Intergalactic travel marketing precedes wind generation initiative Vulcan’s economy has been prima- rily agricultural (with wheat, canola and barley grown in surrounding farms) , but the community between Lethbridge and Calgary also has achieved some tourism fame because it coincidentally shares its name with the Star Trek home world of the Vulcans. “Capitalizing on this coincidence, the town has built a Star Trek-themed tourist station (the Tourism and Trek Station), which pro- vides tourist infor- mation, displays Star Trek memo- rabilia, provides unique photo oppor- tunities, and allows visitors to participate in The Vulcan Space Adven- ture virtual reality game,” Wikipedia re- ports. “Nearby, a replica of the starship Enterprise from Star Trek V has been mounted on a pedestal which includes writing from Trek alien languages like Klingon. The town has also created space-themed murals and signs, and hosts an annual com- munity-wide Star Trek convention known as VulCON: Spock Days/Galaxyfest. This convention at- tracts hundreds of Star Trek fans from around the world.” Up to 200 homes in the Town of Vulcan will be completed as part of the Whispering Greens housing development. Construction and part- nership opportunities still exist for this project. By the time it is completed, Blackspring Ridge will act as a major eco- nomic boon to Vulcan County. With its connectedness to some of the high- est bandwidth internet infrastructure in rural Canada, low cost of living, beautiful natural scenery, recreational development potential, proximity to two large urban centres, and great schools, the Vulcan County area is set for an unprecedented era of prosperity. Interested parties are invited to con- tact the Vulcan Business Development Society for any additional information on how to capitalize on the burgeoning growth of this beautiful area. Jonathan Allan can be reached at (403) 485-4100 ext 148 or by email at jonathan@vulcanbusiness.ca. Alberta reports $196 billion in major projects Canadian Design and Construction Report staff writer Alberta’s Enterprise and Advanced Education ministry has published an Inventory of Major Projects (IMAP), outlining 765 projects throughout the province valued at more than $196 billion. Many of the largest projects are within the oil sands area, but there are a diversity of other initiatives,including $56.4 billion under construction and $24.57 billion under construction. The government says the inventory is designed to “assist firms in iden- tifying potential supply opportunities, as well as informing Albertans on the status of projects in the province valued at $5 million or greater. See the documentation online at http://albertacanada.com/business/ statistics/inventory-of-major-projects.aspx Status Summary Report Status Number of Projects Announced 117 Completed 3 Nearing Completion 44 On Hold 10 Proposed 350 Under Construction 241 Total 765 Total Value of Projects $24,573.6 Million $38.4 Million $1,694.6 Million $9,600 Million $104,086.1 Million $56,480.6 Million $196,473.3 Million www.merx.com/events merk@merx.com www.merx.com The Canadian Design and Construction Report — Spring 2013 – 25