2 TURF LINE NEWS
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TOP STORIES
18 Registration Open for Dooley Golf Tourney and Field Day
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WCTA Conference All Under One Roof in Penticton, BC Feb 16-18, 2022
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WOW Episode #2 Registration Open
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Turf Manager Heads Up - New Worksafe Rules Comes into Effect Sep 1, 2021
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Michael J. Bladon Scholarship
ROBO- GOLF
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The Internet has spoken: ?genius? ?Bravooooooooooo? ?ahhahahahahahaha! I love it? Brilliant. Just brilliant! You Sir, are a legend of epic proportions. Ed. Not e: the WCTA doesn?t condone any misuse of equipment but have to admit, it?sgot usthinking about autonomousmowing! PG 05 | AUG 2021
On t h e cover : This issue?s cover story called ?ROBO-GOLF?is not about a new movie where 1987 cyborg cop, Alex Murphy takes up the game, rather, it?s a report from the Scandinavian Turfgrass and Environmental Research Foundation on the subject of autonomous mowers being implemented on golf courses in Europe. If you look closely at the cover shot, you?ll see two of them scurrying around - full article on page 22.
Image credit: STERF
COVER STORY 22 ROBO-GOLF
FEATURE STORY 24 Turf Manager Heads Up - New Worksafe Rules Comes into Effect Sep 1, 2021
WCTA NEWS
28 WCTA Online webinar Series (WOW 2.0)
$99 New Member Promo 29 Member Value Proposition W/link to
Application
EDUCATION NEWS 14 Coming Events Summary 30 Roberts, Latin to Headline NTA
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President's Message
Conference
INDUSTRY NEWS
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Look Who's joined the WCTA - August 2021 Report
10 WCTA Board of Directors 12 WCTA Conference All Under One Roof
in Penticton, Bc - Feb 16-18, 2022
16 Wow Episode #2 Registration Open
Registration Open for Dooley Golf
18 Tourney and Field Day
20 Hot in the City, Especially on Synthetic
Fields SPORTS TURF CANADA NEWS 26 New Michael J. Bladon Scholarship
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NEWS BY GA RY BA RTLEY
M essage from t he W CTA President It has been an interesting and challenging summer for most of us. From record dry, to fire and smoke and the continuation of COVID GARYBARTLEY with a bit of resurgence in the UBCAt hl et ics Okanagan, everyone has been given more challenges to face. I hope that this message finds everyone healthy and safe. The Board, Jerry and staff have been working on several initiatives as the summer has progressed. The planning has started on the Annual Conference for February. It will be held at the Penticton Lakeside Resort, February 16-18, 2022. This location falls inline with the Board's commitment for last years cancelled conference. PG 08 | AUG 2021
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news BY W CTA STA FF
Look W ho's Joined t he W CTA August 2021 Report As a unified voice for the professional golf and sportsturf management industry in western Canada, the WCTA is currently 694 members strong! 2021 is well underway and we've welcomed 69 new and returning members since the start of our fiscal year! (Sep 1, 2020) Welcome and thank you for your support and confidence in our association. We also appreciate the 1500+ non-WCTA members on our mailing list for your interest in WCTA activities. HERE'S A LIST OF OUR MOST RECENT NEW AND RETURNING MEMBERS: Bryan Campbell - Watertronics Jason Lans - Talking Rock Resort Mike O'Donnell - City of Burnaby Golf Michael Saulter - Envirocare PG 09 | AUG 2021
2021/2022 WCTA Board of Directors
pr esident Gar y Bar t l ey
v ice PRESIDENT St u Car michael
past PRESIDENT Tr av is Ol son
UBC At hl et ics (604) 970- 1417
Cit y of Cour t enay (250) 338- 1766 x7643
Kaml oops G&CC (250) 554- 1441
cl ick t o send an email
cl ick t o send an email
cl ick t o send an email
DIRECTOR of f inance Dav in Mar r
one YEAR DIRECTOR John Per r y
one YEAR DIRECTOR Andr e Dionne
Hil l v iew Gol f Cour se (250) 549- 4653
poppy Est at es Gol f Cour se (778) 809- 1607
UBCAt hl et ics (604) 927- 6246
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cl ick t o send an email
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one YEAR DIRECTOR Jed McGeachie
one YEAR DIRECTOR Jesse Cowan
one YEAR DIRECTOR Nat han Wade
Ov er t on Env ir onment al (604) 807- 6768
Gal l agher ?s Canyon GC (250) 862- 1540
SunshineCoast Regional Dist r ict 604 741- 1711
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PG 20 | 2021
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news BY W CTA BOA RD
W CTA Conference All Under One Roof in Pent ict on, BC - Feb 16-18, 2022 Catering to professional golf and sportsturf managers and the turf management industry, the Western Canada Turfgrass Association Board of Directors is pleased to announce our 59th Annual Conference and Trade Show will take place live and in-person, all under one roof at the Penticton Lakeside Resort in Penticton, British Columbia, February 16-18, 2022. PG 12 | AUG 2021
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Coming Event s Summary August 2021
For more than a year now, online and virtual experiences have dominated the education and meeting scene but we are now seeing the potential to return to some form of normal as various organizations begin announcing plans for in-person events and meetings. Of course, all of these are entirely dependent on respective PHO restrictions at the time and while it's certainly a postive step forward, don't mark your wall calendars with permanent ink just yet! You can bet we'll see online offerings integrated into in-person education programs and even hybrid events in an effort to reach as many participants as possible, especially those in remote areas. We will continue to do our best to provide status updates on all things related to turf management, including our own WCTA offerings, as they come together. at Jul 30, 2021: Aug 24 VIGSA meeting via Zoom Sep 14 CGSA Fall Field Day East - Summerlea CC Sep 21 CGSA Fall Field Day West - Canmore Golf Club Sep 23 WCTA 2021 Online Webinar (WOW) Series - Episode #2 PG 14 | AUG 2021
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news BY W CTA STA FF
W CTA Online W ebinar Series (W OW 2.0) - Episode#2 Regist rat ion Open W CTA ONLINE W EBINAR SERIES - W OW 2.0 EPISODE #2 REGISTRATION NOW OPEN NO CHARGE FOR W CTA MEMBERS Attention all Turf Managers! We are pleased to provide further WOW 2.0 series details as follows. Speakers and subjects are timely - our second episode is scheduled for Thursday, September 23rd at 1:00pm - 3:15pm Pacific time. - WCTA members participate for free in all WOW 2.0 Episodes! - Not a current WCTA member? Join for the remainder of 2021 for only $99 by CLICKING HERE. - Each Zoom episode has its own ?CLICK HERE TO REGISTER BUTTON?so you need to sign-up for each date you wish to attend. Login credentials will be generated and sent to you automatically by Zoom once you?ve registered. - We?re planning on having CEC?S/CEU?S available for some episodes. - Times listed are Pacific. - Did we mention all episodes are free for WCTA members? PG 16 | AUG 2021
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news BY W CTA BOA RD
Regist rat ion Open for Dooley Golf Tourney and Field Day 2021 Pat Dooley Memorial Golf Tournament and Field Day Friday, October 8th Mayfair Lakes Golf and Country Club, Richmond, BC We are pleased to provide further details and registration for the 4th Annual Pat Dooley Memorial Golf Tournament! Along with the 1:00pm shotgun scramble and banquet, plans for the full day include: - morning turf management education session - sponsor presentations - lunch for morning session attendees - outdoor turf equipment demos PG 18 | AUG 2021
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Hot in t he Cit y, Especially on Synt het ic Fields One important but often undersold benefit of actively managed turf, has been highlighted by the unprecedented and inescapable heat wave being experienced in western Canada. That is, a turf system?s cooling effect of the surrounding air as the grass transpires. PG 20 | AUG 2021
WESTERN CANADA TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION 21
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ROBO-GOLF The R&D project ?ROBO-GOLF: Robotic mowers for better turf quality, reduced fertilizer cost and less use of fossile energy on golf course fairways and semi-roughs?was initiated by Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Husqvarna AB and one golf course in each of the five Nordic countries in 2019. The project received funding from the Scandinavian Turfgrass and Environment Research Foundation (STERF) in January 2020. PG 22 | AUG 2021
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www.prairiecoastequipment.com WESTERN CANADA TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION 23
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st or y BY W CTA STA FF
Turf M anager Heads Up - New W orksafe Rules Come Int o Effect Sep 1, 2021 WorksafeBC?s Board Approved 2020 Amendments to OH&S Regulation At its April 2021 meeting, WorkSafeBC?s Board of Directors approved the 2020 amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. The approved amendments are as follows: - Part 6, Rest rict ed int ervals for pest icide applicat ion - Part 8, High visibilit y apparel - Part 8, Safet y headgear - Part 16, Mobile equipment These amendments will come into effect on September 1, 2021. Please click here for a summary of stakeholder comments received during the public hearing. Please click here to view the Resolution. Policy, Regulation and Research Division WorkSafeBC PG 24 | AUG 2021
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news BY A NNE BA LIVA
New M ichael J. Bladon Scholarship We are pleased to announce the formation of a new scholarship in the name of Sports Turf Canada?s (STC) founding president Mr. Michael J. Bladon. This professional development scholarship has received official approval from the STC Board of Directors and Executive Manager, Anne Baliva. The scholarship will be provided annually to a deserving member of STC by the Bladon Family Trust. The details associated with the scholarship are as follows Successful recipient of the Michael J. Bladon Scholarship will: - Stipulate that the scholarship be used to attend an education event in Canada and be someone without access to funding to normally attend such an event. PG 26 | AUG 2021
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news BY W CTA STA FF
W CTA Online W ebinar Series (W OW 2.0) $99 New M ember Promo
If turf management is what you do, whether you?re on a golf course, sportsfield or anywhere turf is used for recreation or sport, now is a great time to become a Western Canada Turfgrass Association member. Our WOW series continues on September 23rd - episodes are no charge for all WCTA members. Instead of creating a non-member rate for these popular turf management educational opportunities, it was simpler to create a promotional rate for new WCTA members. So? for the remainder of 2021 or until the Board says otherwise, we are offering a $99 rate for new WCTA members! Not only are you able to participate in WOW webinar episodes through the end of the membership year (Dec 31), all WCTA member benefits are on the table, such as: - Access to employment networking service - Pesticide applicator certificate point tracking (BC only) - Access to turf management educational opportunities, Turf Line News Magazine and e-newsletter - Annual member directory - Member rates at our annual conference - And much more! PG 28 | AUG 2021
WCTA M EM BER APPLICATION FORM
PG 29 | AUG 2021
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EDUCATION
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Robert s, Lat in t o Headline NTA Conference Dr. Joseph Roberts of Clemson University and Dr. Richard Latin of Purdue University will be the two visiting educational speakers for the 74th annual conference of the Northwest Turfgrass Association, set for Oct. 27-29 at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon. Dr. Roberts is a professor of turfgrass pathology in the Plant and Environmental Sciences Department at Clemson after receiving his masters at Rutgers and his doctorate at North Carolina State. PG 30 | AUG 2021
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