What comes first, hackerspace or maker group?

I've been researching a bit on maker groups and realized that the groups go hand in hand with hackerspaces. A hackerspace is a group of people that band together to support and maintain a shared physical space where they can meet, collaborate, learn from each other and most importantly... make things. Make: Philly has The Hacktory. Make: NYC has the NYC Resistor.

And... I learn that Ontario has a few hackerspaces of it's own. In Toronto there is the HackLab and in Hamilton there is the Hamilton Hacker Space. Imagine, a place loaded with tools like drill presses, metal benders, dremels, grinders, scopes, digital analyzers and welders, not to mention all of the parts and other supplies.

Now my question is... what comes first, the hackerspace or the maker group? The group can exist without the space, but the space can't exist without a (at least small) group. But with the shared access to the space, the group is pulled together and can more easily grow in skill as they work on real projects together.

Anyone interested in starting a hackerspace or something similar in the Region of Waterloo? It would be a real commitment I'm guessing (e.g. HackLab has a $50/month membership).

Update 2009/01/22: Just stumbled on this... do you think the area would support something like the Reuseum (love that name)? It's an outlet store...

... well stocked with Odd, Unusual, Unique, and "one of a Kind" items for the worlds of Science, Industry & Electronic surplus.

I know we have our very own K-W Surplus, but the Reuseum has a unique slant as can be seen from a recent post on their website:

In 2009 the Reuseum will continue to host small community workshops targeted towards fun creative activities and work to foster the independent spirit of makers and engineers in the Treasure Valley, focusing on the philosophy of sustainability and repurposing technology. We also offer a variety of services including trade and intake of your unwanted or unused technology or strange whatchamacallits so that we can continue to find cool inventory for our store. In uncertain times like these innovation is at the core of creating prosperity, here at the Reuseum you can find something to apply your curiosity to and learn, or create that machine that only used to be a dream on a budget that you won’t mind either.