Wit’s End Mission Statement

 

Wit’s End Co-op is dedicated to the highest quality of living that can be achieved in a housing cooperative.

This includes the maintenance of the building through participation and contracting of specific trades to sustain the original investment to build Wit’s End. Diligence of the board in the overseeing, running and executing the policy’s, procedures and supervision of the Wit’s End, as set out in it’s policy’s and procedures voted for by it’s members.

Adhering, cultivating and fostering growth, peace, harmony of Wit’s End through full participation as per the cooperative act and the ideals set out in cooperative living concepts. Utilizing the participation directive to directly and indirectly manage our key expenses which directly affect our housing charges; maintenance of building, upkeep, committee’s of membership.

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Wit’s End was built in the 1986 along other co-op’s of this time. Now it is 31 years of age and going strong. Built on a more California style of design, Wit’s End boasts the inner courtyard concept that allows people to see their  neighbors and the courtyard from their front door. This Melrose Place style of design helps cultivate a sense of community and an open air feeling to living that is very unusual in co-op buildings.

 

We take advantage of this with many social activities we have each year where people can meet in the open courtyard during BBQ’s or regular clean ups. Our Social Committee is very active as it ties into the participation events we have on a regular basis. Wit’s End is like other co-op’s in design where participation is the foundation to it’s growth, sustainability and community dedicated to keeping it’s manageable expenses under control by members taking up action to help run, maintain, clean and general  upkeep of the property.

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Wit’s  End is a full participation co-op, where members voted in 2015 on a special resolution to track and report the hours that are to be achieved annually. This resolution came out of the conflict of the ‘few’ doing the work that the ‘many’ could do. This special resolution leveled the playing field for all members to see what is being done and by whom in a transparent and non judge mental way. Since 2015, the amount of hours that the members have put into the maintenance, running and upkeep of the building has amounted to an average value of $50,000 worth of work annually. Without this participation, these hours and work would be on the members to pay in their housing charges, by hiring out to contractors and other trades.

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This is the design and nature of the cooperative concept. Members roll up their sleeve’s to help control their housing charge costs. In the City of Vancouver, which is one of the most expensive cities in the world, the ability to control and manage your housing expense is a rare and wonderful luxury.

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For those interested in Wit’s End Co-op as a place to live, we encourage you to consider that we expect participation, as it is fair to all  when everyone helps with the work to be done! For a list of things to do to participate in, we encourage you to talk to our membership committee for specifics:

 

• Maintenance is one of the biggest ones and the most directly tied into our housing expenses;

• Membership is another area of participation that is enormously beneficial to the community as whole;

• Board of Directors is another area of participation that is extremely valuable to the running and operation of the community;

 

Many other areas exist where members can participate that is not always ‘physical’. However, maintenance is one of the most cultivated and directly apparent to all when work is done. We look great!

 

Our Building

 

As we are now 31 years old, we have many areas where age is showing and remediation is being planned.

Work is in progress to acquire a loan to remediate many building infrastructure items, repairs or replacement and suite updating. Safe to say, we have a ‘clean bill of health’ structurally, but items like pipes, roofs, windows, kitchens and bathrooms will be in a cycle to be replaced as they have reached their age of replacement.

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Clean Building and our Standards

 

We regularly inspect our suites  for several reasons:

-good housekeeping, tidy, no clutter, no fire hazards

-find areas that need repair 

-find leaky taps or faucets

-Co op standard for cleanliness(clean glove)

(Inspections are another opportunity to Participate)

 

Some repairs are from ‘Wear and Tear’ and some repairs can be due to members not maintaining their suite to our Standards.

As everyone has different standards we have included some photo’s of suites to demonstrate the standard we expect.

These standards reflect another opportunity for the Co op to keep repairs and maintenance costs to a minimum. Poor housekeeping costs ‘everyone’ at Wit’s End as our main revenue source is our members housing charges.

To pay for more repairs these funds would need to come from our membership and we wish to avoid doing so. Please expect to keep your suite tidy, clean, and fire hazard free at Wit’s End Co op.

 

Orientation Meetings

Wit’s End will have 4 Orientation Meetings in the course of the year. One for each quarter of the year.

They will be hosted by our Membership Committee and it is here we can meet and greet potential new members to our community

The Posting for each meeting will be here on our Website. A sign up will allow us to plan snacks and drinks

(Participation Opportunity)

 

Subsidy

Subsidy at this time is unavailable. All suites are at Market Prices

 

Parking

Wit’s End has 2 floors of underground parking. It is first come first served.

Members can put themselves on a waiting list for a parking spot if the garage is full.

An annual charge for parking is $75 for the year. A deposit for the FOB is taken and returned upon move out

 

Parking in the area is more challenging since the city installed bike lanes on S.W.Marine Drive

We have some parking in the alley way, but it too is first come first serve.

Double parking is not permitted as it can cause safety concerns for emergency service vehicles

(Tidying the parkade is another Participation Opportunity)

 

Recylcing

We have many paper and containers bins in the back of the building. They need constant tidying up(good participation opportunity)

 

Common Room Booking

Our Common Room is available for booking private events 7 days a week. Hours of use is ……..

 

 

On a Separate Drop Down

 

Cleaning and Maintenance of your suite

 

Each suite will have a handbook that explains more about the Co op, how it works, excpectations, etc

 

Below is a list of do’s and dont’s for your suite maintenance

 

Tile in bathroom

-wall. Don’t bleach grout

-floor. Don’t bleach grout or use harsh cleansers

 

Tile on floors

-same as above

 

Laminate on Floors

-no harsh chemicles. Damp mopping. No wet mop or mops with heavy water in them. Avoid spills to prevent damaging boards

-dust and spot clean where needed

 

Vinyl floors

-clean with Mr Clean or other

-wax once a year

 

Window Channels 

-regular maintenance is needed to keep free of mildew and dirt.

As the windows will be a ‘cold barrier’ to the exterior, mildew and dirt will accumulate. Keep them clean regularly to avoid build up that creates a headache to clean or damages the window sill and returns

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