The Citizen, 2017-10-26, Page 24PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017.
Tiny Houses could ease accommodation concerns
Encouraging change
Tiny houses don't just provide an alternative to larger, more expensive houses or other
dwellings, the structures also encourage inhabitants to evaluate their possessions. With less
than 500 square feet to each structure, the homes typically result in people moving into them
having to bid adieu to much of their materialistic tendencies in order to fit in the small space.
Two small communities, one of two homes and one of eight to ten, are being considered by
Blyth Arts and Cultural Initiative 14/19 Inc. as a means to solve accomodation problems not
just for their courses but also for other programs in the village. (Photo courtesy ofRowdyKittens, Flickr)
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Blyth Arts and Cultural Initiative
14/19's 'Our Wee Houses' project is
moving forward in the village of
Blyth.
The project includes building
small houses, between 400 and 500
square feet, for visiting artists to the
Canadian Centre for Rural Creativity
(CCRC) that could also be used to
help with housing for the Blyth
Festival or rented out to visitors
through services like airBnB.
Each house has all the amenities
of home for a visitor to the
area including a place to sleep,
washroom and kitchen as well as
outdoor space.
The houses are part of what's
called the "tiny house" or "small
house" movement and, generally,
any home under 500 square feet is
accepted as a tiny home.
The draw of the homes is that they
take up less space than larger living
spaces and are largely more
environmentally friendly. They also
encourage residents to make hard
decisions about what they truly need
to survive.
The homes are also a fraction of
the cost of larger dwellings. Many
can also be carried on trailers,
allowing them to be built in one
location then moved, or moved as
the owners of the home need.
Tiny house communities can be
found throughout the world and, in
Canada, the idea is catching on as
locations such as Kitchener are
being considered by private groups
looking to make the move to tiny
homes.
14/19 Project Director Karen
Stewart said the organization is
currently planning for two tiny
houses with a shared outdoor living
space on the land for the Grant and
Mildred Sparling Centre housing
the Canadian Centre for Rural
Creativity at the former site of the
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The two tiny houses will share an
outdoor living space and somewhat
mirror one another on either side of
the space.
Recently, 14/19 successfully
applied for a zoning change to the
property which could allow them to
build four tiny houses, however the
plan right now is for two and Stewart
said the project will happen sooner
rather than later.
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houses so they will fit in with her
design for the Grant and Mildred
Sparling Centre," Stewart said. "We
hope to start them as soon as
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These tiny houses will be on a
proper foundation, Stewart said,
making them less mobile than some
examples of tiny houses featured in
media surrounding the tiny house
Continued on page 25
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