b"MEMBER MILESTONESBOCKSTAEL CONSTRUCTION: 110 YEARS YOUNG Passing down vision and values from one generation to the nextBy Matthew BradfordIn 1910, Theodore Bockstael was commissioned to build assets for farmers around Fort Whyte, Winnipeg. Two years later, the Belgium-born carpenter hung the shingles for Bockstael Construction Limited in 1912. Now, 110 years later, the company is reflecting on the people and projects that have made the fourth-generation family business one of Manitoba's preeminent builders.SHAPING THE SKYLINEBockstael Construction has come a long way since building milk housesBockstael's current leadership team, from left to right: John Bockstael, CEO;and granaries. In its early years,Dan Bockstael, VP of Preconstruction; Nick Bockstael, VP of Construction; and Theodore and his crew built severalCarmine Militano, President.schools within the province. When hisSkylofts, a 2014 project that openedFor my time with the company, one son Robert returned from the air forcethe doors for loftier initiatives. of the biggest milestones was the to run the company in 1944, BockstaelGlasshouse Skylofts introduced ouradoption of lean construction, he took on more local work, includingcompany to high-rise constructionnotes. That revolutionized how we ran the Sisters of the Cross Residence,while cementing our use of leanour projects [and] became a first step the Heather Curling Club, Manitobaconstruction on the job site, recallsin the overall professionalization of our Telephone System (MTS) switchingNick Bockstael, Vice President ofapproach to construction management stations, the O'Keefe and CarlingConstruction. Within just a few years ofservices, which allowed our people to breweries, and more. this experience, we took on five moregrow while also unlocking a lot more Looking back, one of the projectshighly successful downtown value for our clients.were still proudest of is the Precioushigh-rise projects. BUILDING COMMUNITYBlood Church that we built backMore recently, Bockstael completedBockstael is proud to be associated in 1968, recalls Sarah Anderson,a four-and-a-half-year renovation towith several socially focused projects, Business Development Manager forthe Canada Life head office, cappingincluding leading renovations for Bockstael and great-granddaughter ofthe largest multi-year program inthe Main Street Project Emergency Theodore Bockstael. It was a woodthe companys history and winningShelter, Siloam Mission and Lighthouse structure that was extremely difficult toaccolades from BOMA (the BuildingMission; upgrading patient rooms at build, but it is such an iconic structureOwners and Managers Association) inpersonal care homes; and working on that stills means a lot to the process. Rapid Housing Initiative projects for the community. the Winnipeg Housing Rehabilitation The following decades would seeA lot of the most meaningful projectsCorporation. It has also partnered with Bockstael add several more milestonefor us are those where we get tolocal Indigenous communities for work projects to its portfolio, accomplishedpush our boundaries, test ourselves,on renovations at 126 Alfred Street for through the joint leadership of Larryinnovate and improve, says Anderson. Shawenim Abinoojii Inc. and the Astum and David Bockstael in 1979, and thenDan Bockstael, Vice President ofApi Niikinaahk healing home for the Ma under John Bockstael, the companysPreconstruction, is also proud ofMawi Wi Chi Itata Centre.current CEO, in 2013. Some of theseBockstaels builds throughout theThe many socially focused projects projects include pouring the concretecentury. And, like his family members,that we were able to jump into core for 300 Main, multiple renovationshe believes its reputation is largelythroughout the pandemic were very at St. Boniface Hospital and St. Amantowed to the innovative approaches itrewarding, adds Dan Bockstael. Centre, and raising Glasshousehas adopted along the way. Thanks to the scale of our 16 BUILD MANITOBAwinnipegconstruction.ca"