In 1938, even small cities, like Wetaskiwin, had a rush
hour. One late Saturday afternoon during one of these rush hours someone set fire to
the Co-op barn. Fortunately, at the time the horse and outfit were out on delivery
and with the help of some fairly brave individuals some items were saved from the
devastation. It was quite a spectacular blaze because the barn was partially filled
with hay. When the fire was finally doused the barn was a total loss. The
insurance company covered the losses to a total of $300.
That same year it was noticed that the front of the main
store was showing signs of shifting. Cracks began to appear. Edward Peterson
located 80 feet of 22 inch steel "I" beam from the demolition of the Hudson's
Bay Store in Edmonton and these were imbedded in the walls. The brick storefront was
replaced with concrete and stucco. To this day the structure is very sound because the
Co-op acted quickly to rectify the problem.
During the war years ration coupons were instituted by the
War Time Prices and Trade Board which was comprised mostly of the larger
merchandisers in such controlled commodities as coffee, raisins, sugar, steel goods, motor
fuel, and tires. The smaller retailers felt that they were being unfairly treated
and thus so were the consumers. An early account demonstrates this. In order
to serve coffee at the Annual Meeting the Wetaskiwin Co-operative had to obtain a special
permit from this Board and the limit imposed was one cup of coffee and one lump of sugar
per person attending the meeting.
World War II did not interfere with progress within the
western Canadian Co-operatives. In 1939 "The Co-op News" was launched in
Alberta and it became one of the largest circulated monthly publications in the Province.
Because the combined buying power of co-operatives in Alberta, Manitoba and
Saskatchewan was so significant - in 1941 they had purchased 145 box car loads of binder
twine alone - the western regional co-operatives formed the Interprovincial Co-operatives
Ltd.
With the formation of the wholesale entity which had been
successfully operating since 1929 and the presence of so many retail stores across Western
Canada the interprovincial partnership was a natural third stage of development for the
co-operative movement. With a stroke of genius the Co-op label was introduced to
identify Co-op brand products or those that met the high standard of quality that
co-operatives and their members endorsed.
This tradition of quality continues today.
On a regional and interprovincial level the Wetaskiwin
Co-operative participated and in some areas played an instrumental role in helping develop
the co-operative movement across Western Canada.
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