Published by Communications and Public Affairs (519) 824-4120, Ext. 56982 or 53338
News Release
December 23, 1998
"Teeing up for New Millennium" topic of turfgrass symposium
The 8th annual Ontario Turfgrass Symposium will be held Jan. 5 - 7 at the Regal Constellation Hotel in Toronto. The professional development program is sponsored by the University of Guelph and the Guelph Turfgrass Institute and Environmental Research Centre.
The symposium is Ontario's premier turf education and trade show. It includes three days of cutting-edge education workshops around the theme "Turf Technologies: Positioning for the New Millennium." There will be a keynote address by Brian Williams, a CBC television sportscaster, as well as 48 educational sessions and a trade show.
The symposium will include industry-specific seminars on golf courses, sports turf, lawn care and sod production. There also will be general seminars on leadership and management, pre-stress conditioning of turf, turf irrigation and turf case studies. Some of the sessions are accredited for Certified Crop Adviser continuing education units. The trade show will run Tuesday, Jan. 5 and Wednesday, Jan. 6 at the Regal Constellation Hotel and include more than 18,000 square feet of exhibits.
Symposium seminars will be headed by University of Guelph faculty and professionals from private industry, government agencies and other colleges and universities. Association meetings of various industry agencies also will be held during the symposium, including the Ontario Turfgrass Research Foundation, Professional Lawn Care Association of Ontario, Nursery Sod Growers of Ontario, Ontario Gold Superintendents Association and Sports Turf Association.
The University of Guelph is home to the Guelph Turfgrass Institute, internationally recognized as one of the leading turfgrass research and information facilities in the world. The Institute provides professional advice in turf establishment and management from internationally recognized faculty and staff at the University and its associated colleges located in Alfred, Kemptville and Ridgetown. It develops and evaluates products, helps with golf course management recommendations and designs sports fields used for major professional and international competitions.
In addition, the University's Office of Open Learning offers several short courses and workshops in the field of turfgrass, including a course for turf professional managers on lawn care, landscaping, sports turf and sod production and golf courses. It also offers a preparation workshop for the pesticide applicator licence exam, professional development courses for golf course superintendents and senior staff, job fairs and workshops aimed at promoting management and team building.
For information, contact symposium manager Peggy Nagle at (519) 824-4120 Ext. 3814 or Communications and Public Affairs, (519) 824-4120 Ext. 3338.
