Four prominent Victoria families are leading the way in supporting a capital campaign to boost trades education at Camosun College.
The Farmers, Chews, Sanghas and Engs — all with links to the trades — have committed a combined total of $1 million toward the $5-million initiative, called the TRADEmark for Excellence Campaign. Their donations have helped bring the total raised so far to $3.8 million.
The funds are being collected to augment Camosun’s new provincially funded $30-million Centre for Trades Education and Innovation, opened in February. The centre is giving Camosun the ability to bring in 40 per cent more trades students in the next few years, increasing annual capacity to 3,700 from 2,700.
Money from the campaign will be used for such things as purchasing equipment and funding renovation of existing trades space. It is the first such fundraising effort for the college, which has previously concentrated more on bursaries and scholarships.
“So we end up with an absolutely amazing trades complex with the three buildings all up to snuff and with the very best teaching equipment,” said Camosun Foundation spokesman Angus Matthews.
The trades taught at Camosun include automotive, heavy-duty mechanical, sheet metal, welding, ship repair and plumbing, with graduates making a big impression around the region.
“[At] Pattison Toyota in Victoria, 24 of 27 mechanics working in their shop are Camosun graduates,” Matthews said. “If you travel on a B.C. ferry, chances are the crew that were operating that ferry were trained at Camosun College.”
Here are the major campaign donations:
• The Farmers’ contribution of $350,000 is a personal gift from Murray and Lynda Farmer, who also serve as co-chairs of the campaign. Their trades connection is through their former business, Farmer Construction, which they sold in 1998.
• Shirley Chew has donated $250,000 in memory of John Chew, the founder of Chew Excavating.
• The Sangha family gift is $200,000 from Janik Rai and Randy Sangha to honour their parents, Jake and Dee Sangha, who co-founded the company that became OK Industries, along with Jake’s brother, Buncy.
• The Eng family donation of $200,000 comes from Robert and Kenny Eng, and Terry Eng, wife of their late brother, Eddie, in memory of parents Henry and Dorothy, who founded Oakcrest. Oakcrest was a grocery business that has become a property-management and development company known as Oakcrest Park Estates Ltd.
All of the families have a history of contributing to the community, Matthews said, and the donations to Camosun continue that.
“The manifestation of these gifts reflects those years and generations in Victoria.”
The family enterprises began as small operations and prospered over time, Matthews said.
“John Chew started on the Peninsula, [with] one tractor, and built it into the largest excavating company on the south Island,” he said.
“The Sangha family, sawdust and firewood delivery were the beginnings for them and they built it into one of the largest paving companies in B.C.”
Each of the major donors is being acknowledged with a sign that names an area for them at the trades complex. Both the Sangha and Eng names are attached to wings of the new building, the Chew name has been given to the heavy-duty mechanics shop and the student commons area in the building’s atrium is named for the Farmer family.
“It’s kind of nice for future generations to know that the past is supporting their education,” Matthews said.
Janik Rai, Jake and Dee Sangha’s daughter, said support for Camosun is a “legacy” for her parents.
“It’s something to carry on.”
Rai said it is a fitting memorial to her parents.
“It’s the most phenomenal thing I think we could have done for them.”
Chris Chew said the donation on behalf of his father recognizes the strong local roots of Chew Excavation, which had its first offices in the basement of the family home.
“There’s a deep history in Victoria, and because of that strong connection with Victoria, my father was always wanting to give back.”
His father referred to Victoria as “the best city in the world,” Chris said, and he considered the people who worked for him to be his extended family.
The Engs’ business success had its start with Henry Eng’s early years in his family’s produce business. From there, he went on to open the first in his chain of Oakcrest grocery stores in 1952 — leading the way for other independent grocers.
The family shifted from the grocery business to real-estate development in 1982.
Family members decided that support for trades education would be a meaningful way to recognize Henry and Dorothy and their contributions to the region.
Murray Farmer said his family has a close connection with Camosun, including his wife’s tenure as chairwoman of the Camosun board. Through the years with Farmer Construction — founded by his father, George — the family was “really blessed” with skilled tradespeople, so giving to help trades education made sense.
His brother, Terry, also donated to the cause.
For information on supporting the campaign, email [email protected].
