Hundreds of pickup trucks lined up along North Shore Road in Lake Cowichan Wednesday, Feb. 19 - mute evidence that something unusual was happening at the headquarters of The Johel Group, a fixture on the Cowichan Valley's construction scene for more than 30 years.
Maynards was holding a receivership auction to dispose of the company's assets, and buyers from all up and down Vancouver Island as well as the Mainland were on hand early to check out the heavy iron and bid on it as well as the firm's other equipment.
The Johel Group was placed into receivership Oct. 29.
A receiver was appointed at that time and procedures began to wind up the company.
Prior to that, the company had been under creditor protection for six months in an effort to restructure and regroup.
It was the end of a long road for the company, which began life as Johel Brothers and eventually employed close to 75 people in a wide-ranging operation.
Dave Johel, company owner, has long been a power in the Valley's business community, and has served as chair of the Cowichan Valley Economic Development Commision.