Construction Archives | Page 2 of 4 | Sweat Equity – The Grimsby Homebuilding Co-operative 1953

Sherbrien and Cathedral Heights co-operators

Although John Blake captured most of the men at the work site on 8 mm film, this is a rare group photo. Don Gay (far right) is holding […]

Co-op sons collaborated as their fathers had done six decades earlier

The exhibit was designed to create the sense of being on a worksite in an unfinished house. Some of the wood was donated, and the framework sections were […]

Working together to piece it together

With volunteer design and construction completed, others added their labour to build the exhibit. The tasks echoed those undertaken by their parents 60 years earlier. The magnitude of […]

The completed subdivision in Grimsby, 1956

An aerial view of the co-operatively built neighbourhood in Grimsby, 1956. Situated between Lake Ontario with the Niagara Escarpment to the south, it was appropriately named the Lakemount […]

City of Hamilton Ontario, 1950’s

This aerial view of Hamilton Ontario in the early 1950’s shows an industrial city that was booming. With the influx of workers, the city was also sprawling yet […]

Sweat equity at work

By 1954, after a year of study and preparation, the co-op homebuilders were well into the sweat equity part of the build. They worked in teams, in the […]

Father Marrocco and fellow priests blessed each of the 14 homes.

Father Marrocco had inspired the co-op movement in Ontario in 1952, through the work of his students at the Institute of Social Action. By 1955 he was visiting […]

Jim Denvir, Citizen of the year, 1986

Jim Denvir was among a group of St. Joseph’s parishioners who helped in the community, both in and outside of the congregation. At first, they collected food, storing […]

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, […]

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 […]