City Adopts Wood First Resolution, Establishes Special District

Monday, February 01, 2010 08:10 PM

Residential Wood Innovation Comprehensive District outlined in red

Prince George, B.C.- Prince George has adopted a “Wood First” resolution and established a special area of the City as “Residential Wood Innovation Comprehensive District”.

The resolution recognizes the forest industry as an integral part of Prince George and outlines the City’s commitment to support the ongoing development of its wood culture by:

• Being a wood champion and supporting the BC government’s Wood First Act by adopting the Wood First Resolution and developing a Wood First Policy that will establish a long-term strategy for building with wood in Prince George;

• Encouraging wood champion designers and builders for all municipal building projects so that the opportunities for building with wood cost-effectively are maximized;

• Ensuring all requests for proposals will request excellence in building with wood as a key qualifying criterion;

• Seeking those who can find practical, efficient, versatile and cost-effective building and design solutions through the use of wood;

• Ensuring that all municipal construction projects in Prince George receiving either public or wood industry financial support employ the appropriate structural or architectural use of wood.Establish a “Residential Wood Innovation Comprehensive District” (RWICD) in the Vancouver-Victoria Street, Flex/Transition District.

The area selected for a “Residential Wood Innovation Comprehensive District” has been expanded to be the area bounded by Winnipeg Street, Victoria Street, 4^th Avenue and 11^th Avenue. The plan would allow the construction of 6 story wood frame construction. It also allows for increased density in the area.

For the blocks between Vancouver and Winnipeg Streets, the Crescents Neighbourhood Plan supports redevelopment and densification with residential infill with 3 – 4 story apartment buildings (up to 90 units/ha) or lower density townhouses (up to 40 units/ha), depending on the location.

Councillor Brian Skakun says he hopes he doesn't see another "Duchess Park" scenario, where the building "as beautiful as it is, doesn't have a significant wood component." That new high school building was designed and started construction before the Province initiated it's "wood first" policy.

Council has also approved a special downtown design area, which will allow the City to have more input on the design elements of future projects in the downtown area.

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Posted on Monday, February 01, 2010 08:10 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: NMG on February 1 2010 8:32 PM

What's the big deal with wood? I'll certainly admit that it can look beautiful when it's used as a main feature of the design (UNBC for example), but so can brick and concrete.

If we leverage this "wood first" policy for some long-term gain, then I can see the benefit. Some examples may be developing new expertise in construction methods using wood, developing secondary industry that can sell and distribute NEW wood based construction materials, creating some attractive structures in the downtown core that will draw people in, etc.

If, on the other hand, this is just some hollow policy that appeases our insecurites about the state of the forestry industry and/or is an attempt to formally cling on to something from our past, what's the point?

Posted by: commoner on February 1 2010 8:43 PM

OH....MY...G......

...well, if you think the NCP fire was a risk to downtown before...Wow Whee!! Just imagine the sparkle'n 'n crackl'n...

...dumb sheep...POOF!

my opinion on the whole affair...no offense eh?

Posted by: Palopu on February 1 2010 8:48 PM

The only wood produced in this area in any amount is 2x4x8, 2x4x10 Studs, and some 2x10 and 2x12.

So I suppose that this can, and should be used in Consruction as much as possible, however it has been ignored for years.

The CN Building on First Avenue was built in 1971 using all metal studs, and so were a lot of other buildings.

The buildings at 20th and Victoria were built with wooden studs, and plywood, or osb. There was a lot of lumber that went into them.

Being a lumber town, the use of lumber in construction should have been a no brainer. We try to get the Japanese and Chinese to use lumber, while we use metal studs. Duhhhhh\\\\\

Posted by: Mr. PG on February 1 2010 9:01 PM

The wood first policies should include getting rid of the dead wood located in the Development Services Department at City Hall

Posted by: Mr. PG on February 1 2010 9:03 PM

I just had a closer look at your map. The dumb idiots at City Hall totally missed the location of the new wood technology building.

Unbelievable!

Posted by: StreetWise2 on February 1 2010 11:14 PM

It's a residential area, it isn't meant to encompass a wood technology building.

Posted by: acrider54 on February 2 2010 6:49 AM

I finally agree with a comment from Mr. PG. Good one!

Posted by: He spoke on February 2 2010 7:38 AM

Sorry. but the wood that should be used in this type of multiple story buildings and commercial buildings should not be just dimensional lumber. It will be engineered wood, of which Prince George does not produce any.

You want this place to have a wood technology center. Then set Prince George up so that we can make the engineered wood. Then we have something. Until then it is nothing more than a political topic open for discussion. You can open up the wood technology center, but no one in the world will respect it.

Posted by: acrider54 on February 2 2010 7:47 AM

Are there two PG's MrPG and Mr. PG?

Posted by: censored on February 2 2010 7:55 AM

Hmmm if only we could get the top quality wood that Japan gets, instead of the garbage sold at our local supply store, maybe wood construction would have more appeal.