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Co-op History
Located at 3600 - 248 Street in Aldergrove, British Columbia, the Otter Co-op District Farmer's Institute was incorporated in 1922 with twenty-five members in order to promote agriculture and agricultural knowledge, to work for farm legislation to improve farm conditions and to buy supplies at cost for it Members.
One of the original bylaws said the aim of the Institute was to improve conditions of rural life so that settlement may be permanent and prosperous. This bylaw and many others remained in effect until June 22, 1979 when we officially became a co-op.
During the 1920's and 30's, we gradually grew and changed to suit the needs of the growing community.
It was in the 1930's that we started supplying feed to the local farmer. At first we mixed feed with a shovel on the floor of a shed. It is from those small beginnings that the Feed component of our business has grown. Today, we operate a modern mill having completed several major expansions since 2001.
During the 1950's a need developed to supply local residents with petroleum products. A new sales area and oil storage warehouse opened in February 1984. We now have a modern Bulk Plant which supplies petroleum products to farms and heating fuels to homes in the area.
We also have a self-serve outlet, at 248th Street and Fraser Highway, Aldergrove, British Columbia, which handles all kinds of automotive fuels including propane and farm gas. Diesel fuel and propane are dispensed form a card lock facility. Another Gas Bar location at 168th Street and 104th Avenue, Surrey, British Columbia, was added in 2003.
Since our earliest days, we have been in the retail business. First in a haphazard way, then is the 1930's running a general store and finally in the late 1940's building a small retail facility. This was added on to here and there and by the late 1960's we had developed an 8,000 square foot store, selling groceries, hardware and dry goods.
By 1975, it had become apparent that the premises were inadequate and we commissioned a feasibility study on the possibility of building a 50,000 square foot Retail Shopping Centre.
This facility was opened for business in January 1980 with renovations in 1999 and 2004. The retail center services its members with food, family fashions, hardware, fencing supplies and lawn & garden supplies. We offer quality products with a hassle free guarantee.
In 2003, Otter Co-op purchased a Gas Bar located at 16780 104 Avenue, Surrey, and now operate it as a Tempo station. We are working toward a reconstruction of this site in 2008.
In 2006, Otter Co-op's Retail Centre underwent renovations to accommodate a Pharmacy. In 2008, we purchase a Gas Bar, Convenience Store and Touchless car wash at 6420 Ladner Trunk Road, Ladner. In 2008, we began construction of another Gas Bar and Convenience Store (at Fraser Highway and Ross Road, Abbotsford). We anticipate being open for business in the late summer of 2008. In 2008, we also enlarged our Cafe/Deli to include a salad bar, and more choices of food.
Our organization is a member owned business with an elected nine person Board of Directors. Directors are elected at the annual meeting for a three-year term on a rotating basis. Each director is limited to three consecutive terms on the board. With a stable economy and strong member support, we look forward to resuming our policy of providing a patronage dividend for our members along with cash payments based on purchases.
Your Co-op strives to meet the needs of its members and the community it services while providing an economic benefit by way of patronage dividends. We provide a one stop shopping service for all Farm & Home requirements and we are proud of celebrating over 85 years of service.
Otter Co-op is a member of Federated Co-operatives Ltd. Their website may be viewed at www.fcl.ca . |
