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Wednesday 19 February 2014

Founding Ideals



"This Co-operative began February 22nd, 1967 and was initially called Campus Co-operative Association Ltd. Its present Corporate name of Assiniboia Community Housing Co-operative (ACHC) LTD. was formally registered March 10, 1982. ACHC objects are:

(a) To promote co-operative housing and the social and economic welfare of the members of the association by utilizing their united efforts to provide housing and related services on a non-profit basis.

(b) To expand the availability of low-cost housing, primarily to single adults, in the city of Edmonton between the boundaries of the North Saskatchewan River to the North, Mill Creek Ravine to the East, 76 Avenue to the South, and 121 street to the West.

(c) To associate itself with other co-operatives and associations throughout Alberta, Canada and other countries for the purpose of mutual aid.

(d) To create a non-sexist living environment and promote gender equity.

(e) To provide housing that is well-built, well-maintained and is not damaging to the environment.

(f) To promote communal living.

(g) To engender a sense of community among the members of all houses in the Co-operative.

(h) To ensure that no discrimination, restriction or coercion shall be exercised or practiced by reason of age, race, colour, creed, national origin, political or religious affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, marital status or physical disability in ACHC's selection of members.

(i) To carry on any business or render any other service which can be conveniently carried on or rendered in connection with the above. To acquire by purchase, lease or otherwise and to sell or otherwise dispose of such equipment and facilities as may be necessary and convenient in carrying out the above objectives. 

(j) To encourage and facilitate a democratic process among all members of the Co-operative."

Not to Scale


Love From Well-Traveled Members





Correspondence Quotes

An undated letter to GLL from Granada, EspaƱa:

"Honourable Lentils, beans, legumes & pulses, I have to say I do miss the meals there, the food is good here but the company at 10554 83 ave can't be beat. I suppose this letter will find the earth waiting for compost and seeds? I trust you will all rise to the occasion - get out there and start that garden and reap the profits in the fall. Maybe I should designate tasks? Just kidding."

And a 2004 postcard from Barbados (it's February in Edmonton, we're living vicariously through these past travelers):

"Greetings and Love to all Lentils & Friends of Lentils!! Look - I found the Bajan Golden Lentil. Forget the co-op cottage, we just need to get a co-op charter to the tropics."

Before Fairies!



A labeling mishap: one of our 2014 GLL members discovered a photograph collection and sent them to the archiving group. While 'before fairies' (i.e. before our current house members) was a fair enough assumption, looking through them we discovered that it's never safe to assume that there isn't a fairy living in the Golden Lentils Lodge.

Things We Forget


The lovely and unfortunate thing about living in a community with such high turnover is that we often find surprises like this - a guestbook from 2006 that didn't make it past five entries and photographs of people and protests with no context or date. Part of our archiving quest is to find items like this and either contextualize them or put them back into use (next time you're at GLL, ask to sign our resurrected book!)