NEWS BRIEFS BRITISH COLUMBIA BC HydroSite C holds job fairs: Will contractor use temporary foreign workers? CONSTRUCTION ACROSS CANADA have to create the monthly temporary foreign worker report and still have to as- sist in the temporary foreign worker processes.” $15 million Polygon Gallery under construction in North Vancouver BC Hydro has announced job fairs in several B.C. communities as Peace River Hydro Partners ramps up to create 10,000 person years for the mammoth northern B.C. construction project. Site C will create 10,000 person years of employment during its construction, and various skilled positions - including, but not limited to, boilermakers, carpen- ters, drillers, crane operators, pipe fit- ters, and truck drivers - are needed to complete it. There was a local controversy when Peace River Hydro Partners posted a job for a human resources assistant, with job description responsibilities including “assisting in the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Processes,” as well as cre- ating a monthly temporary foreign worker report, Peace River News re- ported. “The employee will work for Peace River Hydro Partners, which last year won a $1.5 billion contract to build the dam’s main civil works.” The job posting was quickly amended to remove the foreign worker designa- tion but B.C. NDP Hydro critic Adrian Dix said the post raises questions about hir- ing practices on Site C. “It’s pretty plain that BC Hydro is highly sensitive, from a communications point of view, to the issue of temporary foreign workers,” Dix told Peace River News. “Just as they’re concerned about the issue of Alberta license plates (on site) and who will get the jobs on Site C.” “They clearly are going to be using the Temporary Foreign Worker program extensively, they’re hiring someone here, a human resources assistant, to manage the reports and the processes related to that.” “The new job posting doesn’t change anything,” Dix added. “This person will still presumably 18 – March 2016 — The Canadian Design and Construction Report The new $15 million Polygon Gallery in North Vancouver is now under con- struction and on track to open in 2017. Patkau Architects has designed the structure, supported by a lead gift of $4 million from Polygon Homes and the Au- dain Foundation, with additional funding from the federal and provincial govern- ments and the City of North Vancouver ($2.5 million each). “We are very excited that construc- tion is underway, and cannot wait to wel- come people to the new gallery in 2017,” said gallery director Reid Shier. The gallery, formerly known as Presentation House, will provide residents and visitors with the opportunity to experience Cana- dian and international art exhibitions, as well as participate in engaging public events and art education programs. Site preparation underway for Vancouver’s Arbutus Shopping Centre Site preparation is underway at Van- couver’s Arbutus Shopping Centre for one of the largest redevelopment proj- ects in the history of the city’s west side neighbourhood, VanCity Buzz reports. Construction will start in the spring on the eight-storey first phase at the seven-acre mall site. DIALOG Architecture designed the Larco Investments project. (Larco owns West Vancouver’s Park Royal Shopping Centre.) The initial Block A portion will have 215 residential units, with 115 market rental units and city owned 100 non-mar- ket units. There will be ground floor of- fice, restaurant and retail including a relocated and expanded Safeway store. VanCity Buzz says that there are four phases to the project, which was ap- proved by Vancouver City Council in 2011. “At complete build out, the rede- velopment will have 269,000 sq. ft. of commercial space and 508 residential units in four buildings ranging between six to eight storeys,” the website re- ports. Arbutus Shopping Centre was con- structed in the 1970s as a part of the Ar- butus Village residential community. Redevelopment planning started in 2008 and proponents received a development permit for the first phase last fall. ALBERTA Calgary: Bird Construction to build Seton Recreational Facility The City of Calgary has awarded Bird Construction Inc. a fixed price contract to construct the Seton Recreational Fa- cility in southeast Calgary. The 30,940 sq. ft. building will offer leisure, sports, arts, cultural and recre- ational amenities for individuals and fam- ilies, as well as competitive sport venues for groups and organizations. Several features include: a 50 m. 10-lane compe- tition pool, a leisure pool, two multipur- pose ice rinks, three gymnasiums and a 2,325 sq. m. library. Construction will commence shortly with an expected completion date scheduled for the fall of 2018. “We are excited to be awarded to build the new facility situated in the heart of a vibrant urban centre in southeast Calgary,” said Ian Boyd, Bird’s president and CEO. “Projects like the Seton Recre- ational Facility and the soon to be com- pleted, Quarry Park Recreational Centre are vital to our communities and Bird is proud to be successfully delivering them to the City of Calgary and ultimately, the communities that they serve.”