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DECEMBER 2019 | 29 Architectural Woodwork PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY MORINWOOD MANUFACTURING INC.; AWMAC BC Architectural woodwork is seeing a general uptick in activity by ROBIN BRUNET E very business sector has its up and down cycles, but architectural wood- working seems to endure prolonged downs before hitting modest highs – as anyone who was trying to secure proj- ects in the late 1990s and early 2000s in certain parts of Canada can attest. But 2019 was yet another busy year for those in the trade. "In urban areas such as Vancouver and Toronto, I would be tempted to describe the market as booming – at least in terms of commer- cial projects," says Kevin Tierney, president of the B.C. chapter of the Architectural Woodwork Manufacturers Association of Canada (AWMAC) and VP of Burnaby-based Benchmark Architectural Woodworking Inc. As of October, AWMAC BC was working on 72 Guaranteed Inspection Service (GIS) projects, most commercial, some residential, and a few schools. "That's similar to 2018 and a healthy number, with the only significant slowdown for us being in the sin- gle-family home sector," says Tierney. "Better still, we expect the good times to continue on the west coast, because our provincial government is committed to increasing the number of new and upgrade school projects – an unprecedented amount that are now in the hands of architects and will keep us busy for at least a few more years." Although in the past school projects have meant less than stellar woodworking outcomes due to contracts that had been driven down to the low- est common denominator, AWMAC's Standards, as outlined in the North American Architectural Woodwork Standards manual combined with the GIS, is starting to gain strength throughout the industry. "Schools are starting to enforce these standards and use the GIS, and as a result school projects are becom- ing more interesting to professional commercial woodworkers," says Tierney. When pressed to specify in what way, he remarks, "For example, better construction methods for cab- inets and veneer grades of wood. Third party GIS inspections pertain to shop drawings, at the wood plant, and on site, and schools along with other cli- ents adopting AWMAC standards and GIS benefits because they not only get a nicer looking, better oper- ating, and more resilient end product, they're also ensured to get what they paid for." Tierney is especially proud as a British Columbian to tout AWMAC's influence. "It may be a national association, but it was started in B.C. 56 years ago by a group of woodworkers who jotted down notes in the attempt to create industry standards – and those notes have evolved into our manual." He adds that the Association is currently looking at ways to standard- ize all of its provincial chapters and create a more unified body that can collectively raise the bar of quality, and reliability. But the plethora of projects and optimistic fore- casts in 2019 don't negate ongoing challenges, namely, the struggle to find qualified tradespeo- ple. "Fortunately, trade schools are doing a good job attracting newcomers, and we do our part by visit- ing schools, inviting students to tour woodworking facilities, as well as AWMAC staging our annual apprenticeship contest," says Tierney. Tom Morin, owner of Victoria-based Morinwood Manufacturing Inc., believes "There's a growing recognition that you can make a good living in the trades. But we all have to foster that belief. We've invested heavily in apprentices and training young people because it's the best way to build a loyal long- term staff. It may take a decade to grow a project manager in-house, but it's the only way I've seen that actually works." Morinwood had a particularly busy 2019: it pro- vided all the millwork, reception desks, nursing stations, cabinetry, and other components for the first phase of the $312-million Penticton Regional Hospital upgrade. It also exerted its woodwork- ing and manufacturing skills on behalf of the new $63-million Alex & Jo Campbell Centre for Health and Wellness at Camosun College's Interurban campus, a training facility that opened in September. A Cut Above Alex & Jo Campbell Centre for Health and Wellness, Camosun College, Victoria, B.C. Vancouver College, Vancouver, B.C.

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