Our Namesake, Gerhard E. Dekker
Our namesake, Gerhard E. Dekker, was a dear friend, lover of nature, and founding member of the Northern Sun Co-op, est. 1984, the first Ecovillage of its kind in Manitoba, which is still a thriving community today.
Born in the Netherlands in 1947, Gerhard traveled the world and put roots down in Manitoba in 1978. He was an innovative designer of new models of harnessing and utilizing energy from the Sun and wind, re-purposing materials from other machines, such as windshield wipers, to design and build hand-dug well pumps, windmills, lighting systems and other unique gadgets, like a box to keep food cool underground with an electric pulley system.
Gerhard was also a natural architect with a focus on conserving energy and creating beautiful, functional spaces, such as the Co-op's community center, several homes including a straw bale/passive solar house, a root cellar made from a shipping container with a gravity fed water tower on top, cold rooms, and greenhouses.
Gerhard was fiercely independent and committed to his values, whilst also being truly devoted to community, and taking everybody's perspectives and needs deeply into consideration.
He lived his beliefs: a minimalistic approach to personal possessions which allowed for freedom and joy. He was a lover of nature and a life-long learner who shared his vast stores of knowledge freely. He was very aware of the many issues with our current operating systems, and the ways humans have harmed our planet, and truly lived the solutions, supporting, learning from and walking with Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island.
Gerhard's legacy lives on in GEDREC's founders' hearts, and in the philosophies that inspire us to remain committed to our communities, taking care of each other and living in harmony with the Earth as much as possible.
Gerhard had a uniquely soothing effect on his friends, helping them to feel accepted for who they were, flaws and all, and always seemed to have a philosophical and/or practical solution to offer for life's many conundrums. Nobody is perfect, and part of his legacy is also in understanding this, embracing who we are holistically, learning from our flaws, and growing together as people.
"Love each other. Take care of each other."
"Onward through the fog!"
- Gerhard Dekker
Born in the Netherlands in 1947, Gerhard traveled the world and put roots down in Manitoba in 1978. He was an innovative designer of new models of harnessing and utilizing energy from the Sun and wind, re-purposing materials from other machines, such as windshield wipers, to design and build hand-dug well pumps, windmills, lighting systems and other unique gadgets, like a box to keep food cool underground with an electric pulley system.
Gerhard was also a natural architect with a focus on conserving energy and creating beautiful, functional spaces, such as the Co-op's community center, several homes including a straw bale/passive solar house, a root cellar made from a shipping container with a gravity fed water tower on top, cold rooms, and greenhouses.
Gerhard was fiercely independent and committed to his values, whilst also being truly devoted to community, and taking everybody's perspectives and needs deeply into consideration.
He lived his beliefs: a minimalistic approach to personal possessions which allowed for freedom and joy. He was a lover of nature and a life-long learner who shared his vast stores of knowledge freely. He was very aware of the many issues with our current operating systems, and the ways humans have harmed our planet, and truly lived the solutions, supporting, learning from and walking with Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island.
Gerhard's legacy lives on in GEDREC's founders' hearts, and in the philosophies that inspire us to remain committed to our communities, taking care of each other and living in harmony with the Earth as much as possible.
Gerhard had a uniquely soothing effect on his friends, helping them to feel accepted for who they were, flaws and all, and always seemed to have a philosophical and/or practical solution to offer for life's many conundrums. Nobody is perfect, and part of his legacy is also in understanding this, embracing who we are holistically, learning from our flaws, and growing together as people.
"Love each other. Take care of each other."
"Onward through the fog!"
- Gerhard Dekker