In its second season HGTV’s Timber Kings continues to shed a positive light on Williams Lake and the region.
“You know, we’re exposing Williams Lake to the world,” said Pioneer Log Homes general manager André Chevigny during a telephone interview while en route to a home show in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan recently.
“It’s exciting to me because the show is aired in more than 100 countries and is still a smash hit across HGTV and all of their related channels.”
Episodes of the show have featured local mountain bike trails, the Canadian Army training out in the Chilcotin, and an array of community events such as the Stampede Parade and Thunder Mountain Speedway Hit to Pass, which Chevigny described as a positive, positive thing.
“I don’t know what else anybody could do to expose our area. TV is a huge medium,” he said.
Despite the rise to fame, Chevigny said he and the guys remain humbled by the experience.
Two weeks ago he was in Calgary where he spent the whole weekend taking compliments about the show and sharing excitement on both the show and its colourful people and the beautiful area where they live.
“I say we’re from British Columbia, we’re from a small town and this is what it’s about,” he said.
When people ask him what it’s like he tells them, “we’re small town boys and we’re very humble.”
Chevigny, however, admitted he and his co-stars are being recognized in Mexico, Hawaii and wherever they travel.
And because of Timber Kings, Williams Lake’s fame is also on the rise.
“People are constantly calling Pioneer Log Homes to ask about the town,” Chevigny said. “Where is it? Is it a resort town? Is there recreation there? How can they find out more about it? When can they come and visit us?”
Whether customers are from Arizona or Germany they are always encouraged by Pioneer to come and see the community, the log houses, the people and the colourful personalities that build the houses, he added.
“Our family has always been about hard work and exposing the beautiful community we live in to all of our customers.”
Recently Chevigny was invited to be the keynote speaker at the Ontario Forest Industry Association annual convention held in Toronto in February.
In front of 250 of the “top brass” dressed in suits, Chevigny spoke for an hour about following your passion and about Williams Lake.
“There I was with my jeans, my cowboy boots and my Pioneer ball cap and T-shirt,” he chuckled.
He was also presented the OFIA 2015 Wood Champion of the Year Award and in Williams Lake at the Chamber of Commerce’s Business Excellence Awards in March, Pioneer Log Homes was the winner of the chamber’s Newsmaker of the Year Award.