Travellers on Cowichan Valley roads might notice a new trailer out there sporting the logos of nine forestry companies who have chipped in to support the Cowichan District Hospital Foundation and the new Cowichan District Hospital.
The nine companies — Catalyst, Centurion Lumber, Coastland Wood Industries, Marpole Transport Ltd., Mosaic Forest Management, P and R Truck Centre, Pacific Homes, Slegg Building Materials, and Western Forest Products — each chipped in $10,000 to support the wrap on the trailer, raising $90,000 for the foundation.
The trailer will travel through the Cowichan Valley, primarily hauling mill by-products from WFP’s mills to the Catalyst Crofton Mill.
It’s the second time such a project has been done to support the hospital foundation, said Jerry Doman, chair of the foundation and owner of Centurion Lumber.
“About seven or eight years ago we did a wrap, and we went back to the sponsors again,” Doman explained at the unveiling of the trailer at the BC Forest Discovery Centre last month. “Most of them are the same, but a couple companies have changed names. We did it with a forestry theme — all the companies have relations to the forest industry. It’s been great to have the participation of the sponsors.”
The foundation pointed out that the its partnership with the group of companies demonstrates a collective commitment to improving health care in the Cowichan Valley while raising awareness for the new Cowichan District Hospital.
Construction on the new hospital on Bell McKinnon Road is anticipated to begin in 2022, and the new hospital is expected to open for patients in 2026. The total project budget is $887.4 million, shared between the Province through Island Health and the Cowichan Valley Regional Hospital District, with support from Cowichan District Hospital Foundation.
Tracey Brown, the foundation’s interim executive director, is thrilled to see the new trailer hit the road.
“We’re so excited that the new hospital is finally coming,” she said. “We’re really proud of our relationship with the forestry companies and we’re really grateful for their fantastic support, including Jerry’s leadership from Centurion Lumber in this particular endeavour.”
The Cowichan District Hospital Foundation is very grateful to our Forestry Industry supporters. These companies are supporting us and helping us to raise community awareness for the New Hospital which is scheduled to break ground early 2022 and open in 2026.
