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Brink makes wood centre a reality
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From the Prince George Free Press, December 16, 1999
Donation of $500,000 to College of New Caledonia largest in school's history
By Jud Lewis-Mahon
The College of New Caledonia was given a boost into the 21st century this week
by local philanthropist John Brink and Brink Forest Products Ltd.
A donation of $500,000 to the building and implementation of a wood technology
centre was announced Monday. It is the largest private sector donation to the
college ever.
The new facility, which will be named the John Brink Wood Technology Centre,
is intended to train students in the value -added sector of the B.C. forest
industry. A sector that, according to the 1998 Ferrence-Weicker study, has been
"conspicuously absent from the northern British Columbia economy."
What prompted Mr. Brink and his company to provide such generous funding to
CNC is his firm belief in the further development of tertiary training and products.
Prince George is an ideal location with its nearness to the American market
and its placement in what he says is the richest regional source of fibre, hard
and soft wood in the world.
"I've always felt very strongly about the need for training and education,"
says Mr. Brink. "I've been involved now in at least ten initiatives over
the years to try and get something done in terms of training facilities and
this is just another step towards that."
Mr. Brink also goes on to state that the time is more appropriate now for the
donation as there has been considerable ground made with regards to supporting
and recognizing the secondary manufacturing industry in British Columbia.
The donation is a commitment in three parts. It consists of a cash donation
of $50,000 for five years to a total of $250,000, $100,000 in equipment, and
$150,000 to the setting up and instructing in the operation of the equipment.
The total cost of the 25,000 square foot proposed centre is $9.6 million and
the college believes that it will serve as a link into the "provincial,
national and global value-added wood community of expertise."
College president, Dr. Terry Weninger believes that the donation is important
to show the province how committed industry is to training and research and
would like to se a large portion of capital expenditures used in those fields.
"Training and research are big ingredients to the future of the value-added
sector" says Dr. Weninger.
The project entails a manufacturing floor with common production equipment,
wood processing labs, training, meeting and seminar spaces, modern laboratories,
a resource centre and office and support facilities.
Ultimately, Mr. Brink hopes that the primary and secondary resource industries
will continue to move toward value-added products and with the proper training
that will be realized.
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