JUNE 2025 for the shelter at the junction of 54th Street and 50th Avenue. They approached Brian when they heard about his daughter and Brian got involved as the builder of that shelter. According to Brian, the project ended up being valued at around $700,000. It comprises a twostorey structure with six-bedrooms that can accommodate about 20 people. Brian likens it to a hotel in terms of both security and amenities – for example, there’s a communal kitchen, and the rooms all require hotel-style keycard access. Brian is particularly proud of that project not just because of the social impact it will have, but because of the way the community rallied around it. “It was a good cause and the community really stepped up,” Brian says. “All of my subtrades gave us great deals. A lot of people gave money.” In recognition of Brian’s contribution to that project, the Olds & District Chamber of Commerce awarded Brian Gardner Custom Homes the ‘Community Spirit Award’ at their 2024 Business Awards ceremony. Brian is grateful for that accolade, but insists the honour truly belongs to everyone involved. “That award isn’t just for me,” he says. “It’s for everybody who helped – it’s for the subtrades and everyone in the Olds area who put money in. This whole thing was a group effort. There’s the old saying that it takes a village and that really was the case this time.”
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