CAMPUS NE WS
ASSOCI AT I ON NE WS
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Vol .251•Jul y2017 GOL FBURNABY SE E ST URFGRASS ASE NVI RONME NT AL L Y BE NE F I CI AL GE TRE ADYF ORA NE W CONF E RE NCEVE NUE GRE ATT URF GRASS MANAGE ME NTCONT E NT WORT HSHARI NG
CanadaPostPubl i cat i onsAgr eementNo.41926518
SPORT ST URFCANADA ANNOUNCE S2017 SPORT ST URFMANAGE R OFT HEYE AR SMARTI RRI GAT I ON MONT HGAI NS MOME NT UM F I RSTGRE E NGAI NS T RACT I ONI NCANADA
2 TURF LINE NEWS
Top St or i es
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Gol f Burnaby Sees Turf Grass As Env i ronmental l y Benef i ci al
Fi rst Green Gai ns Tracti on i n Canada
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IMAGE COURTESY FIRST GREEN
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Golf Burnaby Sees Turf Grass As Environmentally Beneficial
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Get Ready For A New Conference Venue
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2017 WCTA Student Award Winners Say Thanks
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Use of Groundwater Now Requires a Licence
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WSU History First 75 Years
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Cover St or y 30 Use of Groundwater Now Requires a
License Feat u r e St or y 20 Golf Burnaby Sees Turf Grass As
Environmentally Beneficial Regu lar Colu m n s 7
Top Image: West Coast Field Day
13 The President's Report: A Year to Complain
About
26 Great Turfgrass Management Content
Worth Sharing 27 2017 WCTA Student Award Winners Say
Thanks 54 Boardroom Yarn #53: Heart Warming
Loyalty 63 Look Who's Joined the WCTA & Call for 2017
Member Dues Payment
64 Who We Are And Our Value Proposition
Associat ion New s 17 AGA-BC: Update From The President 59 Sports Turf Canada Announces 2017 Sports Turf Manager of the Year 62 New Chair of the CTRF
40 Cam pu s New s 15 Kwantlen Turf Club News - 2nd Annual
Pat Dooley Tournament 52 Great Year at Olds College
Com in g Even t s 38 PTRC's Turf Under Research Field Day -
August 24th 45 Save the Date - Sept 20, Sportsturf Field
Day, Township of Langley
56 Vintage 50 BCGSA Interior Chapter Fall
Wind-Up Tournament 57 Coming Events Summary
In du st r y New s 33 'Smart Irrigation Month' Gains Momentum
Across Western Provinces 36 Governor Declares May as "Golf Month" 46 Help Celebrate Canada's 150th Birthday 50 2017 Turfgrass Research Contributors
Con f er en ce New s 23 Get Ready for a New Conference Venue -
WCTA Announces 2018 Conference and Trade Show 25 NTA Conference Registration at Suncadia
Open
THE
TOPIMAGE
Photo Credit: Jerry Rousseau
Cleaning up aft er t he st orm of hungry 2013 West Coast Field Day part icipant s, t hanks t o Corix Wat er Product s for providing lunch!
40 TURF LINE NEWS
WESTERN CANADA TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION 9
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WCTA
VIA WCTA STAFF
NEWS In t r odu cin g t h e New WCTA Boar d of Dir ect or s
Over 60 WCTA m em bers at t ended t he 2017 Annual General Meet ing held Friday, February 17t h at t he Pent ict on Trade and Convent ion Cent re. With an equal number of nominees for Officer and Directors as there were positions open, the new Board was established by acclamation. A personal note to the new Board from the WCTA President, Peter Sorokovsky, follows.
PRESIDENT: Peter Sorokovsky City of Burnaby, Parks, Rec & Cultural Services (604) 297-4494 peter.sorokovsky@burnaby.ca
VICE PRESIDENT: Norley Calder City of Calgary Parks (403) 268-8484 norley.calder@calgary.ca
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FINANCE DIRECTOR: Travis Olson Kamloops Golf and Country Club (250) 319-4669 trav_olson@hotmail.com
TWO YEAR DIRECTORS: Davin Marr Hillview Golf Course (250) 549-4653 davintmarr@hotmail.com
DIRECTORS WITH ONE YEAR REM AINING: Andre Dionne City of Coquitlam (604) 927-6246 adionne@coquitlam.ca
Stan Kazymerchyk KPU Turf Management (604) 599-3295 stan.kazymerchyk@kpu.ca
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Frits Verkerk Gallagher 's Canyon Golf Course (250) 861-4040 fverkerk@golfbc.com
Cameron Watt Redwoods Golf Course (778) 840-8161 camfwatt@gmail.com
PAST PRESIDENT: Jason Pick Olds College (403) 556-8243 jpick@oldscollege.ca
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Jerry Rousseau Box 698 Hope, B.C V0X 1L0 (604) 869-9282 O exec.director@wctaturf.com
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT: Leslie Carnell admin@wctaturf.com Email addresses are provided for WCTA business and inquires only. Permission is not given or implied to use addresses listed on this website for unsolicitted emails.
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MESSAGEFROM
THEPRESIDENT BY PETER SOROKOVSKY
I feel like a broken record t hat is st uck on com plain, but it feels like t his year m ight be a year t o com plain about . First , a wint er for t he record books in t he lower m ainland of BC. Then, a spring where I think you could hear the disease growing, but the silver lining was it was perfect weather for turf recovery, and now a summer starts with a state of emergency for fire activity in the interior of BC. Let?s hope and pray that we all stay safe through this stretch of another difficult season. One thing for sure, and I hope this does not sound trite, things will eventually improve and we will get
IMAGES CREDIT JERRY ROUSSEAU
A Year t o Com plain Abou t
through this season just like we got through the last one. During this past winter there were many struggles and many of our membership struggled with loss of turf and worse, loss of life. We remember those who made our industry better and realize that they too went through loss but came out on the other side and made a difference for the better. We will all struggle with loss in our lives but we must all realize that it is best not to deal with it alone. As I have always said, and it applies to life more than anything else, we are stronger together. We can learn from our struggles and that by working CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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together we can come out the other side of our struggles stronger. The other thing I hope we can realize is that seasons are there for reasons. Some are for rest, some are for troubles and loss, some are for growth and gain, but whatever
they present before you, they still do not last forever. So if it is personal loss you are dealing with, know that life will get better with time, as they say time heals all wounds. If it is turf loss like what the lower mainland dealt with this winter, it will improve with time. Most everyone?s turf is good and recovered. When I look at the root growth cycle of cool season grasses, I notice that just like life there are peaks and valleys. There are times when they grow well and there are times when they struggle; a very apt metaphor for life. Well, enough of the philosophy of life and although 2017 has had a tough start, there are better days ahead. Chin up everyone, there is always a silver lining. WCTA President, Peter Sorokovsky
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CAMPUSNEWS
VIA WWGCSA
Steer as a Hole in One prize on #8, which was sadly not won.
Kw an t len Tu r f Clu b New s 2n d An n u al Pat Dooley Tou r n am en t St eve May was a m ost considerat e host as he provided our 2nd Pat rick Dooley Mem orial Golf Tourney wit h a rare warm , sunny day at Mayfair Lakes Golf Club on April 21. Golfers enjoyed rem arkably prim e spring condit ions t hanks t o St eve's ext ensive fairway t opdressing program . Once again, the 77 attendees were either Dooley family & friends or local Turf industry. Volunteers manned great games including Long Chip, Long Putt, Marshmallow Drive, Balls-in-Jar Guess and Total # of Lost Balls Guess. Golf foursome prizes for these were generously donated by Mayfair Lakes, Hazelmere, Beach Grove, Sandpiper and Tall Timbers. The Toonie Toss was well supported, as was the draw for a Keg of Whiskey donated by Central City Brewing. Westerra/Vermeer BC provided a Vermeer S800TX Mini Skid
Dave, Preet & Steve Dooley with students Josh Carlsen, Matt Mihall, Randall Narcisse, Ksenia Thurston
Thanks for sponsoring! Phil Holmberg, Dan Fast, Len Dawe, Paul Berry
Rob Yates, Sean Healy & Steve Haggard in awe of Spencer Grundy CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
The Turf Club conducts fundraising events to support member attendance at Turf Conferences such as golf tournaments, bottle drives and aeration for Langley Lawn Bowls. They also did rootzone preparation and sodding for a local Embassy house.
Enjoying the banquet, Jason Hooper, Aaron Swail, Ian Murray, Aiden Murray After a fabulous buffet dinner, memories of Patrick Dooley were re-lived, a show of the 2016 event was reviewed and prizes handed out. The first Patrick Dooley Turf Scholarship winner, Josh Carlsen was on hand to give a thank you to all. Here is Josh's bio: Josh Carlsen is a Turf Management student who has served KPU Turf Club as President for the last two years. Josh volunteered on the Grounds Crew of the 2016 Pacific Links Seniors Golf Tournament at Bear Mountain in Victoria and also assists with hosting events to raise money for homeless, performs with five bands and has played for KPU Golf Team. He is an avid golfer, an inspirational leader and tireless worker, all a solid reflection of the Turf Student and quality person Patrick Dooley would have been here at KPU. Under Josh's leadership, KPU Turf Club donated $8,200 to Turfgrass Research from their annual 'Golf Pass Contest' and raised another $15,000 for the Patrick Dooley Turf Scholarship fund from this tournament.
Many thanks to our generous Tee Sponsors: BCGSA JCL Ag Services NGCOA Chris Dooley WCTA ZLC Financial YMCA Motacan Compassion Society CITREC Canada Carlsen Studios Westerra/Vermeer BC Stan Kazymerchyk KPU Turf Management Instructor
Pat Dooley
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ASSOCIATIONNEWS
VIA AGA-BC
It has been a pleasure t o collaborat e wit h a such a dedicat ed t eam of golf indust ry professionals on our AGA-BC Board t oward considerable success t hese past t wo years, t oward providing leadership, collaborat ive advocacy and a cooperat ive resource for t he Brit ish Colum bia Golf indust ry. Our hope is that this report will provide insight into the importance of what we are trying to accomplish and convey the need for all associations to participate ? mentally, physically and financially. Firstly, I believe we can all agree that the entire golf industry needs to be recognized by government as a key financial contributor to the economy of British Columbia. That was the belief in the beginning and the reality of where we are today: the government of British Columbia now recognizes the Golf Industry as a key contributor to the healthy economy of the Province and has been more than willing to involve us in a partnership on a number of different key financial, environmental and marketing fronts.
IMAGE COURTESY TREVOR SMITH
AGA-BC: Updat e Fr om Th e Pr esiden t
These opportunities have come to fruition through the lobbying efforts of Bluestone Government Relations and a very active volunteer board. I would like to key in on the active volunteer board, as there is no way we could have accomplished what we have without a paid lobbyist and a number of very dedicated board members contributing their time and expertise to what we deem important. Without their support, the weight put on the volunteers through this process would have overwhelmed them and not allowed for the insight and the government connections a paid lobbyist could supply. Keeping this in mind, herewith a list of the positive outcomes the AGA-BC has accomplished: - With the initial direction of the NGCOA CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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and its financial assistance, we took part in the original lobbying effort to overturn the golf cart licensing issue in BC. - We undertook the organization of three successful lobbying efforts with the Government and its MLA?s in Victoria. - We undertook a seminar for the golf industry to further move the collaborative efforts of the AGA-BC forward and to develop a mandate. - We developed a website including a news feed, minutes, events and the direction the association is heading. - We developed a Golf Industry Score Card that illustrates the mandate of the AGA-BC as an industry communication tool. - We developed a committee to work with the MOE on the environmental issues facing golf now and in the future. - We collectively worked with the Ministry of Environment on new regulations that would help both Industry and Government develop sound policy on both pesticides and water usage. - We received government grants of $35,000.00 to be put towards the creation of an IPM handbook to assist both the government and the Golf Industry in fair and equitable regulations. - We are presently engaged with the Metro Vancouver Water Authority and their consultants on developing equitable water use regulations for the 67 golf courses in Greater Vancouver. - We are working with ICBC on the creation of Vanity license plates for the Golf Industry ? which will provide a potential funding source for both sport development and marketing.
- We have expanded to include the BCGMA within the AGA-BC, toward viewing the Golf Industry as one unified entity. Efforts of the BCGMA and the AGA-BC have resulted in an increase from $50K to $250K in co-operative advertising funding through Destination BC for marketing BC?s golf courses. This may just be the beginning. - We syndicated the ?First Green? program developed in Washington in conjunction with the WCTA for the advancement of golf industry public awareness. This program has been adopted by the USGA and utilizes the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) teaching concept. This program has been very well supported, by both the Ministry of Environment and the Minister of Education. A very successful event was held at the Redwoods Golf Course with the Minister of Environment and a number of District school superintendents in attendance. It would appear that future events will be well accepted by the school system. Given the breadth, depth and scope of work we do and that still needs to be done, the need to work together as a group for the betterment of the Golf Industry is both clear and imperative. No one group can do it alone. We look forward to another year of positive collaboration. If there are any questions please feel free to call me! Sincerely, Trevor Smith President, AGA-BC Tel: 250-320-6411 Email: president@aga-bc.org
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FEATURESTORY
BY JEFF SUTHERLAND
Golf Bu r n aby Sees Tu r f Gr ass As En vir on m en t ally Ben ef icial Pet er Sorokovsky, Head Superint endent for Golf Burnaby, t he depart m ent t hat m aint ains and runs t he four golf facilit ies for t he cit y m akes it clear... ?We, at Golf Burnaby, believe that the benefits of a healthy and well-maintained turf plant not only produces a great playing surface, but also provides environmental
benefits as well.? Sorokovsky goes on to explain some of the science behind the point of view. ?Turf grasses slow down the speed and reduce the force of flowing water. And this benefits the groundwater reserves because it's absorbed in the soil. Sediment that has been picked up by the water is always trapped within the stand of turf grass. This prevents many of the air-borne pollutants and other chemicals that rain water gathers from ending back in our water system. Instead, the pollutants enter the soil where they are broken down safely.? Other advantages include oxygen replenishment and allergen reduction. Urban environments lack green space and the average 18-hole course can produce enough oxygen for 10,000 people. Well managed turf grass also helps reduce pollen production by preventing the growth of ?weedy?species that produce significant amounts of airborne pollen. Dust and other airborne allergens are also prone to getting trapped within stands of turf grass.
?We, at Golf Burnaby, believe t hat t he benefit s of a healt hy and well-maint ained t urf plant not only produces a great playing surface, but also provides environment al benefit s t o t he communit y as well.?
Some of the other benefits are a little more technical.
Plants absorb water through the roots and then give off water vapour through pores in their leaves (transpiration) which has a cooling effect that lowers the temperature of air around turf grass plants. Studies have shown that the amount of heat given off by bare land or poorly maintained turf is substantially CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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more than that of healthy, well maintained stands of turf grass. The gain for us is that air conditioning can be significantly reduced, conserving energy for other uses. Any carbon removal (and oxygen creation) is good but the specific make-up of turf grass has an added benefit. Compared to other types of ecosystems (e.g. trees), its ratio of below-ground biomass to above-ground biomass is comparatively large so more carbon stays underground which is a more stable form of storage. Studies show that a hectare of golf course turf is capable of sequestering one ton of carbon into the soil every year for 30 years. While not technically ?environmental?, turf grass also has other advantages for human safety. Healthy turf grass serves as a barrier to fire and can prevent fires from spreading. Well maintained lawns also deter insect pests from invading. Rodent pests are typically deterred from crossing large areas of turf. Turf grass is also a ?soft surface? and that is important for a variety of sports. Statistics indicate that injuries are reduced on natural turf grass compared to artificial surfaces. It also offers a safe, resilient surface for children, who can be prone to injuring themselves while playing.
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE BENEFITS THAT TURF GRASS CAN BRING CAN BE DIFFICULT WHEN CONDITIONS ARE NOT OPTIM AL Peter Sorokovsky explains the effects and costs of not being able to water their turf during the drought of 2015. ?After the summer drought in 2015, it was not easy to restore the turf grass to its original condition. Some species of turf grass die under drought conditions, and leave bare soil in its place. Bare soil is prone to erosion, weed infestation, dust development, and a number of other negative effects. Unfortunately, the main type of turf grass in the Pacific Northwest, including the Lower Mainland, dies if it's not exposed to a little water on a weekly basis. Both at Riverway Golf Course and Burnaby Mountain Golf Course, it took our staff a significant amount of effort to return the golf courses to their current excellent condition. In October 2015, overseeding drought tolerant species, aerification, topdressing, and fertilizing took place on all fairways and some areas of rough. In April 2016, the staff had to go back once again into select areas to ensure complete recovery from the effects of the drought. Much of the extra work undertaken by the turf care staff at Burnaby Golf could have been avoided if living healthy turf grass was seen from a scientific point of view. ?
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CONFERENCENEWS
VIA WCTA
Get Ready f or a New Con f er en ce Ven u e - West er n Can ada Tu r f gr ass Associat ion An n ou n ces 2018 Con f er en ce an d Tr ade Sh ow Cat ering t o t he professional golf and sport st urf m anagem ent indust ry, t he WCTA Board of Direct ors is pleased t o announce t he 55t h Annual WCTA Conference and Trade Show will t ake place at t he River Rock Casino Resort in Richm ond, Brit ish Colum bia, February 14-16, 2018. Plans for the conference include an exhibitor trade show, pre-conference seminars and multiple education tracks spanning all sectors of turf management. The organizing committee is also working
on several social networking events including the Dave Creamer Memorial Hockey Game (pending icetime availability) and a golf tournament to support turf research project funding. President Peter Sorokovsky enthusiastically stated, ?Get ready for a new venue! The Board had a couple options in Richmond and while the other choice was suitable, I?m very happy with the River Rock decision.? He added, ?This is a brilliant venue like no other, is close to the airport and has everything we need for an amazing event next February.? Preparations have begun and more information will be revealed when available. Room rates start at $159/night; we recommend reserving as soon as booking information is released. About the WCTA The WCTA is a 700+ member, inter-provincial, not-for-profit industry organization whose purpose is to promote the interchange of scientific and practical knowledge through education, discussion, research and to undertake advocacy relating to the care and management of turfgrass. The WCTA is proud to serve and support a diverse range of professional turf management interests such as golf courses, school boards, municipalities, sod farms, nurseries, landscapers, lawn bowling greens, mechanics, horticulturists and industry suppliers. For further information, contact: Jerry Rousseau, Executive Director Western Canada Turfgrass Association (604) 896-9282 Exec.director@wctaturf.com
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CONFERENCENEWS
VIA NORTHWEST TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION
NTA Con f er en ce Regist r at ion at Su n cadia Open Regist rat ion is now available for t he Nort hwest Turfgrass Associat ion?s annual conference, set for Oct . 1-3 at Suncadia Resort in t he m ount ains of Cent ral Washingt on.
The 71st edition of the annual conference will feature great golf at Suncadia and Tumble Creek and great speakers in Dr. Frank Wong from Bayer Environmental Science and Paul Robertson, the superintendent at Victoria Golf Club. Dr. Alec Kowalewski from Oregon State University and other
leading researchers from the Northwest will also be sharing their latest projects. Click h er e for the online registration form. The $690 registration rate is based on double occupancy. If you don?t have someone in mind to be your roommate, go ahead and f ill ou t t h e r egist r at ion f or m and Paul Ramsdell, the executive director of the NTA, will help set up your lodging arrangements. Sponsorships for the conference are still available, and the breakdown of opportunities is available by click in g h er e. The schedule of events again calls for golf Sunday afternoon, education sessions Monday morning with golf Monday afternoon and then the closing educational session Tuesday morning. Click h er e f or a br eak dow n of t h e cu r r en t sch edu le. Any questions on the conference or on sponsorship can be directed to Paul Ramsdell at mpsparks90@aol.com or 253-219-8360.
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INPROFILE
VIA BEAR MOUNTAIN
Gr eat Tu r f gr ass M an agem en t Con t en t Wor t h Sh ar in g ICYMI, Bear Mount ain released som e incredible cont ent last week called Guardians of t he Green. 20+ years in t he golf indust ry and t his is am ongst t he best m arket ing init iat ives I have seen. I am hopeful for your content share with your respective associations of their blog post: bearmountain.ca/ guardians-ofthe-greens or youtube video direct: youtube.com/watch ?v=Q5nAiSmmqTg.
Please also feel free to share it as a Facebook video if you like. Cheers to all the Guardians of the Green! Trisha Larsen BC Golf Marketing Alliance
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WCTANEWS
VIA WCTA STAFF
2017 WCTA St u den t Aw ar d Win n er s Say Th an k s Up t o five awards t ot alling $2500 are present ed annually by t he West ern Canada Turfgrass Associat ion t o deserving st udent s enrolled in a full t im e Turfgrass Managem ent Program , as chosen by a select ion com m it t ee appoint ed by t he WCTA. Award value is m inim um $500 and winners also receive a free one-year WCTA m em bership. 2017 Award winners are: Justin Smidt - Olds College, $1250 Jason Morgan - KPU Turf Management, $750 Alyssa Lake - Olds College, $500 "Congratulations to this year 's award winners," stated Awards & Recognition Committee Chair, Peter Sorokovsky. "The WCTA is very pleased to assist our turf management students and were impressed with the depth and quality of
the applications. It was a difficult decision indeed!" Student notes of appreciation follow: Dear M r . Pet er Sor ok ovsk y an d t h e 2017 WCTA St u den t Aw ar d Com m it t ee, I am thrilled to be selected as a WCTA scholarship recipient and would like to express my thanks to the WCTA executive team for considering my application and selecting me. It is an honour to receive this award and it will be a great help to me as I finish my degree and as I start my career as a Second Assistant Superintendent at The Glencoe Golf & Country Club this summer. This student scholarship award is a great initiative shown by the WCTA to help the future generation of golf course managers get a leg up as they finish their schooling. It also serves as a great incentive for students to work hard to try to achieve something like this. I appreciate the commitment shown by the WCTA to turf students by helping us learn and grow by way of this scholarship and offering a student membership option. I have worked hard over the past three years at Olds College and it feels great to be recognized by an organization like the WCTA for my efforts, and I know getting my degree will help to get me a long way in the business. The scholarship award makes the costs of a degree much easier to bear, and CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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will continue to help me out down the road as I work toward achieving my professional goals. Sincerely, Justin Smidt, Olds College Dear Mr. Sorokovsky, I would very much like to thank you and the rest of the WCTA Student Award Selection Committee for selecting me as a recipient of a WCTA Student Award, When I heard my name in the AGM this past Friday, I was very excited, as this award will greatly help me in arriving at my internship at Baltusrol this summer. As a student in KPU's Turfgrass Management Diploma, opportunities to work and save money are restricted to summer months. With the snow that persisted for several weeks this past winter, the amount I was able to work and save money was restricted. This Student Award is a fantastic addition to my savings in order to get to Baltusrol for this summer. This internship is going to help me immensely with my professional development, knowledge about turf and turfgrass science, stress management, and growth as an individual. Having the WCTA support me in this endeavor is wonderful and I am incredibly grateful for this support.
I would like to thank you and the rest of the WCTA Student Award Selection Committee once again for your generous award. I look forward to representing the WCTA well this summer while in New Jersey. I also look forward to future WCTA events. After my experience this past week, I am very glad to be a part of this organization. Sincerely, Jason Morgan KPU Turf Management Diploma Program To the Board of Directors and Membership of the WCTA, I would like to express my appreciation for being chosen as one of the three recipients of the 2017 WCTA Student Award. It is an honour to be recognized by the industry for my studies in the Olds College Turf Management program, and I look forward to putting my education to good use as I pursue my career in turf. From the past decade of work at the Belvedere Golf and Country Club, the three years of school at Olds College, and attending annual regional and provincial association functions, my experience and involvement in the turf industry has been incredibly rewarding. I once again thank the WCTA for recognizing my passion and helping to further my education and role in the golf industry. Alyssa Lake
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COVERSTORY
VIA WCTA STAFF
Use of Gr ou n dw at er Now Requ ir es a Licen ce For m any professional sport st urf m anagers on bot h golf courses and sport sfields, t he new law requiring a licence and t he associat ed fees t o use groundwat er (well-wat er) is old news. Paperwork has been subm it t ed, requirem ent s have been m et and an est im at e of new wat er cost s have been included in t he operat ing budget . For others, the subject is a point of confusion and concern. Requirements are not understood, licence application has not been made and there is no idea of what to expect for fees. While review is always prudent, this article is directed to those who have not yet made licence application for their well-water use. Back gr ou n d After years of public consultation, B.C.?s Water Sustainability Act (WSA) was brought into force on February 29, 2016 to ensure a sustainable supply of fresh, clean water
that meets the needs of B.C. residents today and in the future. The WSA introduces a number of changes to the way that water is managed in B.C., replacing and modernizing the 100+ year old Water Act. Key changes under the WSA include: - Licensing groundwater for non-domestic use - New fees and rentals for water use - Stronger protection for aquatic ecosystems - Expanding protection of groundwater related to well construction and maintenance - Increasing dam safety and awareness Licen sin g Gr ou n dw at er Use Under the WSA, anyone who diverts and uses groundwater for anything other than household use is required to obtain a water licence and pay water fees and rentals. Licensing groundwater use establishes equity between surface water and groundwater users, and gives groundwater users rights to use water based on the priority scheme that currently exists. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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Licensing groundwater use also helps the B.C. Government to understand how much water is being used in the province.
use water, for a permit over Crown land, for a change approval or for a drilling authorization. Fees for amendments are charged after the new licence or approval is issued and will be based on the new allocation quantity. Once your water licence or use approval is granted, you will also pay annual water rentals to divert and use the allocated water.
Task s r elat ed t o a Wat er Licen ce Applicat ion f or Gr ou n dw at er Use bet w een Febr u ar y 29, 2016 an d M ar ch 1, 2019 (i.e. du r in g t h e Tr an sit ion Per iod) New Fees an d Ren t als Application fees and annual rental rates have changed under the WSA. Existing groundwater users who are now required to apply for a licence will be exempt from paying the application fee until December 31, 2017. Rental rates for existing groundwater use are the same as those for surface water use. Annual water rentals for existing non-domestic groundwater users began to accrue starting February 29, 2016, regardless of when an application for a licence is submitted within the three-year transition period. Wat er Applicat ion Fees & Ren t al Rat es You pay a one-time application fee when you apply for authorization to divert and
Applicat ion Fees Most application fees vary based on how much water is required and how it is used. However, applications for a few specific water use purposes are charged a flat rate fee. Fees are charged for applications for new water licences, use approvals, change approvals and drilling authorizations, as well as amendments to existing rights. Fees are also charged on applications for permits over Crown land, and are based on the affected area. You must submit the fees along with your application at FrontCounter BC. The first three years of the Water Sustainability Act (WSA) are a transition period to bring approximately 20,000 existing non-domestic groundwater users into the current water licensing scheme. If you use groundwater for any non-domestic purpose, as of February 29, 2016 you are required to apply for a water licence to CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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maintain your right to use groundwater. As an existing non-domestic groundwater user, you do n ot h ave t o pay applicat ion f ees if you apply f or a licen ce on or bef or e Decem ber 31, 2017. Wat er Ren t al Rat es Generally, rental rates depend on the quantity of water authorized and on the specific water use. For some water use purposes, such as for a conservation purpose, a flat fee is charged regardless of water quantity. Rental fees apply to surface water and groundwater use, as well as to permits over Crown land. Annual water rentals for existing non-domestic groundwater users began to accrue starting February 29, 2016, regardless of when an application for a licence is submitted within the three-year transition period. Domestic groundwater users are not required to pay water rentals. ESTIM ATE YOUR COSTS HOW AND WHEN YOU ARE BILLED FOR WATER USE How t o Apply Water licence applications are made through FrontCounter BC. Only on-line applications are being processed: Click on ?existing? if you used groundwater on or before Feb 29, 2016, and click on ?new? if you are planning on using a new water well supply, or have drilled a well after Feb 29, 2016 on the following link www.frontcounterbc.ca/Start/ground-water/ Su m m ar y - The new Water Sustainability Act, aimed
at regulating groundwater, came into force February 2016 and requires anyone using well-water to have a licence and pay fees, except households. - Whether you?re already using well-water or plan to drill a new well, a licence is required and usage fees will apply. - If you were using well-water before February 2016, you?re considered an ?existing user ?and the licence application fee will be waived if submitted before December 31, 2017. - Do not wait to apply for a licence. ?First-in-Time, First-in-Right?applies the same way as surface water rights. In other words, it?s first-come, first-serve and the last to apply is the first to lose access in the event of well water volume restrictions. - Apply for a groundwater licence through FrontCounter BC More information can be found if you google Water Licence BC. Selected excerpts from B.C. government website and previously published article by Marta Green, PGeo, who spoke at the 2016 WCTA Conference in Whistler, BC. She is a Senior Hydrogeologist at Associated Environmental Consultants Inc. in Vernon, BC. Marta has been active with the development of the Water Sustainability Act as a regional director with BCGWA, and has provided advice to irrigators and other water suppliers on the WSA and its regulations. Marta can be reached at 250-545-3672 or greenm@ae.ca
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INDUSTRYNEWS
VIA WCTA STAFF
'Sm ar t Ir r igat ion M on t h' Gain s M om en t u m Acr oss West er n Pr ovin ces In 2016, Brit ish Colum bia becam e t he first province in Canada t o officially proclaim July as 'Sm art Irrigat ion Mont h'.
Wit h cont inued advocacy work lead by Terry Orm rod, current m em ber and Past President of IIABC, current CPCIA Direct or and a current m em ber of t he WCTA, t wo m ore provinces have recent ly recognized t he im port ance of t he irrigat ion indust ry and im proving wat er use efficiency and m anagem ent .
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INDUSTRYNEWS
VIA WWGCSA
Gover n or Declar es M ay as " Golf M on t h" Gov. Jay Inslee signed a proclam at ion Wednesday declaring May t o be ?Washingt on Golf Mont h? in a cerem ony in Olym pia surrounded by key m em bers of t he golf com m unit y. The Golf Alliance of Washington was the driving force behind the efforts to
enhance the visibility of golf in the state. Both the Western Washington Golf Course Superintendents Association and the Inland Empire Golf Course Superintendents Association are major players in the Golf Alliance of Washington. In conjunction with the signing of the proclamation, the Golf Alliance released its latest Economic Impact Study for the state of Washington. Nearly 22,500 jobs in the state are supported by the golf industry, resulting in nearly a half billion dollars in wages. Click h er e for more details on ?Washington Golf Month? where you will find a link to the Economic Impact Study.
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COMINGEVENTS
VIA PTRC
PTRC?s Tu r f Un der Resear ch Field Day Au gu st 24t h The Prairie Turfgrass Research Cent re of Olds College is happy t o announce t he second biennial Turfgrass Under Research Field Day on Thursday, August 24t h, 2017.
FREE to attend (advanced registration required), a wide variety of research being conducted at the PTRC will be covered during the morning plots tour with Research Scientist Katie Dodson, Research Associate Laura Chaves, and the rest of the PTRC research team at the turfgrass research plots. Lunch, Tailgate Tradeshow, and equipment demonstrations will follow at the research plots, and the day will end with afternoon breakout education sessions. This event is open to all members of the turfgrass community, as research projects dealing with golf course, athletic field, and municipal park and recreation maintenance will be discussed. Please take a moment to pre-register for this event to give us an idea of how many people will enjoy this unique free opportunity at Olds College. Pre-register by clicking this LINK Click h er e for a map of important places. Click on pins for a description of each location.
It in er ar y 9:00 ? 9:45 AM Check-in/Registration at the PTRC Research Plots
On the research plots - Katie Dodson delivers a talk at the inaugural PTRC T.U.R.F. Day in 2015.
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10:00 ? 12:00 PM Research plots tour CEUs pending 12:00 ? 3:00 PM Lunch & Tailgate Tradeshow (on plots) 2:00 - 3:00 PM Sprayer Calibration (on plots) Jason Pick (Limit 40 registrants) 1 CEU 3:00 ? 4:00 PM Seminar options: -
-
A. Strategies for Improving Cold Tolerance of Turfgrasses, Dr. Darrell Tompkins 1 CEU B. Integrated Pest management, Dr. Ken Fry 1 CEU
4:00 - 4:30 PM Alberta Turfgrass Research Foundation Annual General Meeting (All ATRF Members welcome) * Weather permitting. Seminar time may change to accommodate the weather. The research plots tour will be moved inside to the landscape pavilion if inclement weather continues for the entire day For more information, please contact: Katie Dodson kdodson@oldscollege.ca (403) 507-7947, Laura Chaves lchaves@oldscollege.ca (403) 507-7973, or Jason Pick jpick@oldscollege.ca (403) 556-8243
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INDUSTYNEWS
VIA EDMONTON SUN
Lon gt im e Edm on t on Golf Cou r se Design er An d Developer Sid Pu ddicom be Dies At 85 Golf lost one of it s legends last week wit h t he passing of Sid Puddicom be.
Beginning his career in 1947 at the Saskatoon Golf & Country Club, then 11 years as the superintendent at Saskatoon?s Riverside Golf & Country Club, Puddicombe moved on to the Royal Mayfair where he was the head superintendent for 20 years winning several awards along the way including the John B. Steel ? the Canadian Golf Course Superintendent?s Association?s highest award for excellence in 1997. In 1982 Puddicombe started his family-owned Sid Puddicombe and Associates golf construction company with his sons Grant, Mark and Tod. Together, on a project basis, they were involved in the design, redesign or redevelopments of over 75 courses from Alberta and B.C. to New Zealand, Japan and the United States. ?And there were probably 75 other courses he had his hand in,? said Grant. ?He was involved in so many things over the years.? Locally, Puddicombe was responsible for such great courses as RedTail Landing, White Tail Crossing and the fabulous Coal Creek course near Tofield. He was also responsible for the total redevelopment of Windermere and the Edmonton Petroleum Club. Active right to the end, Puddicombe?s last brand new design was the Wainui 27-hole course in New Zealand. Puddicombe, who also started the turf school at the Fairview and Olds Colleges, was 85.
Sid Puddicombe started his golf construction company with his sons Grant, Mark and Tod in 1982.
He will never be forgotten.
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INDUSTRYNEWS
BY BILL JOHNSTON
WSU Hist or y Fir st 75 Year s Like m any program s, t he WSU Turfgrass Program (Research, Ext ension, and Teaching) cam e int o fruit ion due t o t he effort of m any people at t he universit y and in indust ry. Interestingly, the earliest turf research was not in Crop & Soil Sciences, but in Plant Pathology. In 1941, Chester Gould joined the WWREC at Puyallup specializing in the control of Dr. Roy Goss northwest turf and bulb diseases. Chet published the first turf related research in 1949 on fairy ring. In 1948, a group of golf course superintendents approached College of Agriculture Dean Shaffer to seek WSU?s help in research and hosting an annual conference for their rapidly expanding industry. Al Law, field crops professor in Agronomy & Soils, was assigned the task
and the 1st Northwest Turfgrass Conference was held at Pullman. Significantly, this turfgrass conference is the longest, continuously held turf conference in the USA (probably in the world). In 1955, Al Law began teaching the first turfgrass class in the western USA (Turfgrass Culture). During the 1950s, Ken Morrison, Extension agronomist, initiated one of the initial, if not the initial, turfgrass correspondence courses in the USA, thus, spreading the WSU program globally. J.K. Patterson released ?Cougar ?and ?Cougar II? Kentucky bluegrass cultivars and served as Roy Goss?PhD advisor. A major milestone occurred in 1958 when Roy Goss was appointed ½-time Research and ½-time Extension turfgrass specialist. WSU now had its 1st full-time turf person. Roy established the turfgrass research field lab at Farm 5 at Puyallup in 1958. Roy and his wife Marcie, established the R.L. Goss Turfgrass Endowment in 1988 to support turfgrass research, and higher education and in 2006 the research farm at Puyallup was named the ?R.L. Goss Research Farm?. Goss?research focused on turfgrass diseases, climate injury, and nutrient deficiencies, notably, N, P, and S. Roy developed an international reputation at WSU and was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the GCSAA, Pacific Seedman Assoc. Award, and the O.A. Vogel Faculty Award at WSU. Gary Chastagner replaced Gould in 1978 and continued research in turfgrass diseases for many years. Shiou Kuo, soil scientist at Puyallup, CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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also worked with Roy and Stan Brauen on the relationship of lime, phosphorus, and aluminum on annual bluegrass and bentgrass during the 1980s. Possibly the most dramatic year for the WSU Turf Program was 1980. Stan Brauen, forage agronomist at Puyallup, assumed Goss?research appointment when Roy shifted to 100% Extension. Stan worked on many areas of turfgrass management (fertility, weed control, diseases, etc.), but his most notable contribution was the release of ?Putter ?creeping bentgrass, which was a highly successful cultivar for Jacklin Seed Co. Also, in 1980, as WSU was deciding between a forage and turf position at Pullman, a group of eastern Washington parks and golf course superintendents lead by Sam Angrove, Bud Ashworth, Herb Brown, Tom Wolf and others convinced College of Agriculture Dean Robins that serving the turf industry needs was the better of the two options. Bill Johnston was hired, replacing Al Law, to teach, conduct turfgrass management research, and develop the undergraduate turfgrass major, which at the time had one student. Under Bill?s guidance the turf major experienced dramatic growth peaking at 35 students in 2002. During the recent ?recession? student numbers began to decline, but have currently stabilized at 13-17 majors. Notably, essentially 100% of WSU turf majors found jobs in the turf industry upon graduation. Approximately, 300 WSU turf majors are today making contributions to the turf industry in the PNW and across the USA. In recognition of his dedication to advising, teaching, and
the development of young turfgrass professionals, Bill, aka ?Dr J?, was awarded
Bill Johnston (left) with Dr. Roy Goss both the ?Outstanding Advisor ? and ?Outstanding Teacher ? of the year in the college. Bill and his research technician, Charles Golob, developed two research sites at Pullman. The current 6-acre site, the Turfgrass and Agronomy Research Center, is one of the best equipped and maintained university turfgrass research facilities in the western USA. Due to its unique location, and lack of other turf programs, the WSU turf program at Pullman served the turfgrass industry and public over a vast geographic area from the Cascades to the Rockies and from southern Canada to Utah. Thus, the Pullman program has been quite diverse. Species, CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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cultivars, and germplasm were evaluated for adaptation to the intermountain PNW, snow mold disease control and management was conducted for 20+ years, and a continuous effort to control Poa annua with herbicides (?Tenacity?, ?Xonerate?, ?PoaCure?, and microorganisms) was ongoing. Research lead to the labeling of numerous products (?Acclaim?, ?Finale?, ?Tenacity?, ?Instrata?, etc.) for use in WA, ID, and MT by the turf industry. Environmental studies were funded by the USGA on nitrate and PCNB leaching at the Coeur d?Alene Resort GC floating green and by the City of Spokane on the use of reclaimed water for golf courses. The USDA funded studies on pollen flow and glyphosate resistant hybridization in Agrostis and diversity in Kentucky bluegrass germplasm. In addition, several hundred presentations and reports were delivered to the public and industry during Bill?s 36 years at WSU. In 2016, Bill was awarded a GCSAA distinguished service award for a lifetime of leadership, commitment, and service to the PNW turfgrass industry. In response to the needs of the grass seed industry, Bill initiated a turfgrass seed production research program in 1987. Initially working on weed control (wild oats and downy brome) and diseases (ergot, silver top, and rust), the research focus shifted to working with growers to identify alternatives to the practice of open-field burning of Kentucky bluegrass. Bill and Charles worked with the grass seed industry (IGGA and WTSC), the Washington Dept. of Ecology, and the USDA for 20+ years on the field burning issue. In
addition to the ground breaking research quantifying emissions from field burning of Kentucky bluegrass the program developed bluegrass germplasm that would produce acceptable seed yield and turfgrass quality without field burning. Bill attended 100+ Dr. Gwen Stahnke meeting of the Dept. of Ecology?s Agriculture Burning Practices Research Task Force representing academia. Roy Goss retired in 1988 and Gwen Stahnke was hired at Puyallup with a 75% Extension/25% Research appointment. From 1988 to 2013 Gwen gave hundreds of extension presentation to the industry and the booming population of Western WA. Gwen?s research focused on crane fly control and Gwen was regarded as a world leader in crane fly research. She also conducted turfgrass research on phosphorus and the identification of Pythium species. Gwen continues to be involved in the turf industry nationally (GCSAA ?Turf Bowl?) and regionally as an Instructor of Turfgrass Management at Walla Walla CC where she was recognized in 2016 by Elite American Educators for her dedication, achievements, and leadership in turfgrass. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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Dr. Eric Miltner Eric Miltner replaced Stan Brauen in 1998 (Stan retired 1999) with a 100% Research appointment in turf. Fertility and nutrient management (primarily N and P) were the focus of his research program. Eric also made contributions in environmental turfgrass research, a key issue in the environmentally sensitive Puget Sound region, on the accumulation of soil P from natural organic sources, water quality monitoring on golf courses, and compost contamination with clopyrolid. Eric left WSU in 2011 and currently works for KOCH Turf and Ornamental, Gwen left WSU in 2013 for WWCC, and Bill retired in 2016. WSU and industry stakeholders are currently redefining the WSU Turfgrass Program to meet the needs of the public, industry, and students for, hopefully, the next 75 years. References: Anonymous. Manuscripts, archivers, and special collections, Washington State University Libraries. Guide to the Charles Jay Gould Papers 1933-1977. Accessed
5/2/17. Anonymous. Roy Goss: A tribute to the King of Turfgrass. http:turf.wsu.edu/alumni/goss/. Accessed 5/2/17. Bertramson, B.R. 1986. History of the Department of Agronomy and Soils, WSU. Vol. 1. www: Department of Crop & Soil Sciences/Overview/History/More Information. Accessed 5/1/17. Goss, R.L. 1987. A review of the Northwest Turf Association ? A 30-year project. Proc. 41st Northwest Turfgrass Conf. 5-16. Editor's note: The WCTA has had a productive relationship with WSU for decades and wishes the turf management faculty and researchers all the best over the next 75 years!
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WCTANEWS
VIA WCTA STAFF
Save t h e Dat e Sept 20, Spor t st u r f Field Day, Tow n sh ip of Lan gley Host ed by t he Township of Langley, t he WCTA will once again join forces wit h Sport s Turf Canada t o deliver a sport st urf m anagem ent field day t o t ake place Sept em ber 20, 2017.
Details are being worked on but we can announce that the event will take place at Aldergrove Athletic Park (AAP), 26700-29th Avenue. The morning session or sessions will occur at the Aldergrove Kinsmen Centre (AKC) which is located in the north portion of the park. The outdoor activities will occur in the southern portion of the park at 2707-268th Street. More information and registration instructions to follow.
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INDUSTRYNEWS VIA BRITISH COLUMBIA GOLF
Help Celebr at e Can ada's 150t h Bir t h day Canada is celebrat ing a big birt hday and you are invit ed! Golf Canada, British Columbia Golf and your favorite golf facility invite you to join the celebration, with a goal of registering 150,000 British Columbians, to do 1.5 million golf activities, over 150 days. Register now and the countdown will start on Sunday May 28th ?Get Out and Golf Day in Canada? Current members of Golf Canada / British Columbia Golf If you are currently a member of Golf Canada / British Columbia Golf (you have an account to register scores in the Golf Canada Score Center) every score you post will automatically be counted as an activity in the celebration. Starting in mid-May you will not only be able to record a score, you will also be able to record an activity. Visits to a practice area, lessons, spectating, partial rounds, even mini putt with children or grandchildren, record them all.
Not a m em ber of Golf Can ada / Br it ish Colu m bia Golf ? Register at www.britishcolumbiagolf.org/birthday There is no cost! Once you are registered come back and record all your golf activities. Help us reach our celebration goals. Of f icially w e st ar t r ecor din g act ivit ies Su n day M ay 28t h , 2017.
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FIRSTGREENNEWS VIA FIRST GREEN
Fir st Gr een Gain s Tr act ion in Can ada According t o t he World Golf Foundat ion, Canada has one of t he highest per capit a golf part icipat ion rat es in t he world. Thus, it is no surprise t hat First Green field t rips -bringing kids t o golf courses for hands-on science field t rips -would find a recept ive audience in Canada.
The Township of Langley's Dan Allen shows kids how to measure a large area at the first ever 'First Sportsfield' event held in 2016 in the Township of Langley hosted by Tab Buckner.
Pete Rodrigues demonstrates cup cutting at the very first 'First Green' event in Canada, held at the Vancouver Golf Club in 2014.
Prior to 2015, the Western Canada Turf Association (WCTA) executive director, Jerry The USGA's Larry Gilhuly, talks turf technology to Rousseau and superintendent teenagers at the First Green event held at Redwoods Golf members of the association Course in 2015, hosted by Peter Szarka and Cameron Watt. attended First Green training events in the Seattle area and with hosting these field trips. hosted their own First Green field trips. In WCTA is a strong association for both the 2015, First Green and WCTA signed a golf and the sports field industries, and Memorandum of Understanding whereby choreographed the inaugural First Green WCTA agreed to represent First Green in field trip on a sports field in 2016. Western Canada, training superintendents Presented by the Township of Langley?s to host First Green field trips and assisting CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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Parks Operations Department in partnership with Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), Western Canada Turfgrass Association (WCTA), and Sports Turf Canada (STC), the event was held to give Grade 9 students from Langley Secondary School a first-hand look at how sports fields are designed, constructed, and cared for. Also observing the field trip were a city councillor, the acting superintendent of schools, the high school principal and the teacher. WCTA maintains strong ties to governmental officials at all levels and invites these officials to be at First Green field trips. At WCTA?s invitation, First Green has participated for the past three years in their annual conference and trade show. At the February 2017 54th Annual Conference & Trade Show in Penticton, British Columbia, First Green had a booth, and talked with superintendents interested in starting First Green programs at their courses and sports fields. New local programs are being planned in both British Columbia and Alberta. In March, First Green was invited to attend the United States Golf Association?s (USGA) 2017 North American Golf Innovation Symposium held in Vancouver, British Columbia. The summit was hosted by the USGA and supported by Golf Canada and the Mexican Golf Federation and gathered leaders in the golf industry to share knowledge and advance the game. WCTA was also involved, providing another opportunity for First Green and WCTA to meet and talk about programs and marketing.
First Green is now in launch mode in Eastern Canada. On April 5, Stan Kazymerchyk, WCTA board member and Turf Management instructor at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Langley, British Columbia, travelled to Eastern Canada, and held a Train-the-Trainer session at Guelph University with a turfgrass professor, a superintendent and a sports field manager. "First Green is excited to play a part as golf courses in Canada reach out to their local communities," says Karen Armstead, executive director at First Green. "We have enjoyed working with the WCTA as they expand First Green?s presence in Canada." About First Green First Green is an innovative environmental education outreach program using golf courses as environmental learning labs ? the only program of its kind. First Green has extensive resources for golf course superintendents, including online lesson plans. First Green has been providing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) learning since 1997. Golf course superintendents and/or local golf course representatives host students on field trips where they test water quality, collect soil samples, identify plants, design plantings, assist in stream bed restoration and are involved in the ecology and environmental aspects of the golf course. The students are also introduced to many other aspects of golf. A tax-exempt nonprofit, First Green was founded in the State of Washington in 1997 and is expanding internationally. For more information and to view introductory First Green videos, visit www.thefirstgreen.org.
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TURFRESEARCHNEWS
VIA WTCA STAFF
2017 Tu r f gr ass Resear ch Con t r ibu t or s The t urgrass research funding year begins wit h our annual conference and t rade show. At t hat t im e, we receive cont ribut ions from allied organizat ions like t he BC Golf Superint endent s Associat ion and Kwant len Universit y Turf Club along wit h revenues generat ed from our Silent Auct ion and ot her fundraisers. Every WCTA member contributes too! Unique to our association, 10% of member dues go directly toward research project funding right off the top. Money raised this year will be directed toward turf research projects next year. Where the dollars go is decided by the research committee based on a carefully developed list of turf management industry priorities (see below).
pr oceeds - $4,160 Kw an t len Un iver sit y - $150 Olds College - $150 Jef f Hoyem - $100 Kelly Jacobsen - $100 Sabr in a Bladon - $100 So far in 2017, we've raised $19,629 toward our goal of $25,000. We've got plenty of time before the next conference and we start over but please support turf research with your contribution. We would like to take this opportunity to thank those who serve tirelessly on our Resear ch Com m it t ee: Peter Sorokovsky - City of Burnaby (Chair) David Davidson - Kwantlen Polytechnic University David Duncan - THP Co. (WCTA Past President) David Woodske - BC Ministry of Agriculture Dr. Brian Holl - Lamorna Enterprises Ladd Legeyt - Agrium Advanced Technologies (Industry Representative) Jim Ross - Prairie Turfgrass Research Centre (retired) Dave Kennedy - Vancouver Golf Club (Northwest Turfgrass Association Representative) Cu r r en t Tu r f gr ass Resear ch Pr ior it ies:
Sincere thanks must go to the organizations, companies and individuals who have made generous contributions to turf research through both donations and supporting events and functions.
- Nutrient and fertility management, best management practices
2017 Silen t Au ct ion - $4,451 Kw an t len Un iver sit y Tu r f clu b r af f le
- Evaluation of alternatives to pesticides
- Soil and root-zone management, best management practices
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- Irrigation and water use issues (water quality and reducing water usage) - Investigations into the biology, ecology and management of current and emerging pests - Alternative cultivar and species for new turf construction, integration and
conversion into existing turf areas - Species/cultivar evaluation and improved management practices for areas of heavy traffic and wear tolerance
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CAMPUSNEWS
BY JASON PICK
Gr eat Year at Olds College It ?s been anot her great year for Olds College Turf, as we graduat ed fift y one Cert ificat e, fort y one Diplom a, and nine Golf Course Managem ent degree st udent s t his June. A healt hy int ake int o all t hree years of t he program , we have est ablished a m odest wait ing list int o our first year.
IMAGE COURTESY OLDS COLLEGE
At this year 's graduation we also said goodbye to long serving school President Dr. Tom Thompson, and Vice President Dr. Jason Dewling, who welcomed new
President Stuart Cullum and VP Tanya McDonald. As part of convocation this year, we also recognized Arlene Dickinson, (CBC?s Dragons Den) as our Honorary Degree Recipient. Among much entrepreneurial advice for our graduates and their families, Arlene shared an insightful global view of education - how lucky we are to stand among the world's educated, and what great responsibility we have to innovate. Also this June, Olds College?s continuing education department completed the first delivery of our Turf Science Certificate. The three level online program graduated the first specialized professionals into Parks and Recreation, Sports and Athletic fields, and Golf Course Management sectors from Olds College. Great thanks to Norley Calder of the City of Calgary Parks, (formerly Sagebrush Golf Club), and VP of the Western Canada Turfgrass Association who tirelessly contributed to its development and delivery. The soon to be announced Prairie Turfgrass Research Day, is also taking place at Olds College this August 24th. Free to all delegates, sponsored by the National Sciences and Engineering Council, we welcome approximately 150 delegates to learn the latest research
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findings, gain CEU credits, and enjoy distributor demonstrations on the turf plots. Approaching the half way point, our students have been working hard in their summer internships, tackling twelve learning goals from May through October. With superintendent mentors active in their learning goals, we encourage you to
welcome an intern at your course next summer! For more information about the Turfgrass certificate, diploma, and degree programs at Olds College, check out our website www.oldscollege.ca/programs/ horticulture/turfgrass/ www.oldscollege.ca/continuing-education/ land-environment/Turf-Science-Certificate/
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BOARDROOM
BY DAVID L. DOHERTY
YARN#53 Hear t War m in g Loyalt y Earlier t his week, I had t he good fort une t o be part of a t eam t hat was working on finding drain t iles under st ressed greens in t he cent ral part of t he US. Although the greens are relatively new being only ten years old, they have struggled quite a bit over the last four years. The owners [a father and son team] along with the superintendent, had tried everything that they could think of and everything that some consulting experts had recommended. Some of the greens were rebuilt and others had additional drainage installed. The greens were aerified, verticut, top dressed frequently and fans were even installed. The owners spent a tremendous amount of money, the superintendent and his staff put in many long frustrating hours. All to no avail. After the last two years the member ?s patience had worn extremely thin and wanted answers as to why the greens had not improved and was the superintendent capable of doing his job. The owners knew that the superintendent was extremely
loyal, intelligent, hardworking and capable, however the condition of the greens strongly suggested otherwise.
Theownersknewthat the superintendent wasextremelyloyal, intelligent, hardworkingand capable, however theconditionof thegreensstronglysuggested otherwise. The owners were in a very difficult position and were as frustrated as the superintendent as to why the greens were struggling. The team I was working with discovered that the drainage tiles installed at the time of construction were not functioning properly and had not been since the original construction. It was really quite remarkable that the greens had the quality of turf that they had, considering the lack of oxygen that was available to the plants. As I write this article, the drain tiles are being located and repaired by the Superintendent, his staff, and the professional team I was fortunate enough to be working with. The problems of the past will not be the problems of the future. The main reason that I am writing this article is to point out the tremendous loyalty that the owners had toward their superintendent. Before the compromised drain tiles were discovered the owners stressed to me how worried they were
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with success and pride.
about the superintendent. Their concern for his mental well-being and erosion of self-confidence was truly heartwarming.
What we need to understand and never forget is that there is always a reason and there is always an answer.
The owner 's HEART WARMING LOYALTY and willingness to care and support their superintendent during these difficult times while searching for answers will enable this club to move forward in the future
Sometimes it is the superintendent but most often it is something else. ?THERE IS ALWAYS A REASON? for stressed turf. We just need to keep searching.
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COMINGEVENTS
VIA BCGSA
?Vin t age 50? BCGSA In t er ior Ch apt er Fall Win d-Up Tou r n am en t Please plan on being part of a great day of golf, net working and fun at t he Pent ict on Golf and Count ry Club on Sept em ber 29, 2017. This will be t he 50t h anniversary of t he Int erior Superint endent s wind up t ournam ent . We are hoping to make this a day to remember, so put together a team, a partial team or sign up individually to join the festivities. Not a golfer, but you?ve been a part of the interior golf industry sometime in the past 50 years, ?we want you?. Sign up as a non-golfer and you can still be a part of history. If you have any old photos, equipment etc., please let me know so we can have it on display for all to see. Please pass this cover letter and entry form on to anyone that?s made our industry what it is today, we don?t want to miss anyone.
Because this is our 50th we are calling it the ?Vintage 50? wind-up. Plan on hitting some shots with ?vintage?clubs, there will be a ?vintage car ? hole in one, and EVERYONE is encouraged to wear ?vintage? golf attire. There will prizes for best dressed individuals and teams. We will be having the traditional ?Verne?s Caesar Breakfast?to get the day going. Before anyone hits a shot there will be a group photo taken to go into the history books. If you have any questions you can contact any of the committee members: Jeff Bennett, Patrick Kerr, Ladd LeGeyt, Stan Kaz, Rick Shillitto or myself, Larry Olson. Sign up today as we can only accommodate 28 teams, you don?t want to miss this one. DOWNLOAD THE ENTRY FORM
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WCTA
VIA WCTA STAFF
NEWS Com in g Even t s Su m m ar y Updat ed Apr il 2017 Wit h so m uch happening in t he worlds of golf and sport t urf m anagem ent , it 's t ough t o keep t rack but we'll do our best t o provide a current list of event s, m eet ings and field days. More information will be added as it's received including times, dates, locations and CEC point availability. Au gu st 20-22 BCGSA Exchange Tournament, Aberdeen Glen Golf Course, Prince George Au gu st 24 TURF DAY ? PTRC, Olds College Sept em ber 5 BCGSA Kootenay meeting, Fernie G&CC Sept em ber 20 WCTA/ Spor t s Tu r f Can ada Spor t st u r f Field Day, Tow n sh ip of Lan gley Sept em ber 21 BCGSA Lower Mainland Windup, Nicklaus North (tentative)
Sept em ber 27-28 CanWest Hort Show, Abbotsford Tradex Sept em ber 29 VIGSA Windup, location TBA Sept em ber 29 BCGSA Interior 50th Anniversary Golf Tournament - Penticton Golf Club, host Larry Olson Sept em ber TBD BCGSA North Windup, Aspen Grove Golf Course Oct ober 1-3 NTA Conference, Suncadia Resort, WA Oct ober 23-24 Can-Am Cup ? Baltusrol Novem ber 14 BCGSA Interior AGM, Gallagher ?s Canyon Novem ber 20-22 VIGSA MS Event and Conference, Victoria Novem ber 25-27 Alberta Property Managers, Canmore Novem ber TBD BCGSA Kootenay AGM, St. Eugene Mission Decem ber 7 BCGSA Lower Mainland Christmas Social, location TBA Decem ber 8 VIGSA AGM, location TBA 2018 Jan u ar y 16-19 STMA Conference, Ft. Worth Jan u ar y 16-18 OGSA Conference, Niagara Falls Jan u ar y TBD IEPMA Conference, location TBA
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Febr u ar y 3-8 GCSAA, San Antonio Febr u ar y 14-16 WCTA 55th Conference and Trade Show, River Rock Casino Resort, Richmond, BC Febr u ar y 16 WCTA AGM
* This is not necessarily a complete list. We will make updates and add details as further information becomes available. If you have an event to add, please contact Jerry Rousseau at exec.director@wctaturf.com
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SPORTSTURF CANADANEWS
VIA SPORTS TURF CANADA
Spor t s Tu r f Can ada An n ou n ces 2017 Spor t s Tu r f M an ager of t h e Year
contribution to the Canadian sports turf industry and shows appreciation for his or her proactive and progressive efforts within the profession. As per Mr. Norris?s nomination, he has continually shown an exemplary drive to enhance outdoor sport services for Surrey?s growing sport community needs. Hugh?s experience covers a diverse inventory of natural and artificial turf fields. Hugh also led the complete renovation and revitalization of Softball City in South Surrey Athletic Park, creating a world class facility to host the 2016 Women?s World Softball Championship.
The City?s field assets include 15 artificial, 183 grass, 8 gravel and 2 event fields. In 2014 Hugh?s portfolio within the City grew significantly and he took the opportunity to optimize and standardize the overarching maintenance of the City?s sports facilities as a whole, instilling his high standards into consistent and meticulous asset and facility maintenance, enhancing the delivery of year-round outdoor sport facilities for the public. Hugh spearheaded an inspection protocol for weekly field inspections. His team is able to maintain safe and healthy turf density for year-round field accessibility, supporting more than 35,000 registered sport participants. By publishing the results from his Sports Field Inspection program, Hugh Norris thanks attendees at the 2014 West Coast Hugh?s team shares their weekly Sportsfield Day hosted by the City of Surrey updates on the overall conditions of The Sports Turf Manager of the Year award the City?s outdoor athletic sports field is a prestigious honour which recognizes an on-line for easy access and awareness. individual?s professional ability and
Sport s Turf Canada is pleased t o announce t hat Hugh Norris of t he Cit y of Surrey, BC is t he 2017 Sport s Turf Manager of t he Year.
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?Quick to embrace technology, Hugh strives to continually stay abreast of best practices, optimizing the balance between asset development, maintenance, upgrading and replacement to achieve the best value, in terms of both municipal costs and public needs.? Under his watch, the City has developed to date 15 artificial turf fields, each with exceptional performance characteristics, optimizing opportunities for year round and inclement weather usage. Hugh is an active contributor within the Turf and Sport industry, regularly presenting at sports group association meetings and professional conferences. From 20+ years actively coaching his own 4 children across their athletic careers, to supporting staff, volunteers and participants, professionally and personally, his positive impact on the sport community has a wide reach and lasting impact. He is driven by his love of community and sport. By sponsoring this award, the Guelph Turfgrass Institute (GTI) assists in the recognition of sports turf managers who exemplify vision and leadership in the sports turf industry. The GTI is pleased to partner with Sports Turf Canada in presenting this award which helps to recognize Mr. Norris?s excellence in sports turf management. The nomination deadline for the 2018 Sports Turf Manager of the Year is January 15th. Visit sportsturfcanada.com for eligibility, criteria and the nomination form. About Sports Turf Canada Sports Turf Canada was established in 1987 when after a brain storming session at the
University of Guelph a broad segment of the turf industry endorsed its need. Of particular concern at that meeting was the need to minimize and avoid injury to participants using athletic fields where they relate to sports turf. Almost thirty years later Sports Turf Canada continues to promote better, safer sports turf through innovation, education and professional programs. About the Guelph Turfgrass Institute Home to Sports Turf Canada, the Guelph Turfgrass Institute was established in 1987 to conduct research and extension and provide information on turfgrass production and management to members of the Canadian turfgrass industry. The institute is supported by the university, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the turfgrass industry. As one of very few turfgrass research facilities in Canada, the institute is recognized as a world-class leader for research, education and professional development for the study of turf. Building on the University of Guelph's long-standing expertise in turfgrass science, the research activities of the institute continue to focus in areas such as the environmental aspects of pesticide use (fate and persistence), evaluation of grass species, varieties and seeding methods, sports field construction, fertility and management programs, pesticide use and the biological and cultural control of diseases and weeds. Visit us at www.guelphturfgrass.ca, Like us on Facebook www.Facebook.com/GuelphTurf, and follow us on Twitter www.Twitter.com/GuelphTurf. For further information, contact: Anne Baliva, Executive Manager Sports Turf Canada 519-763-9431 info@sportsturfcanada.com
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TURFRESEARCHNEWS
VIA CTRF
New Ch air of t h e CTRF The Canadian Turfgrass Research Foundat ion (CTRF) is pleased t o announce t hat Paul Schofield, represent at ive for Golf Canada, has been elect ed CTRF Chair by t he Board of Direct ors for t he 2017/ 2018 t erm . Schofield replaces Christian Pilon,
Canadian Golf Superintendent Association representative, who sat for three consecutive terms, steering the foundation through a time when needs for specific turf research increased while fund raising became more challenging. Pilon also oversaw the nearly year-long process of transferring the CTRF?s administrative services from the CGSA to the Western Canada Turfgrass Association. As Chair, Schofield heads a federation of organizations from across Canada who are committed to funding research that assists turf production, golf and sportsfield turf management. Member groups / representatives include: Alberta Turf Research Foundation Travis Unger
Atlantic Turf Research Foundation position open Canadian Golf Superintendents Association 2 positions open Golf Canada Paul Schofield Ontario Turfgrass Research Foundation Mike Van Beek Manitoba Turfgrass Research Foundation David Linstead Saskatchewan Turfgrass Association Doug Campbell Quebec Turfgrass Research Foundation Benoit Huot Western Canada Turfgrass Association Peter Sorokovsky In addition, an Industry representative will be appointed by the Board of Directors. About the CTRF The Canadian Turfgrass Research Foundation is a federation of organizations from across Canada that is committed to funding research that assists turf production, golf and sports field turf management. Contacts: Paul Schofield, Chair plsc1956@hotmail.com Jerry Rousseau, Executive Secretary ? exec.director@wctaturf.com website: www.turfresearchCanada.ca
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WCTANEWS
VIA WTCA STAFF
Look Wh o's Join ed t h e WCTA & Call f or 2017 M em ber Du es Paym en t As a unified voice for t he professional golf and sport st urf m anagem ent indust ry in west ern Canada, t he WCTA is now 725 m em bers st rong! Last year we welcom ed 84 new m em bers and in our new fiscal year st art ed Oct ober 1st , we have already welcom ed 48 new m em bers. Welcom e and t hank you for your support and confidence in our associat ion. We also communicate with about 1600 non-WCTA members and would like to thank everyone on our mailing list for your interest in WCTA activities. 2017 dues invoicing has been completed. For facilities with multiple members, invoices were emailed early November and for individuals, they were mailed mid-November. If you haven't seen your dues invoice or to remit your 2017 payment by credit card, please contact
Leslie at admin@wctaturf.com Du es paym en t opt ion s n ow in clu de t h e f ollow in g: - PayPal - go t o w w w.w ct a-on lin e, click Pay In voice at t h e bot t om of t h e h om e page - em ail/ scan you r in voice t o u s at exec.dir ect or @w ct at u r f .com w it h cc paym en t -f ax you r in voice w it h cc paym en t t o 1-866-366-5097 - call Leslie at (604) 780-9130 w it h a cc n u m ber - m ail a ch equ e t o WCTA, Box 698, Hope, BC V0X 1L0 If you know someone who would benefit from a WCTA membership, ie Turf Line News, annual conference, membership roster, job postings, CEC program, etc, have them visit our online sign-up page at h t t p:/ / w w w.w ct at u r f .com / f or m s/ join w ct a.ph p PLEASE EXTEND A WARM WELCOM E TO OUR M OST RECENT NEW AND RETURNED WCTA M EM BERS: Robert Harris - Toro Residential and Landscape Contractor Division Susan Zaric - City of Nanaimo Parks Wou ld you lik e t o see you r n am e on t h is list ? CLICK HERE to join the WCTA now! Ar e you in t er est ed in k n ow in g m or e abou t t h e societ al ben ef it s of t u r f ? CLICK HERE for a poster from the CTRF. Consider a contribution to pink snow mold research. Member dues invoices include an area on the form to indicate a financial contribution from your facility. The WCTA thanks everyone for supporting the projects that help support the turf industry!
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JOININGTHEWESTERNCANADA
TURFGRASSASSOCIATION Wh o We Ar e An d Ou r Valu e Pr oposit ion The WCTA is a 700+ m em ber, int erprovincial, not -for-profit , indust ry organizat ion act ively involved in t he prom ot ion and support of t urfgrass research, educat ion, discussion and advocacy relat ive t o professional sport s t urf m anagem ent . Those involved represent a diversity of interests such as golf courses, sports fields, sod farms, nurseries, landscapers, lawn bowling greens,
equipment technicians, horticulturalists, industry suppliers and others. WCTA members find great value in the activities of the Association and we respectfully solicit your involvement. Please Choose to Support Your Affordable Regional Industry Association that Directly Supports You! The WCTA is involved with a wide variety of allied organizations, government agencies, educational institutions, private enterprise and others in an effort to provide the best possible information, resources and representation for the professional sportsturf management industry in western Canada.
CLICK HERE for member registration
Thoseinvolvedrepresent adiversityof interestssuchas golf courses,sportsfields,sodfarms, nurseries, landscapers,lawnbowlinggreens,equipment technicians, horticulturalists,industrysuppliersandothers.