Friday marks the first anniversary of the Wood Innovation and Design Centre’s opening.
The $25 million building houses UNBC wood design courses and the Emily Carr Centre for Design Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
“I’m hoping that we’re going to see some solid results come out of the wood design program UNBC is offering,” says MLA Mike Morris. “With Emily Carr, I have high expectations for world class designs and products to come out of there, and innovations that we can spread across the globe.”
The building initially served as the broadcast centre for the 2015 Winter games, but many hope it will grow BC’s expertise and global reputation as a leader in wood innovation.
“Wood innovation is moving forward. We may not see it openly in construction in Prince George, but I know there’s all kinds of technology and processes taking place behind the scenes with various companies and research centres looking at different ways to use fibres. We’ll see a very different forest industry over the next decade,” added Morris. “The UNBC program has attracted faculty internationally. There are people there from New Zealand and Sweden, so with the talent we have coming in from around the world, we’ll see great things come out of that.”
Construction of the 29.5-metre, six-storey high building began in 2013- with 13 different B.C. companies working on it.
An attached park agreed upon before construction of the WIDC building hasn’t broken ground yet, but has served as a point of contention for City residents.
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