Toyota Canada sent a senior official to Prince George this week to examine progress on the local branch's new headquarters.
Northern Toyota is renaming itself Prince George Toyota as part of its move into its new dealership on Highway 16 between the PG Playhouse and the Signature Sandman, on land that was previously owned by the Prince George Golf and Curling Club.
"The existing dealership has just outgrown its current location, so I'm happy to be here to take a personal look at the new investment being made in their growth and expansion," said Mike Taylor, manager of dealer development based in Richmond. He said the new building was conforming to most standard Toyota dealership construction designs, but "each one is unique in many ways" and this one is putting an emphasis on winter. The showroom and maintenance shops were all aimed at providing customers and staff with a warm experience.
Investment in Toyota capital projects is becoming commonplace across the region. Taylor said dealerships in other parts of the Cariboo and Bulkley Valley had been updated already, with plans underway for capital projects in Whitehorse and Terrace soon.
"There is a lot of interest in renewing dealerships," said Taylor. "It has been our experience that a new building means improved sales. This dealership has done well," and the new building is about rewarding history as well as responding to size constraints.
A number of pieces of heavy equipment were revving their engines on the plot of land immediately south of the new Toyota location, and Taylor was pleased about that as well. A competing dealership was setting up shop there, he said, and that was excellent in his eyes. The Wood Wheaton group was located up the road a short distance as well, giving that part of the city a major open door for the vehicle market. Car and truck consumers will gravitate to that area, he said, and the various dealership could then compete head to head on vehicle features and price.
The new building's opening date is targeted at Jan. 1, but the superintendent of construction, Silver Rock Land Corporation's Brian Guenther, said it should be complete in November or December.
"The trusses went up in just a couple of days and the decking will be on by the end of the week. It's that fast," said local Toyota representative Roy Lancaster. He added that most of the subcontractor talent and equipment was sourced from Prince George.
