J. Cooke Concrete Blocks plant was one of the largest employers in Aldershot with over 80 staff manufacturing many products for the building industry. The business was run by a father and son team, Jacob and William Cooke. Jacob emigrated to Canada in 1927 and was making concrete blocks by hand by the 1940’s. Over the years, the father and son team helped build over 900 homes in the Bay area, provided material for the construction of Burlington City Hall, the swimming pool at McMaster University and Hamilton Place. In 1935, the company moved to New Street and then to this final location in 1941.