At 90 feet wide by 60 feet long and walled at one end, the open-air structure is big enough to allow for maneuvering the massive timbers that are used in log building and timber frame construction. The covered space will also act as a shelter from the elements for the materials.
The new structure is considered as a vital element for the college’s log building and timber frame training facility, and more expansion programs are also on the cards, says Margo Van der Touw, NWCC’s Dean of Trades.
Van der Touw said that the structure was made possible due to the generous donation by Cover-All North Inc, an Alberta-based company that donated the materials. Further plans, adds Van der Touw, include adding a concrete pad by late 2009.
College timber frame instructor Higgs Murphy says the covered structure is especially necessary in the Northwest, where timbers are more susceptible to the often harsh winter conditions.
NWCC, established in 1975 in Terrace, has six campuses and an additional four community learning centers located within the college region.
