Gardenville

Garderville
(1992)

"Gardenville" is the name given for a state-of-the-art energy efficient, ecologically designed cooperative "new town" or village complex centered around an educational "eco-tourist" resort complex and school of sustainable lifestyle technology and culture. The cooperative community structure could be based on a combination of "Habitat for Humanity" low-cost financing and "Co-housing" models that seem to give the best aspects of shared and independent living.
The school would develop and teach ecological living methods and would use the resort facilities to house students in the Fall, Winter and Spring rainy season, while "eco-tourists" would use the same resort facilities during the Summer tourist season.

This model community would provide testing grounds for the development of our dreams of community self-sufficiency as it also gives us economic outlets for our creativity and healing arts with our own permanent arts and crafts Renaissance Village and Healing Arts health spa resort.
The time is right for this project as many folks who settled in our community hills are now having to face the fact that homesteading is not work for one’s retiring years. A mix of generations, a school of ecological living, an eco-tourist resort, and all the supporting services needed for them will generate a new and large source of revenue for all of the Southern Humboldt (Mateel) community while it gives us a vehicle to use and teach our best alternative community ideas and ideals for a better world.

Below: Map of Tooby Park Community site possibility, one of two favored sites in our area that was later taken up by another Mateel Community Park development group. "Gardenville" was presented to the developers of this Community Park site but so far has not been considered.