News and event information for Williams Lake, BC - as it happens.

By LeRae Haynes

Pioneer Log Homes is a business that takes a stand and makes a statement both internationally and at home in the community. Their emphasis on consistently high professional standards, customer satisfaction, ‘green’ building practices decades ahead of their time and the importance of family and community set them apart both here and around the world.

A recent project for Pioneer Log Homes is in Green Island, England, on some of the most expensive real estate on the planet. Other project locations include Santa Cruz, Mozambique, Austria, Hawaii, San Diego, Colorado, South Wales, New York, BC, Texas and Switzerland. Right now Pioneer is doing a set of plans for a movie star in Santa Ynez, California.

All of these successful projects represent revenue for Williams Lake, as dollars flow back to support local families, businesses and organizations, according to Pioneer Log Homes General Manager Andre Chevigny.

“Our five top guys, Peter Arnold, Joel Roorda, Beat Schwaller, Bryan Ried Jr. and Sam Peterson have been with us for years,” he stated. “That’s the family integrity and flavour of the company that includes long-term relationships.”

Pioneer Log Homes has a tradition of customer service before, during and after the build, and are known for their emphasis on a ‘green build’ and on sustainability.

Once trees are harvested for the company, Pioneer crews go back into the logging area and promptly conduct reforestation. “One example of our commitment to sustainability is that we’ll plant 500-800 thousand seedlings this year,” Andre said.

Besides building only with wood, which is versatile, recyclable and grows using only solar energy, Pioneer has also used a lot of recycled wood from older structures that were dismantled, including old bridge timbers, timbers from the old Lakeview Hotel in Williams Lake and has recently purchased the Tallio Cannery in Bella Coola to have access to more old recycled timber.

 Some of the newest local projects that Pioneer has had a hand in are the front entrance to Walmart and the timber frame work at Dr. Rudy Wassenaar’s newly expanded office. They also built the Tourism Discovery Centre and contributed their unique touch to the Cariboo Friendship housing project and the community coop building on the corner of 3rd and Oliver.

They are also generous supporters of children and their families in Williams Lake through anonymous donations.

“There are a lot of exciting things on the horizon, and it turns out that things are good. Pioneer has made a conscious choice not to participate in the recession: instead we made the choice to come out of things leaner, more of a team than ever and more optimistic for future years. You don’t build a team in the good times—a team is perfected during hard times,” Andre continued.

“The news here is that things are going well, with the Pioneer group excited about the opportunities in front of us for Cariboo families and for Cariboo people.”

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