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 of-
ficial 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 crea-
tion 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 suc-
cessful 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 ad-
ministration, 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 shor-
tage. 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 stu-
dent co-ops in Ontario. It was a ser-
vice 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 construc-
tion. In 1968 the board moved 100
students into the major training
ground, Rochdale College, where
they began to learn about ad-
ministering a co-op.
The student-run organization
supervised construction of Neill-
Wycik and the first move-in in 1970.
Next they had to create a com-
munity 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 Neill-
Wycik 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 co-
operative 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 Con-
gess and the Co-op Union
of Canada forms the Na-
tional Labour Co-
operative Committee to
promote better understan-
ding between unions and
co-ops. Co-op housing is
one of the N LCC's pro-
grams.
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 co-
ops.
- 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 Pro-
gram 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 construc-
tion.
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 pro-
gram.
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Principles of Co-operation
1. Open and Voluntary Member-
ship: Membership of a co-
operative should be voluntary
and available without artificial
restriction of any social ,
political or religious discrimina-
tion, to all persons who can
make use of its services and are
willing to accept the respon-
sibilities of membership.
2. Democratic Control: Co-
operatives are democratic
organizations. Their affairs
should be administered by per-
sons 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 par-
ticipation 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, aris-
ing out of the operations of a co-
operative 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 in-
creases in the next year.
Through this practice, the princi-
ple of return of surplus to
members is realized.)
5. Co-operative Education: All co-
operatives should make provi-
sion 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 Co-
operatives: All co-operative
organizations, in order to best
serve the interests of their
members and their com-
munities, should actively co-
operate 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 social-
political ideals. The above prin-
ciples 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, ap-
point 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 Direc-
tors, the Management Committee
assists the Board by preparing and
revising the annual budget,
monitoring financial practices of
the Co-op (e.g. investments, in-
surance) and providing regular
financial reports to the Board. The
Management Committee also
makes policy and generally ad-
ministers the business of our sum-
mer hotel operation.
Upkeep Committee
Appoi nted by the Board of Di rec-
tors, 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 col-
lected as your "education and
social activities" fee (about
$22,000 per year). This money goes
toward the upkeep and improve-
ment 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 non-
payment 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 pro-
blem. Its first task was to develop
an arrears policy that was approv-
ed by the membership the next spr-
ing. Its subsequent role is to
periodically review and recom-
mend revisions to the policy and
consider individual cases of ar-
rears.
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 recommenda-
tions concerning members then in
arrears. Strategies to deal with
members who repeatedly pay late
are developed for implementation.
Policy and procedures are review-
ed to adequately deal with arrears
issues as they change.
The meetings are held "in
camera" to protect the confiden-
tiality 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 con-
tact the RAC through the staff.
Members are asked to put their re-
quests 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 Neill-
Wycik's investment income and
cash flow.
Newsletter Committee
This is the very ad hoc commit-
tee 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, Neill-
Wycik 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 clean-
ing. Your options include joining a
committee, running for the Board,
being on a facility core group, run-
ning 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 ac-
tivities.
And speaking of floor co-
ordinators ... 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 Bren-
da Owen and Sandra Orr decided
to do something (anything!) to br-
ing 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 concern-
ed 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 Involve-
ment Group) was born to present
solutions to these problems.
Now, the M.1. Group, being com-
posed 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 for-
mal structure. Rather, their
meeti ngs were casual and anyone
interested was invited to come and
join their discussions and ac-
tivities. Their password was en-
thusiasm-enthusiasm for the co-
op, the members and themselves.
They hoped their enthusiasm
would become contagious, even-
tually spreading throughout the
co-op. So far, so good. At their first
event-the New Member Orienta-
tion 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 en-
thusiastically in great numbers
and much fun was had by all. SUC-
CESS!.
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 get-
ting long-term two-person and
apartment members more involv-
ed, etc., etc. Busy, busy, busy.
Meanwhile, the Board and staff
of the co-op caught the en-
thusiasm bug and were very sup-
portive of this new and very active
M.1. Group. The staff said;
"Anything you need-any thing-
-you've got it! " Now, that's en-
thusiasm!
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, co-
operatively, they all live happily
ever after.
Staff
The staff administrate the hous-
ing and hotel operations on a day-
to-day basis. This includes collec-
ting the money, paying the bills,
doing repairs, giving out applica-
tions, 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 of-
fice 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 "Pur-
chases"
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 recom-
mend 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 of-
fices are on the 22nd floor. The Ad-
ministrative Assistant, Housing
Co-ordinator, Community Develop-
ment 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 par-
ty, make housing inquiries, get a
new key, arrange for parking or just
talk to someone about whatever's
bugging you. The facilities' sign-
out 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 Neill-
Wycik are on the 22nd floor just
outside of the administrative of-
fices. 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 cor-
rectly 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 ad-
dress. Please give us your forwar-
ding address when you move out
so we can redirect your mail for six
weeks. The post office will not for-
ward mail for this building
because we run a hotel in the sum-
mer, so we do it.
Parcels are delivered late in the
morning and may not be sorted un-
til 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 dur-
ing 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 bet-
ween the O'Keefe Centre and
Union Station. It's about a half-
hour 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 Ad-
ministrative Assistant if you have
any problems with your mail.
Parking
Parking in downtown Toronto is
very limited and extremely expen-
sive. 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 inex-
pensive. 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 tow-
ed 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 applica-
tion from the Administrative Assis-
tant in the office. It has the same
payment schedule as the car park-
ing 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 agree-
ment about shari ng the phone
because Bell will usually allow on-
ly one phone per un it. (The
possibility of what happens if so-
meone does not pay their bills
should be included in the agree-
ment.)
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 sign-
ing 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 restric-
tions. The sewing room, darkroom,
weight room, pottery room, film
editing room and woodshop re-
quire 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 book-
ing. The Steamer requires booking
ahead of time for the various ac-
tivities 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 us-
ed 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. Par-
ties 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 im-
portant that you report problems
as you notice them. Repairs can be
reported to the office on the 22nd
floor. Report problems like dripp-
ing 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 clean-
ed 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 sup-
plied 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 con-
sidering 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 water-
heating 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 elec-
trical 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 en-
courage people to question so-
meone they don't recognize or to
report if they have doubts that so-
meone 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 even-
ings 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 over-
night 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 re-
quired . . 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 becom-
ing 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 ex-
ample, 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 responsi-
ble 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 con-
secutive days, but any 10
days.
5. Absolutely no pets are allow-
ed 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 men-
tion 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 win-
dows.
Pets in multiple units.
Unless the breach falls into the
second category, you will be warn-
ed. 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 environ-
ment for everyone.
Paying the Rent
Part of our collective respon-
sibility is the payment of rent on
time-at the first of every month.
Rental arrears has been a pro-
blem at Neill-Wycik since it open-
ed. It causes additional ad-
ministrative expense, cash flow
problems, and has placed an un-
fair 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
17
18
I
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 con-
ditions or it serves the member
with a "Notice to Appear" at the
next Board meeting to discuss
continued residence at Neill-
Wycik. Non-payment or chronic
late payment is grounds for evic-
tion 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 finan-
cial reporting more efficient. We
hope to eventually use our three
terminals for accounts payable,
text editing, general ledger and ac-
counts 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 multi-
unit 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 In-
surance-$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 pro-
viding this information to us. He
can be reached at 231-1445 to
answer further questions or con-
nect 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 two-
person unit; two-person to apart-
ment, 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. Depar-
ting members must sign a "Notice
to Vacate" form and pay a $50
lease breaking fee. See the Hous-
ing Co-ordinator for more details.
lounge
A1
A2
lounge
The Hotel
A number of Neill-Wycik's multi-
ple units operate as a budget hotel
from May until August. Our guests
in 1983 came from 50 countries.
The hotel is staffed by two perma-
nent 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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if
o
kitchen
Typical Floor Plan
19
20
Fire Safety
Fire Safety
One of the most important
aspects to living in a 22-storey
building is fire safety. Everyone liv-
ing and working at Nei"-Wycik
must take the responsibility to en-
sure 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 cigaret-
tes, not disposing of flammable li-
quids improperly and avoiding un-
safe 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 "Instruc-
tions to Occupants on Fire Pro-
cedures". Please look at this and
read it carefully.
If you detect smoke or fire ac-
tivate 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 ring-
ing.
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 cor-
ridor 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 pro-
tected 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 infor-
mation 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 advis-
ed to:
Not put burning materials such
as cigarettes and ashes into gar-
bage 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 hang-
ing sleeves).
* Not use unsafe electrical ap-
pliances, frayed extension cords,
overloaded outlets or lampwire for
permanent wiring.
* Avoid careless smoking. Never
smoke in bed. Use ashtrays.
* * *
In general, occupants are advis-
ed to:
* Know where the alarm pull sta-
tions and exits are located.
* Call your local Fire Department
immediately whenever you need
assistance.
* Know the correct building ad-
dress.
Most of you have probably never
lived in a building with as much
fire safety equipment as Neill-
Wycik has. If you grew up in a
house, as most of us did, you pro-
bably had one or two fire ex-
tinguishers, 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
21
22
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 building-
wide 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 block-
ing 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 dur-
ing 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 win-
dow 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 dur-
ing 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 com-
ing 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 pro-
pped 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 ar-
chitects 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 bat-
tery 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
23
24
it or repair it.
The smoke detector alarms your
unit only. If it tells you there's a
fire, you tell everyone else by pull-
ing 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 ex-
tinguishers to see how it works.
Fire extinguishers are not toys!
If you get caught setting one off
without good reason, you are go-
ing 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. Us-
ing 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
25
26
Jobs with Wycik
Jobs
Neill-Wycik has various jobs for
its members. Preference is given
to full-time students, where prac-
tical, for these jobs. In the
fall/winter the part-time jobs in-
clude mail-sorting, security staff,
painters and occasional typists. In
the spring and fall there are short
(five to ten days) full-time jobs do-
ing building clean-up.
Neill-Wycik fills the room left va-
cant by departing members in the
summer by running a hotel opera-
tion. That means full-time summer
jobs working as security person-
nel, in the breakfast cafeteria, on
the front desk, doing housekeep-
ing, or working on maintenance.
Watch for signs for these jobs.
The Co-operative Community
Co-operation Among Co-
operatives
Neill-Wycik is a member of
several co-operative organizations
to fulfill this basic principle of co-
operation.
1. Co-operative Housing Federa-
tion of Toronto
Neill-Wycik is a member of
CH FT as are the majority of hous-
ing co-ops in Metro. This organiza-
tion of housing co-ops began soon
after Neill-Wycik opened. In 1973
representatives from several
organizations met to discuss non-
profit housing. The federal govern-
ment had recently amended the
National Housing Act, creating the
first housing co-op financing pro-
gram 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 co-
operatives.
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 in-
ternal operations and administra-
tion. There is a staff of about 25.
The major work of the organiza-
tion 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 par-
ticipate in the democratic func-
tioning of the organization through
our delegate.
2. Co-operative Housing Founda-
tion of Canada
The national organization was
established in 1968 to provide for
continuing resource development
and a communication and ad-
vocacy centre for co-operative
housing in Canada. Represen-
tatives 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. . e r e 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 hous-
ing co-op mortgage negotiated
with the Co-op Trust they con-
tribute % of one per cent of the
mortgage principal (i.e. half of their
mortgage fee) to CH F. This finan-
cial 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 hous-
ing 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 pro-
vides training in cities across
Canada for housing co-op
members, directors and staff
Information Network to give
continuing practical informa-
27
28
tion regularly
CH F also spends a con-
siderable amount of time involved
in the political arena-lobbying
for legislation, monitoring
legislative changes and the ac-
tivities of officials. It organizes its
members for nation-wide action
when necessary.
Each spring the annual
meeting/conference is held. Co-
ops send a delegate and
observers to represent them at
this meeting and also attend the
education sessions at the con-
ference. 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 um-
brella organization for student co-
ops (housing, food and retail) in
the U.S. and Canada. It is i nvolv-
ed in the co-op movement at
various levels, including training
and consultation, information ex-
change, 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 COOP OFFICE
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Film
8i/lards
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STAIRS [
Mall
telephones
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POTTERY STUDIO
COPIER
COHEN
Library
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MAXWELL
ROOM HALES
COOP
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
1111111 11
STAIRS I.
JillJillJ I
SNELGROVE ROOM
Darkroom complex
KITCHEN
MURRAY
PAULIN
SAUNA
STAIRS
storage ROOM
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Basement
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elevators
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mechanical
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CONN MITCHEL WOODSHOP
EXERCISE
ROOM
29
30
EMERGENCY
ONLY
CALL SECURITY
9772322
Coop Office ........................... 9772320
Fire, Police, Ambulance ..................... 911
Poison Control ......................... 5975900
or 4618272
Drug Crises ............................ 5956128
Suicide Prevention ..................... 3683111
Distress Centre ........................ 5981121
or 4861456
Produced by Pat Nabert
Typeset by Rye Eye Publishing
Printed by Action Printing