The Cortes Housing Society looks back to things accomplished in 2024 and what's ahead in 2025

Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - The Cortes Community Housing Society will soon break ground on Rainbow Ridge. They are also renting out two houses, are about to explore the possibility of a tiny house village, and hope to launch a homeshare program this summer. There is also news about the aquifer study, more online housing forums, the Cortes Island Trade Directory and Cortes Island’s vacant homes. “2024 was a banner year for us in many ways,” exclaimed Executive Director Sadhu Johnston. Bruin Black, the Society’s new Project Manager, added,  “This year is going to be a big year in terms of things happening. I'm just excited to see how things unfold.” Orchard Village What was special about 2024? What did you accomplish? Sadhu Johnston: “ I guess the biggest thing is that we got some housing under our belts. We purchased a property with two existing houses on it, and we're able to get those rented out. I'm really excited to be working with the health association, CCHA to be providing housing to the doctors on the island,  which is much needed. We have a second house on the property that's being rented out to some artists, long time Cortes folks. That's really great and exciting for us to have housing that we're able to provide in the community.” Cortes Currents: Tell me about the woodworking maker's space.  Sadhu Johnston: “At Orchard Village, the project where we have the houses being rented,  we have a good size shop. We put a call out on Tideline for proposals for how to use that shop for community uses and we got a wonderful proposal from Hannu Huuskonen who's a woodworker on the island. He proposed the idea of setting up a woodworking maker space and those are pretty popular around North America.  Shared workshops where people can go and be a member and use tools and use a shop.”  “We've established a partnership with the Cortes Community Forest Cooperative, where we will be co funding it  and working together to pursue the value added wood strategy that the co-op adopted last year.  People can have an annual membership and that gives them access to use the shop and we'll have commercial grade tools there and hopefully support entrepreneurs and hobbyists alike to have access to a wood shop and hopefully use more local wood for business opportunities.” On the Webb, the Cortes Trades Directory & New Staff “We've also just got staff and a new website with the Trades Directory on it. So there's just really a lot going on right now and gearing up to get construction going on Rainbow Ridge too. So it feels like an exciting time.”  Starting Construction on Rainbow Ridge Cortes Currents: So tell me about this construction on Rainbow Ridge. I understand it's going to be this Spring?