President's Report - Summer 2015

There has certainly been no predictability to the weather this spring but as professional turfgrass managers, we all know the best laid plans are only as good as Mother Nature allows them to be.  Adaptability is what we are!

It’s always nice to start the year off on a positive note and to look to the opportunities ahead.  Spring has been very busy and now with summer approaching, we would like to take this opportunity to reflect on the many positive things the WCTA has accomplished lately.

The past WCTA conference in March was a successful one, albeit with there being 3 major conferences held within 10 weeks,  numbers were down somewhat but that was expected by the board and reflected in the budgeting process.   This type of close attention being paid to the operation of the Association by our administration and board has allowed us to make adjustments when we need to.

The AGM was the most well attended meeting in the history of the Association and a significant number of constitutional changes were voted on and passed.  These changes have allowed the association to be prepared for the future and to provide the membership with the confidence that the operation of the association is fully functional and prepared for what may occur in the future.

The WCTA has also been heavily active in our newfound relationship with the First Green program out of Washington State..  First Green started by using  golf courses as a classroom for learning but applies for use in sports fields as well. It truly uses the environments we work in as a well-rounded training ground for students.  For those unaware of this program please click on the following link for more information:

 http://thefirstgreen.org/page.asp?id=625&;page=35281&newsId=6629

First Green is very happy with the response they have had to their program in British Columbia and wants to actively pursue a working relationship with us.  We have also had meetings with the Education Ministry who are very excited about the program and are looking at how they may assist in advancing it around the province. Look for more exciting announcements about First Green in the near future!!

The Environmental Awareness Committee, under the umbrella of the AGA-BC and in association with the BCGSA, has done some amazing work on behalf of the golf industry in BC.  The committee was able to secure funding from the Government ($15K) for further work on the IPM manual and recommendations from industry to the government on the upcoming IPMR amendments.  A meeting will be held in the next month with Ministry staff to discuss these changes. Congratulations Chairman Keith Lyall and all the board members for moving this important issue forward with government, it has been a very important and successful endeavor!

Thinking ahead, organization of our next Conference and Trade Show has begun and we are very excited to be in Whistler for the first time, February 23-25, 2016.  Hotel partners are named in the June/July Turf Line News and the education and social programs are in the works.  We look forward to another mutually beneficial conference partnership with both the BCGSA and Sports Turf Canada and while summer has barely begun, we encourage you to block your calendars now for a world-class education and networking event in this incredible world-class setting that won’t break the budget! 

These are just a few of the positive activities the WCTA is actively  pursuing and we hope you agree they are all very forward thinking initiatives.  The WCTA Board believes that combining strengths and working toward a shared goal is our  best chance at achieving a successful  future.

We look forward to your continued support and feedback.   Have a great summer!

Sincerely,

Trevor Smith, President
Western Canada Turfgrass Association