Team in Blue Ridge Pitches in to Help Local Playgroup

The Blue Ridge and District Community Hall provides an important communal space, bringing people together for various social activities and programming. In the Spring of 2022, the Hall suffered a flood in the basement – the space where the Blue Ridge and Area Playgroup gathers, providing an important avenue for young children to socialize with their peers.

The Blue Ridge Community League, the non-profit that operates the Hall, used their funds to replace the weeping tile that led to the flood. However, the organization did not have the additional funds necessary to complete repairs to playgroup areas.
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“The Community Hall is an important gathering space for the people of Blue Ridge. When we heard that the Community League needed support to make the necessary repairs and renovations, we knew we could volunteer to help out, and together with funding through West Fraser’s community investment program, make a difference.”
_{Ryan Wilson, Maintenance Supervisor, Ranger Board MDF}‍‍

Donating time and materials
West Fraser donated approximately $5,000 in materials and 10 employees from Ranger Board and Blue Ridge Lumber volunteered their time to complete the repairs. Originally estimated by local contractors to be a $20,000 project, a frugal West Fraser approach saw it completed at 25% of the estimate thanks to all involved.

These repairs included tearing out the mouldy floors and drywall; grinding concrete; repairing the leak; installing flooring, drywall and insulation; and painting. And, the team was also able to provide extra assistance, helping the Community League to replace a couple of doors to bring them up to fire code and make repairs to the basement escape, in addition to building new toys for the kids! 

The project started in March 2023 and was completed in September. The Community League hosted an opening celebration at the Community Hall on November 20, 2023 to welcome kids and their families back into the space, and to formally thank West Fraser and the volunteers for the support.

This effort by the Blue Ridge Lumber and Range Board team members exemplifies West Fraser’s approach to community investment by identifying needs and priorities at the local level to have a meaningful impact.