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Creative sources for local lumber

Two people kneel on top of an old shed, side of the shed reads “Creative Deconstruction”
An artistic manipulation of the Creative Deconstruction Team, working smart. Photo by Max Thaysen & Beatrix Baxter
Loni Taylor - CKTZ - Cortes Island • BC | 12-05-2022
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On Cortes Island, lumber costs and building materials have increased dramatically over the past couple of years.

According to Henry Verschuur, of Blue Jay Lake Farm and Mill, the price of cedar has more than doubled since 2019. In 2021, the local rate for cedar was $2.60 per lineal foot, and today it is $3 per lineal foot.

18-foot pieces of lumber being towed behind a manual bicycle.

The company utilizes various forms of transportation, even innovating bicycle trailers to hull reclaimed wood. Photography by Travis.

Residents on Cortes Island are looking to innovate with more economical and environmentally-responsible alternatives. Max Thaysen and Travis Pawlak are local entrepreneurs offering gentle demolition of unwanted buildings, and reclaiming the wood for new projects. The company is called Creative Deconstruction, and clients are utilizing the demo service as a source of cheaper lumber. 

Listen to the CKTZ interview below:

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