Ground breaks on new state-of-the-art dealership
By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on September 11, 2024.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com Ground was broken Tuesday on a modern Honda automobile dealership nearly 50 years after the brand was first brought to Lethbridge.In 1974, Barry McFadden spotted a car lot in California selling Civics and encouraged his sons Barry and Dean to look into acquiring a dealership for the city.
On Tuesday, Westwind Honda dealer principal Greg Flom along with dealership partners Gord and Paul McDonald celebrated the ground breaking with Honda Canada president and CEO Jean Marc Leclerc and others at 500 W.T. Hill Boulevard.
From Honda’s humble beginnings in Lethbridge on Stafford Drive North to its present location just off the Crowsnest Trail, Honda has come a long way in Lethbridge.
And the new dealership in the Lethbridge Auto Mall will not only elevate Honda’s presence in southern Alberta but give buyers a new experience.
Flom and the McDonalds purchased the dealership from the McFadden family in 2022.
The state-of-the art, 30,000 square foot building will be built by Elevate Construction Partners Inc. who will be exclusively using Lethbridge and area trades and subtrades.
The $13 million facility will be almost triple the size of Westwind’s current operation.
It will have a six-vehicle service drive-through with alignment and tire tread checks on every vehicle.
The showroom will have space for seven vehicles and will feature a two-vehicle delivery bay so buyers can take ownership of their new Hondas in privacy.
There will also be four detail bays and nine service bays that will be equipped to service electric vehicles.
Flom, who became general manager of the dealership in 2015 and has more than 40 years experience in the automotive industry, told a large gathering of dignitaries and employees that general contractor Elevate worked with the dealership to ensure all trades were chosen from the area.
“It was a conscious choice for us to keep jobs in the community that we reside in and do business with,” said Flom.
“Has the business ever changed,” he said, since the early days.
“We have entered into an era where internet technology is changing how customers look at vehicles. AI driven technology is changing how we interact with customers and hybrid and electric vehicle sales are growing exponentially.
“Today we are renewing our commitment to both Honda and our community as we begin building our brand new 30,000 square foot facility,” Flom said.
The facility will allow Westwind to sell, service and charge vehicles but will also give customers other amenities, he added.
“Our mission is to provide an automotive product and service that exceeds the expectations of our customers. Our vision is to provide the greatest opportunity for our staff and customers and in order to lead, we must continuously seek to improve ourselves by training and improved use of technology.”
The new facility will have dedicated training and meeting space to accommodate that.
It will have the space to grow with capacity to inventory more used vehicles and add more technicians, parts personnel and sales people, he said.
It’s also being built to strict environmental standards to meet Honda’s commitment to being an environmentally friendly member of the community, Flom added.
Flom said the dealership will be “a showcase piece for the community of Lethbridge.”
Leclerc said Honda’s relationship with Flom began in 2013 when served as general manager of a Honda dealership in Winnipeg before his family moved to Lethbridge.
He said Flom has dedicated his time to managing not only the day-to-day operation of the dealership but also serves on Honda’s dealer advisory team.
He also said Honda is proud to have the McDonalds as partners in the new facility.
“Greg, Paul and Gord’s decision to invest in a new facility is a true testament to their dedication to the Honda brand and their loyal customers,” added Leclerc.
He said Honda facilities have evolved substantially since 1974 and the company’s latest image program was launched in 2021 with a focus on “creating a more modern, open, premium experience for our guests.”
Leclerc, in an interview after shovels ceremonially dug into some sod, said Honda believes electric is the future for light vehicles such as trucks and passenger vehicles.
“There is no doubt we are committed to that future. In the meantime we have to deliver what people want. We have hybrids, for example, which are a good intermediary step to EVS,” said Leclerc citing the Civic, Accord and CR-V hybrids.
“I think that’s going to help people transition to an electrified product leading to EVs eventually,” he said.
In the long-term hydrogen is also being looked at but as it is for EVs, the infrastructure is needed, Leclerc added.
“In the end, we need to develop all those carbon neutral technologies with solutions that are appropriate for the region, the jurisdiction, the country.”
Honda “has been very successful” in Lethbridge, Leclerc said. When the McFaddens brought the dealership here, an energy crisis was being experienced worldwide and Honda had come out with “a super fuel efficient solution that people kind of gravitated to and that’s what really gave the start to Honda in Canada. And the McFaddens at the time were the pioneers of the brand that helped develop the brand to what it is today. And of course, Honda from there kind of grew and became the brand we are today with great product, great reputation, quality, reliability and we’re moving forward to try to leverage that reputation we’ve built,” Leclerc said.
Mayor Blaine Hyggen recalled his own early 1980s vintage Civic which he joked is probably still on the road and said the occasion was a reminder of how things have changed.
“It’s important to know where it all began but even more important to know what the future looks like,” said the mayor.
He said the groundbreaking is not just about bricks and mortar but “laying the foundation for a brighter tomorrow. We’re celebrating progress, partnership and of course, promise.
“Westwind Honda’s decision to invest in our city speaks volumes about our thriving economy and our welcoming community. This dealership will not only bring jobs and economic opportunities but will also enhance our city’s reputation as a hub of commerce and innovation,” Hyggen added. 3
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