VANCOUVER, Sept. 25, 2019 /CNW/ – Leadership in structural and architectural wood use by local governments was recognized today at the Union of BC Municipalities Convention in Vancouver, as Wood WORKS! BC announced the winners of the 2019 Community Recognition Awards. The province-wide awards are presented annually to local governments that have been exemplary advocates for wood. This is demonstrated through the specification of wood in a community project or through visionary initiatives that work toward building a community culture of wood.

The 2019 recipients are:

LMLGA — Lower Mainland Local Government Association: City of Langley for the Timms Community Centre  (INNOVATION MERIT AWARD: Vancouver Affordable Housing Agency for the Terminal Avenue Modular Housing project)

AKBLG — Association of Kootenay Boundary Local Governments: Village of Nakusp for the Spicer’s Garden Pergola

NCLGA — North Central Local Government Association:  Village of Granisle for the Granisle Shoreside Gazebos (MERIT: City of Quesnel for the Forestry Information Centre)

Recipients of awards for Southern Interior Local Government Association and Vancouver Island Local Government Association will be announced at a later date.

“Local governments have demonstrated wood’s remarkable versatility in a variety of project types and sizes, from accommodation to recreation, and both structurally and architecturally,” explained Lynn Embury-Williams, Executive Director of Wood WORKS! BC. “We congratulate these four local governments and the Vancouver Affordable Housing Agency for their visionary initiatives which resulted in interesting and innovative new wood structures. Wood products and building systems are emerging as the building material of choice for many reasons, including environmental and economic, and it’s exciting to note that BC has been a global leader in that movement.” She concluded, “These projects connect us with the forestry history of our province, contribute to a more sustainable low – carbon future, and support community pride and prosperity.”

Communities are asked to contact Wood WORKS! BC for technical expertise, training and education when considering their next local government project. Wood WORKS! BC is assisting communities with BC’s early adoption of the 2020 National Building Code which will increase the maximum height limit for wood buildings to 12 storeys, up from six storeys.

Wood WORKS! BC is a recognized resource to help BC communities with the Wood First Act, which requires provincially funded buildings to feature wood as the primary construction material within the BC Building Code. For more than 20 years, Wood WORKS! BC has worked extensively with municipalities on all aspects of project planning from RFP wording to specification of structural and architectural wood products and systems. Wood WORKS! BC’s services are available free-of-charge.

www.wood-works.ca/bc