A ski day, putting challenge and golf tournament are just some of the outdoor activities organized by Landscape Ontario’s Georgian Lakelands Chapter to gather landscape professionals at any given time of year. With a long history of providing new ways and unique events for members to gather, share ideas and stay connected, volunteers of LO’s Georgian Lakelands Chapter continue to focus on serving members through innovation and community spirit.

Officially formed on Dec. 3, 1996, at the Holiday Inn in Barrie, Ont., LO's eighth Chapter meant members no longer had to drive to Toronto to attend meetings. But serving the needs of members in a geographic area twice the size of all other Landscape Ontario Chapters soon became a major challenge for Chapter board members.

Solutions for geography

To solve the size issue, the Chapter decided to host monthly meetings in three different areas:  Barrie, Collingwood and Huntsville. Prior to this all LO Chapters held meetings at the same location each month. The decision to rotate between three locations allowed those in other areas to connect, give input and share ideas on how to stay connected.

The Chapter was also the first to explore the latest information technology to live stream meetings to those members in far away locations. 
In 2024, the Chapter’s northern border was receded, allowing for the creation of a new Muskoka North Chapter. 

Engaging in community

In the early years, Georgian Lakelands Chapter participated in or created a number of community projects, fundraisers and events to gather or promote industry professionals. 

These include various food drives, bursaries for local students, a community garden install at Kidds Creek, and a donation of over $70,000 worth of labour and materials, plus a state of the art irrigation system to Gilda’s Club. 

Members created displays and offered expertise at many local home and garden shows, held an annual Contractors’s barbecue, organized a one-day trade show, and even hosted a garden tour for a few years. With many of its members on the road for hours on end, the Chapters’ annual MTO meeting enjoyed record attendance each year, providing another opportunity for members to stay informed and connected.

Ski Day

In 1997, the Chapter teamed up with Toronto West Chapter for a bit of camaraderie and competition to hold the first annual Ski Day at Georgian Peaks. Still going strong over 25 years later, the annual ski day is a truly unique event for Landscape Ontario members, offering a chance to connect and have fun in the middle of a Canadian winter. 

Awards of Distinction 

In November 2016, nearly 50 people attended the Chapter’s inaugural Awards of Distinction event at the Highwayman Inn in Orillia. The fun-filled social evening saw hardware handed out to various member companies, salespeople, bosses and volunteers as a way to celebrate individuals and suppliers who go above and beyond to help and nurture others within the Landscape Ontario community.

The peer recognition program sees members nominate others for one of the many awards categories, then votes are accepted online to determine the winners. Over the years, categories have been added to recognize construction, maintenance and design companies. The awards are announced live, during a dinner reception that has since relocated to Casino Rama for several years.
 

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