Construction of Tla’amin Nation’s government house has fallen behind schedule, but efforts are being made to include part of its opening in upcoming April treaty implementation celebrations, said chief Clint Williams.
Construction on the $10-million project, located on Klahanie Drive, began in the summer of 2015.
“It’s symbolic of us moving into the new treaty world,” said Williams. “We definitely wanted it to be a centrepiece.”
The building will house the first nation’s expanded administration as it moves into its new governing responsibilities on April 5. It replaces the band’s current administration office, which is a converted logging camp bunkhouse.
“It was old even when it showed up on the site in the ’70s,” said Williams.
Like many large-scale construction projects, the initial timelines have had to be adjusted to meet real-world challenges, he said.
“Progress to date is a little behind, but most major construction projects never live up to original timelines. It’s to be expected,” said Williams.
While the building’s office spaces may not be ready to be occupied right away, Williams said he and others felt it was important to have the building’s atrium, a central feature of the building, far enough along so it could be included in treaty effective date celebrations.
North Vancouver architecture and engineering firm David Nairne and Associates Ltd. designed the building and Delta-based construction firm Unitech is managing the project.
Williams said Tla’amin has hired local firms Cranberry Construction and Nelson Roofing, among others, to work at the site.
“We did our best to keep it local,” he said, “as much as we could.”
