Major Donations Kick Off Trades Building Fund

Photo: George Galbraith, philanthropist,  and Tracy Cobb-Reeves of Kal Tire stand beside the conceptual design of the new Trades Training Centre at the Vernon campus of Okanagan College. Both Galbraith and Kal Tire have donated $250,000 to  a fund to complete the project and assist programs.

The new Trades Training Centre at the Vernon campus of Okanagan College is on track for completion in the spring.

The 6.2 million dollar facility is being built in the former parking lot, east of the main buildings.

Regional Dean Jane Lister says the first new program — dealing with the foundations of plumbing — will start in August.

“This building is about 13, 450 square feet and it will include three trade shops, which will allow us to have three different programs all happening at the same time,” Lister told a news conference.

Meantime, a Bright Horizons fund aimed at raising one million dollars for the new building and programs is off to a roaring start.

Vernon philanthropist George Galbraith got emotional as he kicked off the donations.

“I’m really happy to announce I’m making a donation of 250-thousand dollars to the trades building and the trade development in the Vernon area.  And I’m so proud, and so pleased to be able to do it,” said Galbraith, a former businessman who brought cable TV to the area.”

Galbraith says one of the trade shops will be named after his son, Kieran, a mechanical engineer, who died nine years ago.

Vernon based Kal Tire has also donated 250-thousand dollars.

“At Kal Tire, we know first hand the value of well trained tradespeople, and we’re thrilled to also be able to throw our support behind this much needed trades training facility,” said Tracy Cobb- Reeves from Kal Tire.

Keith Construction of Vernon earlier donated 50-thousand dollars to the fund.

Other funds for the new building are coming from the BC g0vernment ($2.9 million) and the federal government ($2.7 million).

New Trades Training Centre under construction