NorskeCanada Announces Lead Donation to Malaspina’s New Library Project

May 14, 2003 - 5:00pm

NorskeCanada, operator of three major pulp and paper mills on Vancouver Island and Powell River, has pledged $150,000 to Malaspina University-College’s New Library project.
The pledge is the largest to date in a campaign to raise $1.75 million locally towards the major reconstruction of the university-college’s central library at the Nanaimo campus.
The announcement was made Wednesday by NorskeCanada’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Russ Horner, at the Chamber of Commerce’s May meeting at the Grand Hotel in Nanaimo.
Mr. Horner noted that the region served by Malaspina encompasses much of the area of Norske’s coastal operations in British Columbia. “We’re pleased to be able to assist Malaspina in this major new project,” he said, ”The New Library will enhance Malaspina’s ability to give students the learning resources they need, and it’s another step in Malaspina’s progress in becoming a major British Columbia post-secondary institution.”
Mr. Horner noted that NorskeCanada benefits from the excellent training provided at Malaspina University-College in forestry and heavy duty mechanics and operators, as well as other programs.
“Many of our employees come from Malaspina, and, like other companies, we depend on Malaspina to provide the capable employees we need to be successful.”
In thanking Mr. Horner for NorskeCanada’s donation, on behalf of Malaspina, Ron Forster, Chair of the Malaspina University-College Foundation said, “We really appreciate Norske Canada’s willingness to make a commitment to Malaspina and our students at a time when the forest sector is dealing with some major challenges. NorskeCanada’s pledge indicates support for what we’re doing, and also a belief that the forest sector, will continue to be a vitally important part of the Vancouver Island economy.
The New Library campaign will see the present library double in size and add new electronic research facilities, study and special reading rooms, a re-located campus bookstore, and a new Institute for Coastal Research.
Currently Malaspina serves 10,500 students in degree, diploma and certificate programs at Malaspina’s four campuses, plus another 13,200 annually in continuing education courses in the evenings and on weekends.