A bold experiment in communal living in Kamloops is coming to an end. After more than a decade of shared meals, deep collaboration, and cohabitation under one roof, the RareBirds Housing Co-op is closing down, bringing with it reflections on what the experience meant and what might come next.

Founded in 2011 and officially opening its doors in February 2014, RareBirds was more than just a co-op; it was a vision of sustainable, intentional living.

“We started talking about the unsustainability of everyone living in big homes, each with their own washer, dryer, fridge, stove, and garden tools,” said Mary Jordan, one of the co-op’s original members. “We thought there had to be a better way.”

The result was a 6,000-square-foot custom-built home shared by up to ten people at a time. Each of the six shareholders had a private 400-square-foot suite with a bathroom and sitting area, but no kitchen.

Instead, residents shared a central kitchen and dining area, along with other communal spaces, creating a living experience closer to an extended family than a traditional housing complex.

“We shared meals almost every night, of course not mandatory, but most of us came,” Jordan said. “We’d often have eight or ten people around the table. It created a very rich environment.”

But the RareBirds model was about more than saving space and money. For Jordan and others, it was also about emotional and social well-being.

“Living here has been very inexpensive and brought a real sense of community,” Jordan said. “Those are two things I know I’ll miss. I don’t know where I’m going next, but the idea of living alone doesn’t particularly appeal to me.”

Despite its success, the co-op now faces the same challenge that confronts many community-based projects.

“The people left here are mostly those of us who have been involved since the beginning,” Jordan explained. “We’ve put a lot of ourselves into this, and we don’t have the energy to revive and revision it again.”

Still, she holds out hope for the future. “In an ideal world, I’d love to see a new group come in, people who see the potential and are passionate about co-living, and bring it back to life,” Jordan said. “I’d like to see the dream continue, even if it’s time for me to move on.”

For those skeptical of the model, Jordan offers a simple truth: “Living with others can be hard. You get irritated sometimes, of course. But you also learn about yourself and about other people. That’s a gift.”

As the RareBirds prepare to leave their nest, their legacy lives on as a rare and remarkable experiment in shared living, built on vision, collaboration, and a belief that housing can be about more than just a roof over your head.