Neill-Wycik

Neill-Wycik Co-operative College, located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a student residence with over 700 rooms, accommodating students of many of the colleges and universities in the city.^[1] In the summer months, when only about 350 students are staying at Neill-Wycik, it also serves visitors as a low-cost hotel, serving upwards of 24,000 guests per summer.^[2] Neill-Wycik is a co-op, which means that the residents/members are also considered owners. Members are given opportunities to make decisions, vote on by-laws and to set the policies of the co-op.^[3]

History

In 1966, Kathy Whalen and a small group of Ryerson students developed an initiative to create Neill-Wycik. The then Ryerson Polytechnic Institute offered the group its property on 96 Gerrard Street that was scheduled to be demolished. The group then secured approval for a $5.4 Million mortgage from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and used that money to construct the building.^[4] Such loans had only recently been made possible by an amendment to Canada's National Housing Act which enabled student housing co-operatives to get financing from CMHC.^[5] On August 15, 1970, Neill-Wycik opened its doors to students.^[3] The building was named after three persons: Wycik was the last name of Aurilee and Raymond Wycik, who ran a small cafeteria in Ryerson University's Kerr Hall and Neill was A.S. Neill, the Principal of Summerhill, one of the most successful English free schools.^[6]

Neill-Wycik commenced the building of an expansion in December 1986. The Marten's Wing, or McGill Wing, so named for the street it abuts, ultimately opened in January 1988.^[4]

Present operations

Neill-Wycik is one of five members of the Ontario Student Co-operative Association (OSCA), as well as being a member of the Ontario Co-operative Association (OnCo-op).^[7]

In 2006, Neill-Wycik was presented the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada's Jim MacDonald Award for Social Change for instituting its Member Contribution Program.^[8] This program, which involves members of the co-op doing 2 hours of volunteer work each month to contribute to functioning and social life of the co-op, was implemented around 1995.^[9]

Neill-Wycik staff members unionized as part of Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 1281, circa 1995.^[10]

References

1. ^ "Neill-Wycik Co-operative College". Ontario Student Co-op Association. http://www.osca.coop/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=80&Itemid=81. Retrieved 2011-07-20. 
2. ^ "Newsbriefs - Ontario Edition". Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada. p. 3. http://www.chfc.ca/eng/pdf/ONB/ONB2004-04.pdf. Retrieved 2011-07-20. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Neill-Wycik Co-operative College". http://www.neill-wycik.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=86&Itemid=133. Retrieved 2009-01-10. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Neill-Wycik Owner's Manual 2007-2008. Toronto, Ontario. 2007. pp. 3. http://www.neill-wycik.com/members_handbook_2007.pdf. 
5. ^ "History of Student Co-ops in Ontario". Ontario Student Co-op Association. http://www.osca.coop/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=89&Itemid=91. Retrieved 2011-07-20. 
6. ^ Neill-Wycik Owner's Manual 2010-2011. Toronto, Ontario. 2010. pp. 3. http://www.neill-wycik.com/members_handbook_2007.pdf. 
7. ^ "Neill-Wycik". The Ontario Co-operative Association. http://www.ontario.coop/edirectory/neillwycik. Retrieved 2011-07-20. 
8. ^ "2006 Annual General Meeting Minutes". Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada. http://www.chfc.ca/eng/pdf/AGM2006NationalMinutes.pdf. Retrieved 2011-07-20. 
9. ^ Re Neill-Wycik Co-operative College Inc. and C.U.P.E., Local 1281, [1995] O.L.A.A. No. 787, at para. 11.
10. ^ "Housing Organizations and Cooperatives". CUPE 1281. http://www.cupe1281.ca/index.php?section_id=31. Retrieved 2011-07-20. 

External links

Google Maps Satellite View of the Building