First Message From the New President Travis Olson

With another successful turf conference behind us, I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who attended our 2019 Annual Conference and Tradeshow at the River Rock Casino Resort.

Thank you to the vendors who sponsored events and to all those who participated in the trade show.  Without their support, our conference would not be near the level it currently is. Thank you to all the delegates who attended, after all, it’s you who we put this whole show on for! Also, thank you to all the volunteers, especially Kwantlen turf students, who raised over $3K for turf research again this year; the future is certainly very bright! Thank you to all the WCTA staff who work so tirelessly to make the show as great as it is. Finally, thank you to my fellow Directors who give so much of their own time and energy serving the membership and this association. We are all extremely fortunate to be in an industry with so many hard working and generous people. 

I’m happy to announce that our 2020 Conference and Tradeshow will be returning to the River Rock once again. The venue has been a great space for us, and each year we are able to make tweaks and adjustments which help make the show even better. We may consider moving the show around to different venues in the future, but for at least one more year the River Rock will be our home.

Looking to the future, I am eager to continue working in cooperation with other associations and organizations. I really hope to strengthen these relationships, as working together, not against each other, will help provide a much stronger and unified industry. I firmly believe that cooperation only stands to benefit everyone involved.

Combining resources and ideas to fund new research is becoming ever more important. Our research needs are changing as our society is becoming more environmentally conscious. Research in the past has focused mainly on helping turf managers provide the best playing conditions. Now projects are beginning to focus more on sustainability and using alternatives to fungicides. I believe this shift will become more and more prevalent as more chemicals are taken away from Canadian turf managers. Working together to fund more sustainable research will not only benefit turf managers, but our environment as a whole. Environmental stewardship is something that we can and should strive for as we move forward.

Travis Olson
WCTA President