Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - To celebrate two decades in business, Slade Mechanical owner Neil Slade hosted a large but low-key BBQ for family, staff, friends, clients and colleagues last week in the company's Kam Lake headquarters on Curry Road.

"We've never been a high-profile company," said owner Neil Slade. "We've stayed busy with the people that we have. Lots of people know about us but lots of people don't, I guess."

From left, Neil and Brenda Slade celebrated the 20th anniversary of Slades Mechanical last Wednesday evening at their Curry Road office in Kam Lake. Their son Devon Slade, left, and son-in-law Jeremy MacKenzie flipped burgers and Saskatchewan sausages for a crowd of staff and well-wishers. Neil moved North from Saskatchewan about 40 years ago and originally started the business out of his home in 1988. - Daron Letts/NNSL Photo

Slade Mechanical started in 1988, when Slade operated the business out of his Ptarmigan Road home.

"We were just a smaller company with myself and a couple of guys," he said. "The first time we expanded was when we did the original Extra Foods store and then from there we just got a little bigger."

The company worked alongside Central Mechanical, JSL Mechanical and JNR Mechanical to build the original BHP mine camp. In 2001 the company began specializing in fire protection sprinkler work, which continues as its focus today.

"Over the years we've worked from the north end of Baffin Island to all reaches of the NWT and what became Nunavut," Neil said. "We've been just about everywhere, but we stick mostly to the NWT now."

Slades Mechanical still services the diamond mines and often works in South Mackenzie, Fort Smith, Hay River and Tulita.

"It's a lot of travel," Neil said. "When you travel a long ways from home there's always logistical problems, let's put it that way. It makes life interesting. It's been a good ride. It's never been boring."

The company has six staff and has employed several members of the Slade family over the years.

"We've been, to a large degree, a family-run business whereby sons and daughters have worked in the company currently or in the past and then moved on," he said. "We're not sure if we're going to do another 20 years or not, but we're going to be around for a while yet."

Slade moved up to Yellowknife from Saskatchewan about 40 years ago.