At Work :: Sandra Albers One-on-one with Kootenay business leaders
Spa resort an enjoyable challenge
Chad Jensen and his dad, Rick Jensen —Photo by Kris Lindblad
The Mountain Spirit Resort and Spa development at the base of the ski hill in Kimberley has been a boon for local and area businesses and tradespeople. Kootenay Business magazine spoke to Chad Jensen, president of New Dawn Developments, about the Cranbrook company’s involvement in this spa-inspired, destination resort. h3. What is New Dawn Development’s role in the Mountain Spirit Resort and Spa project? We are the general contractor, plus we provided ‘value engineering’ during the design stages. h3. What has been the most challenging aspect of this project? That would probably be the challenge of working within an operating resort (Kimberley Alpine Resort), especially during the winter months with the high traffic on the ski hill, dealing with snow removal, winter construction issues, etc. h3. How has New Dawn Developments met those challenges? New Dawn has invested heavily in winter construction equipment, ranging from ground-thawing equipment to temporary heating equipment. Constant snow removal has been ongoing, and we’ve worked with RCR (Resorts of the Canadian Rockies) to ensure that deliveries to the project and deliveries to the resort were both managed effectively. h3. What, in particular, makes this job an interesting one? The design is unique, giving a twist to the standard alpine architecture. The mixed use with the inclusion of a restaurant and spa has also made this an interesting project. h3. What are you most proud of in terms of the Mountain Spirit project? We’re very proud of the quality of the units, and of the relationship that exists with the developers. h3. What local businesses have contributed labour and/or supplies to this project? It’s quite a long list—Mountainside Falseworks, Casemore Masonry, Long Valley Steel, EK Insulation, Gramlich Construction, Key City Drywall, Riemann Painting, Cawdell Finishing, Gipman Millwork, Affordable Flooring, G C Electric, Armor Roofing, Davis Decking, Kootenay Vinyl Deck, Homestead Developments, All Seasons Landscaping, Trikon Precast, 3-D Concrete, Crystal Glass, City Glass and Tyee Log Homes. h3. Can you estimate how much work (number of workers, man hours) the Mountain Spirit Resort and Spa project has provided for this region? Probably an average of 80 people per day for 16 months. h3. What’s the time span of New Dawn Development’s involvement in this project? New Dawn started working with the developer in 2003 on the original concept. The final design and construction drawings commenced in 2007. h3. Has this project been a fun one to work on? All projects are fun to work on! The best part of this business is that every day and every job is different. The job has been rewarding due to the variety of commercial and residential components within the building. The Mountain Spirit units feature geothermal heating and cooling, contemporary unit finishes and extensive timberwork. h3. In a nutshell, how would you describe New Dawn Development’s business philosophy? New Dawn’s goal is to become the region’s contractor which our present and potential clients, partners and employees aspire to be involved with. In short…to be the best! h3. What are some of New Dawn’s previous projects? At Panorama Mountain Village, New Dawn has worked on the Wolf Lake townhomes, Aurora townhomes, the Fireside restaurant and the Crazy Horse Saloon. h3. In Kimberley, our projects have included Northstar Mountain Village, Willow Vista, Dreamcatcher Chalets and the Forest Crowne cottages. In Cranbrook, we were the general contractor for Northwood Estates and Orchard Park Estates, plus Boulder Creek, the Discovery Centre and corporate offices for Wildstone. We’ve also been responsible for about 200 custom homes in Cranbrook. h3. What upcoming projects is New Dawn looking forward to in 2009? We’ll continue working with Northwood and Wildstone, as well as with Dreamcatcher and the Forest Crowne subdivision. We have custom homes in the works, and will be expanding into the commercial sector. We will continue to work with developers to bring new projects to the market.
Sandra Albers is a staff writer at Kootenay Business magazine. Since 2007, she has enjoyed hearing about new businesses, expanding businesses and unique businesses, as well as learning more about the long-time successes in the business community of the Kootenays. She writes, as well as copy edits and proofreads, for both magazine and website, and welcomes input from our readers.
Email Sandra if you have a story idea for any of the following:
At Work, a Q & A column that focuses on the people behind some of the area's long-running, successful companies;
Business Beat, a page of short, business-related announcements (new businesses, new owners, new locations, major expansions, business awards);
Around the Region, a page in Kootenay Business magazine that highlights some of the more unique businesses and entrepreneurial initiatives in the East and West Kootenay, as well as Columbia Valley and Boundary regions.
Sandra believes that success inspires success, and looks forward to hearing what makes your business special.
