Windsor this week: Aug. 24, 2011

Windsor Chapter this week
Add the Windsor Chapter page and the LO events calendar to your bookmarks

Windsor companies working to grant Olivia’s wish…
Thanks
to Garlatti Landscaping, and other local contractors, Olivia Klingbile
of LaSalle will receive the gift of an accessible garden with lots of
outdoor activities she can enjoy. Read the full story here.

Windsor Chapter Awards of Distinction

Don’t miss your chance to be recognized for all your hard work. This
year’s Windsor Chapter Awards of Distinction entry form is now
available. The old format awarded gold, silver and bronze prizes; this year
multiple winners may be recognized in each category. In addition, four
new categories have been added: large water feature, small water feature, large
hardscape and small hardscape. The deadline for entries is Aug. 31 and the awards
presentation will take place at Top Grade Landscape and Garden Solutions
on Oct. 27. Windsor Awards of Distinction.

Windsor Chapter Golf Tournament, Sept. 10
The Windsor Chapter will host its annual golf tournament,
including 18 holes of golf, hot dog and pop at
the turn, a steak dinner and great prizes. Cost is $100 per golfer. There
is an early bird rate of $350 per foursome for those who register and
pay before Aug. 13. Click here to view the Windsor Golf Tournament flyer for more information, or to view sponsorship information.

Are you Landscape Industry Certified?

A Landscape Industry Certified test will be held at St. Clair College this fall. Sept. 30 will be the Technician Practical Test day, and written tests for all Certification designations will be offered Oct. 1. To register click here, or for more information contact Rachel Cerelli. To help prepare candidates for the test, Landscape Industry Certified pre-test day orientation will be held Sept. 9 at St.Clair College. RSVP to Rachel Cerelli.

LO this week

Municipal and Contractor Fall
Equipment Show, Sept. 14-15
in Kitchener
The old Snow and Ice Symposium is now The Municipal and Contractor Fall Equipment Show. The Snow and Ice Sector Group of
Landscape Ontario, the Ontario Parks Association and the Municipal
Equipment and Operators Association are hosting the conference
and trade show program at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex.
In addition to a display of equipment, this year’s conference program
features many opportunities to help you make your operations more
efficient and cost effective.

August Horticulture
Review online

Read
the latest news of interest to Landscape Ontario members in the August edition of Horticulture
Review.
This month features articles about the National Tree Day, the annual Industry Auction, a special honour for a LO member, and much more. Click here to read the August
issue of Horticulture
Review. Anyone may sign up to receive a free subscription to the

electronic
version of HR.

SIMA bidding workshops set for Ottawa, Sept. 12 and Kitchener on Sept. 14

The Snow and Ice Management Association (SIMA) offers its popular Build-a-Bid and Beyond-the-Bid workshops in two Ontario locations this fall. Sessions run from 8-4:30, with limited space available, so register now to avoid disappointment. For more information or to register go to Ottawa Canadian Snow and Ice
Expo
or Kitchener Municipal and Contractor Fall Equipment Show.

Special strategy meeting for garden centre owners, Sept. 21
A special meeting is scheduled for Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., for
garden centre owners. Sponsored by LO’s Garden Centre Sector Group, the
meeting on challenges and strategies for retailers will take place at the Milton home office. Renowned business
growth specialist Judith Guido will facilitate the session. There is space for only
100 people at this free meeting.

Email your confirmation to tonydigiovanni@landscapeontario.com as soon as possible, so we can order food.

Growers: MTO releases new guide for farm equipment on highways
Farm Guide: Farm Equipment on Highways is
an interactive tool, using a live table of contents, providing
general information and clarification on laws applying to farm equipment
and select provisions applicable to farm trucks.

LO Fall seminars now available
A list of Landscape Ontario fall seminars is now available. Courses are
divided into the six pillars with Prosperity Partners: Sales Success,
Financial Health, Operational Excellence, Customers for Life, Leadership
and Technical Education. Check out this year’s seminars and see how you
can improve your path to Prosperity.

Smart about Salt training dates
Take a one-day explanatory course on Smart about Salt, the innovative winter salt management program. Program covers risk management and record keeping, salt science, rates and calibration, materials and tactics, weather principles, storage and handling, and more. Two dates are offered this fall, Tues. Aug. 30 at Landscape Ontario home office in Milton and Wed., Sept. 28 at Waterloo Region Op’s Centre, 100 Maple Grove Rd., Cambridge.

New Landscape Industry Executive Program launched

The George Morris Centre of Guelph, an ag industry think tank, is launching The Landscape Industry Executive Program, a professional business
management program developed specifically for executives, managers, and
owner-operators who want to reach a heightened level of excellence in
their businesses. It is designed for the landscape, nursery and retail
garden centre sectors in Canada. Participants will use their own
business profiles in the learning process and application of principles,
including strategic, succession and operations planning and information
systems management. Module 1 will be offered Nov. 1-5 in Niagara Falls; space is limited to the first 20 qualified
registrants. For complete information on dates, cost, program
curriculum, instructor profiles and registration details go to executive program.

Greenbuild International Conference in Toronto
For the first time ever, Greenbuild International Conference and Expo
will hold its annual convention outside the U.S. The Metro
Toronto Convention Centre will house the event Oct. 4-7. The latest innovations in
green building will be showcased. To find
out more about the conference and exhibition go to Greenbuild. To view a slide presentation of green buildings go to Buildings.

LO wage survey needs your input
How do your pay rates compare to other Ontario green industry companies? Take LO’s wage survey to enter your pay rates, and see the 2011 averages for a range of horticultural specialties. Information may
be used for benchmarking, and also
helps in promoting the industry as a career choice. The surveys are
completely confidential; only aggregate numbers are reported. Click here to take part in the survey, and view the results here.

Argos offer discount to LO members
The Toronto Argonauts have created a discount offer for Landscape
Ontario members. Various price levels are available. To see more info on
the program, or to order ticks go to
Argonauts.

Attend Conversations on Design
Entitled Four Conversations on Design, landscape architect Chris Clayton
will host four Wednesday evenings, Oct. 5, 12, 19 and 26, at
his home near the Lawrence subway stop and a five minute drive from the 401.
The only cost to participants is $10 per evening. The event is suitable
for recent college or university graduates, as well as young garden
designers. In total, each evening is likely to span about three hours.
For more information, contact cjclayton@sympatico.ca.

LO members offered discount on CMT Festival

tickets
George Coito, Coivic Contracting, Hornby, is offering his fellow LO
members a 25 per cent discount on the purchase of tickets for this
year’s CMT Music Festival, Aug. 26 – 28. The festival is taking
place just north of Barrie, on Hwy. 11. The promo code “landscape” is
now up and running at Ticketmaster. To find out more about the event,
click on Festival.

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