Allison Chase was a single mom to 5-year-old twins when she visited a friend at Windward Co-op in the Bathurst Quay part of Toronto. She knew nothing about co-ops but it seemed like a neat idea to live without being afraid of having to look for new housing while having some say over the community too. Not long after, she saw a flyer in the staff room of a school where she was supply-teaching. It advertised a new co-op in Markham, a part of the GTA she didn’t know. She attended some info sessions at the Markham Public Library and found herself one of the original members of a new community. That was 1984. Allison has called Ramers Wood Co-operative home ever since.
Allison cannot picture herself living anywhere else. Fortunately, she doesn’t have to. With a mix of townhouses and one- and two-bedroom apartments, Ramers Wood has a culture of transferring between units when households expand and contract. For example, Allison began in a townhouse and then moved to a two bedroom when her son left home to free up space for a larger family. Then when her daughter moved out, she moved again, this time to a one-bedroom unit. But this is a modern-day story, and so not long after, Allison’s daughter moved back in with her boyfriend. She upgraded to a two bedroom again. And now, with her son and his family living with her again, Allison again lives in a townhouse. Five units in nearly 40 years – not bad.
Allison has played a big role in co-op governance, first at her co-op level, then CHFT, and now CHF Canada. As with any new community, there was much work to be done and the teacher in Allison led her to work on the member handbook. That followed naturally with her chairing the orientation committee and then the member selection committee. Doubtless her fellow members recognized her talent for getting things done so she was elected to the Board of Directors.
CHFT is always scouting for board candidates who are making a difference in their co-ops as potential federation directors and Allison was a natural choice. She won her election and immediately became CHFT President. She served on that board until she couldn’t run again. By then Allison had retired from her elementary school teaching position with the Toronto Catholic School Board. With time freed up, she sought a position on the CHF Canada Board. Unsuccessful on her first run at it, she instead went on the Ontario Council where, under the presidency, the Council changed its own governance structure to fold into the CHF Canada Board where she is now in her first term as the Ontario Director. If the members see fit to elect her again, she will serve a second term. She is also the Chair of the By-law and Policy Committee at Ramers Wood, noting there is always something to tweak in the co-op’s governance to reflect changes in society.
Allison Chase beams when she reports her son has applied to be a member of the co-op in his own right. He grew up in the co-op and over the years contributed to parties as a DJ and by doing some handyman work around the community. But his application as a member signifies a new commitment to the community and a sharing of the governance responsibility with the next generation. Allison couldn’t be happier.
Allison describes herself as a life-long learner, so it’s no surprise that outside of co-op life, she is active among retired teachers, on the executive of the Retired Women Teachers of Ontario and the social committee of the Retired Teachers of Ontario. She’s also enjoying some of the benefits of retirement with regular trips to her home country of Trinidad and Tobago reuniting with friendships that are over five decades old.
In 2017, CHFT recognized Allison Chase’s work with a Brian Burke Community Builder Award and, two years later, named her an Honorary Lifetime Board Member.
Congratulations to Allison Chase for all her accomplishments!
