HISTORY History of Neill-Wycik History of Co-ops in Canada

PRINCIPLES OF CO-OPERATION

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Organizational Chart Board of Directors Management Committee Upkeep Committee Education Committee Rental Arrears Committee Newsletter Committee Floor Co-ordinators/Volunteers Member Involvement Group Staff

LIVING IN WYCIK Keys Administrative Office Mail Parking Telephone/Cable Recreational/Educational Faci I ities Parties Maintenance Security The Rules and By-law Nine Paying the Rent Tenant Insurance Housing Notes

Room Transfers Lease Breaking

THE HOTEL

FIRE SAFETY

JOBS WITH NEILL-WYCIK

THE CO-OPERATIVE COMMUNITY Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto Co-operative Housing Foundation of Canada North American Students of Co-operation

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History

History of Neill-Wycik

Neill-Wycik College held its of­ficial sod-turning party in April 1969 behind a board fence at the corner of Mutual and Gerrard Streets. Three years of planning and hard work went into the crea­tion of the only student-run high rise in Toronto. The building is named for Alexander Sutherland Neill, the founder of Summerhill (one of the world's most suc­cessful free schools) and Mr. and Mrs. Wycik, who served Ryerson students at Oakham House for more than 25 years.

Housing has never been a strength of the Ryerson ad­ministration, as you may know from looking for accommodation. In 1966 it operated two converted houses with a total capacity of less than 100 people-all males. Now they operate one house with a capacfty of 38 people-all males. They've come a long way!

In 1966 some Ryerson students got together to run a housing registry to combat the severe shor­tage. They started looking for a permanent solution and saw co-op housing as a possible answer. Changes in the National Housing Act and Central Mortgage and Housing paved the way for student co-ops to be built. Co-operative College Residences Inc. became major developers of high rise stu­dent co-ops in Ontario. It was a ser­vice pool and also an impetus for many new student co-ops in the late 60s and early 70s including Neill-Wycik.

A neWly-created Board of Direc-

tors worked incredibly hard over three years to arrange financing, get a site and organize construc­tion. In 1968 the board moved 100 students into the major training ground, Rochdale College, where they began to learn about ad­ministering a co-op.

The student-run organization supervised construction of Neill­Wycik and the first move-in in 1970. Next they had to create a com­munity and committee structure to run the building. This was and is not without its problems.

Participation is still our mainstay. The co-operative model set up by the founders of Neill­Wycik is still the most important aspect of the building; one we hope you, as a new member, will carryon.

History of Co-operatives in Canada

Co-operatives are a significant economic force in Canada. A co­operative is often described as "a business organization owned by those who use its services, control of which rests equally with all members, and surplus earnings of which are shared by members in proportion to the use they make of the service." There are also retail co-ops, food co-ops, agricultural co-ops, educational co-ops and others, as well as housing co-ops like Neill-Wycik.

The chronology of co-operative housing in Canada is as follows:

1930s -"Building" co-ops are organized in the Maritimes, Saskat-chewan, Ontario and Quebec.

- First "continuing" co-op starts in Toronto: Campus Co-op Residences renovate houses for University of Toronto students.

1944 -Science '44 Co-op is organized in Kingston for student housing.

1955 -Canadian Labour Con­gess and the Co-op Union of Canada forms the Na­tional Labour Co­operative Committee to promote better understan­ding between unions and co-ops. Co-op housing is one of the N LCC's pro­grams.

1965 - First "continuing" co-op for families, Willow Park, is built in Winnipeg.

1968 - Co -0 p e rat i ve H 0 u sin g Foundation is formed by CUC, CLC and Canadian Union of Students.

1973 - There are 10 family co­ops.

- The National Housing Act is amended to provide financing for non-profit continuing co-ops.

1977 - There are approximately 60 co-ops with over 5,000 units.

1979 - Federal Financing Pro­gram undergoes major changes after extensive negotiations between the government and the co-op housing sector.

1982 -Over 500 housing co-ops are in operation with over 20,000 units.

- Approximately 375 more co-ops are in the planning state or under construc­tion.

1984 - Co-ops are threatened by cutting of co-op housing funds by CM HC. Lobbying is underway to try and salvage part of the pro­gram.

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Principles of Co-operation

1. Open and Voluntary Member­ship: Membership of a co­operative should be voluntary and available without artificial restriction of any social , political or religious discrimina­tion, to all persons who can make use of its services and are willing to accept the respon­sibilities of membership.

2. Democratic Control: Co­operatives are democratic organizations. Their affairs should be administered by per­sons elected or appointed in a manner agreed upon by the members and accountable to them. Members should enjoy equal rights of voting (one member, one vote) and par­ticipation in decisions affecting their co-operative.

3. Limited Interest on Shares: Share capital should only receive a strictly limited rate of interest, if any.

4. Return of Surplus to Members: Surplus or savings, if any, aris­ing out of the operations of a co­operative belong to the members of that co-operative and would be distributed in such a manner as would avoid one member gaining at the expense of others. (Non-profit housing co-operatives often use savings in one year to offset cost in­creases in the next year. Through this practice, the princi­ple of return of surplus to members is realized.)

5. Co-operative Education: All co­operatives should make provi­sion for the education of their members, officers and

employees and of the general public in the principles and techniques of co-operation, both economic and democratic.

6. Co-operative Among Co­operatives: All co-operative organizations, in order to best serve the interests of their members and their com­munities, should actively co­operate in every practical way with other co-operatives at local, national and international levels.

Co-operatives grew out of two basic types of situations: economic hardship and social­political ideals. The above prin­ciples reflect those economic and social objectives which must be the basis of every co-operative. The primary reason for initially joining a co-operative may be economic (e.g. low housing charges) but in the long run social advantages are just as important.

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Organizational Chart

Board of

Directors

General

Members

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Organizational Structure

The Board of Directors

Elected by the membership at the Annual Meeting each autumn, the 12 members of the Board of Directors make policy decisions, recommend budgets, hire staff, ap­point committee members and generally administer the business of the co-operative. The Board of Directors gives direction to the staff and committees.

Management Committee

Appointed by the Board of Direc­tors, the Management Committee assists the Board by preparing and revising the annual budget, monitoring financial practices of the Co-op (e.g. investments, in­surance) and providing regular financial reports to the Board. The Management Committee also makes policy and generally ad­ministers the business of our sum­mer hotel operation.

Upkeep Committee

Appoi nted by the Board of Di rec­tors, the Upkeep Committee organizes general clean-ups, makes recommendations on maintenamce projects, considers proposed room alterations by members and organizes the tool loan. For the last year we have not had an Upkeep Committee so if you are interested in starting a new committee please see the General Manager or the Maintenance Manager.

Education Committee

The Education Committee is made up of volunteer members who administer the monies col­lected as your "education and social activities" fee (about $22,000 per year). This money goes toward the upkeep and improve­ment of facilities (e.g. photo lab), facility program (pottery lessons), classes (dancercize), co-op courses, parties, floor dinners, etc.

The Rental Arrears Committee

Rental arrears is the non­payment or repeated late payment of monies due and has been a serious and long-standing problem at Wycik. The Board established the Rental Arrears Committee in the fall of 1980 to combat this pro­blem. Its first task was to develop an arrears policy that was approv­ed by the membership the next spr­ing. Its subsequent role is to periodically review and recom­mend revisions to the policy and consider individual cases of ar­rears.

A major objective of an arrears committee and policy is to ensure that all members are treated the same. There should be no bias in favour of particular members or groups. Policy and procedures need to be applied consistently and fairly to ensure Neill-Wycik's financial stability.

There are five RAC members: the Vice-President (a member of the Board), one member appoi nted by the Management Committee, one Member-at-Large appointed by the Board, the Bookkeeper and the Housing Co-ordinator. They meet month Iy, prior to the 15th, to discuss and make recommenda­tions concerning members then in arrears. Strategies to deal with members who repeatedly pay late are developed for implementation. Policy and procedures are review­ed to adequately deal with arrears issues as they change.

The meetings are held "in camera" to protect the confiden­tiality of specific members and their problems. It is difficult for neighbours to stand in judgement of their peers and then party together so members usually con­tact the RAC through the staff. Members are asked to put their re­quests in writing to clearly present their situation to all committee members directly.

Collecting rent is neither fun nor easy. It does not make you many friends. The committee's success is measured by the shortness of the arrears list. This means a minimum of bad debts and a positive contribution to Neill­Wycik's investment income and

cash flow.

Newsletter Committee

This is the very ad hoc commit­tee that puts out Wycik's newspaper; Neill's News. The newsletter is important to co-op communication, so we urge anyone who is at all interested to join the newsletter committee and keep Neill's News going.

Floor Co-ordinators/Volunteers

Like most co-operatives, Neill­Wycik has a volunteer component. The occupancy by-law states that members are required to do volunteer tasks in their chosen area of involvement. This does not incl ude mandatory hallway clean­ing. Your options include joining a committee, running for the Board, being on a facility core group, run­ning coffee houses, organizing parties, helping with orientation, photocopyi ng min utes, bei ng floor co-ordinator, etc. Keep your eyes open for signs in the building advertising various volunteer ac­tivities.

And speaking of floor co­ordinators ... they are chosen at the first floor meeting in early September (attendance required !). These co-ordinators are in charge of calling floor meetings to organize floor cleaning schedules, floor dinners, etc. Each floor gets $35 per term to have a dinner or other event to get their people together.

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The Member Involvement Group

Once upon a time in a co-op close, close by, two co-opers Bren­da Owen and Sandra Orr decided to do something (anything!) to br­ing their fellow co-opers closer together. For warmth, laughter, the sharing of ideas and skills-but most important-for FUN! At the same time, the Board of Directors of this co-op became very concern­ed about the lack of involvement and communication among the members. They held a meeting with the members and ... lo and behold, a special task force-the M.1. Group (the Member Involve­ment Group) was born to present solutions to these problems.

Now, the M.1. Group, being com­posed of both Board and general members, was a unique group in the co-op. The members had some very radical and fresh ideas. Their theme song ran something like: And we'll have fun, fun, fun, 'till we all turn old and gray. They refused to become a committee with a for­mal structure. Rather, their meeti ngs were casual and anyone interested was invited to come and join their discussions and ac­tivities. Their password was en­thusiasm-enthusiasm for the co­op, the members and themselves. They hoped their enthusiasm would become contagious, even­tually spreading throughout the co-op. So far, so good. At their first event-the New Member Orienta­tion Barbeque and Party (May 26, 1984)-they did some pretty kooky things with nuts and bolts and gave away a lot of free beer. The

members responded en­thusiastically in great numbers and much fun was had by all. SUC­CESS!.

The M.1. Group, whose numbers had by now increased from two to eight, then 11, enthusiastically planned more parties, picnics, facilities, openhouses and fun, fun, fun. It also got to work on a new Wycik manual for members, a reorganization with new goals for floor co-ordinators, plans for get­ting long-term two-person and apartment members more involv­ed, etc., etc. Busy, busy, busy.

Meanwhile, the Board and staff of the co-op caught the en­thusiasm bug and were very sup­portive of this new and very active M.1. Group. The staff said; "Anything you need-any thing­-you've got it! " Now, that's en­thusiasm!

So the M.1. Group continues to this day, spreading enthusiasm, warmth and fun among all the members of the co-op. They invite any and all enthusiastic co-opers to join them. And so, co­operatively, they all live happily ever after.

Staff

The staff administrate the hous­ing and hotel operations on a day­to-day basis. This includes collec­ting the money, paying the bills, doing repairs, giving out applica­tions, filling the rooms and making sure the building is safe.

Living in Wycik

Keys

You are given two keys when you move into Neill-Wycik (if you live in an apartment you have four). One is for your mailbox, located on the 22nd floor. The other key is for your room, your unit and the front door of the building.

Both your room key and your mailbox key must be returned when you leave Neill-Wycik. Five dollars will be deducted from your maintenance deposit if you don't turn in your room key. Twenty dollars is deducted for not leaving your mail key.

From time to time, members lose their keys. If you do during of­fice hours, come up to the 22nd floor and we wi II sell or rent you a key. Security can let you into your room during the night if they are still on duty. Do not go to maintenance. They cannot let you in.

Room Key "Deposits" and "Pur­chases"

When you misplace your key and are locked out, come to the office with a $5 deposit (correct change, please) and we will give you a key. You get the deposit back if you return the key within one week. The "key deposit" becomes a "key purchase" if you keep the key and we keep the five bucks.

If you are sure your key is gone for good, the office staff will replace it at a cost of $5. There is a penalty for members who lose more than one key. A second replacement key costs $10 and a

third is $15. We strongly recom­mend that you keep your keys with you at all times.

Lost Mailbox Keys and Mailbox Key Purchase

You cannot put a deposit on a mail key because we can't keep them in the office. You can only purchase a mailbox key. If you lose your key and are very sure you will never find it, come to the office with $20 (correct change only) and we will get you a new key. The mail key price is this high to act as a deterrent against losing it.

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The Administrative Office

The co-op's administrative of­fices are on the 22nd floor. The Ad­ministrative Assistant, Housing Co-ordinator, Community Develop­ment Co-ordinator, Bookkeeper, Accountant, General Manager, Group Sales Manager and Hotel Manager have offices here.

The office is definitely the place to go if you have any concerns or problems. Here you pay your rent , record your maintenance requests, book a room for a meeting or a par­ty, make housing inquiries, get a new key, arrange for parking or just talk to someone about whatever's bugging you. The facilities ' sign­out books are here during office hours. The staff is really quite friendly and willing to help you with whatever you need. Don't hesitate to come up and say "hi" and make yourself known.

The office is open from 9:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. during the week. The office is closed on Wednesdays between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m . for staff meetings. You can reach us by phone at 977-2320.

Mail

The mailboxes for all of Neill­Wycik are on the 22nd floor just outside of the administrative of­fices. Each unit has a mailbox.

The mail is usually delivered in the morning and sorted by noon. It helps the sorters if all mail is cor­rectly addressed with your current room number. The mail is sorted according to room numbers, so

mai I with incorrect or previous room numbers may end up in the wrong box.

If you find mail in your box that doesn't belong to anyone in your unit, please put it in the returned mail box. It's at the bottom righthand corner of the mailboxes. The mail is then resorted and directed to the correct box.

Mail that doesn 't belong in the building will be returned to sender if we don't hae a forwarding ad­dress. Please give us your forwar­ding address when you move out so we can redirect your mail for six weeks. The post office will not for­ward mail for this building because we run a hotel in the sum­mer, so we do it.

Parcels are delivered late in the morning and may not be sorted un­til the next day. You will get a note in your box if you receive a parcel, registered letter or large envelope. , You can pick up and sign for it dur­ing office hours.

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Occasionally the post office tries to deliver parcels and registered letters when our office isn't open. If this happens, you will receive a card from them in the mail telling you to pick up your mail at the post office. You need identification and the post office card to pick it up. Neill-Wycik's post office is on Front Street bet­ween the O'Keefe Centre and Union Station. It's about a half­hour walk and you can't miss it. It's open until 11 :00 p.m. on weekdays is open Saturday.

Please feel free to come up to the office and see the Ad­ministrative Assistant if you have any problems with your mail.

Parking

Parking in downtown Toronto is very limited and extremely expen­sive. We recommend that you not bring your car to the city when you move. Rapid transit is within 10

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minutes of Wycik and is fairly inex­pensive. Anything you could possibly need is within walking distance of Neill-Wycik, including grocery stores, beer and liquor stores, the Eaton Centre, the St. Lawrence Market and banks.

Unless it is necessary that you bring your car or motorcycle, take our advice and leave it at home.

Cars

The parking lost at the back of Neill-Wycik holds 45 cars. Parking is $30 per month.

You can get an application from the Administrative Assistant in the office. Parking fees are due April 15th for the summer term, August 15th for the fall and December 15th for winter. A full term's fees are $120.

Anyone caught parking in the lot illegally will be tagged and/or tow­ed away at the owner's expense.

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Motorcycles

Just outside the back door of Neill-Wycik is "the cage" . It holds 11 motorcycles. Parking charges are $10 per month.

If your motorcycle needs a good home, you can get a cage applica­tion from the Administrative Assis­tant in the office. It has the same payment schedule as the car park­ing lot. A full term's fee is $40.

Telephone/Cable

The co-op is not responsible for telephone or cable connections. To get a telephone you should go to the Phonecentre at the Eaton Centre (Yonge and Dundas). Each unit must come to some agree­ment about shari ng the phone because Bell will usually allow on­ly one phone per un it. (The possibility of what happens if so­meone does not pay their bills should be included in the agree­ment.)

Phone Rogers Cable to get television cable. If you can't be home during the installation, leave permission at the office and we will let them into your place.

Recreational/Educational Facilities

Neill-Wycik has many facilities for its members. You can sign out the key in the office during office hours. The keys are available at the security desk in the front lobby after the office closes.

The following are all the

facilities available: Games Room-pool table (bring your own cue) Pottery Room Library Sewing Room Hanke Lounge Cafeteria-for meetings, movies, etc. Sauna Weight and Exercise Room Photo Lab Steamer - party room Woodshop Typing Room Film Editing Room Piano-in Cafeteria Barbeque-outside

All you need is your Neill-Wycik I. D. card to use a faci lity. All sign­ing out is on the honour system. Each facility has its own sign-out sheets. You write your name, room number, the time you signed it out and leave your I.D. card in the key box. When you bring the key back write the time in the book and take your 1.0. card. Give the book to the Administrative Assistant and she will sign you back in. It's as simple as that.

Some facilities have restric­tions. The sewing room, darkroom, weight room, pottery room, film editing room and woodshop re­quire that you be in a "core group" for access to the room. Notices are posted throughout the year about meetings to get onto these various lists.

Other rules include room book­ing. The Steamer requires booking ahead of time for the various ac­tivities to be held there. The

darkroom must be booked and can only be reserved for four hours at a time. Those four hours must be us­ed up before another four can be booked. The film editing room also requires booking. If you are using the piano in the cafeteria, we ask that you check with the office or security after two hours to be sure that no one else would like to use it.

Parties

Neill-Wycik loves to party. Par­ties are a great way to get to know each other. They are happening all the time. The best place to party is in the Steamer. There's a sound system, a dance floor, a fridge and a bar. There is a refundable deposit required to book the Steamer and other regulations to ensure a hassle-free party. Check the office for details.

Maintenance

Our maintenance department is located in the basement. It is im­portant that you report problems as you notice them. Repairs can be reported to the office on the 22nd floor. Report problems like dripp­ing taps, ripped screens, plugged sinks, low water pressure, stove/fridge malfunctions, missing or broken furniture, plugged toilets and bugs.

The maintenance deposit that we collect when you first move in is refunded when you move out. Money can be deducted for damages (non-routine wear and tear), missing furnishings, room or mail keys not turned in or a room/unit left in a dirty condition.

Cleaning supplies are kept in the E unit closet at the east end of the building. Floor corridors are clean­ed by the residents of each floor. Your floor co-ordinator will post a schedule so please co-operate and sign up. Garbage chutes are located just outside the F unit. Please do not throw glass, newspapers, kitty I itter or boxes down the chute. Aside from the damage to the compactors anyone in the garbage room could be seriously injured! The same danger applies if any objects are thrown off the roof so please don't!!

Our policy requires that in the multiples you use only paint sup­plied by the co-op. This paint will be supplied free if your room/unit requires it. Otherwise you can buy it for half price. Part-time painters are available to give advice but you

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must supply your own brushes and trays. Please do not wallpaper over existing wallpaper. It is virtually impossible to get off. When con­sidering wallpaper please bear in mind that people move frequently in our building and that usually the person after you hates the wallpaper you so dearly love. Wallpaper must be dry-strippable.

Co-op approval is needed if you are thinking of dOing any structural alterations to your room or unit. We may ask you to pay for what you have done if you do not have approval. Air conditioners can only be installed with co-op approval and we will insist that you abide by our installation requirements.

After living here for a while you may wonder what is going on with our heating system or lack thereof. It takes 24 hours for our water­heating system to come on or shut down. Fluctuations in temperature during fall/winter/spring will result in the building being too hot or too cold. We ask for your patience as our system will not keep up to rapid weather changes.

Extra appliances (fridges, freezers, etc.) are not allowed in the multiple units because of the building's wiring. Their extra draw of electricity may create an elec­trical overload, presenting a fire hazard. So leave your appliances at home.

Security

Neill-Wycik is considered a very safe place to be in downtown Toronto. This is due to two main

and most important is that people watch out for each other. We en­courage people to question so­meone they don't recognize or to report if they have doubts that so­meone belongs in the building. Your unitmates and floormates are your best security.

The other very important aspect is the security team. There are nine part-time co-opers who work even­ings and weekends to keep the building running smoothly. They do everything from maintenance checks to signing in visitors to handling noise complaints and signing out facility keys. They are responsible for all aspects of the building when the office is closed. The security staff is available over­night by calling 977-2322 for emergencies only (fire, theft, etc.). If you have an emergency any time, call them. They can get the police, an ambulance or whatever is re­quired . . Or maybe they can deal with it (all security staff are trained in first aid). So when you need them, phone or drop by the front desk; they'll be glad to help you out.

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The Rules and By-law Nine

These are the rules. Read them. It is your responsibility to know them, and live by them. In becom­ing a member of the co-operative, you are agreeing to go by them.

1. Don't be a nuisance; in other words, don't do anything you wouldn't appreciate. For ex­ample, if someone asks you to turn down your stereo, be polite and do it.

2. Keep your unit clean and in good repair.

3. It is important that you understand that you are responsible for your unit and room. You are also responsi­ble for guests you invite into the building.

4. Guests may stay only with your unitmates' permission and no longer than 10 days-that is not 10 con­secutive days, but any 10 days.

5. Absolutely no pets are allow­ed in multiple units-except for fish. If a pet is discovered, you may be evicted and will not be allowed to return.

6. If you want to hold a party, contact the office for guidelines and how-to tips. There are wrong ways to hold a party (too numerous to men­tion here) that can cause a lot of grief. Ask for some help.

The following will not be tolerated under any cir-cumstances:

Violent or threatening behaviour or language. Deliberate damage to co-op property. Abuse of drugs, including alcohol. Possession of firearms or other weapons, or use of any object as a weapon. Removal of screens from win­dows. Pets in multiple units.

Unless the breach falls into the second category, you will be warn­ed. If the warning is not heeded, you will be asked to appear before the Board and they will decide if you have the right to stay at Wycik.

These rules were decided on by the members of Wycik. If you follow these basic guidelines, you will help ensure a safe environ­ment for everyone.

Paying the Rent

Part of our collective respon­sibility is the payment of rent on time-at the first of every month.

Rental arrears has been a pro­blem at Neill-Wycik since it open­ed. It causes additional ad­ministrative expense, cash flow problems, and has placed an un­fair burden on the shoulders of the co-opers who pay on time. When members move out still owing money it is often a direct financial loss to the co-op (See The Rental Arrears Committee).

It is the members' responsibility to speak to the Bookkeeper when they anticipate that there may be a probl-em makj"g ·,'th.e .,pa.ym-ent -:-:on

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time. The member must then write a simple explanation and payment proposal for consideration by the RAC. The RAC considers written explanations only. The committee then establishes the payment con­ditions or it serves the member with a "Notice to Appear" at the next Board meeting to discuss continued residence at Neill­Wycik. Non-payment or chronic late payment is grounds for evic­tion under the by-laws of the co-op.

Computer

The co-op has purchased a Digital Equipment of Canada PDP 1123 computer to make our finan­cial reporting more efficient. We hope to eventually use our three terminals for accounts payable, text editing, general ledger and ac­counts receivable.

Tenant Insurance

Multiple Units:

When you move into Wycik you may wish to purchase insurance to cover your possessions against theft, fire, etc. You may be able to add your single room in a multi­unit onto your parents' fire policy as a "rider" or addition to their policy. This would insure only the contents of your room, not the common areas. If you decide against this, the only company really willing to cover the multiple units for an eight-month period is the Co-operators (967-6633). They also give a 10 per cent discount to co-op members.

Two-Person and Apartment Units:

In these units insurance is more important because you probably have accumulated more "stuff". The following are based on a $10,000 plan for one year and vary depending on the unit's contents. They include the cost of the "replacement option". This benefit is optional but a good idea. It means that if a stereo is stolen, the company will pay the full cost of replacing it at today's prices, not what you paid for it five yers ago. Note that the replacement option cannot be purchased with a plan under $10,000.

Canadian Universal In­surance-$10,000 with $200 deductible.

Basic Plan: $77 + Replacement = $102. Commercial Union-$10,000 with $200 deductible.

Basic Plan: $80 + Replacement $25 = $105. Simcoe & Erie Insurance-$10,000 with $100 deductible.

Basic Plan: $84 + Replacement $25 = 109.

Many thanks are extended to Mr. Bay Chin of Andras & Associates Insurance Brokers Ltd. for pro­viding this information to us. He can be reached at 231-1445 to answer further questions or con­nect you to the company of your choice.

Housing Notes

Room Transfers:

The Housing Co-ordinator keeps an internal waiting list of any members wishing to transfer to a different type of unit, i.e. from a double to a single room; single to a large single; single room to a two­person unit; two-person to apart­ment, or whatever. Members on the list are contacted as appropriate rooms come open, and the room transfer is arranged. Private "room swaps" between members and privately arranged sublets are not allowed.

Lease Breaking: If you find it necessary to move

out of Neill-Wycik before your lease expires, you are required to give two months' notice in writing from the first of the month. Depar­ting members must sign a "Notice to Vacate" form and pay a $50 lease breaking fee. See the Hous­ing Co-ordinator for more details.

lounge

A1

A2

lounge

The Hotel

A number of Neill-Wycik's multi­ple units operate as a budget hotel from May until August. Our guests in 1983 came from 50 countries. The hotel is staffed by two perma­nent and 42 summer staffers. Most of these people are also co-op members and many return year after year because of the unique experience it offers. P.S. The hotel also makes money for the co-op.

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kitchen

Typical Floor Plan

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Fire Safety

Fire Safety

One of the most important aspects to living in a 22-storey building is fire safety. Everyone liv­ing and working at Nei"-Wycik must take the responsibility to en­sure as safe a building as possible.

The first step in fire safety is preventing fires. You can prevent fires by not being careless with burning materials such as cigaret­tes, not disposing of flammable li­quids improperly and avoiding un­safe cooking practices.

The second step is detection of fire and safe evacuation of our building. Once again you can help by knowing where the pull stations and exits are and what to do once the alarms ring.

Fo"owing you wi" find "Instruc­tions to Occupants on Fire Pro­cedures". Please look at this and read it carefully.

If you detect smoke or fire ac­tivate the pull station at the nearest exit and evacuate using the stairwells. Close a" doors you go through. Do not use the elevators when the alarms are ring­ing.

It's a good idea to check the smoke detector in your unit when you move in. If it is not working, report it immediately to the co-op office for repair by maintenance. Never, never block an exit in your unit, or have stuff in front of the doors. If one exit is blocked and there's smoke, objects in your way could cost you your life.

A 22-storey building can be safe. It just takes a" of us to ensure that it is.

There is a whole committee of staff constantly working on fire safety. If you have concerns or suggestions please let us know.

Instructions to Occupants on Fire Procedures (from the Fire Marsha"'s Office)

In the event of fire, occupants shall: • Leave the fire area, take key··

Close all doors behind you. Telephone the Fire Department, dial 911 (never assume this has been done). Know and give correct address - 96 Gerrard St. E. -high rise.

Activate the fire alarm (use pull station at exit).

Use exit stairwells to leave the building immediately.

DO NOT use elevators. Do not return until it is declared

safe to do so by Fire Official. •• If you are in a suite and a fire alarm is heard:

Before opening door, feel door and door knob for heat. If not hot, brace yourself against door and open slightly. If you feel air pressure or hot draft, close door quickly.

If you find no fire or smoke in corridor, take room key, close door behind you and leave by nearest exit stairwell.

If you encounter smoke in cor­ridor or stairwell, consider taking corridor to other side of building where another stairwell may be clear, or return to your suite.

•• If you cannot leave your suite or have returned to it because of fire

or heavy smoke, remain in your suite and:

Close the door. Unlock door for possible entry of

fi refighter. Dial 911 and tell Fire Depart­

ment where you are then signal to firefighters by waving a white sheet.

Seal all cracks where smoke can get in by using wet towels or sheets to seal mail slots, transoms and central air conditioning outlets if necessary. (Roll of wide strong masking tape is useful.)

Move to balcony or most pro­tected room and partially open window for air (close the window if smoke comes in).

Crouch low to the floor if smoke enters the room.

Wait to be rescued. Remain calm. Do not panic or jump.

Listen for instructions or infor­mation which may be given by authorized personnel or over loudspeakers.

Fire Extinguishment, Control or Confinement

In the event a small fire cannot be extinguished with the use of a portable fire extinguisher or the smoke presents a hazard to the operator, then the door to the area should be closed to confine and contain the fire. Leave the fire area and wait for the Fire Department.

Fire Hazards

In order to avoid fire hazards in the building, occupants are advis­ed to:

• Not put burning materials such as cigarettes and ashes into gar­bage chutes. • Not dispose of flammable liquids or aerosol cans in these chutes. • Never force cartons, coat hangers, bundles or paper into chute because it may become blocked. • Avoid unsafe cooking practices (deep fat frying, too much heat, unattended stoves, loosely hang­ing sleeves). * Not use unsafe electrical ap­pliances, frayed extension cords, overloaded outlets or lampwire for permanent wiring. * Avoid careless smoking . Never smoke in bed. Use ashtrays.

* * *

In general, occupants are advis­ed to: * Know where the alarm pull sta­tions and exits are located. * Call your local Fire Department immediately whenever you need assistance. * Know the correct building ad­dress.

Most of you have probably never lived in a building with as much fire safety equipment as Neill­Wycik has. If you grew up in a house, as most of us did, you pro­bably had one or two fire ex­tinguishers, a couple of smoke detectors and maybe an escape ladder from the second floor. Here we have: a central fire alarm system, smoke detectors in each unit; two fire hoses and two dry chemical fire extinguishers per floor; and two fire escape

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stairwells. It is highly advisable that you know about this stuff since you probably don't want to die if there is a fire in the building. The following is a brief description of each segment of our fire safety system.

The Fire Alarm System

Right next to each fire exit on each floor there is a fire alarm pull station that activates a building­wide fire alarm. If you have a fire in your unit, alarm the people in your unit by yelling "Fire!" at the top of your lungs and banging on room doors to get people up and out of danger, leave by the closest safe exit, closing all doors behind you and on your way into the stairwell, pull the fire alarm. Even if you believe you can put the fire out with one of the fire extinguishers, pull the fire alarm. You could be wrong and every second counts.

If you hear the fire alarm go off, call the fire department by dialing 911 and tell them that the fire alarm is going off at 96 Gerrard St. East. Now leave by the nearest safe exit and go down the stairs. Don't screw around with the fire bells to make them stop ringing. It's stupid, inconsiderate of your and your neighbours' lives, and will get you into a lot of trouble if you get caught. When we say a lot of trouble, we're talking $2,000 fine and/or a year in jail just for block­ing the alarm. Try a charge of criminal negligence causing death on for size if you happen to be unlucky enough to have a fire on your floor.

Elevators

You don't use the elevators dur­ing a fire. This could take you right to the source of the fire. Also an elevator shaft acts just like a chimney in a fire situation. When the alarms are ringing and there is a fear that there really is a fire, check any door before you open it. Feel the top, if it is hot to the touch don't open it. If it feels cold, open it just a crack to see if it is safe to go through. Always close the door behind you and leave the door unlocked. Go to the nearest stairwell and evacuate. If you run into smoke in the stairwell, try the other stairwell. If it is filled with smoke return to your room and wait. If you cannot make it back to your room, knock on somebody else's door and get inside a room. If you are trapped in a room, put a towel or sheet (wet if possi ble) along the bottom of the door. Tape the cracks of the door up to stop smoke, and wait. If there is some smoke in your room get near a win­dow and put a damp cloth over your nose and mouth.

The Fire Escape Stairwells

At each end of the building there is a flight of stairs. These are the fire escapes. If you have to leave the building during an alarm, walk down the closest set of stairs. If for any reason, you are unable to go down, the doors at the top of each stairwell unlock automatically dur­ing a fire alarm. These door allow access on to the roof. If there is smoke in the stairwell you are in,

cross over to the other one, on a safe floor. If there is smoke com­ing from under a stairwell door, don't open it, just keep going down. Smoke usually rises so you will be safer below the smoke. If you have to cross over to the other stairwell, feel the top of the door before opening it. If it's warm, go to another floor, below and try again. If it isn't warm and no smoke is coming from under it, open the door a crack and check to make sure the area is safe. If it is, go across to the other stairwell.

Main Stairwell Doors

Both east and west stai rwell doors, plus the stairwell doors from the F unit and E unit must reo main closed at all times. Why? If one or more of these doors are pro­pped open, instead of a fire escape, you create a chimney. Try moving down 22 floors in a chimney. You will not make it. Don't use the stairwell for storage or as a garbage can or as a place to put closet doors you no longer want. The stairwells are your only emergency escape routes.

E and F Units

Members in E and F units use the part of their unit hall in front of the fire escape door as a storage area or as a sitting-lounge area. This is a dangerous thing to do. Look at this in the daylight with the lights on. It looks easy to walk around the furniture and out the fire-escape door into the stairwell. Now, imagine the power off, no

lights, it's pitch dark. The hall is half-filled with smoke (probably toxic). You are panicked. You must crawl across the floor as fast as possible to get to the stairwell. A bike is in the way, then a box, a table, a chair. Forget it. You will not get into the stairwell because the passage to the door was not clear.

C and D Units

Obviously the reason that the ar­chitects designed these units with two unit doors is so the members would have a handy storage area in front of one of them. Actually the law requires two exits from these units. Why? Suppose there's a fire in your kitchen lounge, thick smoke is coming through the lounge door. An electrical short caused by the fire has put your unit in darkness. Your only chance of escape is the unit door by the C5 or D5 rooms. That's where you find two bikes, the vacuum cleaner, boxes for when you move out, a shopping cart, brooms and beer bottles. If you think you have time to clear this stuff out before you exit, you're wrong.

Smoke Detectors

Each unit has its own smoke detector, usually located in the unit hallway. We replace the bat­tery in each once annually, or as required. If yours doesn't work, tell us. If your works so well that you think it may be telepathic: knowing when you want to take a shower or cook, let us know. We will replace

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it or repair it. The smoke detector alarms your

unit only. If it tells you there's a fire, you tell everyone else by pull­ing the fire alarm on your way out.

Don't use the smoke detector battery in your Walkman or whatever; it's a pretty dumb way to compromise your safety.

Fire Hoses and Extinguishers

Rule #1: Don't use either unless you know how and don't take any risks. Your life is worth one hell of a lot more than your stuff.

The fire hoses are there only for those who know how to use them. If you don't, don't!

We have dry chemical, ABC type fire extinguishers usable on any type of fire you're liable to find here. The dry chemical is meant to act as a blanket, smothering the fire in much the same way as a lid smothers a grease fire. The idea is to spread a layer of the stuff over whatever is burning. To use one, grasp the fire extinguisher by the handle, in your right hand. Grasp the safety pin with your left hand and twist the pin % turn to break the plastic seal. Remove the pin . From a distance of 8 to 12 feet, aim the extinguisher nozzle into the base of the flames just above what is burning and push the top lever down with your thumb to start shooting the stuff . Move the stream of chemical back and forth over the fire to lay down a blanket of the stuff; keep the lever fuilly depressed until the extinguisher is empty. (Don't shoot in bursts.)

If that doesn't work, get the hell

out of there! Do not place yourself in any danger to fight a fire; that's the firefighters' job!

The hoses and extinguishers are located at each end of each main hallway, one by the E unit door and the other by the A2 apartment door. Take a look at one of the ex­tinguishers to see how it works.

Fire extinguishers are not toys! If you get caught setting one off without good reason, you are go­ing to be evicted and charged. If you set off a fire hose you will be in even more trouble.

There have been few high-rise fire deaths in Toronto, but from time to time there are fires reported in high-rise buildings. Us­ing your common sense and not setting up traps for yourself beforehand, and knowing what to do and what not to do, increases your survival chances ten-fold.

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Location of Fire Alarms and

Fire Fighting Equipment

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Jobs with Wycik

Jobs

Neill-Wycik has various jobs for its members. Preference is given to full-time students, where prac­tical, for these jobs. In the fall/winter the part-time jobs in­clude mail-sorting, security staff, painters and occasional typists. In the spring and fall there are short (five to ten days) full-time jobs do­ing building clean-up.

Neill-Wycik fills the room left va­cant by departing members in the summer by running a hotel opera­tion. That means full-time summer jobs working as security person­nel, in the breakfast cafeteria, on the front desk, doing housekeep­ing, or working on maintenance. Watch for signs for these jobs.

The Co-operative Community

Co-operation Among Co­operatives

Neill-Wycik is a member of several co-operative organizations to fulfill this basic principle of co­operation.

1. Co-operative Housing Federa­tion of Toronto

Neill-Wycik is a member of CH FT as are the majority of hous­ing co-ops in Metro. This organiza­tion of housing co-ops began soon after Neill-Wycik opened. In 1973

representatives from several organizations met to discuss non­profit housing. The federal govern­ment had recently amended the National Housing Act, creating the first housing co-op financing pro­gram and the Ontario government had announced that it was setting up a ministry of housing. CHFT began in 1975 as an ongoing organization to encourage and assist non-profit housing co­operatives.

There has been phenomenal growth in the number of housing co-ops in Metro (and Canada) and

..

CHFT has close to 60 members. Each member co-op appoints a delegate to represent them at the monthly members' meeting. This group elects a board of seven members that is responsible for in­ternal operations and administra­tion. There is a staff of about 25.

The major work of the organiza­tion includes:

development of new housing co-operatives promotion of co-operative housing to the public liaising with various levels of government concerning the financial and social needs of housing co-ops. providing managerial assistance to existing co-ops providing a forum for co-ops to share information, skills and experience developing courses and manuals designed for volunteers within co-ops special training for staff

Our responsibility as a member is to pay our annual dues, and par­ticipate in the democratic func­tioning of the organization through our delegate.

2. Co-operative Housing Founda­tion of Canada

The national organization was established in 1968 to provide for continuing resource development and a communication and ad­vocacy centre for co-operative housing in Canada. Represen­tatives from the Co-operative

Union of Canada, Canadian Labour Congress and the United Church set up the organization with their expertise and initial funding.

Over the year5. . ~ere has been dramatic growtr n CHF. The number of CO-Opf in Canada has increased and many are now members. CHF membership is about 300, half the national total. In 1978 there was a major change in CHF's funding. For every hous­ing co-op mortgage negotiated with the Co-op Trust they con­tribute % of one per cent of the mortgage principal (i.e. half of their mortgage fee) to CH F. This finan­cial base has allowed development and expansion of the following CH F services to members:

Co-op Assistance Fund to give trouble-shooting and financial assistance to housing co-ops in difficulty Co-op Development Fund to help new housing co-ops in their early formation stages Risk Underwriting Fund which guarantees loans to new hous­ing co-ops in the development stage Resource Group Assistance Fund to help resource groups get started in the development of new housing co-ops Resource Group Development Fund to organize new resource groups where needed Education Program which pro­vides training in cities across Canada for housing co-op members, directors and staff Information Network to give continuing practical informa-

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tion regularly

CH F also spends a con­siderable amount of time involved in the political arena-lobbying for legislation, monitoring legislative changes and the ac­tivities of officials. It organizes its members for nation-wide action when necessary.

Each spring the annual meeting/conference is held. Co­ops send a delegate and observers to represent them at this meeting and also attend the education sessions at the con­ference. The Board of Directors is elected at this time. Neill-Wycik is an associate member so we do not have voting privileges.

NAsca

North American, Students of Co-operation (NASCO) is an um­brella organization for student co­ops (housing, food and retail) in the U.S. and Canada. It is i nvolv­ed in the co-op movement at various levels, including training and consultation, information ex­change, developing educational materials and seving as the link between 24 active-member organizations throughout North America.

r

Floor Plans: Where the Facilities Are

KERR

O'GRADY ROOM

GAMES ROOM CO·OP OFFICE I----

Film 8i/lards

Editing I t: I )'1 1

STAIRS [ Mall telephone s I11II1111 I PHOTO

POTTERY STUDIO COPIER COHEN Library

I MAXWELL ROOM HALES

CO·OP RESOURCE ROOM

OFFICES CENTRE

HolelOff lces AIVCentre

22nd Floor

Front Desk in summer I Security Desk in winter

Main Floor

STANLEY STEAMER

parries meermgs and classes

11111 11 11 STAIRS I. JillJillJ I

SNELGROVE ROOM

Darkroom complex

KITCHEN

MURRAY

PAULIN

SAUNA STAIRS

storage CL~RION ROOM

I HOU~""D'ng on ,umm" ( 10<a ge on won I"

Basement

SHEPHERD ~ SURF ROOM 0 TELEVISION 0 I--a: LOUNGE Washers r--(!) z and

I~ i Dryers

I w eleva lars (/)

I STAIRS

f ~ T T r elevators SHOP

HANKE MEMBER 'S LOUNGE

~ ~ I GARBAGE

~ ROOM Q.

.'?

elevators

FRONT DOOR

MAINTENANCE

mechanical

"l elevators

'\

~rink machines) ~f llillilllilJ j STAIRS

-electrical

CONN MITCHEL WOODSHOP EXERCISE

ROOM

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EMERGENCY ONLY CALL SECURITY 977·2322

Co·op Office ........................... 977·2320 Fire, Police, Ambulance ..................... 911 Poison Control ......................... 597·5900

or 461·8272 Drug Crises ............................ 595·6128 Suicide Prevention ..................... 368·3111 Distress Centre ........................ 598·1121

or 486·1456

Produced by Pat Nabert Typeset by Rye Eye Publishing Printed by Action Printing