Nearly 100 people attended the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association’s (CNLA’s) 14th annual National Awards of Landscape Excellence in Olds, Alta., recently to celebrate the 2017 winners, whose projects demonstrated the best of the best in landscape horticulture.
Held at the Olds College Alumni Centre, attendees had a chance to connect with the entire CNLA board of directors, while visiting one of the top horticultural colleges in Canada. Five landscape category awards were presented, along with the Garden Centres Canada award for Outstanding Retail Achievement, the Green for Life Distinction Award and Industry Award, as well as the highly respected CNLA President’s Award.
This year’s winners included:
- Garden Grove Landscaping in Waterdown, Ont., received the Excellence in Commercial Construction award.
- Airo Landscape Design Inc., in St. John’s, Nfld., won the Landscape Design award.
- Surface Pro Services of Calgary, Alta., received the Commercial Maintenance award.
- International Landscaping Inc., of Milton, Ont., earned the Residential Construction and Residential Maintenance awards.
- Green Haven Garden Centre of Lethbridge, Alta., received the Outstanding Retail Achievement award.
The Green for Life awards recognize significant contributions made to the ornamental horticulture sector by an individual, corporation, or community. The Green for Life Distinction Award was presented to John van Roessel of JVR Landscape (2006) Inc., in Calgary, Alta., in recognition of his lifetime achievement in the horticulture industry, as well as the lasting legacy he will leave on this sector.
Caterpillar was presented with the Green for Life Industry Award for the contributions it has made not only to CNLA and the provincial associations, but also to the entire industry and environment. Sherrie Williams, the company’s product application specialist, accepted the award.
The President’s Award, the final presentation of the evening, is not given out every year. It is only bestowed upon members who, in the opinion of the executive committee, have demonstrated beyond question, a sustained personal commitment that has contributed beneficially to the enhancement of the industry at a national or international level.
This year, this award was presented to Michael Murray, president of Murray’s Garden Centre and Horticultural Services in Portugal Cove, Nfld. He has served the industry for many years as a business owner, a volunteer with Landscape Newfoundland and Labrador, and the CNLA. He is a past president of CNLA, and has also served as the environment chair, landscape NL representative, human resources chair, and currently sits as the government relations chair. His years of service have been invaluable to the industry on a local, national, and global scale.
The National Awards of Landscape Excellence recognize Canadian companies that have actively participated in raising the level of professionalism in the landscape industry. Each province nominates members from the provincial awards of excellence competitions that are then entered into the national awards. Next year’s event will take place in St. Andrews, NB.
