Past Events

Summer Social -- July 2005

Wow! What a great Summer Social and what a wonderful place to hold it. About 40 members and guests came out to enjoy an evening of food and networking at the Vancouver Rowing Club in Stanley Park. In our self introductions we had everyone indicate something that they could offer to others in the room and something that they needed help with. Over the course of the remainder of the evening, some great contacts were made and fun was had by all.

Qube Tour -- June 2005

This architectural icon had most recently been home to Duke Energy. Suspended by four cables, from the top of the building, this tower was constructed in 1969 as the corporate headquarters of Westcoast Transmission. In order to preserve the historical significance of the building, it was decided to convert the space into QUBE condominiums – 180 unique contemporary residential suites in studio, 1 and 2 bedroom configurations. With construction well underway and owners expected to take possession in November this was a great opportunity to view such an interesting and unusual project.

Workplace Harassment - Know Your Rights -- May 2005

Patricia (Trish) Janzen, Partner, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin, a leading expert in British Columbia in workplace harassment issues and investigations spoke with us about workplace harassment. We learned how to recognize workplace harassment, how to deal with it and when in a workplace harassment situation you have to consider drawing a line and 'going legal'. We also discussed the role of the Human Rights Tribunal and how it works.

Life in Balance - An Illusion -- April 2005

Recent studies indicate that as many as one-third of employees say they are unable to strike a satisfactory balance between work and their personal lives. Marina Pratchett, a Partner at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin, a full time member of the workforce for 25 years and the mother of two shared with us, from a 'lessons learned' perspective, her views on how to find that balance at various times in your life. She discussed what worked and what didn’t work, and provided us with some insight into what we need to do to tip the scales in our favour.

The "Vancouver Block" Heritage Tour -- March 2005

The Vancouver Block, located in downtown Vancouver, is a 15 storey building constructed in 1912-13. This building's distinctive profile, with the large clock tower at the top, has been captured in many historical photos of Vancouver. Currently undergoing a life safety upgrade and partial heritage restoration, as well as common area and tenant space renovations, it was interesting to see some of the older features that had been uncovered and proved to be a great opportunity to view "behind the scenes" in a Heritage building.

Annual General Meeting -- February 2005

The Chongqing Seafood Restaurant was the venue for this year's AGM. While enjoying a great Szechuan meal, we reviewed the events of last year and elected our new board. Along with opportunities to network, we enjoyed an exciting presentation from the CCW Dragon Boat Management Team. We were regaled with stories of their adventures and enlighten about what being a dragon boater is all about.

Mould and How It Can Affect Your Health -- January 2005

In these days of “leaky condos” and “building envelope integrity” the more you know about the health effects of mould in buildings, the better off you are. Dr. Karen Bartlett, an Assistant Professor in the School of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene at the University of British Columbia and a specialist in this field joined us to share her knowledge and some very interesting information about this topic.

Christmas Social -- November 2004

“Women Helping Women” was the theme for our Christmas Social, and we were overwhelmed by the generosity of those in attendance. We collected a carload of business clothing and new gift items, such as toiletries, soaps, nail polish, etc., which was delivered to a local women’s shelter.

Quattro on Fourth was a wonderful place for us to get together and celebrate the coming holiday season. With attendance at 35 we took over one-half of the restaurant and were probably responsible for 80% of the conversation. Everyone took advantage of the opportunity to visit with their neighbours, renew old acquaintances and to build relationships with those that were new to them.

Careers in Construction -- October 2004

As part of our continuing efforts to support women in or wishing to be in the construction industry, and to support our corporate members in attracting and retaining women in an industry where growth is expected to exceed the available workforce over the next few years, we held what we hope will be our first annual Construction Career Workshop. Our panel consisted of an HR professional, a mechanical engineer, a project manager and a tradeswoman speaking about their experiences and things you need to know to enter and advance within the industry.

Cancer Research Centre -- September 2004

Over 50 women came out to CCW's tour of the new BC Cancer Research Centre, located at West 10th and Heather in Vancouver, BC. Construction of this 231,000 sq.ft. facility, which began in late 2002, is nearing completion. The building is to Silver LEED™ standard and includes genomic laboratories, other research labs, vivarium and teaching halls. When it opens, this research centre will be one of Canada's largest cancer research facilities. The new building will improve "bench to bedside care," – the integration of research and patient care, making a very real difference in the lives of people living with cancer.

Summer Social -- July 2004

How would we describe the CCW Summer Social? It was a great way to interact with, and get to know other members. Our evening began with a peaceful tour of the UBC Botanical Gardens, and evolved into a room filled with 40 women from the industry and lots of energy. Following the barbecue, everyone competed in a networking game and then for door prizes. A good time was had by all!

Kari Yuers -- June 2004

“Queen of Concrete”, “Entrepreneur of the Year”, “Innovator” all describe Kari Yuers. Kari was appointed President and CEO of the Kryton Group of Companies in 2001 after serving the company in a number of capacities, including General Manager for 10 years and Vice President Technical Services. Kari, who attended UBC, worked in the world of free enterprise for several years before joining Kryton in 1991.

Vancouver-based Kryton is recognized world-wide as the leader in concrete waterproofing technologies and innovative construction solutions. Revenues are generated in 40 countries around the world, with offices in the U.S., Beijing and Vancouver overseeing distribution in locations as far-flung as Saudi Arabia, Tanzania and Sweden.

Shaw Tower -- May 2004

On the evening of May 25, CCW toured one of the most prestigious new office and condo locations in Vancouver, the Shaw Tower. With its height and great views, and many amenities, it will be a location of choice. This 532,000 square foot building was designed by James KM Cheng Architects and constructed by Ledcor at a cost of $142 million. The tower will be ready to open in October of this year.

Shaw Tower

Survival Skills -- April 2004

What does it take to be a successful female in today’s world? Does being a woman in a male-dominated industry have its advantages? How do you “get ahead” and “stay ahead”? What does it take to get “listened to” and to keep the passion about what you’re doing?

These are just a few questions that our speaker, Judy Higginbotham, addressed when she spoke with us April 27. Judy is the longest serving current Councillor in the City of Surrey and a Liberal Party candidate. She has two decades of political experience under her belt, and in 1996, received the “Woman of the Year” award from the Surrey Business and Professional Women’s Association.

Marketing Yourself -- March 2004

WOW! That is the only way to describe our event. Over 30 women representing the breadth and depth of the construction industry came out to network with others in their industry and learn about marketing themselves and their business. High energy, a great workshop and an excellent dinner!