Page 19 - Jan_Feb 19 Reporter

t is at er and son team de ided t e ad a uture in t e
uilding su l usiness eir de ision signaled t e eginning
o w at as ro en to e a long and ruit ul in ol ement in t e
lum er and uilding su l industr in ud ur

he association takes great pride in
Trecognizing our members’ contributions
towards the communities they service;
and many of our members have had long
histories in their respective communities.
We recognized several members who
have been in existence for over 100 years
in the LBMAO 100th Commemorative
book, published in 2017. However, as
an oversight we missed one of our most
valued members, Evans Building Supplies
in Sudbury Ontario. Therefore, we felt that
for the first edition of the eporter we
would give Evans’ owners (past and present)
and employees the recognition they
deserve. Their dedication to the community
of Sudbury has been recognized over the
years and rewarded by a loyal customer
base.
In 1896, Thomas Evans, a major
Northern Ontario contractor, worked a large
job in Copper Cliff, Ontario. He found himself
with a considerable surplus of building and revitali ed firm the company en oyed building. Not to be denied, the company
materials when he had finished. ee ing to considerable success while, at the same soon acquired a new site on Pine Street and,
unload this stoc in a profitable fashion r time, contributing to the early development in 1908, it commenced the construction of
Evans and his son, W. A. Evans, organized of the community. In 1906, a further new mills sheds and offices. hese facilities
a company to sell it. They succeeded and reorganization of the business took place would remain for almost eight decades.
once the materials sold, this father and and the name was changed to The Evans On Christmas day, 1931, W. A. Evans
son team decided they had a future in the Company Limited. Shortly thereafter, Mr D. passed away. Shortly after his death, the
building supply business. Their decision H. Andress was named Manager. business was again reorganized as the
signaled the beginning of what has proven nfortunately another fire occurred in Evans Lumber Company Limited. D. H.
to be a long and fruitful involvement in the 1907, which totally ravaged the Xavier Street Andress, who had steadily risen through
retail lumber and building supply industry in
Sudbury.
Thomas and W. A. Evans weathered
several early setbacks as they established
their edgling business. n they
purchased a site at the foot of Cedar Street
and erected a small woodworking operation.
Within a few months, however, this facility
was destroyed by fire. ndaunted the
Evans’ erected a new building on Xavier
Street and re-organized the company
under the name of Sudbury Building Supply
Company. This was the beginning of what
has become a highly successful example of
the benefits of assembling and mar eting
all-types of building materials under one
organization. With W.A. Evans positioned
as President of the reorganized, resituated

www.lbmao.on.ca LBMAO Reporter - January-February 2019 19