The Co-operative Housing Federation of BC’s annual Century of Co-operation Awards were handed out on September 27, 2024. The annual luncheon recognizes the contribution of seniors as part of their co-op communities, many of whom have lived in their co-op communities for over thirty years.

The theme of this year’s celebration was “belonging” – a concept that many of the recipients reflected on in the course of the afternoon, whether it be the diversity of their co-op communities, or the neighborly attitudes and kindnesses that were hallmarks of their co-operative living experiences.

Graham McGarva recalled the exact date they moved into Alder Bay Housing Co-operative: 12:01am on December 1, 1979.  The building was brand new, and finishing work was still underway – few units could yet boast both a toilet and a fridge. But it was already home – and one in which is family would stay for the next 45 years.

Bea Fogelberg, who attended the luncheon with a table full of residents from the Connaught Housing Co-operative, were celebrating their building having fully paid off their mortgage. For her, the proximity of her friends and neighbours was her favourite part of co-op. “We’ve got some wonderful people. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else,” Bea says. “I was thinking the other day. If I won $20 million, what would I do? I still wouldn’t move… I would remodel my kitchen.”

Her neighbour, Judy Heintz, loves her location, and the security living in a co-op building provides. Over the years she’s organized activities and classes, running art classes for kids to build instruments out of recycled materials and a building games night.

Judy Young, who also serves on the CHF BC Aging in Place committee spoke to the importance of finding ways to allow seniors to stay in their communities. “We have to continue allowing people to age in place,” she says. “Especially women. Older women. Because a lot of the women that are now aging in place did not have the opportunities that women have now. We weren’t allowed to. We weren’t allowed to have bank accounts. We weren’t allowed to have credit cards.”

The Aging in Place committee helps co-ops learn more about how they can support residents and better plan for their future. “Very soon there’s going to be about 20 to 25% of the population of Canada will be aging in place,” she says. “That’s huge. So, there’s a lot of initiatives that are available to people. And services that they just don’t know about. So, it’s our mandate to bring that to their attention as much as we possibly can.”

Ursala Cambell and Lynne Fairful are long-time friends and neighbours in Richmond’s Greenland Housing Cooperative. Over the years each has served on a number of committees that suited their interests and life stages, including the membership, landscaping, and social committees.

“We have barbecues and get-togethers, and we have special little things for the kids when it comes to Easter and things like that.”

Sue Sparlin lives in a New Westminster co-op with her cat, Percival. Her favourite aspect is the “cooperativeness” of her neighbours.  “During the pandemic, I had people calling on me, asking me if I needed to do something,” she recalls.  “If I needed any groceries, they were going out. They would drop the groceries at my door. It was perfect. In the wintertime, my sidewalk gets shoveled by somebody. This lovely neighbor here comes and trims the ferns and the bushes and rakes my leaves. People are just really helpful.”

Sue also values the diversity of her neighborhood, connecting her with people who might not otherwise be in her social circle. “It makes me a better person to be able to co-operate with everybody like that,” she explains. “And ordinarily, I wouldn’t get that.”

These types of community connections are invaluable at any age and life stage but are particularly impactful for the seniors aging in place within their co-op communities. These community-oriented individuals showcase how cooperative living enables residents to retain vital community bonds across decades, bringing together different generations who are able to take care of, learn from, and appreciate each other.