The Lloydminster and District Co-op will be making more news in May with an expected soft opening of the new Co-op car wash at 12 St. and 50 Ave. The Co-op will also be celebrating its 110 anniversary at its AGM in May. Supplied Photo
It’s shaping up to be a merry month in May for the Lloydminster and District Co-op as it prepares to celebrate its 110th anniversary.
Events are still in the planning stage, but the Co-op will be holding a special annual general meeting on May 6 to mark the milestone.
“We normally do a regular business meeting, but this year we’re actually offering a dinner at a very reduced cost. All the proceeds are going to a charity,” said Co-op CEO Peter Brown.
The Co-op also expects to add to the more than $20 million in cash and equity it has given to its members over the past five years for buying everyday items like groceries and gas.
“The membership supports us very well in the community and we’re very thankful for that. We want to be a part of it and give back,” said Brown.
“We’re excited about our allocation going out to members this year, too. It’s going to be pretty strong.
“We’re excited. It’s a good time right now for Lloydminster and District Co-op and for Co-op members to be part of it.”
Meanwhile, the Co-op is counting down the days in April to accept the keys from the contractor and take full ownership of its new Co-op car wash and retail outlet at the corner of 12 St. and 50 Ave.
Brown says he expects the handover will take place by the middle of April, then the business needs to be stocked with products before opening to the public.
“We’re optimistically looking at an early May soft opening and we’ll plan a grand opening once we get that under our feet after we get going for a month or two,” said Brown.
The Co-op also continues to give back to the community by partnering with the City of Lloydminster to sponsor facilities, with the latest being the outdoor pool.
The Co-op is committing $50,000 to rename the facility the Co-op Community Outdoor Pool in a five-year deal, announced jointly with the city last week.
The city says the Co-op’s contribution will enable them to maintain and improve the outdoor pool, ensuring residents and visitors can enjoy a safe and welcoming aquatic facility for years to come.
“Their dedication to our community aligns perfectly with our vision for providing exceptional recreational amenities,” said Joel Turcotte, the city’s director of recreation and culture services.
A celebration of the partnership is scheduled to take place in mid-June to coincide with the seasonal opening of the renamed Co-op outdoor pool.
The Co-op recently demonstrated its commitment to local community infrastructure by naming the Co-op Community Arena at the Cenovus Energy Hub.
That was a 10-year $300,000 sponsorship announced in February with the city that Brown says fits what the Co-op is all about.
“As a co-op, we feel we embody what the community is and we want to be stepping up as a partner on community projects,” he said
“We’re just trying to explore a little bit more with our donations and sponsorship side of our organization and try to be a little more active in the community in that regard.
“Ultimately our goal is to have earnings and share earnings with our membership which we have done very well but we still want to work with helping to build a stronger sense of community.”
