Could Bellingham be home?
Written by 4CC Community Member Terry
As my wife, Linda, and I researched cohousing options in Washington State, we quickly homed in on 4th Corner Commons in Bellingham. The project was well underway, with an experienced and professional team in place to design, finance, and build the community, and a quality site already acquired.
Still, choosing 4th Corner Commons would mean leaving our home, friends, and community of more than 30 years in Seattle. Would we find the things we loved about Seattle in a much smaller city? We decided we needed to spend some time in Bellingham, get to know the city, and meet the members already committed to 4th Corner Commons.
Once there, we realized we already had several old friends in Bellingham. That led us to discover even more people we knew from our past lives in Alaska and the seafood industry.
We were surprised by the well-maintained parks and trails just minutes from the cohousing site, which we explored while hiking with old friends. We also brought our pickleball racquets and discovered three dedicated outdoor court systems that weren't crowded like so many in Seattle. Even better, the local players were friendly and invited us to join them. Two of the members at 4th Corner Commons are also very dedicated pickleball players!
We took a long walk through downtown with another member and discovered some of her favorite spots. Our explorations of the food co-ops, restaurants, dessert shops, bakeries, and coffee shops convinced us that Bellingham offers many of the amenities we've enjoyed in Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco—cities where we've lived and where we've spent considerable time with friends and family.
Linda was especially excited to learn that Bellingham has a vibrant ukulele community she could become part of, and one of the 4th Corner members is very involved.
With each new member we met, we found ourselves recognizing something familiar: We were all on a similar journey.
For this next phase of our lives, we want to age in place while maintaining an active, healthy lifestyle. We want to be part of a supportive community and live in a home and neighborhood that make everyday life easy and enjoyable.
After spending time in Bellingham and getting to know the community, we've decided that 4th Corner Commons—and Bellingham—are a good fit for us.
We're excited about what comes next.