The history of the Co-op does not begin in Pitt Meadows. The Co-op serviced farmers in Pitt Meadows long before it became a local business. From when it first opened at Webster’s Corner garage in 1930 to the present, the Co-op underwent changes in name, ownership, location and two amalgamations. Despite its initial location outside of Pitt Meadows the Co-op was an essential service to farmers and would later move to Pitt Meadows.<\/div>\r\n
<\/div>\r\n
The Consumers’ Co-op <\/strong><\/div>\r\n
The first Co-op that was closest to farmers in Pitt Meadows was the Consumers’ Co-operative in Webster’s Corners garage. The Consumers Co-operative Association was incorporated on November 13, 1930. The Co-op store was started by Finnish farmers who formed the Consumers’ Co-operative Association. These farmers wrote their meeting minutes in Finnish until the 1950s. The association was formed to alleviate the cost of living during the depression. Small farmers worked at the Co-op to supplement their income. The Consumers’ Co-op Association saved money by purchasing food, animal feed and clothing in bulk.<\/div>\r\n
<\/div>\r\n
In 1937 the Co-op moved to a new building on Trunk Rd at 256th Street where a store and feed mill operated. The Harris Road Co-op In 1943, the Pitt Meadows Farmers’ Institute built a warehouse called the Harris Road Co-op on land leased from the C.P.R. It was located west of Harris Road on the north side of the tracks. This warehouse provided an opportunity for the members of the Pitt Meadows Farmers’ Institute to purchase supplies in bulk at a reduced price and distribute feed in carload lots. In 1944 the Harris Road Co-op acquired a hammer mill for farmers to use.<\/div>\r\n
<\/div>\r\n
First Amalgamation <\/strong><\/div>\r\n
In 1944 the Farmers’ Institute and the Webster’s Consumers’ Co-op gathered thousands of dollars to finance the moving of equipment to a new building, construction of a new building, mills and storage space. The money came from shares in the co-op and yearly patronage dividends. By November 24, 1944, the feed business of the Pitt Meadows Farmers Institute was now owned by the Webster’s Corners Consumers’ Co-operative. The Co-op operated the business from the warehouse in Pitt Meadows twice a week and provided deliveries. When they amalgamated with the Webster’s Corners Consumers’ Co-operative the Farmers’ Institute continued to run the local store for some time. The feed mill was moved to Harris Road in 1951. The Consumers’ Co-op closed its original store at Webster’s Corner in 1966. It moved to Harris Road in 1967. The hardware store opened in 1970.<\/div>\r\n
<\/div>\r\n
The Otter Co-Op<\/strong><\/div>\r\n
The Otter Co-op started in Aldergrove in 1922 and then expanded into the Fraser Valley, Greater Vancouver, and the B.C. Interior. Since 1930 the Otter Co-op was the Consumers’ Co-op’s feed provider. The Otter Co-op opened as a feed mill and warehouse for the Consumers’ Co-op in 1967. Demolition of the Hammer Mill In 2003 the old warehouse and hammer mill were torn down because it had not been used since 1993. The Co-op decided to terminate the lease with the C.P.R. and demolish the feed mill in 2003. During the demolition, there was a fire at the Co-op that burned down the old mill. The fire was caused by sparks from a cutting torch that ignited some old grain dust in the building. The fire spread up the walls and into the trusses that supported the roof. Part of the machinery in the old mill also caught fire. After the demolition, a new warehouse (the dome we see today) was erected.<\/div>\r\n
<\/div>\r\n
Second Amalgamation <\/strong><\/div>\r\n
In 2008 the Consumers’ Co-op approached the Otter Co-op with the request to amalgamate, and on April 27, 2009, the amalgamation was completed.<\/div>\r\n
<\/strong><\/div>\r\n
The Co-op Closes <\/strong><\/div>\r\n
After the Co-op was sold to facilitate the construction of the new Harris Road underpass, it ceased operations in Pitt Meadows at the end of 2022. There is talk of a need for a feed operation somewhere in the community, but at the time of writing to the best of our knowledge, nothing has been arranged. At the time of closure, a version of the Co-op had operated in Pitt Meadows for 78 years.<\/div>","SEO_LINK":"history-of-the-co-op","VIDEO_LINK":"","SOUNDCLOUD_LINK":"","IMG1":"","IMG2":"","IMG3":"","IMG4":"","IMG5":"","IMG6":"","IMG7":"","IMG1_THUMB":"","IMG2_THUMB":"","IMG3_THUMB":"","IMG4_THUMB":"","IMG5_THUMB":"","IMG6_THUMB":"","IMG7_THUMB":""}X
History of the Co-Op
The history of the Co-op does not begin in Pitt Meadows. The Co-op serviced farmers in Pitt Meadows long before it became a local business. From when it first opened at Webster’s Corner garage in 1930 to the present, the Co-op underwent changes in name, ownership, location and two amalgamations. Despite its initial location outside of Pitt Meadows the Co-op was an essential service to farmers and would later move to Pitt Meadows.
The Consumers’ Co-op
The first Co-op that was closest to farmers in Pitt Meadows was the Consumers’ Co-operative in Webster’s Corners garage. The Consumers Co-operative Association was incorporated on November 13, 1930. The Co-op store was started by Finnish farmers who formed the Consumers’ Co-operative Association. These farmers wrote their meeting minutes in Finnish until the 1950s. The association was formed to alleviate the cost of living during the depression. Small farmers worked at the Co-op to supplement their income. The Consumers’ Co-op Association saved money by purchasing food, animal feed and clothing in bulk.
In 1937 the Co-op moved to a new building on Trunk Rd at 256th Street where a store and feed mill operated. The Harris Road Co-op In 1943, the Pitt Meadows Farmers’ Institute built a warehouse called the Harris Road Co-op on land leased from the C.P.R. It was located west of Harris Road on the north side of the tracks. This warehouse provided an opportunity for the members of the Pitt Meadows Farmers’ Institute to purchase supplies in bulk at a reduced price and distribute feed in carload lots. In 1944 the Harris Road Co-op acquired a hammer mill for farmers to use.
First Amalgamation
In 1944 the Farmers’ Institute and the Webster’s Consumers’ Co-op gathered thousands of dollars to finance the moving of equipment to a new building, construction of a new building, mills and storage space. The money came from shares in the co-op and yearly patronage dividends. By November 24, 1944, the feed business of the Pitt Meadows Farmers Institute was now owned by the Webster’s Corners Consumers’ Co-operative. The Co-op operated the business from the warehouse in Pitt Meadows twice a week and provided deliveries. When they amalgamated with the Webster’s Corners Consumers’ Co-operative the Farmers’ Institute continued to run the local store for some time. The feed mill was moved to Harris Road in 1951. The Consumers’ Co-op closed its original store at Webster’s Corner in 1966. It moved to Harris Road in 1967. The hardware store opened in 1970.
The Otter Co-Op
The Otter Co-op started in Aldergrove in 1922 and then expanded into the Fraser Valley, Greater Vancouver, and the B.C. Interior. Since 1930 the Otter Co-op was the Consumers’ Co-op’s feed provider. The Otter Co-op opened as a feed mill and warehouse for the Consumers’ Co-op in 1967. Demolition of the Hammer Mill In 2003 the old warehouse and hammer mill were torn down because it had not been used since 1993. The Co-op decided to terminate the lease with the C.P.R. and demolish the feed mill in 2003. During the demolition, there was a fire at the Co-op that burned down the old mill. The fire was caused by sparks from a cutting torch that ignited some old grain dust in the building. The fire spread up the walls and into the trusses that supported the roof. Part of the machinery in the old mill also caught fire. After the demolition, a new warehouse (the dome we see today) was erected.
Second Amalgamation
In 2008 the Consumers’ Co-op approached the Otter Co-op with the request to amalgamate, and on April 27, 2009, the amalgamation was completed.
The Co-op Closes
After the Co-op was sold to facilitate the construction of the new Harris Road underpass, it ceased operations in Pitt Meadows at the end of 2022. There is talk of a need for a feed operation somewhere in the community, but at the time of writing to the best of our knowledge, nothing has been arranged. At the time of closure, a version of the Co-op had operated in Pitt Meadows for 78 years.
Details:
Latitude: 49.2271898689587
Longitude: -122.68992092671
Direct Link: https://www.pittmeadowsmuseum.com/locations/history-of-the-co-op
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