JE Anderson

In November JEA  sponsored UDI’s Development Tour, “Overcoming Project Challenges,” a one-day event held in Victoria to highlight innovative approaches taken by local developers.

JEA is proud to sponsor the event because developing in the Greater Victoria region tends to be a long and complex task making developer collaboration extremely important. The event provided a unique opportunity for members to see and discuss those challenges with their colleagues.

The Urban Development Institute is a national association that works with developers and local governments to provide news, policy, research and a forum for discussion. “Events like the Development Tour in Victoria strengthen communication among its local members and make it easier for them to come together to address common problems or obstacles,” says senior engineer Ross Tuck, who is also a representative on the UDI Victoria board of directors.

For the sold out crowd it was a chance to discuss or walk through a number of interesting local projects. For the featured companies, it was a chance to showcase their best efforts in ground-breaking layout, design and technologies.

Engineering Manager Jeff Tomlinson has been helping The Rotary Club of Nanaimo North reach its goals for its popular Citrus for Charity program this Christmas.

Truckloads of oranges and grapefruits have been arriving from California and are available for sale and donation. Buy some for yourself or have the club deliver the fruit to a local charity of your choice. The Rotary Club of Nanaimo North reaches out to charities all over the world, says the club’s fundraising director Ian Thompson. “We’re happy to deliver your fruit to whichever local charity you choose to support,” he adds.

Beneficiaries of the Citrus for Charity Program in Nanaimo include The Salvation Army, Haven House and local food banks. The club is half way to their Christmas goal of raising $10,000. from the program and are taking orders until December 9. “JEA is a terrific supporter of The Rotary Club of Nanaimo North all year round,” says Thompson. “Indeed, next year Jeff will become our president,” he added.

Good news for JEA staff and clients.  The expansion of the JEA offices at 4212 Glanford Ave. is nearly complete. 

“We were bulging at the seams” said owner Gary Anderson.  “We’d been working full-tilt solving other people’s problems while our own space was becoming jammed up.   It was time.”  Gary didn’t have to look far for a creative lead on the project.  Jeff Smith, of the multi-award winning Smith Designs was happy to be given the task of creating a beautiful yet functional space. www.smithdesigns.ca. The new addition expanding the space from 3,000 to 4,650 square feet began to take place.

A good contractor makes all the difference in how a job goes and Gary couldn’t have been happier with Story Construction. www.storyconstruction.ca.  “They were fantastic.  They were right on budget, right on time and even found ways to save here and there.”  Danny Carrier shouldered the responsibility of ensuring the goals of JEA were achieved by both Story and Smith.  Under his guidance communication was excellent and the inevitable small problems solved quickly and amiably.

Outside, the problem of an expanded driveway called for a sustainable solution.  JEA Partner Peter Gericke designed a “rain garden” that efficiently filters out the pollutants from driveway and roof run-off water directed to the area to be soaked back into the aquifer.

Meet Ryan Hourston – The latest member of the J.E. Anderson team to be commissioned as a B.C. Land Surveyor.

Ryan joined JEA in 2003, honing his skills completing a wide variety of projects including building certificates, road design layouts, right of way surveys and many other legal survey assignments (including the Uptown Shopping Centre) from Victoria to the Cowichan Valley.  A graduate of the University of Victoria in Geography he credits JEA’s commitment to mentorship as a major reason for his success.

Mike Manson was assigned to help him get to the level of a certified B.C. Land Surveyor. “Mike put in many hours helping me prepare for the exams and supporting me, for which I am grateful” he said.  “So many of my co-workers also took an interest in my progress. There are not many places where you truly feel you are part of a family”.

When he is not out in the field, he can be seen on the soccer pitch, playing three times a week for the Cordova Bay Bobcats.  A father of two, he enjoys time with his wife and children playing at the beach and exploring the local parks.