By: Bev Hills, Klahoose Administrator

Work continues on the new Klahoose community building, with visible progress over the past month.

Cement slab floors for the big hall were poured last week, providing a good visual footprint of the size of the main floor area; the sub contractors are finishing off the sub floors for the main level of the structure up above.

Over the past week several truck trailers have arrived with more wall, roof and heavy timber components. The main timber frame company - Spearhead Timberworks from Nelson BC - arrive today (ferry traffic/weather permitting) to begin the final assembly of remaining structural components.

Very quickly, over the next month, they will erect the remaining heavy timber frame skeleton of the building, beginning in the east walls, up and over the commercial kitchen to define the fitness centre space, and then onto the top floor to complete the building connections between the south health wing with the north administration wing. The heavy decking and roofing components will be erected for the sloped main entrance, and once that is complete the roofers - Hedefine Contracting from Quadra Island - will be back to complete the metal roof.

Meanwhile Spearhead will shift their attention to the heavy timber frame for the two story main hall, which features a roof sloping down to the east water-side of the facility.

The window subcontractor has been installing the impressive looking curtain walls that face the bay as well, and are just ready to lift into place the final glazing - each of the big glass panels weighs about 400 pounds, so it's a heavy but delicate job. The company is also installing the door frames into the north and south wings this week, so we are at the stage where our building is taking shape after months of site clearing and months of heavy work forming foundations.

McCoy Excavating - led by Reo McCoy of Cortes Island - has one of the larger contracts on the project and has been working on a wide variety of excavation, backfill, and civil engineering related work.

Several Klahoose members have been working on various crews at the project, and let me tell you that they work hard for their pay cheques and always have a smile on their face. They know they are working on something important, something historic for their own people. We can all radiate some pride in their accomplishments and in the big project that such a tiny nation can do. Bill, Laurier, Jordan, Johnny before he left for a walkabout, and on other crews Arnold and others have all helped the building arise from the forest and rocky bluffs overlooking Squirrel Cove.

See more on attached PDF