘happy hour’ with my community and perhaps we could tap into the ‘wisdom of our group’ when ideas and solutions are required. Right now, I am pondering this alone and a little shaky in the office of my single family home, thinking that I must share this with Dave when he gets home from work.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
The joy and power of sharing a vision, holiday and research project with my daughter
Today I arrived home after 3 weeks in the US staying with my daughter and son-in-law. For a week of that time Margo and I tripped around on a research trip. Read more here.
I can’t believe the rejuvenation, I feel returning to Oz.....there is little sweeter for me right now than the joy, power, insights, knowledge and perspective gained in sharing all this with a young woman who is as passionate about this ecovillage project as I am......Nothing’s gonna stop us now!
I can’t believe the rejuvenation, I feel returning to Oz.....there is little sweeter for me right now than the joy, power, insights, knowledge and perspective gained in sharing all this with a young woman who is as passionate about this ecovillage project as I am......Nothing’s gonna stop us now!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Narara Land Back on the Market
An email arrived from the real estate agent at Colliers: “Thank you for your previous interest in this property. We have been instructed to seek further offers on the property ...........sale by negotiation”- so we assume the Narara land has been revalued and is officially back on the market.
I emailed out to about 100 people informing them of this situation but nothing much came back from any member that clearly takes us forward.
I rang a developer with financier contacts. We have been put in contact with each other by the Illabunda village project director, who speaks very highly of his skills and efforts as he helps their development move forward. It is at a time when, with a consultant, we are working numbers and structure eg SCEV Inc could sign a conditional contract with a deposit of $500,000 (say 25 members @ $20,000 with later benefits if we are successful and if possible, of eg discount on house/block + opportunity and satisfaction in sculpting the village).
We would be happy to lead this push but feel we need some kind of partnership with a developer (a bit like what we had with Greenedge). During a call to aforementioned developer, he indicates that his steps would be to speak to his financiers, secure the land then perhaps begins talks with SCEV Inc Assoc. I presume it’s all about control of the project. My gut says that at the moment he is the best option. At the same time I have been talking to a US developer Ann Zabaldo, who sings the praises of their partnership model and says: ‘let the developers do the bricks and mortar, approvals, budgets, Lyndall, and the community concentrates on the outreach, marketing, et cetera.’ She has a game called the Timeline game, which can take us through all the steps involved in doing a development. I have asked her to come out here for a holiday and ‘play’ this game with us. She’s never been to Oz before and is considering it!
We like her ‘joint venture’ model but at this stage I’m not hearing anything from Australian developers about any partnership arrangements....and why not, I ask? Wouldn’t working with a group and securing pre-sales greatly reduce the risk for any developer? I heard about one developer using a partnership model, talk about 70% pre sales and sometimes 100%....with a waiting list to purchase a home in their development. How cosy could a developer feel in those circumstances!
I am off to the US for 3 weeks and meeting up with Ann Zabaldo to tap into her experience. I also plan to learn more about the governance and decision making model, Sociocracy and learn from some of the cohousing models on the east coast. I plan to visit the ecovillage, Earthaven in North Carolina where Diana Leafe Christian lives. She wrote: ‘Creating a life together’, a book that has both excited and informed me about community living. I have 2 copies of this book if any of you would like to borrow it sometime.
Before I go, if you have anything you’d like me to check out or ask while I’m visiting these people and places in the US, please send me an email – it will help me focus too.
I emailed out to about 100 people informing them of this situation but nothing much came back from any member that clearly takes us forward.
I rang a developer with financier contacts. We have been put in contact with each other by the Illabunda village project director, who speaks very highly of his skills and efforts as he helps their development move forward. It is at a time when, with a consultant, we are working numbers and structure eg SCEV Inc could sign a conditional contract with a deposit of $500,000 (say 25 members @ $20,000 with later benefits if we are successful and if possible, of eg discount on house/block + opportunity and satisfaction in sculpting the village).
We would be happy to lead this push but feel we need some kind of partnership with a developer (a bit like what we had with Greenedge). During a call to aforementioned developer, he indicates that his steps would be to speak to his financiers, secure the land then perhaps begins talks with SCEV Inc Assoc. I presume it’s all about control of the project. My gut says that at the moment he is the best option. At the same time I have been talking to a US developer Ann Zabaldo, who sings the praises of their partnership model and says: ‘let the developers do the bricks and mortar, approvals, budgets, Lyndall, and the community concentrates on the outreach, marketing, et cetera.’ She has a game called the Timeline game, which can take us through all the steps involved in doing a development. I have asked her to come out here for a holiday and ‘play’ this game with us. She’s never been to Oz before and is considering it!
We like her ‘joint venture’ model but at this stage I’m not hearing anything from Australian developers about any partnership arrangements....and why not, I ask? Wouldn’t working with a group and securing pre-sales greatly reduce the risk for any developer? I heard about one developer using a partnership model, talk about 70% pre sales and sometimes 100%....with a waiting list to purchase a home in their development. How cosy could a developer feel in those circumstances!
I am off to the US for 3 weeks and meeting up with Ann Zabaldo to tap into her experience. I also plan to learn more about the governance and decision making model, Sociocracy and learn from some of the cohousing models on the east coast. I plan to visit the ecovillage, Earthaven in North Carolina where Diana Leafe Christian lives. She wrote: ‘Creating a life together’, a book that has both excited and informed me about community living. I have 2 copies of this book if any of you would like to borrow it sometime.
Before I go, if you have anything you’d like me to check out or ask while I’m visiting these people and places in the US, please send me an email – it will help me focus too.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Help through the doubting periods
On grey days, I think: what else would I do, if I stopped heading in the direction of my dream, this ecovillage?
Would I go back to school teaching or accounting? Would that make me smile and bound out of bed each morning? -> no.
Would I go forward to say become a florist, a chef, a doctor -> no. Well, what then?
I would do what I am doing right now, progressing this ecovillage, tweaking up all the little bits and pieces that turn up each day. There is no more perfect journey in life for me than this – it is this little exercise that fans up proof and faith to continue and I am grateful to Dave for loving and feeding me while I continue on this merry path.
“To have faith means to dare to think the unthinkable, yet to act within the limits of the realistically possible; it is the paradoxical hope to expect the Messiah every day, yet not to lose heart when s/he has not come at the appointed hour. This hope is not passive and it is not patient; on the contrary, it is impatient and active, looking for every possibility of action within the realm of real possibilities. Least of all it is passive as far as the growth and liberation of one’s own person are concerned....” Erich Fromm.
We have 499 names on the SCEV database. In another day or two we will hit the big five-oh-oh.
500 people interested in keeping an eye on the project! I wonder how many of these people will clamour to live in this ecovillage. I wonder what hopes and dreams we will all realise here..
Would I go back to school teaching or accounting? Would that make me smile and bound out of bed each morning? -> no.
Would I go forward to say become a florist, a chef, a doctor -> no. Well, what then?
I would do what I am doing right now, progressing this ecovillage, tweaking up all the little bits and pieces that turn up each day. There is no more perfect journey in life for me than this – it is this little exercise that fans up proof and faith to continue and I am grateful to Dave for loving and feeding me while I continue on this merry path.
“To have faith means to dare to think the unthinkable, yet to act within the limits of the realistically possible; it is the paradoxical hope to expect the Messiah every day, yet not to lose heart when s/he has not come at the appointed hour. This hope is not passive and it is not patient; on the contrary, it is impatient and active, looking for every possibility of action within the realm of real possibilities. Least of all it is passive as far as the growth and liberation of one’s own person are concerned....” Erich Fromm.
We have 499 names on the SCEV database. In another day or two we will hit the big five-oh-oh.
500 people interested in keeping an eye on the project! I wonder how many of these people will clamour to live in this ecovillage. I wonder what hopes and dreams we will all realise here..
Saturday, July 11, 2009
People that help us along the way
I met with Michael Mobbs last week. He is a sustainability coach and owner of the remarkable sustainable house in Chippendale [‘when the sun shines we make our electricity, when it rains we make our water’]. We chatted about the SCEV project, he mentioned the phrase ‘build it and they’ll come’ and warned against squandering hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars on consultant’s fees. His advice is to use consultants who will buy a block in the village thereby showing their support and commitment to the project.
I hope Michael will join us at Narara, not the least reason being that he would make a great neighbour!
Michael emailed us a copy of the report titled “Aussies Sustaining Australia” (link below) which he co-authored and which you might like to have a look at. The report confirms to me that SCEV Inc is on the right path and is critical of what he refers to as government ‘irrelevant and wrong red tape’ getting in the way of what now should be mainstream development.
In the appendices to this report, there is reference to a number of sustainable developments around the country and makes reference to some of the lessons learnt. One of the developments referred to is Koala Beach on the mid north coast of NSW about which the Weekend Australian printed: “It has provided the project model for the coexistence of wildlife and humans, applauded as a ‘made for the future development’”
I feel that we are moving closer towards success, especially as Michael has offered to give us a leg-up.
www.sustainablehouse.com.au
Aussies Sustaining Australia Project
Why sustainable projects are a solution and government rules (presently) are not
Report 1 - Nov 2006 (Large PDF 1MB)
Appendices (Large PDF 2MB)
including case studies and best practice
I hope Michael will join us at Narara, not the least reason being that he would make a great neighbour!
Michael emailed us a copy of the report titled “Aussies Sustaining Australia” (link below) which he co-authored and which you might like to have a look at. The report confirms to me that SCEV Inc is on the right path and is critical of what he refers to as government ‘irrelevant and wrong red tape’ getting in the way of what now should be mainstream development.
In the appendices to this report, there is reference to a number of sustainable developments around the country and makes reference to some of the lessons learnt. One of the developments referred to is Koala Beach on the mid north coast of NSW about which the Weekend Australian printed: “It has provided the project model for the coexistence of wildlife and humans, applauded as a ‘made for the future development’”
I feel that we are moving closer towards success, especially as Michael has offered to give us a leg-up.
www.sustainablehouse.com.au
Aussies Sustaining Australia Project
Why sustainable projects are a solution and government rules (presently) are not
Report 1 - Nov 2006 (Large PDF 1MB)
Appendices (Large PDF 2MB)
including case studies and best practice
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Last week ABC Radio National’s programme Life Matters discussed and introduced Ester Perel (and her book ‘Mating in captivity’). She, like many of us, was bought up on the idea that there is one person who is going to give us what once an entire village used to provide – companionship, support, children, family life, respectability. This person would be our best friend, trusted confidant and passionate lover. She reminds us that what we need is an entire network of connections and multiple attachments with people and not one person who is going to answer all our needs. This gave me another wave of enthusiasm for our ecovillage project and got me writing the following in the ABC’s guestbook:
“Really interested to hear your Friday talkback programme today on the ‘Urge to Merge’.
Dave, my husband, and I are both entering what I think of as the '3rd trimester' of our lives. Before children, during children and after children.....so can look back and look forward as well.
My ambition is to develop an ecovillage which is really just an holistic, sustainable residential development which looks to address some of our social, environmental and economic issues (www.scev.org)
Since we put up our website, we have attracted, just through word of mouth, nearly 500 people who have added their name to our database for project news.
I envision living in a community where the village design facilitates community interaction AND balances our need for private space, whose structure supports people through all stages of their life and provides a safe and rich community for bringing up children as absolutely basic for supporting the ‘urge to merge’ and .....contributing to its success. So much better if in addition to our partner, we can easily find a sounding board in consequential daily activity and thereby dissipate our need to offload everything on to our partner.....which is not really sustainable, is it?
Both my daughter Margo entering her '2nd trimester' and me entering my '3rd trimester' are excited by the idea that we can set up structures that will support our respective marriages, giving a balance of separateness and togetherness. This we hope will lead to sustainable marriages/partnerships and give us more ease and fun in our daily life.”
“Really interested to hear your Friday talkback programme today on the ‘Urge to Merge’.
Dave, my husband, and I are both entering what I think of as the '3rd trimester' of our lives. Before children, during children and after children.....so can look back and look forward as well.
My ambition is to develop an ecovillage which is really just an holistic, sustainable residential development which looks to address some of our social, environmental and economic issues (www.scev.org)
Since we put up our website, we have attracted, just through word of mouth, nearly 500 people who have added their name to our database for project news.
I envision living in a community where the village design facilitates community interaction AND balances our need for private space, whose structure supports people through all stages of their life and provides a safe and rich community for bringing up children as absolutely basic for supporting the ‘urge to merge’ and .....contributing to its success. So much better if in addition to our partner, we can easily find a sounding board in consequential daily activity and thereby dissipate our need to offload everything on to our partner.....which is not really sustainable, is it?
Both my daughter Margo entering her '2nd trimester' and me entering my '3rd trimester' are excited by the idea that we can set up structures that will support our respective marriages, giving a balance of separateness and togetherness. This we hope will lead to sustainable marriages/partnerships and give us more ease and fun in our daily life.”
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Legals and Dollars
We have heard that the NSW government is still having the Narara land revalued and in the meantime we are focusing on two things. How to buy the land - looking at structures and financing as well as searching for a partner to help with the development.
Thanks to an email from Peter, a pretty spunky lawyer from our database, I met with two developers last week - interesting discussions but they are more into retirement villages and other business ventures. However, I learn something with every conversation and am grateful for those of you who take the time to point me in various directions. Thanks also to an equally spunky Pip for linking me up with a fella who has been head of property development for a large capital investment company, he is going to come back to us with some ideas. Those I speak to seem pretty interested in our idea of gathering people before the land/infrastructure come into play.....a model not seen very often before. People usually come on board after we have been told to get excited with granite bench tops and Miele appliances!
Still looking into the idea of forming a co-operative to raise the money to buy the land and would appreciate any help at all with that path.
As mentioned before, we are aware of a group of people who formed a co-operative in Victoria to develop a windfarm, selling shares for a small minimum subscription. They are successfully raising a similar amount of money to what we expect to be charged for the Narara site......wondering if this might work to develop an ecovillage?
‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has’. Margaret Mead
Thanks to an email from Peter, a pretty spunky lawyer from our database, I met with two developers last week - interesting discussions but they are more into retirement villages and other business ventures. However, I learn something with every conversation and am grateful for those of you who take the time to point me in various directions. Thanks also to an equally spunky Pip for linking me up with a fella who has been head of property development for a large capital investment company, he is going to come back to us with some ideas. Those I speak to seem pretty interested in our idea of gathering people before the land/infrastructure come into play.....a model not seen very often before. People usually come on board after we have been told to get excited with granite bench tops and Miele appliances!
Still looking into the idea of forming a co-operative to raise the money to buy the land and would appreciate any help at all with that path.
As mentioned before, we are aware of a group of people who formed a co-operative in Victoria to develop a windfarm, selling shares for a small minimum subscription. They are successfully raising a similar amount of money to what we expect to be charged for the Narara site......wondering if this might work to develop an ecovillage?
‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has’. Margaret Mead
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
It’s all good
Firstly, Happy Birthday to our web mistress and BIG thanks for the generous and competent work you do Marg.
The land at Narara is so beautiful. Last week we took a group of people on a walk from the entrance of the research institute, past the various buildings (where residents and friends will live and stay one day, where we can run enterprises and playgroups, have our cappuccinos and fresh juices, do our yoga and gym); above the creek flats (where our organic food can be grown); past the 45 megalitre dam (where we can swim, kayak, irrigate); into the adjacent rainforest (where we can sit in contemplation, listening to the bell birds and in awe of the giant heritage trees or jog on the paths through the dense woods); across the ancient tree trunk that fortuitously fell, forming a perfect footbridge across the creek or over the swinging bridge deeper into the rain forest.
Ohhh, Ahhh, Mmmm were just some of the reactions we heard.
I was talking to a friend last week who is doing a development comprising a block of flats.
He said that the bank now require 30 - 40% presales before they will even look to providing loan funds for a development whereas this time last year this was not a pre-requisite.
Kind of funny in these ‘tough’ economic times to feel more and more confident that with patience and perseverance, we will be the next custodians of this amazing land and involved in the development of a world-class ecovillage at Narara.
We are hopeful that the DPI’s new valuation will be lower. Also last year we were fearful that another developer would sail in, negotiate a higher price and win the land. However now we are hearing more and more that developers need presales - enter SCEV with around 500 people on our database.
We don’t know from that database just who will emerge as investors or potential residents as yet but all I can imagine is that many developers would be very interested in our project. Then let them show us their values, ethics and enthusiasm for the project and we will see if we can work together to take forward a true and holistic sustainable development.
Hmmmm, I like this feeling of confidence.
The land at Narara is so beautiful. Last week we took a group of people on a walk from the entrance of the research institute, past the various buildings (where residents and friends will live and stay one day, where we can run enterprises and playgroups, have our cappuccinos and fresh juices, do our yoga and gym); above the creek flats (where our organic food can be grown); past the 45 megalitre dam (where we can swim, kayak, irrigate); into the adjacent rainforest (where we can sit in contemplation, listening to the bell birds and in awe of the giant heritage trees or jog on the paths through the dense woods); across the ancient tree trunk that fortuitously fell, forming a perfect footbridge across the creek or over the swinging bridge deeper into the rain forest.
Ohhh, Ahhh, Mmmm were just some of the reactions we heard.
I was talking to a friend last week who is doing a development comprising a block of flats.
He said that the bank now require 30 - 40% presales before they will even look to providing loan funds for a development whereas this time last year this was not a pre-requisite.
Kind of funny in these ‘tough’ economic times to feel more and more confident that with patience and perseverance, we will be the next custodians of this amazing land and involved in the development of a world-class ecovillage at Narara.
We are hopeful that the DPI’s new valuation will be lower. Also last year we were fearful that another developer would sail in, negotiate a higher price and win the land. However now we are hearing more and more that developers need presales - enter SCEV with around 500 people on our database.
We don’t know from that database just who will emerge as investors or potential residents as yet but all I can imagine is that many developers would be very interested in our project. Then let them show us their values, ethics and enthusiasm for the project and we will see if we can work together to take forward a true and holistic sustainable development.
Hmmmm, I like this feeling of confidence.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Looking into the Legal Stuff
Last year when we were finding ways to purchase the land at Narara, we investigated raising the deposit by seeking a loan of $5000 from 100 SCEV members. I really loved that idea because it meant that many people would have a stake in the project, for example young people and others with small bank accounts. However we understand that SCEV Inc is not able to raise money directly from the public without first issuing a prospectus. Unfortunately, a prospectus takes a great expense to prepare, money SCEV does not have.
We understand that the beautiful Narara land is being revalued by the NSW government and will come back on to the market in the near future.
We have heard about a wind farm development being funded through a cooperative structure with funding provided by members and a developer. Another suggestion is to purchase the land in a private company issuing shares and yet another is to raise loan funds partially through a debenture fund, all with less onerous and expensive outset costs. What we need is some advice on legal structure and associated legal requirements for funding a community based land/housing development, so that we can be more prepared and ready to purchase the Narara land when it comes back on to the market. This week I have spoken to people at PILCH (Public Interest Legal Clearing House), the Environmental Defenders Office and a lawyer at a city law firm with the intent of finding options for the best legal structure.
We are also looking out for a development partner with similar ideals, values, vision, cash and energy. When we get our land funding structure right, some sort of joint venture could look very appealing to all parties.
If you are able to help us with any of this please contact us or if you know of someone with this skill and knowledge, please let me know. I want to be clear that any help offered does not constitute any long term commitment. It is my 60th birthday today and i can’t imagine being involved with anything more exciting than this ecovillage project. What a gift the universe is giving me!
We understand that the beautiful Narara land is being revalued by the NSW government and will come back on to the market in the near future.
We have heard about a wind farm development being funded through a cooperative structure with funding provided by members and a developer. Another suggestion is to purchase the land in a private company issuing shares and yet another is to raise loan funds partially through a debenture fund, all with less onerous and expensive outset costs. What we need is some advice on legal structure and associated legal requirements for funding a community based land/housing development, so that we can be more prepared and ready to purchase the Narara land when it comes back on to the market. This week I have spoken to people at PILCH (Public Interest Legal Clearing House), the Environmental Defenders Office and a lawyer at a city law firm with the intent of finding options for the best legal structure.
We are also looking out for a development partner with similar ideals, values, vision, cash and energy. When we get our land funding structure right, some sort of joint venture could look very appealing to all parties.
If you are able to help us with any of this please contact us or if you know of someone with this skill and knowledge, please let me know. I want to be clear that any help offered does not constitute any long term commitment. It is my 60th birthday today and i can’t imagine being involved with anything more exciting than this ecovillage project. What a gift the universe is giving me!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Fantastic, this journey to ecovillage.
I feel we are in a river definitely flowing to the sea, but which tributary we are going to take, needs to evolve.
I am discovering that it’s all about divine time not my timeframe. I never know what is going to happen from one day to the next (not that i really knew before this ecovillage journey, i just thought i did!)
We have had the lovely Melissa Boo here from the US. She has been studying ecology in Australia, found our project on the web and has just finished a preliminary permaculture layout plan for our Narara land. She presented it at this month’s gathering at Kirribilli and engendered some good discussion (see website ‘Latest News’). We also met with a consultant from the consulting firm Urbis, who generously shared his knowledge and expertise and reinforced our view that the Narara project ‘has legs’.
We have heard that the NSW government still wants to sell the Narara site, which may involve a revised valuation. SCEV Inc Assoc is considering options for a joint venture/partnership arrangement to work a way forward and at some stage soon, we may be asking members to indicate the types of contributions, they can make to the project. If anyone knows of an expert in corporate law and structures, please let me know.
I feel we are in a good position - a number from the broader SCEV community have indicated their delight with the project too. We have heard that innovative cohousing/ecovillage projects in the U.S. can even have a waiting list to get on the books. SCEV could represent ‘presales’ and so will be attractive to developers considering this venture. If we feel they can take us forward in line with our values and meeting our needs, we will consider working with them. When we find our right partner it will be win, win.
This recipe was a winner at our gathering on 3 May 2009:
Red Lentil Dhal
| 325gms red lentils 2tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp ground cumin ½ tspfenugreek seeds 2 tsp mustard seeds 2 tsp turmeric powder 1 large onion ½ tsp coriander 1 tsp dried chilies | 2 cloves garlic 4 medium tomatoes, diced 1 medium red pepper, chopped into large pieces 1 large sweet potato, diced 1 tbsp cold pressed coconut oil 1 tbsp olive oil 1 bunch coriander, chopped Sea salt |
Heat oils oil pan, when hot add cumin, fenugreek and mustard seeds. When the seeds begin to pop (almost immediately) add other spices and cook for 30 seconds before adding onion and garlic. Cover and sweat over medium heat.
Add lentils and 1 cup of water, stir through. Add sweet potato, pepper, tomatoes, 2 cups of water and some sea salt. Bring to the boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 40 minutes or until lentils are very soft, adding more water every 10 minutes if required.
Stir in half the fresh coriander and cook for a further minute. Serve with brown rice, topped with the rest of the coriander
Friday, April 24, 2009
India
I am standing here in my hotel window at the southern most point of the Sub Continent, with tears - a mixture of vulnerability and excitement at the same time. It is 6am, I am waiting for the sun to rise out of the sea. Directly in front of me at an angle of 40°, there is the new moon with its symbolic potential for new directions, possibilities and hope. On my right is the statue of a great poet rising 1330 feet (440m) from a tiny island in the Indian Ocean, or is it the Arabian Sea. I’m not sure as I am at the point where 3 seas intermingle. One day 4 years ago a wave as high as this statue engulfed this shore line.
Within walking distance to my right is the new Mahatma Ghandi memorial. There are Christian church bells sounding in the distance and a group of Hindi men have gathered on a rooftop.
The horizon is pinking and fragile boats are leaving a tiny harbour that would have looked like lego on the morning of the tsunami.
I hold fears around our ecovillage journey and also a feeling around the awesomeness of this planet and its inhabitants and I recall some words (were they Ghandi’s?) about shrinking into my smallness not serving myself or my fellow man.
There is cloud on the horizon and I wait as the new day meets the new moon. The shore is lined with people probably full of similar hopes and ambitions to mine. Some men arrive to commence their daily work on rebuilding a house on the southern tip of India that originally was not built strongly enough to withstand a wave the size of which locals hadn’t seen before. Can we build a modest ecovillage, with a ripple effect that might just help take our wonderful human consciousness and unity forward..........YES we can!
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