Click here for PDF version of these rules.
- Purpose
Old Grace Housing Co-operative has limited amounts of storage in the common areas, that is, all areas except members’ suites and members’ unshared outdoor spaces (porches, patios or balconies). These rules provide for safe and efficient storage in common areas of the co-operative, while promoting:
- enjoyment of unobstructed common areas;
- compliance with health and safety regulations.
- Corridors, Walkways, Stairways and Entryways
Apart from the exceptions noted below, members’ personal property should not be left in these areas, other than temporarily (eg. while awaiting member pick-up, or collection by an organization). Items such as footwear and member-owned doormats must be stored inside members’ suites.
Exceptions – Provided no items obstruct safe use of these areas:
- Households can display decorative items on their suite doors, doorway shelves and adjacent walls. No boots or shoes, or plants should be left on the floor itself.
- Households can store a limited number of small plants on the outdoor path or walkway in front of their suite provided that use of the walkway for escape from a fire is unimpeded.
3. Basement Bike Room
- The basement-level room B1 is used for secure storage of bicycles and similar wheeled items (such as bike trailers, mobility scooters, strollers, shopping carts) and is intended to provide members with convenient access to these items.
- Each co-op household is entitled to 1 space in the Bike Room. Additional bicycles may be stored if space is available. Although the spaces are numbered, they are treated as “scramble” storage, except for floor-mounted racks that may be reserved.
- All bicycles in the storage room should be secured to racks with good-quality locks.
- Members who are physically unable to use the wall-mounted bicycle racks can request reserved floor-mounted racks from the Bike Room contact, as an alternative. Members who use floor-mounted racks seasonally are encouraged to free these up for winter cyclists, and can do so without losing their priority to resume using a reserved floor-mounted rack upon request.
- All members are urged to register their bicycles with the City of Winnipeg Bicycle Recovery Section. For a modest, one-time fee, registration ensures that when a stolen bicycle is recovered, it can be promptly returned to the owner.
4. Basement Storage Lockers
Each co-op household has been allocated 1 storage locker in the basement-level Storage Locker Room.
The Art Committee has been assigned a locker for surplus pieces.
- The dimensions of the wire-mesh lockers are approximately 42” deep x 35” wide x 82” high. Members must provide their own locks.
- Nothing may be stored outside the locker (on top, on the floor, or against the wall.) Members should not store any flammable liquids such as propane, gasoline, solvents or spray cans in their lockers.
- The Co-op is not responsible for the loss or damage of any contents of members’ storage lockers.
- Shelving at the north end of the room is intended as temporary storage for members’ electronic waste, prior to periodic transport to the City 4R Recycling depot by a co-op volunteer.
5. Room B5 – Workshop Room
Members using the basement Workshop Room (B5) can store projects-in-progress as long as these do not obstruct the use of the room by other members.
6. Common Room
- Storage is provided for items commonly used by more than one household, or by resident groups who meet in the Common Room. Such items include:
- books, toys, games, recorded music or movies;
- equipment used by members of resident groups who meet in the common room, for example, mats and props used by the Yoga Group
- decorations and supplies for co-op events.
b. All member-owned items must be stored in appropriate drawers, cabinets or shelves, with the exception of flowers, plants and art.
- Temporary displays of floral arrangements and ornamental plants are permitted.
- Plants that members would like placed in the Common Room must first be approved by the Indoor Plants Group.
- Large plants in the Common Room should not be moved for an event without first checking with the Indoor Plants Group.
- Art work that members would like displayed in the Common Room must first be approved by the Art Committee.
c. Any decorations, furnishings or displays brought into the Common Room for members’ private events must be removed within 12 hours of the end of the event, to allow the room to be used for other co-op activities.
- Rooftop Patio
- Plants placed on the patio for the summer must be approved by the Garden and Landscape Group. These plants are regarded as contributions by members for all to enjoy. Residents may harvest reasonable quantities of herbs or vegetables for their own use.
- Furnishings that are safe and appropriate for general use on the rooftop patio may be contributed by members and stored there seasonally or throughout the year, but must be approved by the Garden and Landscape Group before being placed there.
- Laundry Room
Members using the Laundry Room can store supplies of unscented detergent in the upper cupboards (unless they are unable to reach, in which case a lower cupboard can be used). The lower cupboards are normally for use by the Indoor Plants Group for their supplies.
- Items Found in Common Areas
If an item is found in a common area, efforts will be made to return it to the rightful owner. These would take the form of a message on the Residents’ Forum, and a notice pinned up in the lobby.
If the item remains unclaimed after 1 month, it will be considered co-op property, to be used, given away or discarded.
- Parking Lots, Recycling, Compost, Garbage, and Leaf Storage Areas
These common areas are supervised by the Garden and Landscape Group and the Maintenance Committee. Some seasonal items are stored in the covered area of the Arlington parking lot, eg sand supply for use in winter. No member-owned items can be stored in these areas.
- Contacts
The names of contacts for the Bike Room, Garden and Landscape Group, Indoor Plants Groups and other groups or committees can be found in the Members Only section of the Old Grace Housing Co-op website.
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