New Hydro Building Project Celebrated
Monday, June 11, 2012 @ 10:26 AM
Leidli T’enneh Councillor Louella Nome, Mayor Shari Green, AG Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs Tourism and Innovation Pat Bell, and BC Hydro V.P of Field Opeerations and Safety David Lebeter toss some dirt in official ground breaking ceremony for new BC Hydro office in P.G.
Prince George, B.C. – “The mood here is electrifying” joked Minister of Jobs Tourism and Innovation Pat Bell, at the official ground breaking ceremony for the new BC Hydro centre in Prince George.
The mood at the site was very positive and upbeat with one employee asking who followed the rules of "dial before you dig" for this ground breaking event.
The new centre, being constructed at Highway 97 and 22nd Avenue in Prince George, is a $50 million dollar project, which includes the demolition of the existing office structure once the new one is ready in 2014. There has been plenty of activity at the site, as crews prepare a new parking area.
(at right, architectural rendering of new building)
It will house some 200 employees, consolidating operations from B.C. Hydro’s fleet services and those who are working at the Plaza 400 building. “We will still have three buildings in Prince George, down from 5 separate locations” says BC Hydro spokesperson Bob Gammer.
The project has sparked praise from Minister Bell, as this facility will be using cross laminated timber as part of the construction. “With B.C. Hydro taking a lead role and saying we want to try out this new product and demonstrate it as a viable building alternative, I think is visionary, it’s really creating a long term opportunity for what has sustained Northern British Columbia for a long, long time.”
Minister of Justice and Attorney General Shirley Bond noted this building is being constructed to standards that will ensure it can be used as an emergency operations centre should there be a natural disaster such as a significant earthquake.
Comments
50 Million dollar project with no RFP, no bidding process, no option for local engineers, architects or general contractors?
Great use of public money…
Picture should be captioned, “Pigs at the trough”.
This is beyond funny. It certainly is nothing to joke about. $50 Million pissed into the wind, for a building that probably was not needed. Worse yet the present building is approx 30 years old, and Im willing to bet there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. (Other than the owners)
Only Governments, and Government owned entities like BC Hydro can pull off this kind in crap.
A few cross laminated beams made in Penticton or a casual remark about a possible earthquake certainly doesnt justifty the expenditure.
BC Hydro is a cash eating cow, its spending is out of control, and I seriously doubt if they have any idea whatsoever what they are doing.
Once again we have plenty of money in this Province for Government or Government entity BS., but not money for the basics, like roads, garbage, sewer, water, etc;
High heels in a constuction area? LOL Where are their PPEs? Do as I say not as I do………
Another provincial attempt for votes? 5 hydro buildings for the size of PG? $50 million and no local involvement? Is rayban68 right?
First Nations representative tossing dirt? I am aware of the people of the First Nations paying their hydro bills, but why wasn’t I or anyone else given a shovel and invited to pose? Pulp mills pay a lot of hydro, why not a big shot from a pulp mill? Maybe Hydro should install a brass plaque on their lawn with every hydro customers name on it? That is who is paying for this. Much like the plaque for the builders of the new Fraser Bridge?
Nice to see our local politicians shoveling something other then the usual BS…
I haven’t seen what shape the old building is in and what the justification is for consolidating some operations in a new building.
They must have done the math, just like they did for the new RCMP digs. Good thing they are building it here and not somewhere else.
The style/design of the new building looks less than great to me! Just another box, characterless and drab with a long row of service bays apparently! Some shopping malls look more appealing…
How about a pic of Shari shoveling some dirt into potholes?
Same old photo-op comments aside, this does seem like a waste of money.
What are they going to do in 30 years, knock this building down and build another one?
Agree PrinceGeorge.
Gawd, can’t anyone come up with anything more imaginitive than the standard box office building? We have timber, river rock, the bottomless cash cow that is Hydro. Surely they could have brought their A game, instead another “functional” boring building.
Agree PrinceGeorge.
Gawd, can’t anyone come up with anything more imaginitive than the standard box office building? We have timber, river rock, the bottomless cash cow that is Hydro. Surely they could have brought their A game, instead another “functional” boring building.
OOps, sorry for the dble post.
Looks like the same architects as the conversion of the old Canadian Tire to a CNC trades building and the airport …
Bauhaus revival …
Alternate headline if they didn’t build the building in Prince George:
“Hydro Closes Operations Building and Transfers Positions to Kelowna”
Maybe the existing building is in poor condition and could not be upgraded to their new current seismic standards. If the “big one” earthquake hits the south this facility could become their temporary HQ?
The building is actually about 40 years. It was built just prior to the Public Safety Building (now the RCMP building) on Brunswick.
Nevertheless, it should still have another decade or two in it since it was excellent construction.
As far as earthquakes here goes, this area was downgraded to the lowest level over a decade ago. In fact, that building, CNC, the RCMP, the hospital, city hall, all the schools of that era, buildings such as the HSBC and many other buildings from that era were built to the old higher standard than buildings these days have to be built.
That does not mean that they cannot build a new building to a higher standard than is required right now.
I wonder if they will have a green roof and a living wall … ;-)
Just swimming in all that HST monies eh…..
Not to worry about high heals on a construction site. Sheri’s heals appear to have safety toes that match her hard hat.
Pgss across the way is about the same age and is still going strong.
Hydro is just a reflection of the government of the day.
Sure hope the building gets a smart meter too.
So how is that proposed WIC on George St. coming along ?
You can sort of follow the WIC project on the Partnerships BC site now. Very little info unless you have access to BID BC.
http://www.partnershipsbc.ca/files-4/projects.php
Click on the last project in the “in procurement” section.
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