A Powell River company is constructing two new buildings that are part of BC Ferries’ upgrade to the Westview ferry terminal.
Agius Builders Ltd. is constructing a passenger waiting room and a utility building that will be located at the end of the concrete ramp. The company rented space from the City of Powell River next to the old barge terminal building on the waterfront to construct the buildings.
BC Ferries awarded the contract for the new two-lane ferry ramp to Fraser River Pile and Dredge Ltd., a Lower Mainland company, explained Jim Agius, co-owner and a director of Agius Builders. Currently at the end of the ramp, there is a small passenger waiting room and a shed where ferry crew collect boarding passes.
The new passenger waiting building will be a heated, comfortable space, Agius said, and the utility building will house an electrical room and a hydraulic room, which will contain the hydraulics for the ramp.
Fraser River tendered the contract for the buildings in Vancouver, Agius said. “They actually contacted us, because we are a bonded company, to see if we wanted to bid it,” he said. “Of course, we wanted to bid it. We were low bid and we got it.”
Fraser River was pleased that Agius Builders won the contract, Agius said. “They really wanted a local firm to actually work with them.”
The buildings are being pre-built, Agius explained, and will be moved into place after they are finished. “They’re being built on two large steel beams,” he said. “When they’re complete, Fraser River will bring in their large barge with the big crane on it, pick them up, put them on the barge, take them over there and install them.”
The buildings’ design will complement the wharfinger building, located within the Wharf at Westview area, which was also built by Agius Builders.
Fraser River has two local engineers who have been working on the project, Agius said. “They’ve been fantastic,” he said. “All the trades have been fantastic to work with. We’re using local materials and local trades on the buildings as well.”
It’s nice to see a little chunk of the overall budget for the project stay in Powell River, Agius added.
