Landscape Archives | Page 3 of 5 | Sweat Equity – The Grimsby Homebuilding Co-operative 1953

Dorothy and Pat with their children

Co-operative homebuilding required the strong alliance of husband and wife as well as the teamwork of the men who would build together. The wives were vigilant on the […]

Homes and neighbours

A sense of community had begun when they first gathered in 1953. The culmination of their study, work and co-operation was a well-built home and a fine community […]

Lakedale homes almost complete

Rain or shine, snow or sleet, the build continued, with the men working into the evenings until it was too dark to carry on. Some nights they strung […]

Lunch break on the site

Most often the men would rush home to eat before heading out to the site. On an early spring day, these fellows enjoyed a welcome snack at break […]

The Lakedale Co-operators

Doug Wilson of the Lakedale group captured colour photos of his fellow co-operators. Together with photos collected from families and footage by John Blake of Sherbrien-Cathedral Heights co-op, […]

Lakeview Public School students

Lakeview was aptly named, as Lake Ontario was visible from its front doors. Many of the co-op kids would see one another again at Grimsby Secondary School. Some […]

The Hill family

Derwyn joined the co-op while working as a plasterer in the family business (The Hill Brothers). In 1963 he was ordained after completing courses at Knox College, so […]

Worley house on Stewart Street

Years later, almost everyone can remember a red clay or a mud story, whether it was about getting stuck in the mud or about Mom trying to clean […]

A visit to the neighbours

Albertine would battle the red clay all the years of tending her magnificent vegetable garden.

Earth and mud everywhere

As some houses neared completion, the families began to move in. It must have been a challenge for Moms and Dads to keep their children safe and clear […]

Stuck in the mud

It was noted that a man who became stuck in the mud had to walk out of his boots and carry on “with one bare foot.”

Expert shingler John Colleary

Although John was a plasterer by trade, he was very good at shingling during the build. And so he was honoured as the King of the Shingleers.