COMOX VALLEY
FEBRUARY 2016
17
NELSON ROOFING & SHEET METAL WINS BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
COMOX VALLEY DIANNE HAWKINS
T
he Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce kicked off 2016 with a Forecasting Luncheon titled Eyes on the Future with keynote speaker Susan Mowbray, MNP’s senior economist. A sell-out crowd at Crown Isle Resort heard Mowbray speak to how the State of the Island Economic Report, released by the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance (VIEA) in October 2015, would affect the regional economy for 2016. Mowbray also touched on the forces and trends that are influencing our local community. Sponsored by MNP LLP and Comox Valley Economic Development. On January 30 at the Florence Filberg Centre i n dow ntow n Courtenay the Chamber celebrated the best and brightest at the galactic Annual Community
Harry Gunter of Gunter Brothers Meats receiving the Food & Farm award from Ronald St. Pierre of Locals Restaurant Warcup Purdy of Nelson Roofing & Sheet Metal and Alana Adamschek of MNP LLP Business of the year Award sponsors Awards Gala. Fourteen awards were presented throughout the evening. Business of the Year award was received by Nelson Roofing & Sheet Metal. Nelson Roofing is an integral part of the Comox Valley community, with more than 100 employees. Over the years the company grew from a single Comox Valley location to now having five locations across the Island, Powell River and the
lower mainland. Congratulations to Nelson Roofing & Sheet Metal for Business of the Year recognition. For a comprehensive list of award recipients, nominees, and sponsors visit the Chamber website. ■■■ The Chamber Tradeshow is coming to downtown Courtenay on Tuesday, February 23 from 1 to 6 p.m. in at the Native Sons Hall. Visit the Tradeshow
to check out local Comox Valley vendors showcasing products and services available for you, your business and your home. If you’re a business, enter to win a Marketing Prize Package with valuable services including a 97.3 the Eagle Ad Campaign and for everyone else, visit the tradeshow to enter to win exciting door prizes including an iPad mini! Admission is free at the annual Chamber of Commerce Business Tradeshow. Support Local businesses and come see what the
Valley has to offer! Sponsored by 97.3 the Eagle and the Comox Valley Record. ■■■ A warm welcome to new members for January: Atlas Manufacturing Ltd., Happy Projects Inc and Rattan Plus Home & Patio. Dianne Hawkins is president and CEO of the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce. Reach her at dhawkins@ comoxvalleychamber.com or 250-334-3234.
WENSLEY ARCHITECTURE SELECTED AS ARCHITECT FOR LORNE HOTEL
BUILDING LINKS CLARICE COTY
W
e have compiled the y e a r-t o - d a t e s t at i s t ic s for 2015 for Courtenay, Comox, Cumberland, the Comox Valley Regional District and Campbell River. T his summary compares the permits and construction values of 2015 to 2014. Total construction values total $305 million mostly due to the construction of the new hospitals in both Courtenay and Campbell River. Construction of single family homes remain stable in Comox which saw 20 permits issued t h is yea r compa red to 19 i n 2014. In Courtenay 74 permits were i ssued t h i s ye a r compared to 78 last year. Single family home construction is
down considerably in Campb el l R iver, where we note d that 77 permits were issued in 2015 compared to 119 in 2014, a decline of 35 per cent. In the Comox Valley and Campbell River regions In 2015, there was a total of 248 new homes built, compared to 345 in 2014, a decline of 28 per cent. There is a trend towards building secondary suites in the region, as Comox, Courtenay, Cumberland and Campbell River all reported the construction of the new suites in both new homes and existing homes. Wen sley A rch ite ctu re h a s been selected as the new architect for the rebuilding of the Lorne Hotel in Comox. A fire destroyed the historic 133 year old bu i ld i ng i n Febr u a r y of 2011 and plans to rebuild the new Lorne Hotel have been in the works for the past th ree years. Construction drawings are underway and are expected to be submitted for building permit approval in late March. Once the building permit has been approved, construction is ex pected to beg i n for the five-storey, mixed-use building that will include the Lorne P ub, bistro a nd l iquor store along with 21 residential units and a rooftop patio. The new design includes: a two metre
clearance for the sidewalk in front of the pub and bistro, a six metre dedication for more public seating, enhancements to the front entrance and an outside historical mural. Prices of the condominiums are expected to begin at $179,900. City of Powell River Director of Planning Serv ices Thomas Knight has provided Powell River council with an update and clarification on land-use a mend ments for con s t r u ction of the Sino Bright School campus in Townsite. Knight is recommending council support his recommendation to bring the zoning and sustainable official community plan amendment bylaws through first and second reading. Bylaws at that stage can sit and wait for the proponents to complete public consultation work for excluding the parcel from the ALR. Si no Brig ht is pla n n i ng on rolling out its public consultation soon. Construction on the school is expected to bring an increase in construction-related jobs and, once operationa l, is ex pected to create 107 permanent positions. Clarice Coty can be reached at clarice@buildinglinks.ca, and through www.buildinglinks.ca
Rendering of the new proposed expansion at Berwick Comox Valley
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