Celebrating two years of work, members of the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) broke ground on their new downtown home Thursday.
"The BCGEU is so happy and proud to be part of the revitalization of downtown Prince George," said union president Stephanie Smith.
Formerly a parking lot, the lot at the southeast corner of Quebec Street and Fifth Avenue will be site of a new three-storey headquarters for the roughly 2,000 BCGEU members in Prince George and surrounding areas.
Scheduled for completion next summer, the office will replace the union's current Fourth Avenue location. Also making the move will be the office's name, honouring former BCGEU eight-term treasurer and Prince George native Diane Wood.
"[Wood's] activism though began right here in the north and she's played a tremendous role in the history of both our union and the labour movement in British Columbia," said Smith.
"It is an honour to have this building named after me," said Wood of the officially monikered Diane L. Wood Union Centre. "But more than that, it's just wonderful to see the membership here to have a wonderful home and the community that will use it. And I know BCGEU is very generous in allowing other community groups to come in and use our building and they don't charge them and that is such a wonderful thing."
The new building will be modern and environmentally responsible, said Smith. Features of the new office will include LED technology, sensor-control faucets, dual-flush toilets and drought-resistant landscaping.
