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~. o~-o ~--::: ~''I>''~ WEDNESDA Y, OCTOBER 7, 1970

\\ srt JOs~Y

y,'l se' ~d

otdet ut ot

. "."-. ... ,

Neill Wycik easy soft drug use 'l\~ 0 .

e11\et~'let&Ol\'& ~ on at . del\Ce , , te&\ as

;\\e~e, tot

administra­today no

tion would be iden ts using

l'he smoKers Lto theIr own thing quietly and inobtrusively.

Miss Whelan does not expect problems will arise as a result of Neill-Wycik's policy. "It would be naive not to," she said.

--" --CJ)

• • • c • • c ..,

CD

CJ) • • --

C ::J n

the editor by published last ged criticism

Miss Whelan lurther commented that in a building the size of Neill-Wycik it would be impossible to do anything but recognize the use of drugs. "We are not prepared to police the building."

N e i ll-Wycik is careful that only residents and authentic guests are allowed inside.

The RyersonCD administration has no control over Neill-Wycik as

--....

by stating in no way that building.

, "I have been " by residents of

j'ik that after a ic vote of residents

J a general meeting, ninistration of that g sanctioned the use

and marijuana."

So far, tne only problem has been with noisy drunks.

2! e ~ ~ I')

;:

it is student owned and .., operated.

--• o --::s

~

I

""

VOLUME 10

----

Cover Illustration by Ian Gatrell & Sonya V. Thursby

The Community

The Building

The Art of Living

~/~

~~ ~~~~

N E L L w y C K own e man u a

CONTENTS

6 HISTORY By September, 1967, we realized we were going to have a high-rise co-op. By Joe Serge

8 ADMINISTRATION The Board of Directors, where your money actually goes, the committees, and the smil­Ing bunch In the office.

14 CO-OPERATION The principles are Neill-Wyclk's ver­sion of the Ten Commandments--actually five.

15 RULES Our codes of behaviour: just common sense.

TORONTO: THE COMMUNITY AROUND WYCIK GETTING AROUND TOWN ........ .. ................................. 17 THE CITY DIRECTORy .... ... ..... .. .. ..... ... ........................... 18 TORONTO'S CLUB SCENE By David Jones ................... :72 ILLUSTRATED MAP OF THE CITY By Jay McClennen .... ~ WALKING TOUR By Bruce Agar .................................. as

:n FACILITIES You practically never have to leave the building ... well. almost never.

34 WINTER, SUMMER, a THE GARBAGE CHUTE

35 RECYCUNG Conserve to combat mounting trash war.

36 SECURITY Personal security is a matter of common sense-just be careful.

38 FIRE SAFETY Make sure you know what to do.

» BELL, ROGERS, a THE TREASURER OF ONTARIO

42 YOUR NEW UFE It takes a special breed--especially if you live In one of them multi-units. By Joe Bourgeois

4S BUGS a FUSES If you here the pltter patter of little feet, you may have visitors.

46 DEFINING CO-OPERA nON

48 STATES OF MIND Getting the most out of Wycik­partying is only one way.

Neill-Wycik College OWNER'S MANUAL 1989

-!

1989 VOLUME 10

NEILL-WYCIK

Editor PAUL CLARKE

Art Director SONYAV. THURSBY

Staff Liaison NORMA HUNT

Features Editor JOE SERGE Contributing Editors BRUCE AGAR

PETER AUSTIN Ja: BOURGEOIS BERNARD BOUR-RETT 80BBYERS JOE COUTO DAVE COOPER KATHERYN DEFRIES BOBKEPPY JOHN KORCOK SAM LASKARIS HUGH RICHARDS NEILL-WYCIK STAFF DAVID SCOTT CATHY PATERSON

Copy Editor CATHY PATERSON

Cartoonists IAN GATRELL JAY McCLENNEN

Photographers HUGH BEATON SCOTT CAMPBELL SUSAN CLARK PAUL CLARKE JOE COUTO MARK GAMBLE OONGAUDETTE DAVE COOPER NORMA HUNT CYNTHIA HUSBAND GRAHAM IDDON ANDRE PARASKEVAS CATHY PATERSON DAVE STONEHOUSE SONYAV. THURSBY RALPH ZIELKE

Production Managers SONYAV. THURSBY PAUL CLARKE

The Neill-Wycik o.vner's Manual Committee extends its sincere thanks to everyone who

assisted in the creation of this manual.

Neill-Wycik ONner's Manual is published yearly by

Neill-Wycik Co-operative College Inc. 96 Gerrard Street East

Toronto Ontario Canada M5B1G7 (416) 977-2320

©1989 Neill-Wycik Co-operative College Inc.

Printed in canada by The University of Toronto Press

B UTWHEN. PAUL? From the start. I've been telling every­one "later." We'll take the remaining

photographs "later." We'll Input the rest of the copy "later.' We'll do the layout and paste-up "later."

By Paul Clarke

Well. all those "Iaters" are happening NOW, Including this obligatory editor's blurb. As I Input this, pages fourteen through thirty-four are being laser printed for the sixth time, the remaining photographs are being sized, the rest of the stories are being faxed to us. and I'm missing yet another episode of Letterman. But It's worth It. Why? Because this Is the tenth anniversary of the manual and we wanted to make It something special.

Like the first Issue, the one you now hold tells you about living In a co-operative environment. how Wyclk works. and how you can help. That's right; Nelll-Wyclk Is not simply a student residence, but a residence owned and operated by Its members. You, and the other members, control the rent and make the rules. That's why we call this the Owner's Manual.

In 1987. Dave Stonehouse, a member and Ryerson Journalism student, approached Wycik wishing to rejuvlnate the manual with new stories and a fresh, easy-to-read layout. As Dave wrote in his forward to the '87 Issue, "Wyclk depends on the Initiative and effort of Its members to keep It alive. This manual Is a product of that co-operation.'

And so It Is today. Welcome to Nelll-Wyclk.

3 Neill-Wycik College OWNER'S MANUAL 1989

THE COMMUNITY

N eill-Wycik is A Town of Its Own

ENTIRELY SELF-SUFFICIENT, we have our own equivalent of a town

council and administrators, police, laws, ideologies and citizens - a

thriving community in one building. Yet, we also share the benefits of

having the resources of Canada's largest city at our door - the best of

both worlds for our community.

THE COMMUNITY 1-1 -------------------------,

EILL-WYCIK began as a young woman's dream. This dream began to take shape in

April 1969, during the N eill-Wycik College sod-turning party on Mu­tual and Gerrard Streets. Present at the ceremo­

nies were A urilee "Mama" and Raymond "Papa" Wycik, former Toronto mayor and feder­al MP David Crombie, then Ryerson student ser­vices director, and Kathy Whalen--the Ryerson student with a dream.

If you're a student, you know that afforda­ble housing is a big problem. Students had been trying for years to get some form of the resi­dence, but never had any I uck bargaining with Howard Kerr, Ryerson's principal from 1948-66. When he left, Ryerson students decided to force the issue with the new president, Fred Jorgen­son. One of those students was Kathy Whalen.

Joe Serge, a journalism graduate, has lived in Wycik for three years.

Niell-Wycik College OWNER'S MANUAL 1989

History BY JOE SERGE

Mama and Papa Wycik toast the beginning.

"Wycik College" sounded a lot like Wycliffe College,

a divinity school

Ryerson was going to have a high-rise co­op. In December, the Canadian Union of Students sent Stan Adelman, as a field worker, to Ryerson to help the group find money and plan for the long project ahead. Initial meetings ran late, and Mama Wycik, who ran a small caf­eteria in Kerr Hall, used to make up a tray of free sand­wiches and coffee for the members of the committee. The group decided to pay tribute to Mama and Papa Wycik by nam­ing the co-op after them.

In 1966, Kathy enrolled in the Early Childhood Education pro­gram and became involved in student politics. Kathy was hired by the students' union to operate the newly-created Housing Regis­try--which still exists today. Immediately she saw the need for an on-campus residence. She liked the idea of a co-op as opposed to a normal school residence because it offered students control over their envimment as well as low-cost housing.

After persistent lobbying on Kathy's part, it was finally real­ized, in September 1967, that

6

However, Wycik College sounded a lot like Wy­cliffe College, a divinity school at the University of Toronto. To solve the problem, Kathy sug­gested adding on A.5. Neill's name. Neill was the principal of Summerhill, one of the most successful English free schools. But to add his name required his permission. Their letters to him met no reply. With time running short, the group was desperate: Stan found a student at Ryerson whose last name was Neill, but she refused to let anyone use her name. Not one to

give up, Stan then used the phone book and called up all the Neills in Toronto! Most of them hung up; the rest politely refused. Finally, a friend of Stan's persuaded an English cousin to go to Summerhill and have Neill sign the required documents. He did.

The first thing the co-op need­ed was a building from which

not enough people would know about us," Kathy said in The Biggest House on The Block, Neill-Wycik's official history book. The twelve-person units were the first to fill (back then, the E and F units were combined), probably because these rooms of­fered a meal plan, while the two­person units were the last to go.

they could oper­ate to gain some experience and raise capital. Ryerson offered it's property at 325 Church

Not one to give up easily, Stan used the

phone book and called up all the NellIs

Since then, how­ever, the trend has reversed-­forcing the cafete­ria to close and the con version of the twelve-person in Toronto.

Street, a building slated for demolition, to be used as a residence. From this point, the group discussed such trivial mat­ters as whether to go with bathtubs or showers, and the col­our of the carpets.

The group received a perfect present on Christmas Eve, 1968, when Neill-Wycik's $5.4 million mortgage was finally approved by the Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation. But then, problems set in.The mortgage price rose by $100,000 because the contractor discovered the foundation wasn't hard enough. Another problem was one we are quite familiar with--strikes by concrete and ele­vator workers stopped construction for three weeks. But by the sum­mer of 1970, when some of us were learning how to walk, Neill­Wycik slowly, but surely, began to take shape. Many decisions were made arbitrarily during construc­tion. For instance, the C and D units were originally going to be divided into four four-person units, but space,cost, and time ruled that out. While all this was going on, Kathy was working hard trying to get residents.

"We worried that the bro­chures and applications hadn't been sent out out in time, and that

units into what they are now. By August 15, 1970, all 720 spots were filled.

wasn't for the City of Toronto bickering about Neill-Wycik parking facilities, or lack thereof, there wouldn't be a McGill Wing and our community would be less 256 members.

For a long time, the city kept bugging us that the tiny parking

7

spot we had in the back of the building was not large enough to satisfy our legal obligations. Ap­parently, there is a law which says apartment buildings must have a certain amount of parking space. We didn't.

So, every year the city would hand us variances (warnings, as in we'll let it go by now, but don't do it again). Except we continued do­ing it, and one day the city said, "We're not gonna' take it any more.

So, Neill-Wycik was forced into the idea of building a parking garage. But that was too expen­sive and would have meant outrageous parking rates and/or higher rents.

However, Mike Labbe, from the Non-orofit Consulting Agency,

had an idea. He said that we could build a two-story garage and nine more stories atop for students. Thus, the additional revenue from the McGill Wing would subsi­dize the garage--or something like that.

In time, the two­story garage was cut back to one storey and nine floors cut to eight. Work began in December 1986, and after delays and mounting costs, the McGill Wing was open for business in January 1988.

In addition to more space for students, the McGill Wing provid­ed us with a weight room (our previous one was small), another laundry room, a meeting room with a kitchen, and two sun decks.

Now if only we had some more parking space.

Niell-'W,tcik OWNER'S MANUAL 1989

,-

THECOMMUNITYrl ------------------------------------------~

The Board of Directors

r====;;;,' AS ANYBODY you how Wycik works? Any­body told you you're one of

~~~~~~, the ones who makes Wycik work? Never thought about it that way, did you? If you're a new co-oper, let me fill you in on the de­tails; if you're an old co­oper, let me refresh your memory. Wycik works with you. Only you can make this a better place to live in. It's like a trade-off: you partici­pate in the co-op's activities--or create your own project--and the co-op will provide an inexpensive rent and a great bunch of people as neighbors.

The difference be­tween Wycik and a residence is you. You help decide about eveything, including who sits on the board. The Board of Directors is comprised of twelve members who are elect­ed by the membership at the Annual General Meeting. Each serves a two-year term. Six po­sitions are filled each year, so there are al­ways six experienced members on the board

Neill-Wyclk College OWNER'S MANUAL 1989

BY BERNARD BOURRET

-----

------

'-.,

allowing for continuity of administrati on. The twelve elect­ed members represent you, and your best interests, during their term. If you have a beef,

The difference between Wycik and a residence is you.

who wants to put whatever experi­ence and talents possessed to work for the good of the organisa lion. You help decide

about everything, including who sits on

the board.

The Board of Di­rectors, having the decisional power, oversees every as­pect of the co-op. It

want new activities, or just want to know about anything and everything that has to do with Wycik, they are the people you can ask. The neat thing is, any­body who is a member can run for the board--especially you.

All you need to do is declare yourself in the running and have a nomination form signed by ten fel­low co-opers. Don't feel that if you're new you shouldn't run. A position on the board is not a re­ward for the most socially popular person--or the most in­volved co-oper. It is for the person

8

only has to answer to its members because Wycik is completely independent from any school or institution. Its guidelines are the by-laws, which members can change at the annual meeting; and the gov­ernment's co-op act, which we have less say about.

Do you like it so far? This place is yours; the more you put into it, the more you'll get out of it. Remember: the key item is participation. Welcome to Neill-Wycik.

Bernard BOllrret is the President of Neill-Wycik Co-operative College.

Neill-Wycik Non-profit • IS

I] F YOU REALLY can't stand high finance, you don't need to know how Neill-Wycik works, but there are

L...-__ .....I two things everyone should be aware of.

The first is tha t the co­op is non-profit. Every cent we collect from rents and other sources goes towards ensuring that Neill-Wycik doesn't fall over into Ger­rard Street this year. You pay only as much as we need to pay the staff, the mort­gage and taxes and to keep the building in a reasonable state of repair. Any small surplus that may develop is applied to unexpected ex­penses or put into our reserve fund

The second thing to know is about paying those rents. On September 1st, about $600,000 of those rents come due. If a quarter of that mon­ey doesn't come in on time, we start losing interest on $150,000! If you don't pay your rent, our bookkeeper is required to send you a series of notices. Late payment cases are addressed by the Rental Arrears Committee who is responsible for in­forming the Board of Directors of the arrears in the co-op. Those members who do not pay their rent are required to appear be-

The hotel front desk.

fore the board to discuss their case. If you don't pay, and don't show up at the board meeting, you have 14 days to either "pay up or get out."

If you have temporary finan­cial problems - the OSAP isn't in, for example - we can help by allow­ing late payments for a short while. But don't just "let it slide" -go to the office and see our book­keeper.

EVERY SUMMER WE OPEN our home to the world. Neill­Wycik College-Hotel attracts tourists from around the globe by offering affordable accommoda­tion in the heart of downtown Toronto.

From early May to late August, people from Canada, the United States, and 60 other countries - in­cluding Japan, Bulgaria, West Germany and Australia - flock to Neill-Wycik.

Thirteen floors of the residence (approximately 275 rooms), the Cafe and the lobby are transformed into a hotel which houses thou-

9

sands of weary travellers throughout the summer. The ho­tel's housekeeping staff sweats over 313 beds, 96 toilets and 128 sinks each and every day. Front desk staff checks in, councils and offers warm smiles to thousands of guests, come hell or 1,000 groups of screaming teenagers. The cafe­teria's staff cracks open more than 32,000 eggs, butters more than 100,000 pieces of toast and pours countless cups of coffee.

The hotel is "good business" for the co-op and provides many benefits for the members, accord­ing to the hotel manager, Ted Hanmer. Its "business" contributes over $200,000 (1986 figure) to the co-op annually, and shows signs of contributing even more in the years ahead.

~THECOMMUNITYrl -------------------------------------

S A CO-OP that believes in a decision-making process, which encourages the

~~~~~~~, involvement of eve-

ryone directly affected by the decision, several committees exist. Usually, anyone inter­ested can get involved .

The Management Com­mittee, known affectionately as the "ManCom," is the oper­ational arm of the Board of Directors. It is the standing committee responsible for the operations of the Co-op. This includes financial review, re­porting, spending, and operational approval; also, the monitoring of the hotel ad­ministration, and the appointing of representatives to various committees. The signing officers are members of this committee as well. Aside from the Corporate Treasurer, who is the only Board Member, the ManCom is composed of members-at­large recommended by the committee to the board for approval. The ManCom is al­ways looking for dedicated co­opers to help plan out where the money will be spent. So come on out and get your hands on the corporate purse strings. Make a difference where you live and how your money is spent.

The Social Activity Com­mittee (SAC) is a recently

Neill-Wyclk College OWNERS' MANUAL 1989

Our Committees

A world without committees.

formed group that administers the $35,000 Social Activity Fund to which each member contributes $45 per year. It looks at what the facilities will need in

long-standing problem at Wycik. In 1980, the Rental Arrears Committee was created to combat this problem. It first developed an arrears policy and

the coming year (an AT-clone for the computer room? Another rowing ma­chine for the weight room?) as well as ways and means members can get in­volved in co-op

Usually, anyone interested can get involved.

now works to review and revise the policy and consider indi­vidual cases.

Presently, we have a By-law Re­view Committee that is revising our by-laws, and an Al­

Make a difference where you live and how your

money is spent.

activities. All members are welcome to attend meetings, where community­enhancement suggestions are appre­ciated.

The Personnel Committee is com prised of someone from the board, a member of the management com­mittee, and a "member-at-Iarge." If a staff member has a beef, he or she can appeal to this committe for action. It is also responsible for the policies and proced ures of working at Neill-Wycik.

Rental arrears, the repeated non­or late-payment of rent, has been a

10

cohol Policy Review Committee which is examining safe and reasona­ble ways to monitor the use of alcohol at co-op functions.

It can be scary coming to Neill­Wycik for the first time, especially straight out of home. To soften the blow, and to start each year off on the right foot, we have various social events in September. These events are orga­nized by a group of enthusiastic social butterflies every summer, better known as the 0 r i e n tat ion Committee.

..

The Office Staff "We're here to help"

DAN MAXFIELD is the General Manager. "Supervision of the co­op staff tops the list of my job responsibilities. I attend all board and Management Commit­tee meetings and report to these committees on the on-going operations of the co-op. Budget preparation is always an important task I work on each year in

Dan Maxfield

conjunction with Man­Com, the staff accountant, and other co-op managers. With the expansion over, the job of fully integrating both wings - particular­ly around members' issues and concerns -will remain an impor­tant on-going job for myself and the commu­nity at large."

Cathy Stanish

CATHY STANISH is the Membership Ad­ministration Co­ordinator. "I work in the 22nd floor office keeping busy with committee administration and se­curity. The biggest part of my job is supervising the security team and following up on security

issues that arise in Wy­cik. Because I've been hanging around this es­tablishment since '79,

I'm also a great source of information on just about anything. You, who are just moving in, are now responsible adults and should be aware of the boundaries we operate in; our rules and regula­tions are based on common sense. I don't think they are restrict­ing, but they do help our community thrive

by ensuring that no member infringes on an­other member's right to a comfortable home. Please drop up to see me about anything-my of­fice door is always open to you."

Paul Hobin

PAUL HOBIN is the Administrative Assistant. "Read last year's Owners' Manual. Read this year's Own­ers' Manual. I do the same things this year as I did last year, only now I do them somewhat better. Half the time I can tell you where peo­ple live from memory. I Know the rent for every room in the building. I know that life came came from a spontaneous quantum fluctuation. And sometimes I can fix the copier just by look-

11

ing at it. So if you have questions about the building, To­ronto, or things in general, come up to the office or call in and ask. If I don't know about it, there's probably some­one here, I can put you through to, who does."

Ted Hanmer

TED HANMER is the Manager of the Summer Hotel. "I keep the thirteen hotel floors occupied from May to September. It's my job to manage the four ho­tel departments: group sales, housekeeping, front office, and the cafeteria. That means two of my most impor­tant functions are hiring the right people and making sure they are trained properly. Many of the hotel staff are co-op members. I also encourage people to come here by market­ing and advertising the hotel."

SUSAN TUSSATO is our Hotel Group Sales Manager. "As my title suggests, I manage groups for Neill-Wycik's summer hotel. That means I'm responsible for all as­pects of group bookings,

starting with contact­ing and corresponding with group leaders right through to their departure. Then I make accommodation and meal arrangements for each group, negotiate rates, and make sure all

hotel departments

Susan Tussato

know about the require­ments of the group, and to follow up throughout the group's stay. Dur­

ing the fall and winter, I take both group and individual enquiries and bookings until the fron t desk summer staff is in full operation; I am also heavily in­volved in the training of the front office staff. "

NeHI-WycI< College OWNER'S MANUAL 1989

~THEC6MMUNITY~1 --------------------------------------

Turker Gunney

TURKER GUNNEY is our

accountant. '1 am responsi­

ble for compiling the co­

op's financial records and

translating this informa­

tion into a meaningful

picture of our fiscal posi­

tion for the staff,

committees and the mem­

bers. Feel free to ask me

any questions you might

have about these matters,

or about interpreting the

budget or the year-end

statements you receive."

"Each summer the

workload • Increases two-fold because of

September • move-In, our

busiest month."

Kay Ray

KAY RAY, Neill-Wycik's

new bookkeeper, can be de­

scribed as a person who's

"tough, but fair" when col­

lecting your rent. If you

have temporary financial

problems, Kay can help by

allowing a late payment-

but don't just let it slide.

Go to the office and work

out something with her.

The bookkeeper is also an

active member of the Ren­

tal Arrears Committee.

Colleen Durland

COLLEEN DURLAND is

our Housing Co-ordinator.

'Hello! When it comes to

Wycik hOUSing queries, I'm

your staff representative.

The Housing Co-ordinator

is responsible for: process­

ing applications, ensuring

rooms are rented, main­

taining external and

internal waiting lists, han­

dling housing inquiries

from both members and

non-members, organizing

Neill-Wycik College OWNER'S MANUAL 19~ 12

monthly move-ins, move­

outs, and internal trans­

fers . Each summer, the

workload in creases two-

fold because of September

move-in - our busiest

month . During this time,

the Housing Department

expands and hires our "ir­

replaceable housing

assistant." This year,

DOMINIQUE NORVILLE

brings her unique blend of

talents into the Wycik

''housing scene."

Merle Victor

MERLE VICTOR is our Ac­

counts Payable and Payroll

Clerk. "My responSibility

here is to prepare both the

accounts and payroll

cheques bi-weekly for the

co-op and the hotel. You

will be in contact with me if

you ever work for the co­

op or the hotel, if you ever

spend some co-op money

(say while throwing a co­

op party), or if you're asked

to become a signing officer

for the co-op."

Norma Hunt

NORMA HUNf is our new

Community Development

Co-ordinator. ''My job is to

provide leadership in co-op

operations and administra­

tion where SAC is

concerned. I co-ordinate

recreational, social, educa­

tional, cultural and health

related activities with the

help of member volunteers.

I am your liaison between

members, staff and com­

mittees. Most importantly,

should you need some

strength to face your fears,

to solve a unit conflict, or

to talk about life, I am

here."

The Maintenance Staff

These are the guys who'll

fix your toilet, unclog your

sink, and paint your

unit. Bruce,~y,~ark,John

Pat Heffron (left), better known as Red, sitting next to Dan Maxfield, our General Manager.

John Dickson

''I'm the Mainte­nance Manager . Come and see me -and the rest of the maintenance staff about everyday re­quests such as broken fixtures in your rooms or clogged sinks in your kitchens. Some of the other services we

provide include painting your units or installing kitchen counters. Feel free to drop down to the basement where we

are located. See you around."

Bruce Agar

"I've worked at Wy­cik for too long; put it this way: most of

13

you were in grade

school when I start­ed. I take care of technical mainte­nance. That means

fixing big greasy things and little fid­

dly compex things. My objective is to keep all of you warm, safe, and dry. Feel free to come and see me with and techni­cal questions you may have."

Pat Heffron

More than an em­

ployee, Red is our caretaker who is also a living Neill-Wycik institution. As the

only one around who's been here since day one - back in 1970 - Red com-

mands a respect that

is complemented by a great sense of hu­mour. He's seen it

alt and will likely be here in the year 2000 when the rest of us

are replaced by a computer chip.

Mark Skinner and

Larry Wall

These two members of the crew are shy,

retiring types and were just too bashful to be persuaded to do their own writing.

They have, however, been spotted re­sponding to the

lonely cry of a mem­ber in need, and once located, can easily be as friendly

as Bruce or John.

Neill-Wycik College OWNER'S MANUAL 1989

~THECOMMUNITYrl -------------------------------------

The Principles of Co-op era tion

Neill-Wycik is a community, not just a place to keep your stuff. As such, we

have a set of guidlines - called principles we strive to follow. They help us keep

things in focus.

Open and Voluntary Membership

You must be a full-time student to be accepted into Neill-Wycik and we try to achieve a 50-50 male to female ratio. Apart from those guidelines, anyone can become a member, regardless of social, political, ethnic or religious affiliations.

Democratic Control Members elect the Board of Directors at Neill-Wycik. Any rent increase or major policy change must be passed at a general meeting open to all members. If you have a criticism, or suggestion, you can express it at a board meeting, to the staff, or at a general meeting.

Apolitical Neill-Wycik doesn't take sides on the political spectrum. We will not make donations to one political party (unlike many private organizations). Nor will we become involved in political movements for change not directly related to housing. We do, however, respect any member's activities in these areas.

Nell-Wyclk College OWNER'S MANUAL 1989

Mission Statement of Neill-Wycik

Co-operative College

Our mission is to provide our members and guests with a

high-quality living environment at a reasonable

cost in a co-operative environment.

Core Values a) a belief in co-operative principles;

b) a belief in the worth of each member and respect for what each member can contribute;

c) a belief that each member has certain, definable rights as members and that these terms of membership be understood by all members;

d) a belief that all staff can expect the co-operative to be a fair employer and to act accordingly.

14

A Co-operative Educational Environment

Neill-Wycik is not just a student bedroom. By bringing a group of people together from around the world, and supplying them with private and communal space, we hope to teach the art of co-operation. By offering educational facilities and seminars in Current issues, we hope to teach them skills and ideas they wouldn't be exposed to in your average highrise. By providing opportunities for volunteering and for working (starting a computer facility, working in the hotel, exhibiting art, or being on the board) we hope to create an environment where our members can develop personal skills while contributing to their residential community.

Non-Profit We take in a certain amount of money from rents and the hotel and spend it on maintenance, staff salaries or other expenses. Anything left goes into our reserves. There is no person or group of people who benefit if we have a surplus; we all share in our financial successes and failures.

Our Codes of Behaviour

II HEY ARE YOUR rules. The Board of Directors is responsi­ble for the operation of the co-op. The

twelve directors are elected by the members to run the co-op. It's a big job, so the board appoints committees to assist, and also hires staff to aid with the day-to-day operations of the co-op. You are permitting people to represent you. You and every other member pass the rules and decide on the policies that affect the practices of the co-op. The rules are here because we have learned they are necessary. They are created because a majority agrees with their worth. So, if you feel there is something wrong or unjust, use the power of the members to change it.

Do not tamper with fire-safety equipment. Extinguishers, hoses, pull-stations, and detectors are all out of bounds, unless you need them in an emergency.

No violent or intimidating beha­viour. Report any such behaviour to security. Intimidating behavi­our includes loud noise; please, don't play your stereo full blast or too late at night. Consider others who might be studying, sleeping, or who may not like the same mu­sic you do.

Do not deliberately damage co-op property.

~J I GJ.

:Jtd~11 -:tj) ~

;-~G(~( C; / ( ( ~ ? ') '( ', C,.' { ({ (,,- ,', ~ , ' ,Ie ~ -:

\. ,~ . ' J l;J I "--.. ' '

~ l'--- ~ '---'~

Members pass the rules and decide on the

policies. Do not sell drugs.

No possession of firearms, or other weapons, is allowed or use of any object as a weapon.

Do not remove the screen from your window. Throwing things out of the window is dangerous; it is not allowed.

Absolutely no pets are allowed in

15

'i ItrRR (If

multiple units. Except fish and caged, domestic animals.

Smoking is permitted only in the lobby, Hanke Lounge, and televi­sion room. You may smoke in your unit only if you are in a "smoking unit."

Keep your unit clean and in good repair.

Guests can only stay with your unit-mates' permission. They may only stay 10 days-not just 10 con­secutive days but any 10 days. You are responsible for any guest you bring into the building.

If you want to hold a party, con­tact the office for guidelines and how-to tips.

Do not be a nuisance. Neill-Wyclk College OWNER'S MANUAL 1989

THE COMMUNITY 1-1 ------------------------,

TORONTO The COllllllunity Around Wycik

NEILL-WYCIK IS SMACK in the middle of one of

Canada's most vibrant cities. Toronto is a centre of

commerce, entertainment, industry and medical

research. It encompasses the Cities of Toronto, York, Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough, and the Borough of East York.

Enjoy.

,_,dYlr~;pr:;1"!'0';;*''''''4;;; {,J ' '., $ . .' .' ....... 11 Queen Str~t West ' ft .""",.",,' ,

Transport

City Directory

Clubs

Map

Walking Tour

I I HE TRANSIT system - - In MetropolItan To-

ronto is run by the Toronto Transit Com­mission, better known as the T.T.C. Trains,

~====::J' streetcars and buses make it possible to travel from Etobicoke to Scarbo­rough, or from the lakeshore to North York.

A transfer may be ob­tained when you pay your fare. The one-way fare is $1.10. Tickets and tokens can be purchased, in bulk, at a discount. A Metropass, cur­rently selling for $49 per

"The Better Way"

month, allows unlimited trav­el.

The Ride Guide is a T.T.C. publica­tion. It is available, free

of charge, at any subway sta­tion. The guide contains useful information about the transit system, as well as maps indicating transit routes, stops, and various points of interest in Toronto. Depending on the station, most trains run between 5:45 am and 2 am, Monday to Sat­urday. Trains begin Sunday around 8:50 am. Bus and streetcar timetables are available from the T.T.C. In­formation Booth at Yonge

and Bloor. After-hour service is availa­

ble through the Bl ue Night Net-

worl<, consisting of

buses and street­cars running on

selected routes from 1 am to 5:30 am.

Getting Around Town

Du1IdAs Streetcllr EIlstboU71d.

Service runs at least every half hour. College Station (Yonge & College)

and Dundas Station (Yonge & Dun­das) are the closest subway stations to Neill-Wycik.

The number to call if you have any questions about the T.T.C is 393-INFO. This service is available from 7 am to

11:30 pm. GO, Markham, and Vaughan

Transit Systems are all accessible from the T.T.C when you need to travel in the areas surrounding Toronto. If you're going out of town, the bus termi­nal is at Bay and Dundas Streets; VIA Rail and GO trains depart from Union Station on Front Street. Bon voyage!

DO YOU LIKE TO GET on your two-wheeler and go for a spin? Do you prefer scooting around the city on your own personal Red Rocket? If you like to have fun, the TIC is an O.K. way to go; but there is something better! To­ronto is quite well endowed with bycycle routes and paths, which ex­tend from York Mills down to the Islands, and from the Humber River across to Warden Avenue. Many of

lli pttblic transit articil! is by Cathy Patuson. Bicycling in Toronto is by Pdu AllSfin.

17

these trails are separated from traffic, so you can enjoy pedal power without the fear of a little old grandma, driving, who can't see over the dashboard.

A very good, and detailed, map can be obtained free of charge at most bicycle shops, City Hall's Resource Centre, and Wycik's info rack in the lobby. This map not only shows all the many bike routes and street names, it

also has helpful hints and suggestions on biking in a city, like if you happen to venture onto the streets, remember you have the same rights and responsi­bilities as any other vehicle.

Now that you know where to go and how to do it, get that uni-, bi-, or even tri-cycle out and tour Toronto!

Neill-Wyclk College O'M'lER'S MANUAL 1989

THECOMMUNITYrl --------------------------------------------~

THE CITY DIRECTORY A STUDENT'S GUIDE TO THE BEST OF TORONTO

I PRO F ~ SE ~ IpO N A L I EMERGENCY

Neill-Wycik Security 977 -'l322

Policel Ambulance/Fire 911

Poison Information Centres 598-5900

Assaulted Women's Hotline 863-0511

Distress Centre "Someone to Talk To"

598-1121

Suicide Prevention Salvation Army

285 .. 0100

WYCIK OFFICE 977-2320

Qffice Hours: Monday /Thursday /Friday:

9-12; 1-5

Tuesday: 1-5

Wednesday: 9-12; 3 .. 5

Maintenance Hours: Mon-Fri: 9-12; 1-5

Neill-Wycik College OWNER'S MANUAL 1989

BANK BRANCHES Bank of Montreal

(Yonge & Queen) 927-6000

Bank of Nova Scotia (Yonge & Dundas)

866--6161

CIBC (Y onge & Gould)

980-2211

Royal Bank of Canada (Y onge & Queen)

974-5151

Toronto Dominion Bank (Yonge & Gerrard)

982-7730

Canada Trust (Y onge & Adelaide)

869-6100

MEDICAL Toronto General Hospital

(Gerrard @ University) 340-3948

St. Michael's Hospital (Queen @ Bond)

864-5094

18

Wellesley Hospital (Wellesley @ Sherbourne)

926-7037

Women's College Hospital (College @ University)

966-7111

HEALTH & COUNSELLING

AIDS Information: 392-AIDS; Alcoholics Anonymous: 487-5591; Bay Centre for Birth Control: 920-1263; Dental Clinic: U of T Faculty of Dentistry 979-4335; Detoxication Unit: St. Joseph's

Hospital 763 .. 3533; Family Service Association of Metro Toronto: 927-8500; Hassle-free Clinic: Men 922-0603, Women 922-0566; Jewish Family Service: 638 -7 800; Morgentaler Clinic: 964-1174; Planned Parenthood of Toronto: 961-8290; Ryerson Health Centre: 979-5070; S T D

Information: 392-7400; Telecare: 247-5426.

I SERVICES I NEWSSTAND

The Book Cellar (142 Yorkville Avenue) Open 9-11 weekdays, 9-12 weekends. 925-9955. Book City (Yonge @ Charles) Open Monday to Thursday 9:30 -11, Friday and Saturday 9:30-11:30, Sunday 9:30-10. 962-8661 Lichtman's (Many locations-­closest inside Atrium on Bay @ Yonge & Dundas) May even have your home-town newspaper! Open Monday to Wednesday 9-10, Thursday & Friday 9-11 pm, Satur­day 9:30-11, Sunday noon-8. 591-1617. Pages (256 Queen West) Open 10-9:30 Monday to Saturday, 11-6 Sunday.

BOOKSTORES Another Man's Poison (Design/ Antiques/Collectibles) 161 John 593-645l. Bob Miller Book Room (180 Bloor West) Text books. 922-3557. Britnell Book Shop (Yonge & Bloor) Best special order service in town. 924-3321. David Mirvish (Bathurst & Bloor area) Specializing in art, especially design and phtography. Open everyday, including holidays, from noon-6; 531-9975. Queen Street West (from Uni­versity to Bathurst) Numerous shops-largely English literature. Ryerson (Gould & Victoria) Open Monday to Friday 9-6:30, Saturday 10-3. 979-5116. SCM Book Room (333 Bloor West) Text books. 979-9624 TheatreBooks (Balmuto @ Bloor, near Yonge) Also film, broadcast, and music titles. Call 961-4496. University of Toronto (College & St. George) Textbooks usually cheaper due to volume. Open Monday to Friday 8:45-6, Saturday

10-5. 978-7907. World's Biggest (Edward @ Yonge) Pack a lunch--this place is huge. Open Monday to Saturday 9 am - 10 pm, Sunday noon-6.

DEPARTMENT STORES The Bay (Yonge @ Bloor) Open Monday to Wednesday 10-7, Thurs­day and Friday 10-9, Saturday 10-6. The Eaton Centre (Yonge @ Dun­das) Open Monday to Friday 10-9, Saturday 9:30-6. Honest Ed's (Bloor @ Bathurst) Open Monday to Friday 11-9, Satur­day 10-6. Simpsons (Yonge @ Queen) Open Monday to Friday 9-9, Saturday 9:30-6.

o MtiU. Ul"UlffS _ELOOli. H~ @j

WILD PORK AND WATERCRESS ~~~

, , atf~,~ ,...".. <Z'.".","~

-'"l;~ 'HiE NORTON AN1'HOLOGV ~ ~ Oi='!,MEmCAN UTERATURE

24 HOUR PHARMACIES

Boots Drugs (Church & Wellesley)

924-7769

Shoppers Drug Mart (Gerrard West & Bay)

979-2424

LIBRARIES Metro Toronto Reference (Block North of Yonge & Bloor) Largest public library in the city-possibly the country. Books cannot be taken out. Open Monday to Thursday 10-9, Friday and Saturday 10-6, Sunday (mid Oct-Apr) 1:30-5. 393-7000. Ryerson Poly tech. Open Monday to Thursday 8:30-10:30, Friday 8:30-5, Sunday hours vary. 979-5031. U of T Robarts (St. George @

Hoskin) Unless you're a U of T student, physical access to the stacks is prohibited; however, the retrieval desk will obtain books for you, which must be read in the building. Try Ryerson's Inter-library Loan service if you wish to take it out. Hours vary; call 978-2294.

Neil-Wycik College OWNER'S MANUAL 1989

THE COMMUNITY t-I ---------------------

POST OFFICES Atrium on Bay (Yonge & Dun­das) Open Monday to Wednesday /Saturday 10-6, Thurs­day & Friday 10-9. College Park (Yonge & College, Lower Level) Open Monday to Fri­day 8:15-5:30. Super-Deal Drugs (Yonge & Shuter) Open Monday to Saturday 9-9.

PHOTOCOPIES Ryerson Printing Centre (113 Bond @ Gould) Open Monday to Friday 8-10. The Printing House (Atrium on Bay, Lower Level) Open Monday to Friday 8:30-6. Kinko's (Bloor @ Spadina) Open 24 hours from Monday 7 am to Sat­urday Midnight.

HARDWARE STORES Aikenhead's (Two locations: Front @ Church; Armoury @ Uni­versity--behind Osgood Hall) Open Monday to Friday 8:30-5:30, Saturday till 5. Canadian Tire (Church & Yonge) Open Monday to Friday 9-9, Satur­day 9-6.

TRANSPORTATION Transit: TIC: 393-INFO; GO: 665-0022; Mississauga: 279-5800; Mark­ham: 475-1367; Toronto Island Ferry: 392-8193; Gray Coach Lines/ Greyhound/Voyageur: 393-7911; VIA Rail: 366-8411. Air: Air Canada: 925-2311; Wardair Canada: 620-9800; Canadian Air­lines International: 675-2211. Taxi: Beck: 449-6911; Co-op: 364-8161; Diamond: 366-6868; Metro: 869-1817.

Neill-Wyclk College OWNER'S MANUAL 19~

II FOOD &DRINK II

SUPERMARKETS

Dominion (Wellesley & Ontario) Open 24 hours from Monday 9 am to Saturday 9 pm. Knob Hill Farms (Dundas & Landsdowne; take College Streetcar Westbound) Probably the cheapest place for boxed & canned goods. Open Monday to Wednesday 7-10, Thursday and Friday 7-10, Saturday 7-10. Loblaws (Yonge @ Temperance) Open Monday to Wednesday 9-7, Thursday & Friday 9-9, Saturday 8:30-6. Loblaws (Sherbourne & Isabella) Open Monday to Friday 9-9, Saturday 8:30-9. Mr. Grocer (Sherbourne & Shuter) Open Monday to Friday 9-9, Saturday 8:30-6. No Frills (Parliament @ Gerrard East) Open Tuesday & Wednesday 10-6, Thursday & Friday 10-9; Saturday 9-6.

20

NEIGHBOURHOOD MARKETS

Bloor-West Village: Mostly fruit, vegetables and bakeries along Bloor West, between Runny­mede and Jane. Chinese: There are many China­towns throughout Toronto; try Gerrard East & Broadview. Take the College Streetcar Eastbound. Greek: Danforth & Fewick. Take the Bloor-Danforth Subway East­bound to Pape. Italian: Two areas: College & Grace; St. Clair West & Dufferin. Kensington: Probably the best bargains, for meat and produce, in the city. College & Augusta. See Bruce's Walking Tour of Toronto, for more details, on page 16. St-Lawrence: "You can load up on some of the best meats, sea­food, cheese and bread in the city." Come early for the best selection; come late for the best deals. Un­der one roof at Front and Jarvis, this market is open Tuesday to Thursday 8-6, Friday 8-7, and Satur­dayS-5.

RESTAURANTS

Athenian Garden (Greek) 526 Danforth

Bamboo (International) 312 Queen West

Blue Bay Cafe (Mauritian) 2243 Dundas West

Cafe Burgermeister (Burger!) 478 Parliament

Cafe Diplomatico (Italian) 594 College

Cafe La Gaffe 51 Kensington

Cafe Sava (Polish) 2219 Dundas West

Charmers (Cal-Mex) 1384 Bathurst

Cheeks (Burger) 1205 Queen West

Dragon City Food Court (Chinese) Filippo's

(Pizza) 744 St. Clair West Foodworks

(Burger) 549 Bloor West Free Times

320 College Groaning Board Buffet

131 Jarvis Joel's

(Pizza) Take-out Only 200 Carlton La Mexicana

(Mexican) 3337 Bathurst Licks

(Burger) Dundas Square on Yonge Mariko

(Japanese) 348 Danforth Mickey'S Hideaway

(Mexican) 352 Pape Pearl Court

(Chinese) 598 Gerrard East PimbleU's

(British) 263 Gerrard East The Real Jerk

(Caribbean) 709 Queen East Saigon Maxima

(Vietnamese) 414 Dundas West The Senator

(Cal) Breakfast/Lunch 249 Victoria Tu'Do Cafe

(Vietnamese) 669 Gerrard East

THE CITY DIRECTORY

NEIGHBOURHOOD PUBS & TAVERNS

Brunswick House 481 Bloor W. C'est What? 67 Front East

Grossman's Tavern 379 Spadina Imperial Public Library 58 Dundas Jack Russell Pub 27 Wellesley East

The Morrissey 817 Yonge New Windsor House 124 Church The Pilot Tavern 22 Cumberland

PimbleU's 263 Gerrard East The Pride of Erin 129 Danforth The Real Jerk 709 Queen East.

II ENTERTAINMENT II TICKETS &

EVENT INFORMATION

CHUM-FM Concert Line: 870-9119 CFNY Concert Line: 870-7700

Q107 Club/Concert Line: 962-7625 Lesbian & Gay Event Info: 923-4297

BASS Tickets: 872-2277 Five Star Tickets: 596-8211

Ticket Exchange: 1-800-661-6560 Ticketmaster: 872-1111

CHUM Sports Line: 925-2211 Argonauts Football: 59S-1131

Blizzard Soccer: 968-6421 Blue Jays Baseball: 595-0077

Maple Leafs Hockey: 977-1641

MOVIE THEATRES

Cineplex Odeon Info: 296-FILM Famous Players Info: 927-7469

Festival Theatres: Revival film theatres offering

members a $2.50 admission per feature; shows change nightly:

Bloor 532-6677 Fox Beaches 691-7330

Kingsway 236-1411 Revue 531-9959

21

LIVE THEATRES

Kingswood Music 832-8131 Massey Hall: 593-4823

O'Keefe Centre: 872-2262 Ontario Place Forum: 965-7711

Royal Alexandra: 593-4211 Roy Thomson Hall: 593-4828

RADIO STATIONS CFNY FM 102.1 Altern/Contemp.

CFRB AM 10lD MOR CHIN FM 100.7 Multilingual CHIN AM 1540 Multilingual

CHRY FM 105.5 Altern/Community QI07 FM Album Rock CJCL AM 1430 MOL

CJRT FM 91.1 Campus CKEY AM 590 Solid Gold

CKFM 99.9 MOR/Contemporary CBL FM 94.1 CBC CBL AM 740 CBC

CKO FM 99.1 News/Talk CFTR AM 680 Top 40 CHFI FM 98 MOR

CFMX FM 103.1 Classical CHUM AM 1050 Soft Rock

CHUM FM 104.5 Adult Contemp. CIUT FM Campus

CJEZ FM 97.3 Easy Listening CKLN FM 88.1 Campus CFGM AM 1320 Country

NeUI-Wyclk College OWNER'S MANUAl 1989

THE COMMUNITY 1-1 ----------------------,

LBERTS HALL (481

Bloor West) Consid­

ered by those in the

know to be one of the

very best blues dubs,

not only in the city but

~~~~~~~~~, on the continent, since

1972. These people take their blues seri­

ously, maintaining a religeously­

rambunctious mood as would befit your

basic Baptist-revival meeting. It's a

small room (capacity 250) above the

Brunswick house, but it attracts the best.

Etta James, Albert Collins, Roy Bucha­

nan, Ellen McUwane, and Jeff Healy.

APOCAL YPSE CLUB (750 College

Street) This club is fairly spacious since

it used to be a disco; now Elliot Lefko's

got it and that means good bye disco

balls and hello alternative acts with big

hair and bigger amps. Punk, Metal,

Thrash, Hard Core, Glam, and Industri­

al rule here bolt what did you expect with

a name like Apocalypse? Note that this

club is a little out of the way, in a Portu­

gese neighborhood, in fact; I wonder

what they think.

BAMBOO CLUB (312 Queen West)

One of the Lords of Queen Street, this

place concentrates on Mrican and Car­

ribbean music. It looks like Mardi-Cras

all year round with gaudily-painted

walls (inside and out), a jungle of plants

in front, street vendors, hotdog sellers

outside, ethnic foods inside, with lots of

reaggae, ska, calypso, soca and salsa

played real loud. There's also a roof-top

Dave James has been a member of Wycik for over a year, and writes for several underground papers.

Neill-Wycik College OWNER'S MANUAL 1989

Toronto's Club Scene BY DAVID JAMES

It III AI Lee's PIIIAU:.

lights and disco balls. Wednesdays

belong to the glam crowd (ie: Guns

and Roses; Skid Row; Poison, ect).

On Thursdays it's a gay bar. It's

right across the street from the Big

Bop, so if you can't get in one club you

can always go to the other.

Dress code consists of Harley shirts,

tattoos, Mac truck hats and cowboy boots

(that's just the girls).

CEST WHAT? (67 Front Street East)

A friendly, low key, weekend bar

open late (till 6 a.m.) featuring folk,.

pop, jazz, country and ... board­

games for you Monopoly nuts. Nice

and unpretentious. Cool name, too.

CAMERON (408 Queen Street West)

Not really as hip as it used to be, but

it still pulls in good, local acts. The

giant white ants scaling the outside­

front wall are a nice touch. This is a

small club (capacity 65) painted with

the slogan, This is PartUlist. It's one

of the veterens of the Queen Street

scene and still going strong, despite

the growing popularity of discos.

CLUB NOIR (508 Queen Street

West) The key word here is gothic for

this alternative-dance club. Dim patio with a nice view of the dumpster in the rear,

and the drunks passed out in the parking lot to the

side. Expect a line-up to get in.

BIG BOP (651 Queen West) Strictly a dance club,

but one of the least snooty ones. The staff here

don't treat you like dirt and it's always crowded.

It's big, too, with three-count 'em, three-floors.

The first floor is for '60s and 70s stuff; the second

floor is for '80s dance music; the third is a quiet

area for those who've partied just a bit too hard

and need to relax. Again, expect a line-up.

BOOM BOOM ROOM (650 1/2 Queen West)

This is a nice, quiet, intimate place that features

the music of Zamfir, Master of Tht Pan Flutt. Ac­

tually, it's a big dance club with all the ambience of

an empty air craft hanger. Everything is painted

battleship grey, with the only decoration being the

22

lighting, smoke, big hair and anything black is

the order of the day. Recently, they've begun

having live acts on Wednesdays with such goth

luminaries as National Velvet, Breeding

Ground, Sturm Croup, and April Storm.

COP A (21 Scollard Street) I hate this place;

with all its neon and florescent lights, it's like

being inside a giant bug zapper. Being in York­

ville, it also attracts far too many yuppies for

my liking. Still, it does manage to attract good

reggae and ska, if you like that sort of thing,

with Ziggy Marley, Jimmy Cliff and others.

The rest of the time, it's a dance club. They used

to book rock acts, too, but stopped that, a year

ago, after the L.A. Guns beat up Vinnie Vincent

(Kiss) during a sound check, bringing the tour to

a premature end the day before their Copa gig.

DIAMOND (410 Sherbourne Street) As a dance

club, the Diamond is no longer as popular as it

once was, what with big aircraft hangers like

RPM being all the rage. But as a live venue, this

place is the best: Emmylou Harris; Jane's Addic­

tion; Pere Ubu; Blue Rodeo; Cowboy Junies;

David Bowie; Duran Duran; Sinead O'connor;

Hoodoo Gurus; Grapes of Wrath; Blasters; Dal­

beller-you name it, they've played here. The

Uncle Sam lit the Riooli.

smaller Grapevine Room has smaller acts like the

Shadowy Men and Psyche, along with Reg Hartt's

movies. It's also very close to Wycik.

EL MOCOMBO (464 Spadina) Once Toronto's

most famous club, with both the Rolling Stones

and April Wine recording live albums here, the

place has fallen on hard times. It's changed own

ership a couple of times and the new owners have

painted the front a disgusting-puke yellow with

tacky neon beer Signs. Worse yet, they can't seem

to book any good acts. This place always was a

dive, but now it's truly pathetic-a pale shadow of

its former self, coasting on its legend. Sad.

EMPIRE DANCE BAR (4881/2 Yonge Street)

The name says it alL really; it's big, it's loud, it's

crowded, and they play lots of New Order and

similar stuff. Over the last couple of months,

they've moved into a more mainstream direction

to bring in the suberbanites. It's also close to Wy­

cik.

FREE TIMES CAFE (320 College) Possibly the

smallest club in Toronto, with a capacity of 50 or

so, but it pulls in prominant folk artists like Norma

Hacking, Willie P. Bennett, Kurt Swinghammer

and Beverly Bratty. The restaurnat in front fea­

tures paintings by new Canadian artists.

FILLING STATION <Ryerson'sKerrHall)

I mention this place mostly because it's so close to

Wycik. I sure as hell wouldn't line-up to get into

this place, but a lot of other people certainly do.

Surprisingly enough, college clubs, like this one,

can often get name acts in like Teenage Head,

Northern Pikes, Chalk Circle and Grapes of

Wrath.

GASSWORKS (585 Yonge Street) Do you like

Max Webster, Alice Cooper and Van Halen? Do

you like Max Webster, Alice Cooper and Van Hal­

en cover bands? Well, this is the place for you. The

dress code consists of tattoos, Harley shirts, Mac

Truck hats, jeans, and cowboy boots--and that's

RPM (132 Queen's Quay East) A converted ware­

house on the waterfront, the most impressive

thing about this place-aside from its size-is its

decor. Outside features a guady painting, while

inside features an ever-changing variety of good­

ies like a real plane hanging from the ceiling

complete with paratroopers, pterodactyl skele-

just the girls! Heh, heh, just

kidding. The normal peace and

serenity of the place was shat­

tered briefly when they decided

to book punk acts like Zap Oty,

Forgotten Rebels and the Bun­

chofuckingoofs in for the

weekends. I guess they decided

their bouncers needed a good

workout. Mter a couple of

weeks, they put a stop to that

and now things are back to

Mirrors, neon, lights. Disco Lives! Disco Lives! Run for you

tons, motorcycles, Elvis, the

Kennedy Assassination-­

including an actual limo-and,

most notoriously, the resurec­

tion of Christ. Occasionally,

they get live acts in, too, but

mostly it's Chris Sheppard and

his turntable.

SIBONEY CLUB (169A Augus­

ta) This Kensington dive is

trying hard to sell itself as an al­

ternative to Queen Street, with lives! normal and tranquility reigns

at the Gasworks. Available for weddings and Bar

Mitsvahs.

LEE'S PALACE (529 Bloor) Formally a Chinese

Theatre; now a fairly large venue catering to larg­

ly alternative tastes. Bands like The Gruesomes,

Images in Vogue, and Breeding Ground seem to be

here on a permanant basis. Upstairs features The

Dance Cave, a smaller dance club with similar

tastes .

LIZARD (66 Gerrard East) Right around the cor­

ner from Wycik, this place always

has line-ups going down the street.

Why? I don't understand why any­

one would stand all night waiting

for a chance to be crammed into a

room with all the other terminally­

fashion conscious sardines, espe­

cially when Nuts & Bolts, Diamond

and Empire Qub are all within easy

walking distance.

NUTS 'N' BOLTS (3 Gould)

Popular alternative dance club

within walking distance. However,

my sources tell me that HMV has

bought all three floors of the build­

ing in which Bolts resides, so they

both the Garys and Danny K as

booking agents. They manage to pull in good acts,

too. Concrete Blonde, Godfathers, Pere Ubu, Un­

cle Sam, Pixies, and even Killing Joke. One

drawback, however: this club has no air condition­

ing to speak of; in the middle of Summer that can

be brutal.

SLITHER CLUB (178 Bathurst at Queen) The

Westernmost of the Queen Street clubs, right

around the comer from the Big Bop and the Boom

Boom Room, this place is strictly a live venue ca­

tering to alternative

tastes. The best thing

about this club is that

it's in the basement of

the Paddock. so you

get to see drunken

restaurant patrons

stagger downstairs,

to use the bathroom,

and stop in utter con­

fusion upon seeing

some punk or glam

metal band flailing

away on stage.

SPECTRUM (2714

Danforth) If you're

may not be there much longer. This Pere Ub.a III the DiAmortd. nostalgic for the 70's,

this place is for you. Mirrors-lots of 'em! Neon!

Disco balls! Lights, lights and more lights! Disco

will be the second time that this has happened to

the club.

RIVOU (334 Queen West)

Still the coolest club in Toronto. They manage to

book in excellent--if largly unknown-acts on a

regular basis in spite of its very small size. Chris

Twomy's industrial video shows play here as well.

There's an equally-cool restaurant in front. You

won't hear New Order, U2 or the Pet Shop Boys

here. Not to be confused with the Riv, which is an­

otherclub.

23

lives! Disco Lives! Run for your lives!

I wish I had more room, so I could tell you about

the great jazz and blues clubs like Clintons, Blue­

note, Grossmans, The Rex or country clubs like the

Black Bull and Graceland. I also had to leave out

the Cabana, Entex, Horseshoe, King Curtis, Blue

Angel, Marquee, Riv, and Tasmanian. I even

could have warned you to stay clear of Cherry's,

but youll just have to make do.

NeIH-Wyclk College OWNER'S MANUAL 1989

~-----------------------City of Toronto

Neill-Wyclk College OWNER'S MANUAL 1989 24 25

HOME 1 Neill-Wycik College

SKATING RINKS 2 YorkQuay 3 Hazelton Lanes 4 Nathan Phillips Square 5 Devonian Square 6 College Park

SCHOOLS 7 UofT 8 OCA 9 George Brown

HOSPITALS 11 Wellesley 12 Toronto General 13 Toronto Western 14 Mount Sinai 15 Princess Margaret 16 St. Michael's

SUPERMARKETS 17 Mr. Grocer 18 Loblaws 19 St. Lawrence Market

MISCELLANY 20 24 Hour Pharmacy 21 L VBO (Subway Level) 22 Brewer's Retail 23 Metro Ref. Library 24 Post Office 25 Bus Station 26 Union Station

NeHl-Wyclk College OWNER'S MANUAL 1989

I I

~THECOMMUNITY~I ------------------------------------

m ED (OUR PERENNI -al cleaner) calls me "The Walker" be­cause I invariably trod over his just-mopped

---....I floors. The odd free coffee--"cream, NO sugar"--usually calms his ire and can also result in some very sound advice, should I need it. His in­sight is uncanny! With that litle plug out of the way, let's get down to it! Toronto is a fascinating city to explore on foot. Here are a few of my favorite walks: Queen Street West fro m Yonge westward to Bathurst, where you may see T.O.'s ver­sion of Broad way in Lower Manhattan, New York--eclectic shops selling everything from comic books to giant clam shells--fast food to tofu--cool jazz to country music in the my­riad of clubs that thrive on this street--surplus stores--used book shops-you name it! Church Street from Dundas to King--pawnshops and came­ra stores galore--Iet the buyer beware. The best pint of Gui­ness in the city is at McVeigh's New Windsor Tavern. Tradi­tional Irish music most nights. Bloor Street from Yonge to University--Trendy--Trendy­Trendy. Both above and below ground shops, eateries and

Bruce Agar is a member of the maintenance team.

Neill-Wycik College OWNER'S MANUAL 1989

A Walking Tour of Toronto BY BRUCE AGAR

stores require you look suitably trendy and / or very well heeled to avoid be-

Toronto is a facinating city to explore on foot.

Queen Street East from Parliament to Kingston Road-lots of

ing hounded by security personel. Act rich. If you're not able to appear truly bored by the half-million-dollar neck­lace on display at European Jewellery, don't bother with this walk. Yorkville, just North of Bloor, is a little less of a strain for the thrifty but still de­mands good clothes if you wish to eat or drink at any of the myriad of restau­rants or cafes in the area. Be prepared to spend a lot for a little. However, two notable exceptions in the area are the Pilot Tavern and the Moressey Tavern. Both have no attitudes towards pa­trons--the Pilot is very much like a medium-sized city hangout, while the Moressey reminds me of a small-town beer hall where the waiters are surly and the beer is cheap. Investigate both at your own risk.

26

"thrift" stores for used stuff of all sorts at great prices (Caveat Emptor). There are cheap, but good, eateries like The Real Jerk, The Mace­donian Village, and Great British Pies (takeout only)-this is real Toronto with very few pretentions. Glue sniffers are not uncommon, so beware! Dress plainly and don't gawk--this is not a walk for the timid. Danforth Street East from Broad­view to Woodbine--Greek restaurants abound from cheap to pricey. The full ones are the best; avoid those you can't see into unless recommended by a friend. Truly tacky gift shops are com­mon. Check out the Pride of Erin near Broadview for the second-best pint of Guiness in the city. Several great fruit and veggy stands are between Pape and Woodbine.

Chinatown #1 on Dundas street from Bay to just past Spadina (#2 is in the Gerrard & Broad view area, #3 in Agin­court). Chock-a-block with stores selling art, linen and lace goods, herbal remedies, and tak~ut food. The area holds the finest Chinese food to be had in T.O. at many, many restraurants. Try anyone you please, but if you're concerned about the cleanliness of the kitchens in some of the smaller, cheap­er places, check out the washroom before ordering. If it's clean, usually the kitchen gets the same attention. I use this rule of thumb at any unfamiliar restaurant because I used to work in plumbing before coming to Wycik and had the dubious pleasure of proving the correlation many times. The adventurous can try Dim Sum--a sort of Chinese formal breakfast served on Sundays at most places. The best time to go is from ten to twelve, the best places having lineups. Carts of food are rolled around the restaurant and, unless you have an experienced guide, order by the look-and-point method, asking as many questions as the inevitable language barrier allows. Some of the items are a little bizarre by western standards; I've tried most of them, and only draw the line at deep­fried chicken feet (no kidding!) and a seaweed gelatin that I personally find revolting. Be courageous, since you're only out a buck or two per item if you hate it, and expect many varying tex­tures of food. At the end of the meal, the waiter comes and bills you by counting the number of little bowls and plates left on your table. Then he or she grabs the four corners of the plastic table cloth and takes it away--dishes and all-­exposing a fresh tablecloth! It's a kick and you'll be stuffed for under ten bucks each. Go with a group of six or more, for the most fun, and try to in­clude an expert in your party to help select what to eat. Kensington Market, just west of Spa­dina from College to Dundas Streets. The main drag is Augusta Avenue, named after one of Queen Victoria's

many daughters. The market is a truly diverse area where you can get good deals on all manner of food and some clothing. Global Cheese, at 76 Kens­ington Street, has an astounding variety at good prices. Always ask for a taste and make sure you get a piece from the same block or "round" you

The St. Lawrence Market at Jarvis and Front Streets. This is much clean­er and more civilized than Kensington Market, with prices ac­cordingly higher. Very good deals are available between 3 and 5 Saturday afternoons on goods that won't keep 'til Tuesday (they're closed Sunday &

Bewarl! of thl! "Bait and Switch" ploy, wherl! you'rl! given a sampll! of Sltpttrb

Monday.) Wheel and deal for the best price on large quantities of ground beef, chicken, fish and veggies--they get really desparate at around 4 pm. I get together with three or four friends and go for twenty pounds of lean ground beef. We split it and freeze one pound chl!l!Sl! but sold inferior stuff.

If you're concerned about the cleanliness of the kitchens, check

out the washroom before ordering.

tasted; beware of the "Bait and Switch" ploy where you're given a sample of su­purb cheese but sold inferior stuff. They sometimes have Balderson's White Cheddar from the Ottawa val­ley--this is a cheese! It has won blue ribbons at the Royal Winter Fair sever­al times and is perhaps the best cheddar in the world. Fish markets abound in Kensington. Buy what you wish but remember: fish should not smell fishy! Ocean fish should smell faintly salty and nothing more--lake fish should smell faintly muddy at best. When in doubt--don't buy! Beware of the lately reported coke dealers. Don't raz these people since they are usually armed and/or dan­gerous. Just politely say NO!

27

portions. Try this little scam! Always have a good meal before you go. Hunger dulls the senses and can re­sult in overbuying. Make a list and take a shopping cart. Of course, there are many, many more areas to explore in T.O. I have noted only a few of my personal favor­ites and purposely ignored obvious areas like the Yonge Street Strip and

The St. Lawrence Msrket--wheel and deal for the

best price.

thoroughly revolting shrines to Yup­pydom like the Beaches and Harbourfront. Buy yourself a Perly's BJ Map Book and go exploring. There's lots to excite the senses just waiting out there.

Nell-Wycik College OWNER'S MANUAL 1989

II l I; ••

The Building

It has grown. Why not try out some of our facilities? Pump those muscles in the weight room or sweat it out in the sauna. If you1re real bored, clean up your unit. And if you1re feeling a IiHle uneasy about your own safety, talk to security. They always listen. Read on.

II Facilities

II Heating + Garbage Chute

II Recycling

II Security

II Fire Safety

II Bell/Roger1s/Treasurer

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Facilities Facilities Facilities

• • • • •

3)

Some facilities have expensive, complicated equip­ment. To orient new users, we have core groups for each facility. To use the woodshop, photo complex, exercise room, film editing room, sewing room and pottery studio, you must first contact one of these facility core group members (find out who at the office or from your

[

••.• i:¢:. , .• ••.• .. ··.OMPUtcR , :1 i\

. t

• Co-op lore has it that the

floor coordi.na~or. occasional nude He or she will give " you an introduc- sun worshipper tion .. You will.then can be found on the receive a sticker for the back of sundeck your ID card • which will author-ize y'0ur use of the facilities you choose. Enjoy these facililities. Within the walls of Neill-Wycik there are lots of areas and equipment available for you to use-and, with the exception of the laundry room, they're free.

Every Thursday Neill-Wycik produces a news­letter called Tabloid from the Tower. This newslet­ter provides you with information on what's going on at Wycik. The Tab accepts submissions from all of you. If you have any news, stories, poems, jokes, drawings, etc., hand them to the day security guard at the front desk. At the top of the Gerrard wing is the roof. During the spring, summer and early fall, you can go up to the roof to take in the spectac­ular view of the Toronto skyline, grab a breath of (cough) fresh air or do a little suntanning. Co-op lore has it that the occasional nuae sun worshipper can be found out there, par­ticularly in the early morning hours. There IS a gas barbecue available to sizzle up some burgers (go to the office to make the arrangements). A couple of picnic tables are available to chow down on. The roof is open from dawn to dusk. Just take

the east stairs from the 22nd floor. If you're less into view and sun and more into guiet and plants, visit one of the McGill roof decks off the McGill wing's fourth and fifth floors. These decks are loaded with trees and shrubs, and being on the north side, often have more shaa'i spots in the summer months than the Gerrard wing roof. The laundrY room is right beside the ele- • vators. Inside, W"th" th II moving past the I In e wa s coin operated, au- of N-W there are lots tomatic washers of areas and and dryers, on your" " left you'll find equipment available another room. It's for you to use--and the one with !~e with the exception of colour teleVISion the laundry room and cable. I' Come one! Come they re free. all! Sew your wild • oats along with all your other fabrics. In your sewing room, which is located through the TV room, a sewing paradise (albeit a small one) awaits you. You have access to two great Singer sewing machines, an (almost) brand new serger, and a knitting machine. There is a cuffing table and an adjustable Judy. This

room is for all of us-­seamstress,

I~

designers or those who like to sew. All you have to do is come to a member meeting in September. Signs will be Qosted. At the west end of the 22nd floor is the pottery studio. The kiln, wheels,

clay and glazes are all there. Go to it. There is lots of space for members interested in "gettin9 back to the 60's earthy and natural feeling. It is the only place in Wycik for a "down and dirty" mud fight. For those not so inclined, we have two potting wheels, lots of clay, tools, molds, glazes, and a kiln. All of this

31

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provided through your social activity fee. So, creating your own mas­terpiece is only as far away as the 22nd floor. (e West of the elevators, opposite side of the laundry room, is the office. This is where the staff are. Outside the office on the walls are the mailboxes. You'll need your mailbox key for that. Film editing has been in limbo since office renovations took over its space. It currently resides with Mark Gamble, and anyone who can extricate it from Mark's room can use it. There is a room waiting for it, if enough people seem interested in turning it back into a full facility again. When you've got to get an assignment typed, there's an IBM Se­lectric and two Smith Corona typewriters in the Library. Bring some paper and a ribbon. The computer room is located on the 22nd floor, between the elevators and the office. Inside there are two IBM XTs and an AT dot matrix printer (letter quality).We supply the DOS you supply the paper and the programs. To use the equipment you must get a sticker on your ID card and sign the keys out from security. Stickers can be obtained by seeing a MICOM member and signing a form, it's quite painless. To prevent machine hogging--time on the computer is limited to two hours, unless no one else requires it. If you have any ideas or want to join the Microcomputer facility, attend any of our meetings. Signs will be posted as to where and when. Across from the laundry room is the library. It doesn't compare to the Metro reference library, but there are some interesting reading materials to be discovered there. It's also a place for quiet studying. If you wish to avoid studying you are invited 32

to use the Pool Room, in the basement, across from the eleva­tors. The balls, cues and chalk can be signed out at the Front desk in exchange for your Wycik ID card. Ideas for tournaments, or anyone wishing to join contact the core group leader. Rember--go easy on the balls--they're all we've got! Also in the basement is Neill-Wycik's main party place--the Steamer. It's the perfect place for a bash. The

stereo, dance floor and bar are all there. If you're interested in holding a party, make ar­rangements up in the office. The Steamer also has a large screen television and a VHS video recorder. Any member with a video sticker can use the VCR equipment. To get your sticker contact a core group member. Sunday nights are video nights,anyone can get involved.

The Hanke Lounge is Neill­Wycik's living room. It's across from the laundry room. A quiet nicely-furnished place, it is ideal for studying, curling up with a coffee and a big novel or for quiet conversation. The Cafe operates during the hotel season for breakfast. Plans are presently underway to renovate and furnish this space to make it more accessible to the members. At the moment, anyway there's a piano, and it is used for floor dinner parties. The darkroom is across from the Steamer.. It's

I~

got both a black and white and colour print room. Need your own chemicals and stuff, though. For those who want to get all sweaty and clear out their pores, also down in the basement, next to the Steamer, is the sauna. It's got a couple of showers and a change room too. After 10 p.m., though, it's not for the shy-at-heart. You see, no bathing suits are

r

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)

lots of wonderful machines and people to help you along the way. Always measure twice and put your safety glasses on, and think before you turn on the power. On the second floor, is the meeting place for all our various committees and co-op groups. It's even got a kitchenette. The Wycik Weightroom is

required after that time. If you are confused about the new location of that 26" colour tv Mom and Dad gave you, due to the limited surface space in your room. Come on down

to the woodshop in the basement also.There are

located on the second floor of the McGill wing just down the hall from the meeting room. This is Wycik's most popular and modern facility. The recently equipped

• Not only is this a convenient

well-equipped facility for geHing into shape;

the relaxed friendly atmosphere

is a great means of

socializing with your fellow

Wycikers

•

room houses: a Universal, bench presses, Olympic free weights, a complete set of dumbells and barbells, two stationary bikes, a rowing machine and much more. Not only is this a convenient, well-equipped faciltiy; it's also relaxed andfriendly, a great means of socializing with your fellow Wycikers. To become a member simply contact the Office. They'll put you in touch with a Weight­room Core Group member who'll give you

a quick tour of the facility and ask you to sign an agreement form. Getting fit is an elevator ride away.

33

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Winters are fun at the ' co--op. The members have one thing in common: the rooms are either too hot or 'too cold. The reason technol­ogy.

Neill-Wycik r" is equipped with hot water heating, which means there are huge boilers in the basement which have to heat and cir­culate the water which in turn goes through the pipes to our rooms, loses its heat to the cold air, thereby heating the " . air and us. There are two problems. The first is that it takes the boilers about three days to heat up or cool down. The second is that some genius decided the most efficient way to decide when heat is needed is to put the

34

thermost at outside the building and to split the system for south and north exposure. For those periods, the boiler can't keep up with the changing minds of the thermo­stats. Aside from that, any change in the weather which is unusual, like a summer cold spell or a winter warm up, will not be reflected in increased or reduced heat output by the boilers until three days later, when it mayor may not be required. Summer is about as much fun. The place isn't air conditioned (the cafe is but that is for business). So,

how to keep your cool while the streets are melting? Simple: buy a fan, install your

It will do

untoyoul

• long ago. We indulge it. -- we only have one.

(~I Treat the r::-' >- / ~--- ( garbage I - I I c I < ,) chute as a

\i) ~ friend . - - ~--- Don't ever,

ever, EVER throw

_ newspape r, glass, boxes (in­

~ ~ ~~-=:=::--=--~-=-- cluding - -=-- --=- "':::._ '1~-::: - those of

own air conditioner the pizza move to the uppe~ variety) or any loose

. , matenals of artlc. The fan IS your any description down ~est bet. It takes up the chute. You'll have little room and less to take that stuff out energy than an air back to the bins conditioner. If you yourself. go the air condition- Failure to acknowl-er route you'll have edge the chute's rules to tell maintenance. will inspire retaliation. It

will plug up. No one will be able to use it,

Your friend, the Chute

The garbage chute is one of the many miracles of modern technology. However, it is very temperamental. It will treat you well, if you treat it well. But it made up its own rules

possibly for days. Your house will smell like the last plague. The chute will laugh. Mainte­nance or security will have to unplug the jam, which means climbing into the chute. They will not laugh. So remember: do unto the chute by its rules or it will do unto you!

------

Conserve

to

Combat

Trash

War

One morning, Ralph went to the store to buy som e milk. He bought the four litre size, noticing that it came in three plastiC bags encased in a larger bag. When he checked out, the clerk put Ralph's milk in a plastic shopping bag. IThree layers of plastic surrounding the milk,l thought Ralph, la far cry from the golden oldie days of clay urns which were reusable for years.

It's no wonder that Toronto is in the middle of a garbage crisis, I Ralph said to himself. None of the sur­rounding commu­nities want tons of refuse-plastic, paper, construc­tion materials, and organic waste that is pitched out by thousands of homes and busi­nesses every day. IWho can blame them?I, Ralph wondered aloud. He figu red there were two solutions to the problem: One is to force the manufacturers to stop using non­biodegradable (plastic hangs around the planet for thousands of years). The other is to recycle our waste. At Neill­Wycik, we try to make our contribu­tion to the recy­cling effort by col­lecting our newspapers and writing paper. Since March, 1988,

we have collect­ed approxi­mately 10,000 kilo­grams. That is equal to a small 2OQ-tree forest! This is how our system works: Put your newspa­pers (no glossy stuff please) in the blue box .in the garbage chute at the end of the hall in the Gerrard Wing. Every week, security comes by with a large cart to collect the paper, dumping it in ,a much bigger blue bin in the parking garage. The city picks it up every Wednesday morning.

• Plastic hangs around

the planet for

thousands of

years. _

lS

~

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t ~ i ~ ~

i ~

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If you absolutely must go alone, the safest place is Yonge Street, between Dundas and Bloor. Walking on the brightest side of the street, you'll find lots to look at street vendors, prostitutes, homeless men and women and everyday people like yourself. It's quite a scene. Places to stay away from after dark and on quiet days include Allen Gardens (just at the corner of Jarvis and Gerrard, across from the landmark "Hooker Harvey's") and other places east alond Gerrard, Carlton and Dundas. If you walk past Church Street along these streets you'll find them kind of dark and spooky. They aren't too populated either. Walking home from the subway or the library is okay too. Just don't take short cuts through parking lots and stay on the main drags. Yonge and Gerrard (the north side) are considered main drags. Church and Carlton aren't too bad, but fewer people

36

Getting Home L ate r and Safer!

tend to be around there at late hours. Most of this is common sense: just be careful, that's all. The main thing is welcome and have a good time!

There's a lot to keep you busy in this city; studying, pub nights, roommates, co-op parties ... the list is endless (and not nec­essarily in that order). After your first month here you'll feel one of two things. You'll either be so infatuated with Rye High (or wherever it is you go) and wonder how you ever existed without this kind of life and all these wonderful people ... or, you'll be so homesick, you'll wonder whatever possessed you to move here in the first place.

It takes a while to get to know the valuable people out there waiting to be friends with you. A lot depends on you and what you're prepared to make of the situa­tion, that situation being our community. So, on those nights when your neigh­bour's stereo has pounded on your brain for one minute too long or you feel like a breath of (ahem) fresh air or you just want to get away to be completely by yourself, it is okay to go for a walk. You'll get to know this area pretty quickly and in no time you'll be assuring the people at home that city life is not as scary as it sounds. It's scary for those who lead them­selves into undesira­ble situations with other undesirable people... but if you're cautious, pas de probleme!!

If you see

someone around

who doesn't

look familiar, feel free to ask

his mission. If

there is no apparent

reason for his presence ask him to leave

and call security.

The same applies if someone happens

to be crashing anywhere

in the building. Remember

this is

your home.

5 e cur it Y at Home

Personal security is a matter of common sense. Always lock the door when you're out, even if you're just going down the hall--never leave your keys in the lock. Keep your unit door shut. We have lots of nice people here but there are always a few bad apples. History has shown that there will be a dishonest type for about every 100 members. That's seven potential rip-off artists, one for every three floors. These are in addition to the few who manage to infil­trate front lobby security. A locked door is your best pro­tection. Your room key is also your front door key. Shortly after fall move­in, security locks the front door in the evenings and on weekends. This protects us from unwanted visitors and rip-off artists. It also helps security deter­mine who lives here and who doesn't by seeing who has and uses a key. Even though there is a

button behind the desk that can release the door lOCk, do not depend on security to let you in. They may be called away from the desk at any time, which means there is no one there to push the magic button should you be without your key. Carry your key with you whenever you leave the building. It's your responsibility to prevent being locked out. It is co-op policy not to allow anybody else into a member's room. If you wish to allow

someone into your room, the office or security requires a letter from you. This applies to deliveries, telephone and cable TV installations, or any other kind of entry. Three times a year the co-op has room chec ks. A fte r advance warning, members of the staff or security go through all the rooms in the building. If you are home, they'll ask to be shown about. If you're out, they'll use a pass key, enter your room, have a quick look

•••• Call security

before calling the police for anything.

If you ever need an ear to listen,

call them.

about, then lock up and leave. The purpose of the check is to deal with problems which occur in the odd room or unit, usually relating to maintenance, dirt, bugs or the occasional piece of furniture that finds its way into a member's room. Twice yearly we change room and unit locks. The security team of Neill-Wycik is composed of co-op members. They are not Burns or Ryerson security. They are your fellow members :' trained in fire safety and first aid. They are here for your safety and well-being. They control the entrance of

the building during the school year. People who visit are screened, even your grandmother if she is suspicious looking. Security are not tyrants. They act as an infor­mation station. They will try to answer your queries to the best of their fully-trained abili­ties. They also distrib­ute the keys for co-op facitlites. They're at the front desk after office hours. In an emergency after 2 a.m. call them at 977 2322.

37

~ I ~

I ~

38

IN CASE OF

FIRE

PHONE 911

Activate alarm at pull stations by stairwell doors, or in your unit.

Leave using stairwells. Close unit door behind you.

Use opposite stairwell if you encounter smoke. 1, ' I t i ' ,

Do Not Use Elevators.

IF YOU CANTJLEAVE

Close anp, unlock your door.

Dial 911 and tell the fire department where you are.

Seal cracks with tape, wet towels or sheets to prevent smoke from getting in.

Crouch low to floor if smoke enters the room.

Listen for instructions from unit speakers.

••••

Bell, Rogers and the Treasurer for Ontario

YOU CAN GET A PHONE AT the Bell Phone Centre on the basement level of the Eaton Centre. All you'll need is a piece of I.D. and an idea of the kind of phone you want. Colour, dial, or push button, Mickey Mouse or plain, old black desk. Your line will be switched on within a week. Remember to leave a note with security, giving Bell permission to enter your room, if you won't be home. Now for some considerations. Do you want your own phone, or do you want to share one with your unit mates? Good questions! Here are some more. If you want your own private phone, will you let your unit mates use it on occasion? How will you handle long-distance charges? Also, consider that if the group of you apply for joint service, you will be charged a higher rate-­better to put it under one person's name. Usually, everyone splits on the phone bill's basic service, and one member takes the legal re­sponsibility for the bill. Try dis­connecting the service in

March--before everyone leaves in April, possibly without paying their share.

IF YOU HAVE A TELEVISION, you may not be happy with the number of channels you receive. Each room was con­nected to the roof antennae. Unfortunately, the line has been severed throughout the buiild-

ing, and the chances of your jack being active are slim. Luckily, the other possibility is cable service. Wycik is serviced by Roger's Cable­vision. Installation costs about $50. Again, leave a note with security giving Roger's permission to enter your unit.

WHAT DOES AN ONTARIO tax credit have to do with the building? You are eligible to claim the FULL AMOUNT of your rent paid to Neill-Wycik when calculat­ing the occupancy cost on your return. Wycik is not a college; it is an independant corporation subject to mu­nicipal property tax, this

credit is available to you. Remember, even if you have no taxable income to declare, you are still able to receive the benefits of the Ontario Tax Credit Sytem--but you must file a retum.

Mickey Mouse, push buHon, dial, or plain,

old black desk?

39

Your New Life

e Bugs and Fuses

e Defining Co-operation

States of Mind

42

BY JOE

BOURGEOIS

OUR NEW LIFE

After saying goodbye to your parents, you picl{ up your room l{ey, sign some forms, and smile for your ID card picture. These things done, you head toward the elevator lobby, push the up button and your world of co-op living at Wycil{ begins. It shouldn't take you long to find your unit once you get out of the elevator (pro­viding you're on the right

EDITED BY Joe Serge

floor!). Don't be disheart­ened when you see the size of the room, you'll get used to it in no time. Keep in mind that no matter how you arrange the furniture (your bed and desk) you will never create more space. It's a contradiction of the laws of physics. You may find it to your ad­vantage not to bring furni­ture from home. Milk cartons make great shelves and bins for storage and there are plenty of nearby con­venience stores. The apartment you will be Ii ving in is what we commonly refer to as "the Unit". This will be your home along with 3 to 5 other people for the next year or more. Make the best of it. Even if you think you can trust your roommates with your life, it is always bes t to keep your door locked when you're out. Thefts occur sometimes. The large room at the end of the hall is called "the Lounge". It's a perfect place to set up a television.

up once in a while. You will be surprised to find out how much stuff is beyond the best-before-date. Keep in mind that the fridge must be shared, so be respectful. Food kitties can solve the crowding problem. This is a system where two or more

Get together with your roommates and split the cost of cable and First Choice. It's perfect way to pass time when you are supposed

to be studying for a mid­tenn.

people (ideally a whole unit) pool their money and buy groceries together. The

a food kitty way of life demands a lot of co­operation and careful man­agemen t so no-one feels ripped off. It also means those buying

Situated in the lounge is the kitchen. This kitchen is supplied with a refrigerator and a stove. Five or six people Ii ving in a m ul ti unit can bring about a lot of stuff in the fridge. Clean it

together are usually eating together at the same time. Subdividing a roast can be tricky. If no-one ever cleans up, the kitchen will become a really messy place. If you want things at your level of cleanliness then do it yourself. It may be best to

43

set up a system whereby you all take it in turns to clean up once a week. And somebody should take out the garbage. Don't try to pack it in tighter; you'll just split the bag. Right across the hall from your bedroom is the bathroom. Guess what? This room can get really dirty if it isn't cleaned once in a while. To clean the ba throom floor and wall tiles, you can pick up a jug of acidic tile cleaner from main tenance. You have to be careful with it , but it does a good job.

There are two types of Wycikers; introverts and extroverts. In troverts eat their dinner in their own room and can occasionally be seen crossing the hall on the way to the washroom. Extroverts eat their dinner in the lounge

44

vantage of this opportunity. Some of them will end up being your life long friends. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try to socialize, you may find one of your roommates is not quite as friendly as you'd hope him or her to be. Don't ostra­cize this person. Chances are he or she has never lived away from home before and this is a new ex-

watching television and perience. can't . Y • t h t Maybe she or remember the OU JUS ave 0 he is having a last time they scrub a little bad day. Be were in their with a brush friendly, sit room. down and There are and shoot the 800 . . wipe a little breeze n?w Wyclkers ln and then. Think this building. wi th a rag. of it as a prep-Each with his aration course or her own attitude towards for marriage. It's surpris-life and each coming from a ingly simple. different social back- Wycik offers opportunities ground. You can try all you that are limited only by your want to conform someone ambitions. Take advantage to your way of life; but it of the opportuni tes probably won't work. All afforded to you. You can you can, and should do, is live here for four years and respect someone for the see only the inside of your way he or she is. room, or you can participate The greatest thing about in Wycik life--activities, Neill-Wycik is it provides meeting people, and devel-the opportunity to learn oping yourself. It is your from the people around you. choice. Your roommates can be the most interesting people • • • • • you'll ever meet. Take ad-

The first rule of thumb when something electrical doesn't work, but by all rights should, is that a fuse has blown. Don't panic. You can fix that problem. The fuse box for the kitchen is located in one of the cupboards above the sink. Have a look for it when you arrange the stuff on your shelves. It's that gray metal thing in the wall. Always replace the used fuse with one of the same amperage. That means a 15 amp fuse for a 15 amp fuse. Don't replace a fuse with one of a higher number. If the same fuse keeps blowing, report it immediately. There's probably something wrong with the wiring on the circuit. In the multiple units, there is also a relay box or two. If the fuse isn't the answer, flip the switches. If what should come on doesn't, call mainte-

( ~r'

g~ ~

BUGS AND FUSES

nance. If you hear the pitter patter of little feet and know that no one in your unit has little feet, then you may have visitors who haven't been invited.

• • • If you hear the pitter

patter of little feet you may have visitors.

••• For the problems that bug you, the maintenance people will go the cupboard route. Clean out all your cupboards, above and below the sink. Wash them out. Maintenance will then apply a residual spray which is effective at zapping bugs for up to 60

days. A word of warning. While the spray is not toxic to humans and most pets, small animals, birds and fish are in danger, so find a place to stash them until the air clears. The light powder left once the spray dries is okay. It won't harm anything -- except the bugs. For mice we go the feeding route. Maintenance will work with you in placing several trays of rodent bait in your cupboards under the sink and under your radiators. We don't use traps because they are not effective in highrise build­ings. The bait is an effective method, and will clear up the problem in three to four weeks.

45

DEFINING

CO-OPERA TION

Last week someone asked me for help and I didn't do anything. As I walked down the hall from the elevator, I heard the splash of running water and a cry of frustration. This was obviously something to be checked. I walked into the unit and found a fellow kicking his overflow­ing toilet. When he saw me, he stopped and waited for me to do something. "What's the matter?" I asked, looking at his wet shoes in the growing puddle of water. "Can you fix this for me?" "Nope," I said, "but I will show you how to do it." After about two minutes of instruction on the plumbing of toilets, not only did it get fixed, bu t the fellow will know how

46

•

"What's the matter?" I asked, looking at his wet

shoes in the growing puddle of

water.

• - . - -- •

to fix toilets for the rest of his life. "No" has become my standard reply when I'm asked to do things for people. I'll help you, I'll teach you, I'll work with you, but I'm not going to do anything for you. Why is it people expect the office, maintenance or security to do every­thing for them, to handle all the unsa­voury tasks and rough edges? This dependency on staff and the power struc­ture comes from a number of things. Well, for a start, many of us have come to Neill-Wycik straight from living with our parents. Our mothers and fathers sheltered us when we needed it, when we couldn't take care of our­selves. So when we moved here, it was easy to expect that to

keep on happening. Many members are angered or bewil­dered when they find that here we do things for ourselves. On the other side of the coin, there are those who are afraid to leave their door open when they're home, who get angry

pendent but interre­lated. We try to care for each other enough to live as humans, standing on our own feet when we can, supporting each other when we can't. We're still a ways from this goal but it's worthwhile goal, and we're getting closer.

It is with goals like this that we make our lives richer and more worth living.

in silence when the other guy won't clean the floor, who would rather paint their room alone than ask for a hand. This is the kind of thing that happens in an apartment building. But this need not happen here.

In the Concise Oxford

Dictionary, co-operatively means

tending to and offering co-operation ... for the production and distribution of

goods and funds shared

What we have in this building is rare in our society. Between the confine­ment of the family and the isolation of apart­ment life, there is a huge gap. Here we're learning how to fill that void with a com­munity of adults, inde-

by members.

People volunteer for different reasons. At Wycik it could be to learn something new, to develop a talent you have recently discovered, to share a love for something in particular, to make new

friends, or just to pass shared volunteer time the time. At Wycik, by members tending to members volunteer for the facilities and funds. these reasons and many more. Our motto How you treat these is simply to co-operate. facilities, and spend the After all, we are not SAC funds collectively,

named , I h I is up to you. The Neill-Wycik I I e p many ways for Co- I'll you to be directly operative YOU. involved is to College for teach volunteer as a nothing! II SAC committee We rely on yOU. I' member, members to k · h become a core volunteer wor WIt group leader, or their time to you but organi.ze .an work ,event InvolvIng together I'm not other members, with staff to. such as a £loor keep gOIng to party! In other harmony in, d words, if you want and around, 0 something to our home. any t h i n g happen. you must In the make It happen Concise for you. yourself. Oxford Should you be Dictionary, inspired to volunteer co-operatively means your time by these tending to and offering mere words, please co-operation for the come up to the 22nd production and floor floor and see me. distribution of goods and funds being shared by members. Some goods can be described as the many different facilities made available to the 800 people who share them. The funds would be the $45. activity fee paid once a year by members who rent a unit with us. This fee is montored by the SAC committee. The production is the

I will give you the direction you need to fulfill your desire, providing it is of a co-operative nature.! look forward to meeting you sometime soon, Norma Hunt Community Development Co-ordinator

47

The Social Side On any given weekend, come hell or exam time, Neill­Wycik can become party central. Without looking too hard, it's easy to find a party and meet new people. For your basic, all­out, no-holds-barred parties, the Steamer is the place to be. If you're having a party and you don't

loud as a Steamer party. Floor parties are always big success­es. If you want to get your roomies together or even the people across-the­hall-and-down-the­corridor together, go for it! As long as people don't hang around in the

want to For your worry. about basic all-

hallways, security won't give you a hassle (watch the noise, too,.

bothenng 1

your roomies, 0 Ut, no­you can rent holds­out the b d Steamer. ar~e

If you're thinking really big, get your floor together and sponsor a party for the entire building. You

You merely parties 1

put down a the $100 deposit Steamer is (to guard against the place damages). to be. You will get the deposit back after your party. The Steamer allows you to use a good sound system. Best of all, you have lots of space for dancing and socializing. If your party is smaller and more intimate you could use the Hanke Lounge located on the 22nd floor or even the Cafe. These parties can't be as

48

could advertise and even get some money from the co-op for a keg of beer. Yep, partying at Neill-Wycik is defi­nitely first class. Just remember, if you're hosting a party, you are responsible for any damages. Don't let people hang around in the hallways if you're having a floor party, since this is against

fire regulations. Also, security will let the

noise go until 1 a.m., then they'll ask you to turn it down. So if you want a party, just drop by the office on the 22nd floor and talk to someone. They'll help you organize your party

lites, division co­ordinator stipends and any social events or activities you would like to see happen. It is this part of the yearly budget that members have the

and make Partying at N eill­

thing runs Wljcik is

sure every-

most control over. There's ' not much you can do about the money we pu t aside for our heating bill, but your ideas

smoothly. •• You paid de Inltely your $45 first class. this year which goes into what is called a social aci­tivity fee fund. With both old and new wings full and includ­ing the $10 paid by those who stay for the summer that adds up to close to $30,000 that is allocated for equipment in the faci-

can be supported fi­nanciall y with the social activity fee funds. Wan t to arrange a floor trip to a Chinese restaurant? Ask your floor co-ordinator or visit the office and you'll get a subsidy.