Assiniboia Community Housing Cooperative, Accession 88-76
UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
A Descriptive Inventory of the AssiniboiaCommunity Housing Cooperative Fonds
Accession Number: 88-76
Lynn McPherson
Spring 2007
UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
AssiniboiaCommunity Housing Cooperative Fonds
This guide was prepared with the assistance of a grant from the Archives Association of Alberta, Access to Holdings program. The University Archives gratefully acknowledges the assistance of this grant. Without it, these important records could not have been made accessible to researchers and the public.
Spring 2007
Assiniboia Fonds
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Descriptive Inventory of the Assiniboia Community Housing Cooperative Fonds
PREFACE......
INTRODUCTION......
ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY......
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE......
1. Co-operative Movement......
I.Local, Provincial, National Organizations......
2. Executive Committee......
I.Executive Committee: Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, General Manager......
3. Minutes, Board and General......
I.Minutes, Board and General......
4. Financial Records......
I.Audits and Financial Statements......
II.Budget Related......
III.Ledgers/Journals
IV.Bank Records/Trust Accounts......
V.Household Accounts and Expenditures......
5. Membership Records......
I.Membership Records......
6. Property Management Records......
I.Utilities......
II.Taxes......
III.Insurance......
IV.Rentals/City of Edmonton......
V.Leases/Liaisons – University of Alberta - North Garneau Housing......
VI.Houses: Maintenance Records......
7. Property: Purchases/Expansion......
I.Property: Purchases/Expansion Records......
8. Legal Records, Advice and Issues......
I.Legal Records, Advice and Issues......
9. Historic Records......
I.Historic Records......
10 Newsletter......
I.Newsletter......
PREFACE
The University of Alberta Archives was established in 1968 at the recommendation of the President’s Standing Committee on Archives and Documents. Its primary mandate is to acquire, maintain, and preserve the records of the University, in any medium, which contain continuing administrative, legal, and historical value. The Archives constitutes the official “memory” of the University and represents the accumulated experience of our educational community. In addition to these official records, the University Archives also contain the private papers of the University staff whose subjects of research and teaching encompass the world.
INTRODUCTION
The AssiniboiaCommunity Housing Cooperative fonds consist of records created by this Housing Cooperative, as well as its predecessor, the Campus Co-operative Association. The records document the history of the Cooperative, and its activities in maintaining several houses in the Edmonton area under the Assiniboia Cooperative umbrella. The records are in excellent physical condition and form a valuable addition to the holdings of the University’s archives.
SOURCE: The AssiniboiaCommunity Housing Cooperative records were donated to the University of Alberta Archives in July 1988 by Richard Graham, a former member of the Housing Cooperative.Two additional audited financial statements for 1989 and 1990 were subsequently added to the fonds.
ARRANGEMENT NOTE: The AssiniboiaCommunity Housing Cooperative records are arranged in the following ten series: Cooperative Movement; Executive Committee; Minutes; Financial Records; Membership Records; Property Management Records; Property Purchases/Expansion; Legal Advice Records; Historic Records; and Newsletter. Where necessary, the series records are arranged in sub-series to facilitate further description and organization. An original description of the records, provided by a member of the Cooperative, assisted in determining the arrangement of the Assiniboia Community Housing Cooperative fonds.
RELATED ACCESSIONS: Researchers should also consult University of Alberta Student Union Records(Cooperative Housing Committee), and relevant Board of Governor’s minutes (September 15, 1967) related to the establishment of Campus Co-operative Association. Records of the Housing and Food Services (Lister Hall) could also be consulted for their role in the North Garneauhousing administration. Finally, researchers might consult the Archive’s card catalog, searching the heading ‘Cooperative Societies’.
ACCESS: There are no access restrictions to these records.
EXTENT: 2.42 metres of textual records
DATERANGE: 1966-1990
ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY
The Assiniboia Community Housing Cooperative (ACHC) began its existence known as Campus Co-operative Association in March of 1967. Its initiative at that time was to provide low-cost housing to students at the University of Alberta, in a time before HUB, Lister Hall, or MichenerPark were completed.
In September of 1967, the University’s Board of Governors, whose task it was to oversee University-owned properties, rented six houses to the fledgling organization in the North Garneau area. By the early 1970’s, the Co-op reached its membership peak of about 65 members, and purchased their first house in the Strathcona area. A second home was purchased in 1973 in Parkallen. Using a ‘capital loan’ system where members ‘loaned’ the Co-op $25 each upon taking out membership, monies were collected for initial down payments on homes. A ‘capital levy’ plan was later introduced whereby the Co-op charged a capital levy per member, on top of the monthly housing charge, as a means of raising capital for the expansion of the Co-op and for meeting maintenance costs on existing properties. In the early 1970’s, as well, the Co-op obtained a further four rented houses from the City of Edmonton. Original University-owned houses were occasionally demolished in the North Garneau neighbourhood, and the Co-op received other houses in replacement. A few other houses were rented from private landlords and by the summer of 1973, there were twelve houses in the Campus Co-operative Association.
In 1977 the Campus Co-operative Association was dissolved by the Co-op Development Branch of the Alberta Department of Consumer and Corporate Affairs for failing to submit an audit form on time. A new set of by-laws and a policy manual were developed and the Co-op was reincorporated on September 27, 1978 as the Campus Co-operative Association (1977). By 1981, the new name of Assiniboia Community Housing Cooperative was chosen to reflect a shift away from a majority student membership which prevailed at its inception in 1967.
Membership in the houses was open to anyone accepted by the members of a Co-op household, and subsequently approved by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors consisted of four executive members elected at semi-annual general meetings, and of one house representative from each house; board meetings were held monthly, and were open to the general membership to attend. Various committees were established to deal with specific matters, and members were expected to work on a committee or do some other specified work for the Cooperative. Members also shared cooking and other house chores. Membership criteria evolved over time to accept both student and non-student membership, and houses were co-ed. In 1986, the AHCC owned five houses and ceased leasing property from the University.
While the records in the fonds go only to 1990, the Assiniboia Community Housing Cooperative continues to function. They are a listed entry in the University of Alberta’s Student Union Housing Registry (as of 2006), and advertise three houses available in the Cooperative.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
The AssiniboiaCommunity Housing Cooperative (ACHC)fonds document the history and function of the Cooperative, and its predecessor, the Campus Co-operative Association. The records span the years from the inception of the Co-operative in 1967, through its existence 21 years later when the records to that date were deposited with the University of Alberta Archives.
The records, largely textual, required a fair amount of sorting when received at the Archives. Papers were removed from binders, and duplicate records disposed. There was a lot of duplication of records, as individual executive members along with each ‘house’ in the Cooperative maintained a set of minutes, audited financial statements, policies and procedures manuals, along with forms for completing maintenance checks and house inventories. As well, the collection was weeded of financial ephemera (invoices, returned cheques, bills, etc) since summary financial records existed. An original listing provided by a then member of the ACHC aided the arrangement and description process.
The records have been sorted into ten series, including: the Cooperative Movement; Executive Committee Records; Minutes (Board and General); Financial Records; Membership Records, Property Management Records; Property Expansion Records; Legal Advice Records; Historic Records; and the Newsletter (The Cooper). Some of the series are very small, while others like the Financial records series and Property Management records series are necessarily arranged into sub-series to better organize the material. There is a complete set of minutes from the 1960s through to January of 1987. Membership records are particularly complete for the mid-1970s to the early 1980s; earlier membership records, particularly for the 1960s, are sketchier. The records are in good physical shape.
The Assiniboia Community Housing Cooperative records reflect an interesting alternative to standard student housing arrangements available on the University of Alberta campus in the mid-1960’s. It was, writes Rod Olstad in a 1988 Gateway article, “the first organized, yet unofficial, co-ed housing at the U of A.” Principles of democracy were essential to the Cooperative, with their elected executive, membership votes on all matters of house policy and operation, and safeguards to protect individual members from potential financial liability, etc. Co-op members were instrumental in lobbying the University in 1973 to abandon plans to demolish much of the low-cost housing in the North Garneau neighbourhood, demanding instead that this housing be retained and renovated to ensure that low-cost, alternative housing was available for students.
The ACHC records can also be viewed as a part of the larger national Co-operative housing movement emerging in the same period. The unique living arrangement that is the Cooperative, with its accompanying problems and triumphs, is well documented in these records. As one member wrote in a 19[80] report:
Campus Co-operative could be regarded as an interesting social experiment in attempting to develop something resembling the rural-type community of an earlier age in an urban setting. Whatever its problems and faults, it has developed techniques of co-operative housing which progressed at least part way to such a goal. Many of its administrative systems are fairly unique and would present an interesting study of community in a relatively large urban setting. (see 88-76-file #233)
Series 1
COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT RECORDS
- Cooperative Movement Records, -–1976-1987. --.22 m of textual records.
Archival Description:The records in this series document the larger cooperative movement of which Assiniboia Cooperative was a part. The records are textual, and in good physical condition.
Scope and Content: ACHC’s relationship with local, provincial and national Cooperative Housing Associations is documented in this series. Their membership in the Cooperative Housing Foundation of Canada, for example, is represented with annual general meeting minutes and conference documents. As well, this series contains records of lobbying activity undertaken by the Cooperative Movement generally.
The series title is based on the content of the records.
A file listing follows.
1. Co-operative Movement
AccessionAnd File #. / Description / Date
I.Local, Provincial, National Organizations
Box188-76-01 / Co-operative Movement – Local – Housing Co-operatives, Edmonton / [1982-1985]
Correspondence, information and lists of contacts
88-76-02 / Co-operative Movement – Local – Communitas Incorporated, Edmonton / 1983-1984
Information about services offered and newsletter
88-76-03 / Co-operative Movement – Local – “Living Co-operatively” Conference, Edmonton / January 18-20, 1980
Conference/workshop booklet
88-76-04 / Co-operative Movement – Provincial – Alberta Housing Co-operatives / 1979-1981
Letter and two newsletters
88-76-05 / Co-operative Movement – Provincial – A. P. Third Sector Housing Association/Cooperative Housing Federation of Alberta / 1979-1985
Correspondence and information
88-76-06 / Co-operative Movement – Provincial – N.A.C.H.A. and S.A.C.H.A. (Northern and Southern Alberta Co-operative Housing Association(s)) / 1985-1987
Letter and two newsletters
88-76-07 / Co-operative Movement – National – Housing Co-operatives: Campus Co-op Association; Twin Streams Education Centre Co-op Future Project / 1981-1987
Correspondence
88-76-08 / Co-operative Movement – National – NASCO (North American Student Cooperative Organization) / 1976-1978, 1982-1983
Printed information and correspondence
88-76-09 / Co-operative Movement – National – C.H.F. (Cooperative Housing Foundation of Canada) / 1979-1980
Annual General Meeting minutes, 1979-1980
88-76-10 / Co-operative Movement – National – C.H.F. / 1983
Annual General Meeting minutes and workshop documents, Halifax
88-76-11 / Co-operative Movement – National – C.H.F. / 1984
Annual General Meeting and Conference registration package
88-76-12 / Co-operative Movement – National – C.H.F. / 1985
Annual General Meeting minutes and conference documents; includes a report on the conference to members of the Assiniboia Cooperative
88-76-13 / Co-operative Movement – National – C.H.F. / 1986-1987
Annual General Meeting minutes, annual report, and financial report (1986)
88-76-14 / Co-operative Movement – National – C.H.F. / 1978,1980, 1984
Directory of Canadian Housing Cooperatives
88-76-15 / Co-operative Movement – National – C.H.F. / 1979-1980
Correspondence and reports
88-76-16 / Co-operative Movement – National – C.H.F. / 1984
Land Trust discussion papers prepared by Communitas for C.H.F.
88-76-17 / Co-operative Movement – National – C.H.F. / 1984 – 1987
Correspondence and reports
88-76-18 / Co-operative Movement – National – C.H.F. / 1984
Lobbying, 1984 Federal election, re: future of co-op housing movement in Canada
88-76-19 / Co-operative Movement – National – C.H.F. / Summer 1985
Newsletter: Co-oBservations
88-76-20 / Co-operative Movement – Lobbying – Alberta Government / 1978, 1981
Correspondence
88-76-21 / Co-operative Movement – Lobbying – City of Edmonton / 1980-1983, 1987
Printed information
88-76-22 / Co-operative Movement – Lobbying – Miscellaneous / 1987
Correspondence and printed information
Series 2.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE RECORDS
2. Executive Committee Records, --1971-1983.--.10 m of textual records.
Archival Description: The textual records in this series contain files specifically maintained by members of the Cooperative’s Executive, also referred to, in earlier years, as the Board of Directors. The records arein good physical condition.
Scope and Content: Executive members’ files contained in this series include those of the Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, and General Manager (also referred to in some years as the Coordinator). The files consist of various reports, manuals, and printed forms and information. The Executive minutes are maintained in Series 3 along with the General minutes, and financial records comprise Series 4.
File titles were derived from original file titles.
A file listing follows.
2. Executive Committee
Accessionand File #. / Description / Date
I.Executive Committee: Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, General Manager
See Also: Board minutes, financial records, and property recordsBox 2
88-76-23 / Changes in Executive / 1971-1982
88-76-24 / Chairperson’s Manual / 1977-1979
Bound volume; some loose papers
88-76-25 / Reports to Recording Secretary / 1977-1978
88-76-26 / Reports to Recording Secretary / 1979-1980
88-76-27 / Reports to the Co-ordinator / 1974
A record of who is living in the houses
88-76-28 / Reports to the Co-ordinator / 1975
88-76-29 / Reports to the Co-ordinator / 1976
88-76-30 / Reports to the Co-ordinator / 1977
88-76-31 / Report to the Treasurer / 1979, 1980
A record of payments made to treasurer
88-76-32 / ‘Request for Payment from Treasurer’ - forms / 1981-1982
88-76-33 / ‘Payment to the Treasurer’ – forms / 1982
88-76-34 / ‘Payment to the Treasurer’ – forms / 1983
88-76-35 / Executive Committee – Administrative matters / 1970’s-1980’s
Cooperative forms, form letters, and printed information
88-76-36 / Executive Committee – Administrative matters / [1977-1979]
Reference and resources general index
Series 3.
MINUTES: BOARD and GENERAL
3. Minutes: Board and General, --1967-1987. --.25 m of textual records.
Archival Description: The administration and running of the Cooperative was dependent upon a voluntary executive and involved membership, and meetings were the forum for all matters of concern to be discussed and decisions made. The general meetings were held semi-annually, and board meetings monthlyand the resulting minutes are arranged in chronological order. The records are in good physical condition.
Scope and Content: The minutes are complete, with a full run of general and board meetings from 196[7] to January, 1988. The minutes retained for this fonds were those kept by the recording secretary, and some annotation occurs. Early minutes were hand-written, while post-1960s minutes were typed. Supplementary meeting documents are included as attachments to the minutes.
File titles were derived from original file titles.
A file listing follows.
3. Minutes, Board and General
Accessionand File #. / Description / Date
I.Minutes, Board and General
Box2 (cont.)88-76-37 / Minutes, Board and General / 1960’s
88-76-38 / Minutes, Board and General / 1970
88-76-39 / Minutes, Board and General / 1971
88-76-40 / Minutes, Board and General / 1972
88-76-41 / Minutes, Board and General / 1973
Box 3
88-76-42 / Minutes, Board and General / 1974
88-76-43 / Minutes, Board and General / 1975
88-76-44 / Minutes, Board and General / 1976
88-76-45 / Minutes, Board and General / 1977
88-76-46 / Minutes, Board and General / 1978
88-76-47 / Minutes, Board and General / 1979
88-76-48 / Minutes, Board and General / 1980
88-76-49 / Minutes, Board and General / 1981
88-76-50 / Minutes, Board and General / 1982
88-76-51 / Minutes, Board and General / 1983
88-76-52 / Minutes, Board and General / 1984
88-76-53 / Minutes, Board and General / 1985
88-76-54 / Minutes, Board and General / 1986-January 1987
Series 4
FINANCIAL RECORDS
4. Financial Records, --1967-1990; predominant 1967-1987. --.45 m of textual records.
Archival Description: The textual records in this series document the broader financial management of the Cooperative, and include audited statements, bank statements, budget-related documents and ledgers and financial journals (many located in an oversize box). The records are arranged in chronological order within each sub-series and are in good physical condition.
Scope and Content: Finances were very important to the Cooperative, and records were kept for membership shares and levies; mortgage payments, maintenance costs, and the myriad of expenses involved in operating several houses within a Cooperative structure. This is the largest series, and the records provide a good overview of the financial structure of the Assiniboia Community Housing Cooperative.
File titles were derived from original file titles.
A file listing follows.
4. Financial Records
Accessionand File #. / Description / Date
I.Audits and Financial Statements
Box 488-76-55 / Audits/Financial statements / 1968-1976
88-76-56 / Audits/Financial statements / 1977-1978
88-76-57 / Audits/Financial statements / 1979-1984
88-76-58 / Audits/Financial statements / 1985-1986
88-76-59 / Audits/Financial statements / 1987-1990
88-76-60 / Auditor’s recommendations and billing / 1973-1982
II.Budget Related
88-76-61 / Budgets / 1967-1968Includes other treasurer’s advice statements
88-76-62 / Budgets / 1973-1980
Includes other treasurer’s advice statements
88-76-63 / Budgets / 1981-1985
Includes other treasurer’s advice statements
88-76-64 / Budgets / 1985-88
Includes other treasurer’s advice statements
III.Ledgers/Journals
88-76-65 / Ledger sheets / 1967-1972Statement of operation and financial summaries
88-76-66 / General Ledger / 1968
88-76-67 / Cash Payments Journal / 1967-1970
Location: Oversize Box
88-76-68 / Cash Payments/Receipts Journal / 1969-1971
Location: Oversize Box
88-76-69 / Cash Payments/Receipts Journal / 1972-1973
Location: Oversize Box
88-76-70 / Cash Payments/Receipts Journal / 1970-1973
Location: Oversize Box
88-76-71 / Cash Payments/Receipts Journal / 1973-1975
Location: Oversize Box
88-76-72 / Financial Ledger / 1977-1979
Location: Oversize Box
88-76-72a / General Ledgers / 1978, 1979-1980
88-76-73 / Financial Ledger – Accounts / 1978-1982
88-76-74 / Financial Ledger – Accounts / 1980-1983
88-76-75 / Financial Ledger Sheets / 1981-1982
Balance sheets, Schedule of Operating Assets, Stabilities and Members; Equity
88-76-76 / Financial Ledger – [Rental] Occupancy / 1982-1983
IV.Bank Records/Trust Accounts
88-76-77 / Campus Co-op Residence Trust Account / 1967, 1970, 197411047-89 Avenue
88-76-78 / Bank of Montreal – Current Account Statements / April-December 1971
88-76-79 / Bank of Montreal – Current Account Statements / January-December 1972
88-76-80 / Bank of Montreal – Current Account Statements / January-December 1973
88-76-81 / Bank of Montreal – Current Account Statements / January-December 1974
Box 5
88-76-82 / Bank of Montreal – Current Account Statements / March-October 1976
88-76-83 / Bank of Montreal – Deposit books (two) / 1972-1974
88-76-84 / Royal Bank of Canada – Account statements / 1972-1973
Credit Union Accounts:
88-76-85 / Credit Union Central, Calgary – Account #414-0 – Statements / 1974-1977
88-76-86 / Credit Union Central, Calgary – Account #414-0 – Statements / 1978-1981
88-76-87 / Edmonton Savings and Credit Union, Bonnie Doon Branch – Account #19330-4 – Statements / 1976-1979
88-76-88 / Credit Union Accounts – Ledger sheets and bank reconciliation forms / 1977, 1982
88-76-89 / Edmonton Savings and Credit Union, Bonnie Doon Branch – Account #19602-8 – Statements / 1976-1977
88-76-90 / Edmonton Savings and Credit Union, Bonnie Doon Branch – Account #4310173 – Statements / 1982-1983
88-76-91 / Edmonton Savings and Credit Union, Bonnie Doon Branch – Account #4312369 – Statements / 1982-1983
88-76-92 / CN Credit Union Ltd., Edmonton – Accounts #30966-5 & 30397-3 – Statements / 1976, 1978-1979
88-76-93 / CN Credit Union Ltd., Edmonton – Account #30397-3 – Statements / 1979-1981
88-76-94 / CN Credit Union Ltd., Edmonton – Account #30431-0 – Statements / June-December 1978
88-76-95 / Amalgamated Credit Union Ltd., Edmonton – Account #231260 – Statements / 1978-1979
88-76-96 / Amalgamated Credit Union Ltd., Edmonton – Account #231260 – Statements / 1980
88-76-97 / Amalgamated Credit Union Ltd., Edmonton – Account #231260 – Statements / 1981-1983
88-76-98 / Credit Union, Oliver Gardens Account, Edmonton – Account #2994-1 and receipt book / 1980-1982
88-76-99 / Credit Union, Edmonton Savings Mortgage Branch / 1979, 1980
88-76-100 / Amalgamated Credit Union / 1975-1983
Correspondence and Guide to Financial Operations
V.Household Accounts and Expenditures
88-76-101 / Expenditures, per house / 1980-198188-76-102 / Income Information – House rental income / 1972-1977
88-76-103 / Various records, including bank balances, check register and house rental income records / 1979-1982
88-76-104 / NSF cheques – listing / 1977
Series 5