In the Community
KGL Equipment Rodeo
The Annual KGL Equipment Rodeo & BBQ has taken place the past three years in the Summer Months. This event is put on every year by KGL to invite the Employees and their Families for a fun filled day to experience and explore all the Equipment used on the project. This event boasts loads of fun activities for the Children as well.
KGL Recognized with 2018 ARHCA Safety Award
November 15, 2019
At the 2019 Alberta Roadbuilders and Heavy Construction Association (ARHCA) Convention, KGL Constructors was one of five employers recognized with zero disabling injury claims in 2018. KGL Constructors received the award in the largest category, 200,000+ person-hours worked with no lost-time claims. One person-year is equivalent to approximately 2,000 hours or one full-time worker working for one year.
KGL Hosts Second Annual Equipment Rodeo
September 4, 2019
For a second year in a row, KGL Constructors hosted an equipment rodeo that provided a day of activities and excitement for the families of its employees, subcontractors and project partners. Held at the KGL site office, the event provided attendees with the opportunity to check out, sit in and even operate construction equipment that had been parked on the site. A highlight for many of the kids was the opportunity to run the crane, which included taking the controls and moving the boom.
Rounding out the entertainment choices were inflatable obstacle courses, bouncy castles, carnival games, face painting, and balloon twisting. KGL even built a giant sandbox with ride-on excavator toys for aspiring construction workers to dig and build their own projects.
Adults at the event were gifted with straw cowboy hats, while kids received specially-sized hard hats to take home and use for their own adventures. Two food trucks were kept particularly busy feeding families all the popular snacks: hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages, popcorn, slushies and cotton candy.
The equipment rodeo attracted a significantly higher number of attendees compared to the previous year, many of whom enjoyed an afternoon in the warm sunshine with good friends. Thanks to all those attended for sharing your day with us!
SWCRR Tunnel Doubles as Artistic Venue
August 16, 2019
Alberta Transportation, Mountain View Partners and KGL Constructors recently partnered with Mountain Standard Time Performative Art (MST), TRUCK Contemporary Art in Calgary and acclaimed artist Jin-me Yoon to produce photo and video artworks at the SWCRR tunnel.
The SWCRR tunnel is under construction in the Elbow River valley. It’s being built to maintain the connection of Weaselhead Road, a major north/south road for the Tsuut’ina Nation. The tunnel will pass through embankment under the future northbound and southbound lanes of the SWCRR. Jin-me has a history of making photographs of hangars, mounds and tunnels, and is planning to use the tunnel as a metaphor for a dwelling in two separate works of art.
Representatives from MST, along with Jin-me and supporting artists, visited the SWCRR site in late July after construction activity had concluded for the day. The group received a safety orientation and were provided with protective gear while on site. The tunnel area was cleared of construction materials to remove any safety concerns and facilitate the project.
The first phase of the project involved taking a series of photos of the tunnel from three distances: near, medium and far. A KGL employee shuttled the group to a number of locations around the site that offered varying viewpoints of the tunnel. The group also captured many images at both ends of the tunnel, looking inside and outside.
Photographer Noel Begin takes photos of the tunnel from a distance, while artist Jin-me and MST’s Desiree Nault look on
Photographer Noel Begin takes photos of the tunnel, while production starts on the video elements of the project
The second phase of the project involved video and audio shoots in and around the tunnel featuring two actors. Video was first taken of the two performers arriving at the tunnel. Then the group transitioned to prepare the site for a musical performance inside the tunnel. This involved setting up instruments, cameras, lights, props and other support equipment.
Once everything was in place, the two actors played improvisational music and sounds in the tunnel. They were tasked with listening to the effects of the tunnel and responding in their performance. Several cameras captured their efforts. The music and sounds they created will serve as the soundtrack for the resulting video.
The two actors create music and sounds in the tunnel
The project is presented by MST for the 10th anniversary of their biennial and is co-presented by TRUCK Contemporary Art. It is also supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, Alberta Culture and Tourism, the BC Arts Council, Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission, Calgary Arts Development Authority, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, and is sponsored by CJSW, Emmedia, CSIF, and Drawing Change.
The resulting photo and video artworks will be included in solo-exhibitions at both TRUCK Contemporary Art in Calgary and the Vancouver Art Gallery in the future. The research, development, and production of this project brought together cultural workers from Vancouver, Tsuut’ina Nation, and Calgary and created workshops, mentorships, and discourses around relationality.
Holiday Fundraising
December 14, 2018
In each of the past two years, KGL Constructors and Mountain View Partners have organized staff fundraisers to support nearby communities and local charities. These initiatives were very successful and raised funds for worthwhile causes.
This year proved to be no exception, with the KGL/MVP team building on past initiatives and supporting three new charities:
- Mayfair Care Centre – providing iPods for a music therapy program for elderly patients with dementia
- Closer to Home Community Services – adopting a family of seven and providing much-needed Christmas gifts and groceries
- The Calgary Food Bank – providing emergency food support for individuals and families
The 2018 staff events included a 50/50 draw and several raffles to win prizes that were donated by project partners and clients. Raffle prizes included hockey tickets, electronics, branded clothing and toys.
Altogether, participants raised over $5,500 to be donated towards the three charities, which exceeded the targeted goal for the year.
KGL and MVP thank those who donated items to the raffle and those who participated by buying tickets. Your support was instrumental to making this year’s fundraising a true success
Wishing you all a happy holiday season and a prosperous new year!
KGL representatives present a cheque to the Mayfair Care Centre
KGL Equipment Rodeo Makes For Family Fun
September 21, 2018
In August, KGL hosted an equipment rodeo that attracted families from KGL, Mountain View Partners, Alberta Transportation and other subcontractors and project partners. Held on a Saturday, the event allowed individuals working on the SWCRR to bring their families to check out the site office and partake in a number of family-friendly activities.
There was no shortage of interest in the carnival games, bouncy castles, inflatable obstacle course and face painting station. There was also a barbecue, popcorn and many other snacks to maintain the energy levels of the children, who were kept busy exploring the site.
Of course, the highlight for many families was the heavy construction equipment from the SWRR project that was moved to the site office and safely parked for the day. Children had the opportunity to check out the gear up close and to sit in several vehicles. Youngsters were quick to discover that one of the few working buttons in the equipment were the horns, which sounded on regular occasions throughout the event. There were also many great opportunities for family photos.
Another big hit was the equipment simulator, which allow kids to get behind the driver’s seat of an excavator and put their skills to the test. We might have found a few new long-term construction employees…
Overall the day was marked by sunshine, warm temperatures, new experiences and good times. We thank those who joined us and look forward to hosting similar events in the future.
Bow Valley College Student Joins KGL Constructors
August 17, 2018
Growing up in southern Saskatchewan, Brittany Desjarlais was familiar with the pace of development and construction in the prairie provinces. After relocating to Calgary and looking for a challenging career that would combine her love of the region with an opportunity that the industry could provide, she made the decision to take construction career training through Bow Valley College’s Alberta Indigenous Construction Career Centre. After completing her training, Brittany applied to KGL Constructors and was hired as an equipment operator.
Alberta Transportation, Mountain View Partners and KGL recently worked with Brittany and Bow Valley College to share her success story to promote programs offered by the Alberta Indigenous Construction Career Centre and to encourage more students to consider taking courses.
Reflecting on her experience, Brittany stated that:
“The program with Bow Valley College offered an opportunity to be part of a program where I was provided with a supportive and encouraging environment. As an Indigenous individual who went back to school later in life, this environment was important to my continued growth and success. I would fully encourage anyone who has been thinking about obtaining career training to consider this program.”
We would like to congratulate Brittany on her success and reiterate how pleased we are to have her as part of our team.
Alberta Transportation, Mountain View Partners and KGL seek to partner with educational institutions that can provide qualified tradespeople to contribute to the construction of the SWCRR, and we look forward to working with Bow Valley College on future initiatives.
Outdoor Classroom for Bowcroft Elementary School
June 21, 2018
On Canada Day, Alberta Transportation, Mountain View Partners, and KGL Constructors partnered with Bowcroft Elementary School and local artist Dale Kastelen to provide rocks for an outdoor classroom. The goal was to create an outdoor learning space where students and a teacher could gather, with students facing inwards towards their instructor.
KGL staff arranged a site tour for Kastelen, a rock sculptor by trade, to carefully choose the perfect rocks for the project. For Kastelen’s vision to come true, the boulders had to be the right height for the students and, of course, be relatively smooth to sit on during the learning experience.
The excavator selecting rocks in the Transportation Utility Corridor
A total of eleven rocks were selected, loaded onto a flatbed truck with a KGL excavator and transported to Bowcroft Elementary School in northwest Calgary.
The excavator and rocks arrive at Bowcroft Elementary School
At the school, the ground was softened by the excavator, providing a level surface for the future outdoor classroom’s seating. One by one, the excavator lifted the rocks over the schoolyard fence to their new home.
KGL staff spent the next few hours adjusting the rocks to the ideal position. The flattest surface was placed facing upwards, creating two rows for students to use come the start of the new school year.
The excavator next to the newly placed rocks
Throughout the summer Kastelen will continue to work on the classroom. The boulders will be shaped, smoothed and adjusted to ensure the seating area maximizes comfort for the outdoor class time that students can look forward to.
Student rocks facing towards the teacher rock
Students at Bowcroft Elementary School are no strangers to outdoor learning activities. The new classroom will complement the already-existing garden, dry river bed and stone labyrinth. Alberta Transportation, Mountain View Partners and KGL are proud to be contribute to the next step in this school’s commitment to education and enjoyment of the outdoors.
The garden, labyrinth and outdoor classroom at Bowcroft Elementary School
Representatives from KGL Constructors and artist Dale Kastelen