The Big Project

July 26, 2017 6:34 pm Published by Lindsay Albers 2 Comments

A panoramic view of the Wild Scultpture Trail Hoodos approximately 60km east of Hinton, AB

The Big Project

This will probably be the cherry on the cake, as I don’t think this co-op term could get any cooler. For the next twelve days I am set on a mission to visit every one of the 24 Canadian West Fraser Divisions. That’s 24 different West Fraser Sites, 15 different towns, 12 days, 2 provinces and one very excited Co-Op student – Me.

The first stint of my journey will take me to all of the British Columbian sites, from Chasm, to Smithers, to Chetwynd and every place in between, for a total of 12 BC mills. The plan is to meet with each of the environmental coordinators, having them show off their facility, and collaborate togather to develop new bioproducts alternatives, assessing our materials available, and broadening the resource pool with local innovators. One of my favourite aspects about West Fraser is the incredible sense of community and welcoming. It doesn’t matter if you’re talking to someone that has an office 10ft from you, or 1200km from you, every time I pick up the phone it’s like I’m talking to family. My second favourite aspect about West Fraser would have to be the wealth of knowledge that West Fraser employees provide. There is not a single question that cannot be answered, and if the person you’re asking doesn’t know, they’ll know the individual who does. It’s a simply incredible cascade where I can ask a question in Hinton, AB and by noon I’ll receive a phonecall with an answer that dominoed it’s way from Sundre to Edmonton to Manning to Fraser Lake to Quesnel and back to Hinton. Phenomenal. People care at West Fraser, and Its one of the best work forces I have had the pleasure of participating in.

As I travel to each division, I will be documenting the site itself, the town, and fun aspects about the surrounding area. Can’t wait to share my journey with you all!

Lindsay Albers

My two engineering Co-Op room mates treated me to a hike up to Athabasca Lookout, 25km northwest of Hinton, AB.

A Panoramic view of the W.A.C Bennet Dam 20Km west of Hudson’s Hope, BC

Freshly Pressed Lignin from our Lignin Recovery Plant at Hinton Pulp – A division of West Fraser

The same Lignin easily crushed back into a powder for use in Asian, European, and North American markets.

On my way to Quesnel I stopped to have a look at the Wood Innovation Development Center in Prince George, BC. This is a building constructed solely of wood products, for a total of 7 floors. This project was erected in 2016 and is the winner on multiple awards; 2016 Governor General’s Award in Architecture, 2015 RAIC Award of Excellence for Innovation in Architecture, 2015 Lieutenant-Governor of BC Award in Architecture (Merit), and the 2015 AIBC Innovation Award. Buildings like this one are now being onstructed across Canada, with the most recent completion of the Brock Commons Building in Vancouver for use as UBC Student Residence. You can read more about the WIDC here:

http://mg-architecture.ca/work/wood-innovation-design-center/

In front of Quesnel’s iconic Gold Pan for Canada Day on July 1st, 2017

Paddleboarding on Dragon Lake with my sister on Canada Day (The Green Mountain forest fire started burning on Dragon Mountain behind me a few days later)

One of the family pups cooling off in Deep Creek Falls on July 1st, 2017. Temperatures here in the Cariboo reached a scorching 34C