A new hotel nears completion

The construction site of the new Ramada hotel just north of Creston is a beehive of activity

1 of 4This photo, taken September 28, 2011, shows the construction site of Creston's new Ramada hotel. — Photo courtesy Vic Van Isle Construction Ltd.

2 of 4Scottie Huolt, project supervisor with Vic Van Isle Construction, stands proudly in front of the new Ramada. — Photo courtesy Vic Van Isle Construction Ltd.

3 of 4Work is in progress to complete the interior of the new Ramada hotel. — Photo courtesy Scottie Huolt

4 of 4Drywalling and other finishing work is underway at the Ramada hotel in anticipation of the opening in spring 2012. — Photo courtesy Scottie Huolt

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The first new hotel in Creston in decades is currently under construction. Bruce Walker, vice-president of Vic Van Isle Construction Ltd., negotiated the contract with AB-BC Recreation and Resources Limited to build the new Ramada hotel.

“It’s one of the biggest projects I’ve seen in Creston in quite awhile,” said Scottie Huolt, project supervisor with Vic Van Isle Construction.

The new Ramada will have a Ricky’s restaurant, conference room and mini-mall. The hotel will consist of 71 units and Huolt anticipates that there are plans for an outdoor pool and hot tub to be added this spring. Vic Van Isle Construction Ltd. will complete its portion of the project by March.

Walker was a key player in negotiating the deal, but David Beruschi, the site project manager, hit the ground running with a determined team of employees. Beruschi said he was relieved to get Huolt’s team on location.

“Construction has gone well and the owner has been a pleasure to work with,” said Beruschi. “There have been no construction delays since we broke ground. Even though we lost those two months due to weather, we’ll still finish the project in the same amount of time.”

Beruschi’s team, which consists of some 30 people on site on any given day, is responsible for roughly $6 million worth of framing, drywalling and flooring, and Huolt was responsible for supervising the on-site crew of about 15 contractors.