REPORT | CCA Chair
CCA CHAIR REPORT Serena Holbrook
I was very honoured and humbled to be elected in 2012 as the first woman chair in the 68-year history of the Calgary Construction Association (CCA). Having participated as a director in the 1990s, and supporting my husband, Malcolm, as chair of the CCA in 2004, I continue to enjoy my time at the Calgary Construction Association. Building Partnerships Over the past year, the CCA has been working diligently with The City of Calgary on numerous initiatives. A new CCA/City of Calgary liaison group was formed for the purpose of fostering a stronger working relationship with The City of Calgary. This group meets on a regular basis to address issues such as procurement, COOLNet Alberta, online bidding, and sidewalk closures, among others. In addition, the CCA member volunteers have been working with city officials on construction management and pre-qualification, two important topics for the construction community in Calgary. Four sub-committees will be working with the City to simplify and streamline the pre-qualification process as it relates to commercial, technical, environment, and safety qualifications. The CCA has also worked with The City of Calgary and Occupational Health and Safety to establish an on-site construction safety best practices guide, a practical guide for construction sites in The City of Calgary, along with a list of mandatory requirements in a public protection site safety plan. These three new documents assist the construction community with the implementation of systems and procedures to ensure the safety of workers and the public. The CCA continues to work with city officials on the Advanced Weather Forecasting System (AWFS), which is currently utilized in the downtown core and Beltline districts, and preparing for the implementation of AWFS in all quadrants of the city.
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Calgary Construction Association Magazine
Serena Holbrook, the Calgary Construction Association’s first female chair in the association’s 68-year history is keen to establish a mentoring program and also work to expand on the Women in Construction initiatives that she lead back in 2004.
An initial Construction Cost Forecasting Session Roundtable was held at the Calgary Construction Centre with representatives from owners and buyers of construction services, such as Alberta Infrastructure, The City of Calgary, SAIT Polytechnic, and the University of Calgary. The Alberta Construction Association, along with CCA board members and representatives of trade sectors and affiliated allied professional groups from industry, were also in attendance to share industry forecasts and trends. This collaborative sharing of information assists owners to budget projects while improving communication between owners and industry. The Calgary Construction Association is also looking toward working more closely and collaboratively with the design community, as well as buyers of construction materials. In July, the CCA
hosted an owners, architects, engineers, and contractors (OAEC) golf tournament at Country Hills Golf Course. This annual event was very well received and featured a cross section of attendees. Participants enjoyed the opportunity for networking, as well as discussing industry issues and the benefits of the online transmission of tender documents via COOLNet Alberta. The construction business is complex and can be very challenging. It is important to stay connected not just with others in our industry, but also with the many owners and organizations we service. The CCA and the University of Calgary are continuing their partnership with several stakeholders under the direction of Dr. Janaka Ruwanpura to be leaders in construction research and innovation. Dr. Ruwanpura and his team have