July 16, 2012

Island association selects legacy project to help celebrate 100 years

ASSOCIATION GUIDE

VANCOUVER ISLAND CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION

The Garth Homer Society offers its clients, adults with developmental disabilities, the opportunity to become more active members of the community through employment, volunteering, recreation and community exploration. A seating area outside one of it's facilities is shown above.

SUBMITTED BY THE VICA

Victoria, B.C.

Over the years, the Vancouver Island Construction Association (VICA) has embarked on a number of community projects.

The motivation is to give back to the communities that our more than 500 members and their employees live and work in.

Historically, VICA has initiated community projects rather informally. Different board chairs would promote and support various community projects.

Occasionally a valued community service would approach VICA in a time of need.

In 2011, the board of directors recognized the demographic shift in our industry and formed a committee called the Young Construction Leaders (YCL).

The committee is a diverse group of men and women from the broader construction community and generally made up of generations X and Y.

The committee was formed to create networking and leadership development opportunities for the next generation of construction executives. In short order, the YCL felt a need to help the community through a construction project.

Based on the scope of the work and the impact it would have, the YCL chose the Garth Homer Society, which helps adults with developmental disabilities.

The societies’ objective is to help its 143 adult clients become more independent and integrated members of the community through employment, volunteering, recreation and community exploration.

The Garth Homer Society project is valued at about $65,000 with seven different companies participating on 11 different elements of the project.

This year is VICA’s centennial and the association’s board of directors asked the YCL to undertake a Centennial Legacy Project.

The YCL issued a request for proposals for a project that adds value to the community, incorporates heritage or historical relevance, and can be completed within budget in 2012.

They selected the Gorge Waterway Nature House operated by World Fisheries Trust.

The house is located in the Esquimalt-Gorge Park and serves the general public, community groups and schools.

Each year, more than 9,000 people visit the nature house for community celebrations and educational programs on the local aquatic biodiversity and environmental conservation. Planning is now underway for construction to begin in September.

Prior to these projects, VICA members completed a number of community projects including: Craigdarroch Castle, Victoria Need Crisis and Information Line, CRD Parks and South Island Mountain Bike Society and the Viaduct Viewing Platform for the Victoria Natural History Society.

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