Cranberry Commons is located in Burnaby Heights, North Burnaby. The community was developed in 2001 and consists of 22 homes, ranging in size from studio to 3 bedrooms and one-level apartments to three-level townhouses. This variety supports a wide range of households at different ages and stages in life. Cranberry Commons is centrally located and is a short walking distance to diverse services, shops, schools and parks.
Legally, homes at Cranberry Commons (LMS4503) are strata titled property and follow regulations of the Strata Property Act. Cranberry Commons combines private fully self-contained homes, with extensive shared amenity spaces (property in common). Neighbours benefit from a richness of shared amenities. This includes a common house, children’s play room, guest bedrooms, wood working shop and underground parkade. Shared outdoor spaces include a central courtyard, roof deck, and vegetable gardens that support community connection and enhance quality of life.
Cranberry Commons has a healthy contingency fund for future repairs and servicing. Residents work together to accomplish functions, like building maintenance and landscape care. Volunteer work builds bonds between neighbours, gets a lot of ongoing minor maintenance work done and helps to keep our strata fees lower. Professionals are also hired for any significant building maintenance, to ensure assets are responsibly cared for. Cranberry Commons is a model of effective decision making and values the wisdom of the group, where decisions are made for the good of the whole community. Every owner is a member of the strata council and decisions are made by consensus. When you live at Cranberry Commons, you are joining a community that values participation and cooperation between neighbours.
In 2002, the City of Burnaby awarded this development with an Environmental Award for outstanding achievements in planning and development. Sustainability features include solar hot water panels, in-floor radiant heating, healthy interior finishes and water-efficient fixtures, among many others.
To learn more about other cohousing communities, see the Canadian Cohousing Network or Cohousing Association of the United States.