DEPENDABLE AND CONSISTENT – JACQUIE & SEAN MCARTHUR
Jacquie McArthur grew up dreaming about living in the country and riding her own horses. Born and raised in the city, this dream didn’t seem likely to become true, until she and her husband Sean made the decision to move to an acreage outside of Sean’s hometown of Okotoks, Alberta. The acreage gave McArthurs the space they needed for their horses, but one important element was missing. Riding outdoors, especially during the winter months, can be very challenging in Western Canada, so they began to explore the idea of building a barn and riding arena. Jacquie and Sean wanted more than a simple barn, they wanted a stately riding arena where they could ride year-round, regardless of weather conditions, plus provide space for equipment, animal care and riding essentials. “Of the builders we spoke to in 2008, Integrity Post Structures stood out because they were very keenly aware and knowledgeable about the building process, as well as local regulations and requirements. We didn’t have to go back and forth with information, and we felt supported as the build was time sensitive. Integrity already understood what was needed and they guided us through the whole process,” explains Jacquie.Integrity quickly earned Jacquie and Sean’s trust and they became valued partners in their acreage development. “We not only trusted Integrity as a partner in constructing our riding arena, but we also valued the additional resources the company provided.” This included engineered drawings, assistance in applying for permits, as well as opportunities to customize their riding arena. “We wanted to be sensitive to the aesthetic of the building,” explains Jacquie. “As we live on an acreage, and our buildings are visible to our neighbours, we wanted a riding arena that was functional while also pleasing to look at.”
The end result was a riding arena that Jacquie and Sean were proud of. They were so happy with their experience that when they wanted to build another riding arena on their new property, they came to Integrity. “Integrity built our first riding arena, and now, 15 years later, they are building us another arena and barn complex. We wouldn’t trust anyone else.”
INNOVATION AND GROWTH – LAUREEN & IAN LITTLE
What started out as a hobby for the Littles has grown and evolved into a full-time business. Laureen and Ian first bought their land near Sundre, Alberta, in 1993 as an escape from city life. They built a small cabin on the property, bought some horses and created their country oasis.Laureen’s passion for horses and life-long goal of breeding and training horses drove the expansion of their herd, and they soon outgrew their barn and needed additional storage space. Ian reached out to Integrity Post Structures to inquire about building a hay shed.
“From our first contact to the completion of our first building, Integrity was awesome,” says Ian. “I was impressed because our sales representative was so responsive. There was never any problem with communication, and he always made me feel like my questions and my requests were important.”
Ian and Laureen’s first experience with Integrity over a decade ago was positive, and they did not hesitate to reach out again. “We kept growing our equine business and soon we needed additional space, so we called Integrity again,” explains Ian. “Our same sales representative helped us find a simple solution – adding lean-tos on either side of the hay shed, which added sufficient storage without significant cost.”
And they kept growing. “The next buildings with Integrity were to house our hot walker and another to provide a covered riding area. Followed by a few smaller animal shelters and a large storage shed for vehicles and our RV.”
As the equine ventures of the Littles grew, the family also began to expand into cattle. “Our son James manages the cattle business, and we continue to contract Integrity Buildings for all our animal shelters.”
“They are experts in their field and we are proud to consider them partners that will always be our go-to source for post-frame buildings.”
Ian explains that the value Integrity Buildings brings is more than just strong communication skills, it’s also a willingness to evolve their construction methods and innovate. “We have about a dozen animal shelters from Integrity, and with each new building, the Integrity team would genuinely inquire how our previous shelters were holding up, and if we were having any challenges. We were finding it difficult to move some of the older shelters around the property, so Integrity modified the design, adding more skids and installing pins in the floor so we could attach a chain. Those small adjustments made a huge difference and they show Integrity’s commitment to their customers.”
Integrity’s understanding of the equine and cattle industry, and how the buildings would be used was also appreciated. “Integrity was able to identify how to maximize the usability of a building. They suggested window and door placement that enhanced the functionality of our storage buildings and they knew what would work best,” explains Ian. “The lean-to’s they recommended earlier for our original Integrity hayshed continued to prove their value when we converted one side into a retail space for our beef products.”
“Integrity has evolved and grown along with us,” explains Ian. “They are experts in their field and we are proud to consider them partners that will always be our go-to source for post-frame buildings.”
A COMPANY YOU CAN COUNT ON – CAROLYN & TIM RUBY
The Ruby family has been involved in various agriculture ventures for over three decades. They have farmed in Ontario, raised chickens in Manitoba and continue to grow their agriculture roots, now in Wardner, BC. “We moved to BC and began exploring opportunities within the equine industry, including boarding and training horses,” explains Tim Ruby. “We knew we were staying here, so we wanted to build our ‘forever-arena’ – a proper riding arena with an attached barn to provide all the features we needed and wanted.” The Rubys chose Integrity and since building their arena in 2019, Integrity has been their builder of choice ever since.Tim saw buildings by Integrity on different properties around his area, and a neighbour also recommended Integrity. “It was an easy decision to hire Integrity,” explains Tim. “Everyone spoke highly of the company and our sales rep was very professional and got back to us quickly.”
Each building drew curiosity from visitors and neighbours. “During construction, and once the buildings were complete, people would stop by to inquire,” explains Tim. “Post-frame construction is a bit unique to people, they were expecting the round poles of more historical pole barn construction. Our visitors could see these large, beautiful structures and wanted to learn more about how Integrity was evolving post-frame construction.”
Tim is happy to point out some of the Integrity differences, including the use of Perma-Column® concrete columns as the foundation to avoid putting wood in the ground. He shares his experience with anyone who asks and explains how Integrity’s customer service and process make Integrity stand out. “The whole experience with our sales rep, the building crew and the overall process were great. Integrity offers full service – from assistance in designing a functional, affordable and engineered building, to help with the permit application, to delivery of materials and efficient construction timelines, it is all seamless and works together like a fine-oiled machine.”
Tim adds, “What’s been really cool is not only has Integrity been a valuable partner in our growth, but we have watched Integrity grow and expand their own business.” In 2021 Integrity began offering post-frame residential models. “Our daughter is currently having their new home built by Integrity.”