Alberta and Ontario Sports Turf Field Days Announced

The Western Canada Turfgrass Association (WCTA) and Sports Turf Canada (STC) today announced they will be partnering to present the first Alberta Sports Turf Field Day this summer. The inaugural event, aimed at providing a first-class educational and networking opportunity for professional sports turf managers from across western Canada, will be held Thursday, August 25 at Ralph Klein Park and New Brighton Athletic Park in the City of Calgary.

WCTA president Jason Pick is enthusiastic about the collaboration. “The Western Canada Turfgrass Association is thrilled to partner with Sports Turf Canada in the presentation of this event. With the generous support of the City of Calgary we will introduce a new summer model for education and demonstration with the focus on sports turf management. By leveraging the collective resources of both our associations we are able to connect new suppliers and distributors to this rapidly growing market segment." 

Tab Buckner, STC president, concurs. “This is a true partnership between WCTA, the regional organization, and STC, the national association, working together for our collective and future members to bring a top notch Sports Turf Field Day to Alberta. I am very appreciative of the City of Calgary Parks Department for hosting this event; without them it would be challenging and very costly. We anticipate a great response from our industry suppliers and are already fielding sponsor and exhibitor requests.”

Sports Turf Canada has presented an annual Sports Turf Field Day in Ontario since 1988 and a biennial Atlantic event since 2011. It is a natural progression for the national association to present and support educational and training opportunities for sports turf managers in western Canada.

The Ontario Sports Turf Field Day returns to the City of Toronto and Centennial Park on Thursday, September 22, 2016. This city venue hosted the new association in 1988 for what was then a fledgling endeavour, laying the foundation for what has become a flagship event, now in its 29th year.

For topnotch turf education and the opportunity to network with colleagues and industry suppliers, save the dates and plan to COME TO CALGARY or TRAVEL TO TORONTO this summer. The Field Day Committees are in the midst of applying the finishing touches to both of this year’s programs. Visit sportsturfcanada.com or wcta-online.com for all the session, sponsor and exhibitor details as they become available.

About STC
Sports Turf Canada was established in 1987 at a meeting held at the University of Guelph to address the need to minimize and avoid turf-related injury on athletic fields. Almost thirty years later the association continues to passionately promote better, safer sports turf through innovation, education and professional programs across the country.

About 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:
Lee Huether, Executive Manager, STC 519-763-9431, info@sportsturfcanada.com
Jerry Rousseau, Executive Director, WCTA 604-869-9282, exec.director@wctaturf.com