Okanagan College’s new Trades Complex in Kelowna is one of the most advanced and sustainable trades training facilities in the world. It provides expanded capacity for education and training as the region faces a skills gap in the trades and related occupations.
TRADES COMPLEX
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OKANAGAN COLLEGE’S TRADES COMPLEX IS ONE OF THE GREENEST TRADES TRAINING FACILITIES EVER BUILT.
$35M
SPACE TO TRAIN
2,700 STUDENTS
TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET
PER YEAR
• $28 million investment by the province • $7 million fundraising goal – Bright Horizons, Building for Skills campaign
NEW STUDENT STUDY, SOCIAL, AND MEAL SPACES
700 STUDENTS
BACK TO CAMPUS who were training offsite
10,000 sq. meter
SUSTAINABLE RENOVATION AND EXPANSION designed to be a
model for sustainability in trades training in North America
Blending new build with renovated facilities with the overall
GOAL OF MEETING LEED PLATINUM standards for the project
SECOND LARGEST PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR ARRAY
on a non-utility institutional building in western Canada. The array generates enough energy to power more than 25 homes per year
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From the
Chair of the Okanagan College Board of Governors
Building…
for the
F
rom the start it was clear that the $35-million project aimed at rejuvenating the trades training facilities at the Kelowna campus was going to be something special: A new chapter in the institution’s 53-year history of opening doors to higher education. It was an opportunity to push the envelope in green building and an occasion for collaboration with industry and community. It was a chance to set a new benchmark for excellence in postsecondary learning environments. It would also be one of the most ambitious capital projects in the College’s history. On one hand, it meant updating decades-old facilities. (A number of shops, labs, and classrooms date back
to the College’s founding as the B.C. Vocational School in 1963.) And while updates had been made over the years, the College embraced a bold challenge: elevating these spaces to match the LEED Platinum-targeted standards of the threestorey tower that now greets passers-by along KLO Road. An even greater challenge? Coordinating and completing a 10,000 sq. metre renovation and expansion while classes were in session for the 2,700 trades students in Kelowna. “It was business as usual throughout the entire project,” explains Steve Moores, the College’s Dean of Trades and Apprenticeship. “Basically all of our trades shops, labs, and classrooms were either demolished, renovated,
future
built or re-built, but meanwhile programming continued. Our biggest priority was ensuring there was no – or extremely minimal – interruption for our students and instructors. So it was not a typical project for PCL, the subcontractors, and everyone involved.” “Trades people are obviously integral to our business, so it was very rewarding to help the College build a world-class facility for trades training in the Okanagan,” says Gary McEwan, PCL’s Manager, Special Projects. “Having built the Jim Pattison Centre of Excellence at the College’s Penticton campus, and having witnessed the international acclaim that building has garnered, Continued next page
Okanagan College traces its roots to 1963 when the doors to the B.C. Vocational School first opened in Kelowna, heralding an era of trades and vocational training that has continued without a break since then.
As we officially open our new trades complex in Kelowna, it is amazing how far those 53 years have brought us. Okanagan College is now so much more than a trades training institution (although we are the second largest in British Columbia). Ours is a degree-granting institution that draws students from throughout our region, across Canada and from around the world. We have a host of certificate and diploma programs that address the needs of careerseekers and employers. We are a place where people come to get needed upgrading, and where they can take the first two years of their arts and
science university degrees. We have grown to four campuses, and offer education on a regular basis at nine other centres. The Trades complex is the latest shining example of how Okanagan College continues to develop to better serve students and our region. It is a $35-million project that makes it clear – to students and the community – how important trades training is, with renovated and new shops, and student space that fosters the collaborative skills so critical to today’s workplace. It is a showcase of great workmanship, as much as it is a place to develop those skills. When this project commenced four years ago, one of our apprentice students commented on the tremendous quality of the trades training Okanagan College offered but lamented that the facilities didn’t reflect that quality. With the significant investment of the Province of British Columbia and the incredible support of donors and the community, I’m proud to say our expanded and renovated Trades Complex is a fitting home for the next generations of proud tradespeople who come to learn at Okanagan College. Sincerely,
~ Connie Denesiuk
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Students in the new welding shop
Continued from page 3 way in which students were ushered into the College’s we knew we had to once again push ourselves to deliver new state-of-the-art welding shop. one of the greenest buildings of its kind anywhere. “Students trained in the old shop right up until “But first and foremost it was important to us to the end of the day on a Friday. A massive amount of work with the College every step of the way to help equipment was then transferred over and installed in them meet their goal of minimizing the impact on the new shop over the weekend. When students arrived students during the build.” for class on Monday, they stepped into a whole new Careful planning made all the difference. More than world, and they didn’t miss a minute a year in advance of shovels in the of instructional time. Those sorts dirt, the College and the builder – of moments were little triumphs PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc. of organization at the time, but - formulated a detailed schedule. in looking back now are the true Timetables were adapted, space found The response has highlights of the project.” for each and every program that been overwhelmingly Another source of pride for the would be affected throughout the positive since the College was the fact that having more process. building opened space at the Kelowna campus meant “It required a great deal of its doors. that students studying at leased shops dialogue and discussion, and on Penno and Acland Road could tremendous flexibility on everyone’s return to campus. That move posed part,” notes Moores. “But it was a another logistical test. challenge we embraced wholeheartedly. As important as “We had 700 students return to campus when the new facilities are to us, it was even more important construction completed,” Moores explains. “And so that we were able to deliver the same high quality during the final stages of the build, we were tasked with training to the students in class during construction.” not just relocating those classes but ensuring students A prime example, notes Moores, was the seamless
were stepping into shops and labs that were powered up, tooled up and completely ready to go, so they could hit the ground running.” Students have been quick to show their appreciation and excitement. “The response has been overwhelmingly positive,” says Moores. “Students who have moved back to campus are thrilled. And those were who were here or who are completely new to the campus have responded in the same way. Instructors couldn’t be happier with the facilities – they’re bright, modern, and they show how much the College values and reveres our tradespeople.” The building has already impressed guests and drawn praise internationally as well. “We had the President of Toyota Technical College here recently to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the collaboration between our institutions,” explains Moores. “President Ikeyama sent our president a note afterwards about how impressed they were with the level of sustainability we were able to achieve with building. We felt that was high praise coming from guests from a country well known for technological innovation.”
BE INSPIRED. Inspiration takes flight
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O
ne of the building’s most unique features isn’t green, it’s silver. In addition to touching down with a major donation, KF Aerospace landed at Okanagan College with another gift that promises to inspire students and have them looking aloft as they chase their dreams. A gleaming Cessna 172 hangs three-stories up in the building’s atrium – which will be known as the KF Aerospace Atrium, – a symbol of the company’s passionate commitment to supporting education. At 27 ft. long, boasting a 36 ft. wingspan of polished aluminum, the aircraft dazzles in the space. It’s a source of pride for Barry Lapointe, KF Aerospace’s CEO and Chairman. Lapointe was on hand recently to watch as the plane took to the air in the atrium. And unlike previous take-offs in the aircraft’s history, no runway was necessary. This time, it was skilfully raised to the ceiling by a team of engineers. A great deal of work went into preparing the vintage aircraft for its final flight. “It’s wonderful to see such an iconic aircraft transformed into a work of art,” says Lapointe. “I’m very proud of the way our company has transformed a 1959 aircraft into a thing of art and beauty, and it couldn’t be hanging in a more fitting place.” Lapointe says he’s pleased to see the plane find a home in a building that celebrates not only aircraft mechanics, but tradespeople of all kinds.
Barry Lapointe (above) and with the team who suspended the aircraft in the building’s atrium. The aircraft before it was restored by KF Aerospace is pictured left.
“I’ve always been a big supporter of post-secondary,” artwork, explains the College’s President Jim Hamilton. “The College deeply appreciates KF Aerospace’s explains Lapointe. “Whether your dream is to be a support,” says Hamilton. “This gift is a beautiful carpenter or an electrician or an aircraft maintenance addition to the building and to the future of Okanagan engineer or a business owner, education is going to help College in which Barry and his team have so generously you get there, there’s no question—looking at myself!” Study nature, love nature, stayIt’s close to nature. invested. a tangible reminder how strongly our local In the eyes of students and employees, the building’s newest addition is far more than just anever piece offail aerial It will you. industry leaders believe in education.” (Frank Lloyd Wright)
BE INSPIRED.
The team and family of Wilden and Blenk Development are thankful for the opportunity to invest in the future of trades and support our next generation of skilled trades people in the Okanagan. We’re looking forward to setting out toward Bright Horizons together.
Wilden is the largest master-planned community in the Okanagan, only 10 minutes from downtown Kelowna. It is embedded in nature and sensitively developed in small pockets. By engaging in sustainable building practices Wilden leads the way toward nature inspired living in the Okanagan Valley and beyond. Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you. (Frank Lloyd Wright)
The team and family of Wilden
www.wilden.ca
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Alumni get on board
E
PCL Construction, he played a pivotal role in helping to build the facilities that will train the next generation of tradespeople who will follow in his footsteps at Okanagan College’s Kelowna campus. It’s a coincidence that’s not lost on the career construction professional. “It’s amazing to see how the College has grown and changed, even in the short time since I was a student,” says Tetlock. Growth in trades training has surged in recent years OC Trades alumnus Tyler Tetlock now works and has been exponential with PCL Construction. He helped to renovate since Okanagan College the carpentry shop in which he trained only a opened its doors in 1963. few years ago. In the last 17 years alone – since 1998 – more than 21,000 students have trained at the College. The contributions these tens of thousands of alumni make to our communities, and to the fabric of the region, are likewise ever-growing.
very nail driven, every joint soldered was another example of education hard at work— living, breathing validation of Okanagan College’s mission to transform lives and communities. As the project proceeded, the College became aware of the growing number of OC graduates working on the building. Tyler Tetlock worked only steps away from where he trained to become a Red Seal carpenter only a few years ago. As Assistant Superintendent with
Rambow Mechanical Ltd. owner Patrick Waunch and his team – including more than a dozen OC graduates – worked on the building and supported the fundraising campaign.
Tetlock is among that group of communitybuilders, and has witnessed firsthand the value of quality training. He’s also reflective on the significance of the training ground he is building for future students who will follow in his footsteps. “Okanagan College helped prepare me for my career, so I’m very proud to help build a space where thousands of others will train towards a career in the trades,” he says. Rambow Mechanical Ltd., one of the contractors engaged in the building’s construction, counts 14 Okanagan College alumni among its ranks who worked on the project. It’s a fact that makes owner Patrick Waunch very proud. “I believe it’s incredibly important that we invest in the skilled tradespeople of tomorrow,” says Waunch, whose company also donated $50,000 toward the fundraising campaign behind the project. “The future of the construction industry looks extremely positive over the next 15 years, so training new apprentices to fill the workforce is going to be imperative. This new facility is
going to be a great asset to students who want to make a future for themselves in this industry.” Waunch, who volunteered his time and expertise as a volunteer industry sector chair for the campaign, says he hopes the building’s sustainable design will inspire students to think about the role they will play in implementing and advancing new building technologies as future tradespeople. “Our industry is based on new technology that is constantly changing and becoming more environmentallyfriendly. I couldn’t think of a better place than this innovative new facility to train the creative minds that will lead our industry into the future.”
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Okanagan College Trades Expansion
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Okanagan College • TRADES COMPLEX Z7 ■
September 2016
is also home to a unique radon detection system with exciting potential for applied research applications. The Trades complex is one of only a handful of buildings in the world to boast such a system. It allows the College to pump in a variety of gases used in commercial and residential construction and safely monitor the outputs.
Paving the way for new programming
T
FortisBC and Kal West he Trades Mechanical Systems. Complex opens “Over the past five up opportunities years alone, Okanagan for new programming College has trained and applied research. more than 1,200 FTE One of the programs (full-time equivalent) Okanagan College has Foundation and been able to offer right Apprenticeship students out of the gate is a in the Plumbing/ Steamfitter/Pipefitter Pipefitting and apprenticeship, and the Refrigeration and Air way the new lab space for Conditioning Mechanic the program was built is programs,” notes Steve one of the most inspiring Moores, the College’s stories behind the Trades Complex. Steamfitters are typically Pipefitters who specialize in pipe systems that move liquids or gases under high pressure. There’s huge demand for these tradespeople in B.C., and the arrival of LNG projects could Students from the College’s spell even greater Women in Trades Training need. (WITT) program helped install cutting-edge technologies in Critical to the the new plumbing shop. College’s ability to offer all four levels of the program Dean of Trades and was the development of Apprenticeship. “These a new Cross Connection two new labs will Control Lab and Gas accommodate more than Training Lab. The labs 300 students per year, were designed and built which illustrates the in collaboration with
of a full-scale trades training house – the only one in the region – at the Kelowna campus. Breaking ground this fall, the twostorey mock house will provide a chance for tomorrow’s carpenters, welders, electricians, plumbers, and other tradespeople to work in a constantly changing residential construction setting.
Full scale trades training house to be constructed ▼▼▼ tremendous impact they will have on our ability to provide this in-demand programming.” The first class of students recently completed Level 1, with the first offering of Level 2 opening on October 3. The construction of the labs themselves opened up new doors and broadened horizons. Okanagan College students were invited in to work side-by-side with FortisBC and Kal West to install the equipment and technologies that would bring the labs online. Madison Roukema, a recent graduate of the Sheet Metal Foundation program and of the Women in Trades Training (WITT) program, was one of those students. “It was such an awesome opportunity to get to work on the building as a student,” says Roukema. “There were students from different trades, different classes, and we all had a chance to put our skills to work.” Roukema says the
students walked away with more than just new technical know-how. “It was a way of being part of the project, part of the future of the Trades at the College,” she notes. “It was a great experience.” The plumbing shop
“Given that we’re currently the only institution in the region with this technology, we’re looking to partner with industry and other institutions to explore the research potential,” notes Moores. Another project that will once again see students donning tool belts is the construction
“The Trades Training House is particularly exciting because it also opens doors to new programming and to applied research,” explains Moores. “We can explore solar panel training and other green building technologies. It’s yet another new way we’re adding value for students and for industry and the community.”
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■ Z8 Okanagan College • TRADES COMPLEX
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Sustainable building focus brings attention to Okanagan College
O
practices and approaches within responsible budgets, kanagan College’s reputation as an the College’s Trades Complex project will continue organization focused on sustainable building that inspirational direction. has spread nationally and internationally “When the College undertook this project over the past several years and is likely to continue to starting in 2012 it wanted to demonstrate that a grow as projects such as the new Trades Complex at combination of renovations to the existing built the Kelowna campus come on stream. structure and construction of a major new building In April 2016 Corporate Knights Magazine could incorporate principles of sustainability and named the Jim Pattison Centre of Excellence in environmental responsibility,” explains Roy Daykin, Sustainable Building Technologies and Renewable Vice President of Employee and Corporate Services Energy Conservation at the College’s Penticton at Okanagan College. “Too campus as the most sustainable building in Canada’s often, people think that post-secondary sector. really green projects have The building was in good company – UBC to be those that are being Vancouver’s Centre for Interactive Research on built from scratch. Our Sustainability was the silver medalist according to instructors and students the judges, who had started with a long list with loved the existing trades more than 200 buildings to consider. Dalhousie shop space, but it was University’s Mona Campbell building won bronze. outdated, inefficient, poorly “When the news came out it was a surprise ventilated, underinsulated to us,” admits Okanagan College President Jim and – quite frankly – an Hamilton. “Not because of the recognition, because energy embarrassment. we know this is a very special building that celebrates “So we set out, with our architects, engineers, sustainability. It was a surprise because we weren’t builders, and staff to renovate those shops to bring aware that we were being included in the assessment.” them to 21st century standards. At the same time, The Centre of Excellence has earned a number of we focused our new building on awards and recognition since the highest possible environmental it opened in 2011. Before the standards, building to LEED Platinum nod from Corporate Knights, standards and incorporating the the building was accredited approaches of the Living Building as a LEED (Leadership in Our goal is to be Challenge. Energy and Environmental energy neutral or “Our goal is to be energy neutral Design) Platinum project: the as close to that as or as close to that as possible, which largest structure of its type in possible.” is a bigger challenge than you might B.C.’s interior to achieve the – Roy Daykin think because of the power demand designation. associated with the trades shops and While the Centre of the equipment they contain.” Excellence has helped push builders and architects to reconsider how projects can One of the many things the College has done incorporate sustainable and environmentally-sensitive to help it achieve its target is to develop a large
photovoltaic solar array to generate power. The 973 solar panels on the roof of the heavy equipment canopy produce an average 1,103 kilowatt hours of energy per day during the summer. The 194 kW electrical solar photovoltaic array system is the second largest in the province on a post-secondary building. The largest array can be found just a few miles south, on the College’s Centre of Excellence in Penticton. The College’s dedication to environmental sustainability doesn’t just focus on construction and renovation. Over the past several years, the College has been looking for gains in other areas – metering power usage, installing more efficient equipment, trying to get people to think differently about energy consumption. It’s working. The energy consumption per square metre of buildings at the College’s four campuses has dropped by more than 30 per cent in the past eight years. And in its most recent Strategic Plan, the College identified sustainability as one of its key directions. “We’ve had architects, engineers, and builders come from around the globe to look at what we’re doing. Our approach has influenced changes in some municipal building bylaws and I believe – I hope – that it has inspired other organizations to think about how they can incorporate sustainability into their construction and renovation projects,” says Hamilton. “Where the impact of what we’re doing really struck me though, was when one of our construction project managers boasted that he had started a project driving to work every day in threequarter ton truck but he ended up commuting to and from the site in a Prius as he realized the impact that small changes can have.”
September 2016
A home for
N
learning
Okanagan College • TRADES COMPLEX Z9 ■ The new building boasts more study space and enhanced learning support for students, including an all-new Trades Success Centre
ew space and added support for students and programming is helping Okanagan College open doors and break down barriers to education in its new home for trades. “Supporting learner readiness and success is one of our key directions,” explains Jim Hamilton, president of Okanagan College. “We know there will continue to be a strong need for skilled tradespeople in our region and across the province, and so we feel it’s important to open Jay Darwin Charleyboy with his daughters doors to the trades, especially (l to r) Skylah, Lexus, and Justice. region, throughout B.C., and further afield, will converge to students who may not have the number of its Aboriginal on the Kelowna campus and get a fast-paced introduction previously considered training and female trades students to a number of trades. The program is tuition-free and for a career in this sector.” enrolled over the past five geared towards helping Aboriginal students get on the With expanded and years, two groups who fast-track to employment on B.C.’s jobsites. renovated facilities, came have traditionally been “This type of training is so beneficial for our young opportunity for the College underrepresented in the people and our community as a whole,” said Adams Lake to explore new assistance for trades. Indian Band Chief Robin Billy, who spoke to graduating students, new opportunities to The College now students of the first class on Feb. 19. “We need workers support their success. averages over 250 women who are well trained and have the skills necessary to build A major grant from the and approximately 200 our houses, schools, roads, and other vital infrastructure.” Joyce Foundation - $250,000 Aboriginal students enrolled For Jay Darwin Charleyboy, a member of the – is funding tutoring and providing bursaries to help in Trades and Apprenticeship programs annually. Ulkatcho First Nation, completing Level 1 of the students focus more on their studies and less on their The College as a whole has witnessed a tremendous program achieved two goals. It brought him one step finances. Leveraging the Joyce Foundation’s contribution increase in the number of Aboriginal students in the past closer to his dream of becoming a are generous investments by the Okanagan Mission and decade. Since the 2011-12 academic year, Red Seal-certified tradesperson. Ogopogo Rotary Clubs of Kelowna, whose combined Okanagan College has provided education It also gave the single father of support has helped launch the Trades Success Centre. to approximately 1,500 Aboriginal three a chance to demonstrate to The space is much more than just a quiet spot to students per year, compared to only 445 his daughters the importance of study. Here students can now access support from tutors in 2005 and this number continues to rise. Supporting learner lifelong learning. and mentors across the board: from building their writing This represents the fastest rate of growth readiness and success “One of the reasons I enrolled skills to boosting their abilities in math and sciences. at a public post-secondary institution in is one of our key was to show my children that Centre coordinators will ensure students receive one-onB.C. over the last five years. directions.” we should always strive to better one assistance and access to the supports and mentorship And new doors continue to open for ourselves in life,” says Charleyboy, they need to be successful. It’s a need that continues students each month. – Jim Hamilton who moved from a community near to grow, and a service that is already proving to be A partnership with Westbank First Williams Lake to the Okanagan. transformative for learners. Nation and BC Hydro has yielded a “I plan to continue on to Level These new supports for students couldn’t be more second intake of the College’s popular 2 of the program, complete my apprenticeship, and keep timely. Construction Craft Worker Aboriginal Bridging program building a better life for myself and my daughters.” Okanagan College has witnessed impressive growth in this fall. In October, students from bands throughout the
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Building for skills
Students, staff, alumni, individuals, families and businesses: from those who are in the trades to those who hire them, from across the region and far beyond, many people have stepped forward to support the Okanagan College Foundation’s Bright Horizons, Building for Skills campaign and in turn help Okanagan College build for the future.
▼▼▼
O
n a bright, crisp morning in October 2014, as workers attended to the recently poured foundation for the new Trades Centre in the background, the Bright Horizons: Building for Skills campaign was
announced. It was a fitting backdrop for the launch of the $7-million fundraising effort that would augment the province’s $28-million investment. The goal? Raise $5 million for capital construction and
$2 million for program and student support. The challenge? By year’s end the trickledown effects of a plunging Alberta oil and gas sector were already being felt by countless local businesses and individuals. Fortunately, big
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support from within the College community and throughout the Okanagan, was already rolling—and would continue to—despite tough economic times. A $500,000 donation from KF Aerospace owner Barry Lapointe in late 2015 helped the campaign soar, while major gifts from the valley’s automotive sector demonstrated time and time again that local
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business owners stand behind the training offered at Okanagan College. “Barry and the valley’s auto dealers really led the early charge,” notes Campaign Chair Dennis Gabelhouse. “We launched the campaign with more than $610,000 collectively from numerous dealerships, and Barry’s gift landed shortly after. That support really got the wheels turning in terms of inspiring others.” Support from the auto sector continued to roll. By the time the building opened to students this spring, contributions from the sector totalled nearly $1 million. Support from the valley’s homebuilders has also been formative. Donors like Les Bellamy, owner of Bellamy Homes, have shown how strongly they believe in investing in their future workforce. “I think it’s very important as industry leaders that we support and encourage young people getting into trades careers however we can,” said Bellamy.
“To maintain the quality and craftsmanship that goes into building our homes and communities, the valley needs skilled tradespeople and the College is a key supplier of that workforce.” “If we don’t support the next wave of tradespeople and a facility like this that honours our profession, who will?” asked Gord Wilson, owner of TEAM Construction Management Ltd. and volunteer sector Chair for the campaign. Wilson gave $50,000 toward the campaign and helped carry the rallying call far and wide among the valley’s builders. Perhaps the most inspiring moment of the campaign came in early 2015 when the Okanagan College Students’ Union pledged $100,000. “We think it’s a powerful message that Okanagan College students see the value of this new learning facility and want to step up and play an active role in building it,” explained Chelsea Grisch, the OCSU’s Executive Chairperson. Continued on page 13
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KF Aerospace owner Barry Lapointe’s $500,000 gave fundraisers an early lift.
Mary and Bill Schooff.
Dale Lamb owner of D.K.L. Financial (centre).
Generous supporters of Bright Horizons: Building for Skills
Ross Gilley, Rotary Club of Kelowna (centre) with Steve Moores and Kathy Butler.
SHARING YOUR VISION. BUILDING SUCCESS.
Students were involved at every stage of development, and when it came to fundraising, the Okanagan College Students’ Union stepped up with $100,000.
Kelowna Auto Dealers united in their support for the campaign.
Okanagan College Kelowna Trades Complex
PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc. extends congratulations to Okanagan College on the successful completion and opening of its new Trades Complex. PCL is honored to have built this state of the art facility that will train students for future careers in the construction industry. We are passionate about what we do, and about our partners’ success. Watch us build at PCL.com
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Support comes full circle with donor recognition
W
hen Okanagan College set out to recognize the many people and organizations who supported the Trades Complex, a challenge was issued. Help create a tribute to the many people who made this building a reality, and to the countless others who have nurtured Trades and Apprenticeship at Okanagan College over the past five decades. It went out to employees, current students and alumni – spanning decades, and campuses, reaching every
corner of the College community. People responded. Ideas percolated. A vision for a unique donor wall soon took shape. As it came into focus, it became clear that achieving it would require a journey back in time, through the rich
students become tomorrow’s mentors, history of the College and the region. teachers, donors, and community “We wanted to acknowledge the builders. fact that our donors are helping us build for the future, while also keeping One of the most eye-catching and in mind that we are building on such curiosity provoking pieces was supplied a deep history of by campaign volunteer trades training at the and former City of College,” explains Kelowna councillor Kathy Butler, Sharron Simpson, who the Foundation’s donated a cross-cut saw We wanted to Executive Director. dating back to around acknowledge the fact “And what better the turn of the century. that our donors are way to illustrate that “My family was in helping us build for than to incorporate the lumber business some tangible pieces in the Kelowna area,” the future, while also of that history right explains Simpson. keeping in mind that into the wall?” “My grandfather S.M. we are building on Artifacts from Simpson was the owner such a deep history.” different trades of some of the region’s – Kathy Butler and eras, from the first sawmills. So College’s founding in 1963 (and in some cases, even earlier) to the present, were unearthed. The wall boasts a welding torch from the 1970s, carpentry tools from the 1980s…all the way through to tools from present day. Old and new, in one place. A decadeslong tapestry encased in a three-metre span of glass, metal and wood. “We ran with the theme of circularity,” says Butler. “The idea is that there is a circle of giving, whereby our donors invest in our students and those students in turn become alumni and return to the College and give back The donor wall to future generations. We’ve seen so features artifacts from many examples of that throughout this throughout the College’s campaign.” half-century history The wall is also a symbol of of trades training, how education has come full circle seamlessly blending old at the College, as a proud history and new, just like the is continually built upon, as today’s building.
when the College was searching for artefacts that spoke to the history of the region and the early tradespeople who worked here, I thought this was a fitting example. It would have been used to fell trees in East Kelowna, Glenmore, maybe as far as Winfield.” As proud as she is to see her family’s saw on the wall, Simpson is even prouder of the new tools the building will put in the hands of Okanagan College students. “This new facility will be a tremendous asset not only to Okanagan College but to the region, the province, and internationally. From a teaching, facilities, and equipment perspective, it’s fantastic. And I think the way the College has blended the old with the new honours our region’s history while looking boldly to the future.”
Congratulations OK College! Shawn Joe is a registered apprentice after successfully completing the Construction Craft Worker Program at Okanagan College.
Mt. Boucherie Secondary School is proud to partner with Okanagan College’s dual credit Culinary Arts Program. Over the past 10 years graduates have gone on to have successful and fulfilling careers in the culinary field. 2751 CAMERON ROAD, WEST KELOWNA, BC • MBSS: Professional Learning Community
Okanagan College has partnered with the Okanagan Training & Development Council for many years, and Westbank First Nation looks forward to continuing and promoting education with our youth and building on the future.
Okanagan College • TRADES COMPLEX Z13 ■
September 2016
College supports new locally-developed product
O
kanagan College prides itself on supporting innovation, creativity, academics, research and industry in the Okanagan Valley, and the use of Radon Guard in the new trades buildings is a perfect example of how to do that. Local Architect Randi Fox, (Architect AIBC, WA) invented and patented Radon Guard, a panelized structural underslab ventilation system that satisfies the (then new) building code requirements for radon. Not only were Okanagan College early adopters of this innovative new product, they also partnered with PCL Constructors, the National Research Council, and Fox to design and install test equipment and fittings in the new Plumbing Shop building for future scientific research. Radon is a naturally occurring soil gas that can to accumulate in cavern-like spaces such as mines, wells, basements and buildings in high enough concentrations to give us lung cancer. It’s a serious
problem, more people die from radon induced cancer than from drunk driving and house fires combined. Fortunately there is an easy solution to radon, which is to ventilate the gas out before it gets into the building. That’s why the National Building Code now requires all new construction to provide an underslab ventilation layer. Radon Guard is a panelized foam product that is a one-to-one replacement for the code required ventilation layer. In addition, since it is made of insulation, it provides the required energy code insulation, the required structural support as well as the required moisture barrier, all in one product that installs in half an hour. At the time the Plumbing Shop was starting, Fox was having Radon Guard performance tested for code compliance at the NRC in Ottawa, and so was in dailty contact with the scientists there. Dr Andrew Hay, who is the VP of Okanagan College, also
happens to be a PhD Mechanical Engineer. He was intrigued by the product and when it was suggested by Mr Fox that the college could partner with the NRC to provide research equipment in the new plumbing shop he enthusiastically agreed. Thanks to this liason between academia, researchers and local industry, the Plumbing Shop at Okanagan College is now fitted out with multiple intake and exhaust ports and fittings which will allow any variety of future soil gas experiments, measurements and data collection to occur. And thanks to forward thinking from early supporters like Okanagan College and PCL Constructors, Radon Guard has successfully gone from a local start-up to an internationally proven product. The NRC provided CCMC approval showing code equivalence and compliance,and the product is available in Canada and the US at all major construction suppliers.
Clubs, organizations and individuals step up to contribute toward the college Continued from page 10
It would not be the last example of generosity from within the College’s circle. Scores of employees, past and current, stepped up with support, along with a wave of alumni—and not just those from the Trades, but from programs as diverse as the College itself. As D.K.L. Financial owner and OC alumnus Dale Lamb puts it, supporting the project was an opportunity not only to give back, but to inspire. “When I heard about the way this space would elevate training to a whole new level for students in our community, I thought ‘What a great way to show my own children that giving back is important,’ ” says Lamb, who studied business at the College in the early 1990s. “I see this as an opportunity not just to support students, but also to inspire young people—and everyone in our community—that whether it’s a few dollars or thousands, by giving back and paying it forward, we can all have an impact.”
Community groups including Rotary, Probus, Gyro and other clubs and organizations rose to the call. Inspired by a photograph of trades students eating their lunches on the floor in the old facilities, the Rotary Club of Kelowna donated $75,000 toward a central seating area. The Okanagan Mission and Ogopogo Clubs stepped in with $5,000 and $10,000, respectively. “When you think about it, you can’t step out your front door and go very far without coming into contact with something that a tradesperson has helped to build, wire, plumb, weld, and so on,” said Rotary Club of Kelowna Past President Dennis Campbell. “So we wanted to be a part of the College’s efforts to show our future tradespeople how much we value all they do for our communities.” A number of unique contributions arrived on campus during the campaign. A tractor specially suited to work in Okanagan orchards was donated by PrairieCoast equipment; Cloverdale Paint Inc. gave five years worth of paint;
Bill Schooff, a retired machinist tool and die-maker, donated a collection of tools that took him a lifetime to assemble. The region’s media helped share news of the project every step of the way, and collectively donated more than $385,000 in advertising and media support to the Bright Horizons Building for Skills Fundraising campaign. “The depth and breadth of community support for this project has been very heartening for Okanagan College,” says President Jim Hamilton. “We set out to build a sustainable, leading-edge facility that would truly celebrate and honour the trades. It has been wonderful to witness the way in which individuals, families, and organizations throughout the region have showed their support for the College and our future tradespeople in training.”
A list of donors can be found on the last page of this supplement.
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On the opening of the new
TRADES COMPLEX at Okanagan College in Kelowna
Kelowna Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
Kelowna BMW
■ Z14 Okanagan College • TRADES COMPLEX
September 2016
Fast Facts▼▼▼ The Trades Complex is intended to be a model for sustainability—one to inspire other institutions across the globe to reach for a new green benchmark in trades training. It incorporates many of the latest in green building techniques, technologies, and materials, with the goal of meeting LEED Platinum standards. Features include:
Space to train 2,700 students per year
•T argeted for net-zero energy consumption, with the second-largest photovoltaic solar array on a non-utility institutional building in western Canada (second only to the Jim Pattison Centre of Excellence at the Penticton campus). The array generates enough energy to power more than 25 homes per year • 1 0,000 sq. metre (100,000+ sq. foot) sustainable renovation and expansion •N ew or renovated shops and labs in the following program areas: • Automotive Service Technician • Carpentry and Joinery • Collision Repair • Electrical Labs x 3 •H eavy Duty Mechanical Trades – including construction of a 1,858-square-metre outdoor training space • Recreational Vehicle Technician • Plumbing •C ross Connection Control Lab and Gas Training • Welding
Locally owned and operated since 1975
CONTRACTORS • HOMEOWNERS • INDUSTRIAL WE RENT EQUIPMENT FO
• ride on rollers • bobcat loaders • mini excavators • lift equipment • landscape equipment
• air compressors • compaction equipment • electric jackhammers • garden equipment • generators • plumbing equipment • pressure washers • pumps • space heaters • stump grinders • survey equipment • welding equipment • wood chippers
• Enhanced, on-demand air filtration systems in shops mean significant energy savings and greenhouse gas reduction over previous facilities • Only post-secondary building in North America to have a unique Radon detection system in place for applied research opportunities • In-slab radiant heating and cooling • Geothermal ground source for heating and cooling
Congratulations on the opening of the new TRADES TRAINING COMPLEX
(250)-491-1991 910 McCurdy Road, Kelowna BC Toll Free: 1-800-228-5702
• Saves energy by recovering heat from effluent water treatment process at the Kelowna Water Treatment Plant • Extensive use of wood to reflect the region and B.C.’s natural resources • Metal mesh solar shade reduces solar heat • Double bands of windows on each floor balance solar heat and light impact • Cross laminated timber beams from Structurlam in OK Falls offer a balance of strength and sustainability while being lightweight and beautiful • Natural vegetation and xeriscaping including fruit trees
Okanagan College • TRADES COMPLEX Z15 ■
September 2016
A bigger, better home for trades training
TCM - Bright Horizons.pdf
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thankYOu
September 2016
to the generous donors who made the Trades Complex in Kelowna a reality.
Okanagan College gratefully acknowledges the following supporters who have already made a donation to the Bright Horizons, Building for Skills fundraising campaign. $100,000 +
$50,000 to $99,999 continued
$10,000 to $49,999 continued
$5,000 to $9,999
Argus Properties Ltd. Bannister Automotive Group Bell Media City of Kelowna Flair Airlines Ltd. Harmony Honda & Harmony Acura Horizon Electric Inc. The Joyce Foundation KF Aerospace Okanagan Chrysler Jeep Dodge & Okanagan Fiat Okanagan College Students’ Union Orchard Ford Sales Ltd. & Kelowna Ford Lincoln Sales Ltd. Klaus & Lydia Reichwald Shaw Television Limited Partnership Westwood Electric Wilden
Kelowna Kia Kelowna Toyota Ltd. Ute Koessler Krueger Electrical Ltd. Lambert & Paul Construction Ltd. Tony & Franca Lunelli PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc. PrairieCoast Equipment Praxair Canada Inc. Rambow Mechanical Ltd. Refrigerative Supply Ltd. Rotary Club of Kelowna Rykon Construction Management Ltd. Art Salt William & Mary Schooff Sentes Automotive Cliff & Lois Serwa The Sharron Simpson Family Smythe Tool Sales, Snap On Team Construction Management Ltd. Village of Kettle Valley West Manufacturing Ltd.
Geddes Construction Ltd. Gord Turner Renovations Ltd. Jim & Liz Hamilton Hamlet Homes, Paul Day Interior Savings Credit Union John Bachelder Construction Ltd. Kelowna Hyundai Kelowna New Car Dealers Association Kelowna Steel Fabricators Ltd. Kelowna Transmission & Auto Repair Mazda Canada Moen Inc. Northside Industries Inc. Nutech Safety O’Connor RV Okanagan Valley Newspaper Group Outland Design Landscape Architecture Penticton Fabricating Princess Auto Foundation Pushor Mitchell LLP Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association of Canada Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association of BC Reidco Metal Industries Ltd. Rick Mussellam Holdings Ltd. Rotary Club of Kelowna Foundation Rotary Clubs of Kelowna, Ogopogo & Okanagan Mission Muriel & Cecil Schmidt Shadow Ridge Golf Club SignCraft Tire Stewardship BC (TSBC) TransCDA of BC Unit Electrical Engineering Ltd. Vintage Design Ltd. Voyager RV Centre Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company
Dee Capozzi Alan Cohoe Kilo-Womp Electric Art Pike Heather Schneider
$50,000 to $99,999 Air Liquide Canada Andrew Sheret Ltd. Bibby-Ste-Croix Alan Carter & Family Barbara Christian Cloverdale Paint Inc. Coldstream Truck Parts Ltd. D. Hugo Cookson Family D.K.L. Financial Services Inc. Emil Anderson Construction (EAC) Inc. Enterprise Steel Fabricators Ltd. Fender’s Automotive Center FortisBC Fraserway RV Hall Constructors Inland Kenworth (A Partnership) Ronald & Muriel Jacobsen Kal-West Mechanical Systems Inc. Keldon Electric Ltd. Kelowna Capital News
$10,000 to $49,999 AcuTruss Industries Armstrong Crane & Rigging Inc. Bellamy Homes Inc. Boyd Autobody & Glass Byland’s Nurseries Ltd. Canadian Home Builders’ Association Central Okanagan Canadian RV Association Castanet Media Ltd. Chemo RV Sales and Service Ltd. CLAC Delnor Custom Homes Ltd. Early Frost Investments Ltd. Enterprise RV Don Folk
$1,000 to $4,999 Jayne Brooks Kathy Butler Coast Wholesale Appliances Frank Dieter Dennis Gabelhouse Gorman Bros. Lumber Ltd. John Haller Ken Kilcullen Anne Kirkpatrick Richard Mayo Vern Nielsen Allison Ramchuk & Family Rotary Club of Lake Country ROV Consulting Inc., Structural Engineers
The Okanagan College Foundation advances the power of education by supporting students through scholarships and bursaries and raising funds for programs and capital projects at Okanagan College. To read how donor support is positively impacting students’ lives, and to learn more about opportunities to support, please visit www.okanagan.bc.ca/foundation or call us at 1-888-650-6968.