Colorado Chapter of the Code Council Hosts “Give A Day” Event with Wilderness on Wheels
This year, CCICC joined forces with Wilderness on Wheels to make significant improvements to the WOW Boardwalk.
On July 20, 2024, the Colorado Chapter of the International Code Council (CCICC) held its annual Give A Day event, a tradition where the chapter collaborates with a local organization to support projects that enhance safety and strengthen community connections. This year, CCICC joined forces with Wilderness on Wheels (WOW) to make significant improvements to the WOW Boardwalk.
The project focused on repairing a portion of the 1.3-mile boardwalk to boost accessibility for all visitors. Supervising the construction were Nate Romero, CCICC Vice President and WOW Vice Chair, and Mark Remy, CCICC Board of Director Member and Chair of the 2024 Give A Day event with WOW. Remy contributed his 25 years of expertise as a general contractor to the project, while Nate, Deputy Building Official for the City of Arvada, brought over 17 years of experience from the building administration industry.
Pairing Accessibility with the Outdoors
With the support of local volunteers and their families, CCICC members successfully constructed a 600-foot deck in just one day. This vital section of the boardwalk, which had eroded over the winter, is crucial for both fishing activities and the boardwalk’s overall functionality.
“At the beginning of the project, we developed a plan: who’s going do what, what materials were needed, how we were going to implement this plan so that we could be as efficient as possible. It was amazing the speed that all of us were able to construct this deck,” Remy said. “I had a very ambitious goal of building this 600 square foot of deck from the ground up in an eight, nine-hour day. And honestly, I thought we had about a 50-50 chance of making that goal. And at the end of the day, we did it by working together.”
Participating in the WOW event offered volunteers a chance to apply their hands-on skills to create a positive impact while fostering connections with others who value accessibility and the outdoors.
“Fortunately, we have some very skilled and experienced folks that jumped at the chance to volunteer. When people participate and take an active role in the event, they tend to want to come back every year,” Remy said.
And, with an appreciation for the outdoors being a part of Colorado culture, both organizations are committed to ensuring these spaces remain accessible to everyone.
“We all jumped in and had no problem rebuilding it from the ground up. We had folks that were as old as 70 years old and we had folks as young as 12 years old who were participating in this. All of the things were done to make sure that it wasn’t just a safe deck, but that was code compliant,” Remy said.
WOW and CCICC Share a Mission of Fostering Accessibility Through Prioritizing Safety
Founded by Roger West in 1986, WOW was inspired by his father’s love for the outdoors. West’s father became wheelchair-bound in 1981, sparking the WOW founder to bring to life his vision for an accessible boardwalk. With the help of volunteers and local organizations, folks of all abilities can enjoy the mountains with their family and friends.
For many years, CCICC and WOW have enjoyed a strong partnership rooted in a shared passion for community and connection. This collaboration is exemplified by their ongoing efforts to keep the boardwalk up-to-date and accessible.
“We wanted it to comply with applicable standards. It has been about 10 years since the boardwalk was built. For some of our volunteers, their primary job that day was walking the whole deck, replacing boards,” Nathan said.
Through this Give A Day initiative and others, CCICC maintains their dedication to the improvement of building safety, by educating the building industry, the public and their members.
The Safety-Focused History of The Colorado Chapter
CCICC is dedicated to enhancing building safety by promoting the International Codes®, educating the building industry and the public, and providing support to building professionals. For over 71 years, the chapter has cultivated a strong tradition of prioritizing building safety and community service. Their commitment is reflected in their efforts to educate, promote and support building professionals and the public alike.
CCICC actively encourages new members to engage through various avenues such as board meetings, chapter meetings and committee participation. As Nathan mentioned, “We always promote the chapter, and we try to get new members involved whether it’s going to a board meeting, a chapter meeting, or getting involved in committees. [It’s a part] of co-development and bettering our industry.”
CCICC is involved in numerous initiatives designed to foster building safety and community engagement. For example, Nate and Mark make a year-round effort to promote CCICC’s work with WOW, inviting locals to become informed of WOW’s mission, initiatives and inviting volunteers to participate
The chapter also offers community risk reduction programs that involve fire code and building code officials. These programs keep locals informed about building safety practices, ensuring they can contribute to a safer community, regardless of their industry affiliation. By joining CCICC, individuals become part of a dedicated network committed to building safety and community service
And, for CCICC members who are within the industry, the chapter offers several opportunities throughout the year for education and continuing education credits (CEUs).
To learn more about Code Council membership opportunities and get involved in local chapters, click here.
About the Author
A lover of storytelling, Ashley Nash started off as a freelance writer covering local news for newspapers throughout Los Angeles. She went on to pursue her masters in journalism from the USC Annenberg School, accepting a role in tech (and then in marketing) upon graduation. Continuing to freelance as a writer and photographer, she soon obtained a full-time role in B2B content production; gaining experience as a producer and director. She fulfilled this role for five years before going back to writing almost exclusively, where she continues to explore social justice and identity.
