March 15, 2013
CNLA honours Canada’s best
The Landmark Group of Thornbury received the Dynascape Award of Excellence for Landscape Design. In photo, from left, Mike Bosch, president of Dynascape; Gary Nordeman and Darren Bosch, both of The Landmark Group; and Joe Salemi, Dynascape product marketing manager.
Ontario hosted the 10th annual Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) National Awards of Landscape Excellence ceremony at the Hilton Hotel — Fallsview in Niagara Falls on Jan. 30.

Co-hosted by Landscape Ontario’s Denis Flanagan CLD and new CNLA president, Christene LeVatte of Sydney, N.S., the evening recognized companies that have actively participated in raising the level of professionalism in the industry. Each province nominates members that are then entered into the national awards.

“It is never an easy decision for the judges, as all entrants displayed a high level of effort and expertise,” said Flanagan.

man presenting an award to a womanSheridan Nurseries won the Chrysler Garden Centre of the Year Award for its Unionville operation. In photo Nadine Reeves, Sheridan’s assistant manager of garden operations, accepts the award from Michael Young, fleet account manager with Chrysler Canada
Sheridan Nurseries won the Royal Bank of Canada Grower of the Year Award. The company, which is celebrating its centennial this year, was presented the International Grower of the Year Award on Sept. 13, 2012 in Venlo, the Netherlands. Sheridan continued its winning ways at the Niagara Falls event, when it was presented the Chrysler Garden Centre of the Year Award for its Unionville operation.

Other awards presented at the CNLA event in Niagara Falls included Ontario winners, The Landmark Group of Thornbury for the Dynascape Award of Excellence for Landscape Design, Snider Turf and Landscape Care of Waterloo for the John Deere Award of Excellence for Residential Landscape Maintenance, The Cultivated Garden of Toronto for the John Deere Award of Excellence for Commercial Landscape Maintenance, and Flynn Canada of Mississauga for the Caterpillar Award of Excellence for Commercial Landscape Construction/Installation.

LO’s work to revitalize St. James Park in downtown Toronto received recognition at the CNLA award night, with the presentation of the Green for Life Community Award. On hand to accept the award were members of the Friends of St. James Park and the St. Lawrence Market BIA.

The Caterpillar Award of Excellence for Residential Landscape Construction/Installation went to Fossil Projects Services of British Columbia and the CNLA President’s Award to Gloria Beck of Parkland Nurseries and Garden Centre, Alberta.

man presenting an award to another manSheridan Nurseries was presented The Royal Bank of Canada Grower of the Year Award. In photo Pieter Joubert, Sheridan’s vice president of nursery operations, accepts the award from Steve Chow, Royal Bank group banking manager.
The awards ceremony took place during CNLA’s annual winter meetings. Landscape Ontario members named to the CNLA board of directors were Gerald Boot CLP of Boots Landscaping, Toronto, who is now second vice president; Bill Stensson of Sheridan Nurseries, Georgetown, is past president; and Rene Thiebaud CLP of OGS Landscape Service, Brooklin, is 1st vice president.

Selected winners from Landscape Ontario’s 40th anniversary ceremony will be entered into the the next year’s National Awards program in 2014. To view this year’s LO winners, go to www.landscapeontario.com/40th-annual-awards-winners.
 
More information on the awards night may be found at www.cnla-acpp.ca/awards.