MAJOR COMPONENTS


3-Year Retreat Site Plan
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Cloistered Three-Year Retreat

Three-year, three-month retreats are a tradition in the Karma and Shangpa Kagyu lineages; such retreats require cloistered areas, one for men and one for women. The one-year retreat, a Western innovation in long retreats will also be housed in the long retreat cloister. In our design, each wing of the cloister will house up to eight people. Staff will serve retreatants from a central kitchen flanked by two dining halls-ensuring the traditional gender separation. The facility will include housing for the retreat leader, support staff and visiting teachers.

Additional Retreat Facilities

Additional retreat facilities for short term group and individual retreats will be developed. Kagyu Changchub Chuling's Board of Directors and other decision-making bodies are currently discussing the scope of the project.

Summary of Progress (starting with most current):

Spring - Winter 2007: General Contractor is hired to complete north wing. Volunteers continue completing the 6 retreat cabins. North wing is expected to be ready for use by May 2008. Designs for south wing are underway. Groundbreaking for South Wing is expected in Spring 2008.

Winter 2006: Designs are finalized for the completion of north wing.

Summer-Fall 2006: Volunteers guided by our construction manager have excavated, poured foundations, framed and closed-in six of the individual dorm cabins for the north wing of the cloister. Construction of the shrine and yoga buildings, each with an attached handicapped accessible dorm room will begin in Spring ’07.

Spring 2006: Design plans were reviewed and the ground prepared for construction of six 10ft x 12ft dorm cabins, part of the north wing.

Winter 2006: The kitchen complex, a 2,400 sq. ft. structure has two dining rooms, one for multi- purpose and one to serve, along with a bathhouse, the north wing retreatants. A full time resident volunteer construction manager arrives to supervise and work on the project. Volunteering professional painters and carpenters completed finish work including base trim, door and window casings, sink installation, counter tops and cabinetry.

Fall 2005: More progress on the kitchen complex. Volunteers worked with plumbing and electrical contractors; drywall installation was contracted out to local professionals.

Summer- Fall 2005: Volunteers excavated, formed and poured the concrete handicapped access ramp and loading dock parking pad in front of the kitchen.

September 2004: Volunteers guided by a local contractor began framing, roofing, and installing doors, windows and siding on the kitchen complex.

July 2004: Excavation and foundation work began on the kitchen complex.

Fall 2003: KCC volunteers worked along side a professional to install a 30,000-gallon tank. Water from the new tank serves both domestic and fire suppression needs.

Summer 2002: A half-mile of water and electrical lines were buried in trenches. As well, a half-mile long gravel road, equipped with fire hydrants, was constructed.

Winter 2001: KCC's Task Force found 240 acres suitable to our needs in the Cascade foothills. A generous donation made it possible to purchase the land.

What's Next?

* The north wing shrine and yoga buildings, each with an attached handicapped accessible dorm room and covered walkway.

* The south wing, which includes the same structures as the north wing: 8 dorm cabins, shrine room, yoga room, bathhouse and dining hall.

* Teachers and cook's accommodations

* The fence

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