To Thrive Together community in Bloomingdale

[tomh009]

So, let's agree that one would really need a car to live in this development -- or a car share on site. But if you are not driving more than once or twice a week (you are retired, for example, or working from home) the location is not unreasonable. If you are not looking for city life, you can enjoy the Grand (kayak, canoe), nearby trails (hike, cycle), community gardens and generally quiet life. And much of that activity is low impact on the environment.

Or what implications am I missing?

Canoeing the grand, cycling (unless you're willing to cycle on road), hiking, all require a car to do in that location. And driving not more than once or twice a week is a pretty limited number of errands to run. I don't know anyone who stays in their home 6 out of 7 days of the week.

And limiting a development to those who work exclusively from home or are retired does not seem to be something they expect.

I mean, I could be wrong, but I'd take out a pretty large bet that the vast majority of folks here will own a car and drive it nearly daily.

The development is about 100m from the Grand River so you certainly could canoe or kayak. Don't know whether there are any facilities. There is an unpaved trail starting about 50m upstream of the development that would allow hiking or bicycling; I expect that this would be extended to reach the development.

And while we don't stay inside our (downtown) home six days a week, we drive our car typically only once or twice a week. Some of our neighbours work from home every day, and already did so prior to the pandemic.

I don't know who the buyers will be, but my point is that it is certainly possible to live a low-carbon life at a development such as this. And it's what we would do if we chose to live there.