OALA Awards

Congratulations to all those honoured with 2020 OALA Recognition Awards, and special thank you to the OALA Honours, Awards and Protocol Committee (HAP) members: Doris Chee (Chair), Jane Welsh, Nelson Edwards, Jim Melvin, Stefan Fediuk, and Leah Lanteigne.

OALA President’s Award:
The President’s Award may be awarded periodically, at the discretion of the OALA President, in recognition of the contributions of an OALA Full Member who supports and advances initiatives and actions of the association and promotes the profession of Landscape Architecture in Ontario. The recipient must demonstrate exemplary service to the Association through a diversity of contributions and activities including but not limited to membership on OALA Council, leadership on committees, Council projects, programs or initiatives.

Kendall Flower, OALA, CSLA
The OALA has benefitted greatly from Kendall’s energy, ideas, and many voluntary contributions to the OALA. Kendall has been on Council for two terms and served as Vice President (2018-2020), Treasurer (2017-2018), and Chair of the OALA 2019 and 2020 conferences. She participated on the Municipal Outreach Committee, and chairs the Mandatory Education Committee and the Insurance Task Force. At the 2012 AGM, Kendall presented on the new Mandatory Continuing Education program, which was approved. The program commenced in 2015, and Kendall has chaired this committee through the first and second terms of reporting and auditing.

OALA Pinnacle Award for Landscape Architectural Excellence:
This award acknowledges excellence in works by an OALA member and their exemplary overall body of professional work and accomplishments. Singling out specific projects to draw attention to a body of work which demonstrates outstanding professional accomplishment, this award promotes awareness of the recipient’s landscape architectural works and achievements among landscape architects, allied professionals, potential clients, and the public.

Jim Melvin, OALA, FCSLA
Jim has a tireless passion and commitment to the practice of landscape architecture, and he’s fiercely protective of the value of landscape architects as professional designers, city-builders, and placemakers. With over 35 years as a consultant and founding Partner of PMA Landscape Architects, Jim has been responsible for the conception and implementation of open space development, urban infill parks, community and park planning, and landscape designs for condominiums, long-term care residences, and schools throughout Ontario. He is also a highly active volunteer, giving time to the OALA and CSLA extensively over many decades, including his recent contribution to the development of the OALA Fee Guide for Landscape Architectural Services, and serving on committees including HAP.

OALA Public Practice Award:
This award recognizes the outstanding leadership of a member of the profession in public practice who promotes and enhances landscape architecture by working for improved understanding and appreciation of the work of landscape architects in both public and private practice.

Jeff Bruin, OALA, CSLA
Jeff is leader of the Parks Planning & Design Section at the City of London. As a public servant, he is responsible for managing and developing a safe, functional, and attractive parks and open space system that meets the needs of Londoners. He has successfully shown an ability to manage this portfolio with great skill, while ensuring the highest workplace standards and impeccable public service. His efforts have raised the appreciation and understanding of the skill set of landscape architects in public and private practice.

David O’Hara, OALA, CSLA
Having spent over 25 years working for the City of Toronto as a Park Planner, Landscape Architect, and Project Manager with the Parks, Forestry & Recreation Division, and as Museum Administrator and Manager at Fort York National Historic Site, David has played a key role in many significant initiatives that have helped shape Toronto, including the development of the Central Waterfront Secondary Plan and the Central Waterfront Public Realm Plan—both documents that helped set the stage for many of the projects being implemented across Toronto’s Central Waterfront today. He has also worked on plans for the Harbourfront Parks and Open Space System, the Fort York & Garrison Common Parks and Open Space System, and on master planning and restoration efforts in High Park.

The David Erb Memorial Award:
David Erb was an outstanding volunteer in furthering the goals of OALA. The David Erb Memorial Award is a prestigious way to acknowledge an OALA member whose outstanding volunteerism over the years has contributed to furthering the goals and strategic plans of the OALA, as well as making a real difference to the OALA and its members. There are two recipients this year.

Cynthia Graham, OALA, CSLA
Cynthia began her career at the City of Hamilton as a summer student in 2003 and was subsequently hired as a landscape architect in 2005. Though she manages a team of 13 landscape architects/project managers, technologists and support staff, she finds time to mentor emerging professionals in the field of landscape architecture. She also sits on numerous boards and committees, as an OALA Councillor, a member of the OALA Examining Board, co-chair of the OALA Municipal Outreach Committee, a PDP reviewer, and a member of the Mandatory Continuing Education Committee. With the current OALA campaign to obtain practice legislation, Cynthia has met with her local MPPs to help influence action. At the national level, Cynthia has taken on the challenging role of Chair of CSLA Finance Committee.

Andrew Wilson, OALA, CSLA
Andrew is the Program Coordinator of Fanshawe College’s Honours Bachelor of Environmental Design & Planning degree (BEDP). As a professor in the degree, as well as Fanshawe’s Advanced Diploma in Landscape Design, Andrew teaches students the theory and practice of landscape architecture. He encourages qualified students to further their education in one of Canada’s accredited landscape architecture or planning programs and mentors others through the various paths to OALA registration. Since joining the OALA, Andrew has continued his voluntary contribution to the profession begun while practicing in BC. There he was a Director and President of the BCSLA, its magazine editor, and a CSLA Governor. He chaired the 1999 CSLA conference organizing committee in Vancouver. Twenty years later, he took on a similar task working with his OALA Southwest Chapter colleagues to plan the 2020 OALA AGM and Conference in London. He’s served the chapter as its Chair since its rejuvenation in 2015.

The Jack Copeland Award for OALA Associate Leadership and Contribution:
Jack Copeland was an enthusiastic advocate for Associate members. The Jack Copeland Award for Associate Leadership and Contribution recognizes the outstanding leadership and contribution of an associate for going above and beyond to assist fellow associates, including being an associate representative on OALA Council.

Leah Lanteigne, OALA, CSLA
Leah has contributed to the Association through her volunteer efforts as the Junior Associate Representative on Council, as an Associate Member on the Honours, Awards and Protocols Committee, and attending OALA and industry related events as often as possible. Being the Junior Associate Representative, Leah has also volunteered her time towards LARE exam information sessions to prepare fellow Associate Members from Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia for exam writing. She has additionally volunteered as an OALA Associate Member of the Urban Land Institute and regularly attends events and webinars.

The Carl Borgstrom Award for Service to the Environment:
This award recognizes an OALA member or landscape architectural group, organization, or agency recognized by OALA whose practice promotes special or unique contributions to sensitive, sustainable design and use of the environment. There are two recipients this year.

Brian Basterfield, OALA, CSLA
Brian’s design approach aims at striking a balance between human use of the land and the natural environment. Brian established a private practice in landscape architecture and environmental planning in Peterborough, Ontario. Basterfield & Associates has become a versatile and flexible practice, widely known for its environmental advocacy province-wide. His firm produces projects ranging from intimate residential design to large scale open space master planning; always with an emphasis on integrating sound ecological and environmental principles. In addition to his projects, Brian has provided design mentorship at Trent University’s School of the Environment. For 13 years, his Ecological Design course has been conveying practical and proactive environmental design, planning and ecological approaches to urban growth.

Michael Hensel, OALA, CSLA
Since 1981, Mike has provided a wide range of landscape architectural services to both private and public sector clients. In the 1990’s, he pioneered a ground-breaking protocol for completing Traditional Knowledge Assessment work with First Nation Communities, starting with the Dokis First Nation and followed by the Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation, Long Lake First Nation, and Batchewana First Nation. He is advancing the understanding of effects that projects within Traditional Land Use Areas will have on the associated health, welfare, and safety of the potentially affected First Nation Communities. His work in Traditional Knowledge Assessment mapping provides final written and graphic records related to documentation of traditional Land Use Areas and helps identify and mitigate impacts to community health and safety, environmental, cultural, social, and economic bases.

OALA Award for Community Service to the Environment:
This public outreach award recognizes and encourages special or unusual contributions for sensitive, sustainable design solutions leading to the improvement of environmental health, community livability, and human interaction in the environment. There are two levels of recognition that may be given at the discretion of the Honours, Awards and Protocol Committee.

The Treaties, Lands and Environment Department at Chippewas of the Thames First Nation was founded as the implementing body for environmental and land use policies contained within their Comprehensive Community Plan entitled “We Make This Path by Walking It.” The Treaties Land Environment Department has, through the scientific studying of their natural resources, provided guidance for long-term interests and priorities in land use planning decisions for the community from an environmentally sensitive perspective since 2012. Most recently, in 2019, they successfully advocated for the conservation and protection of approximately 250 acres of wetland, prairie, and woodlands in the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation community, identified as habitat for species at risk. They are currently working on creating a Land Code for the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation.

Certificate of Merit:
ReForest London, for their years of action to improve the forest canopy of Ontario’s Forest City.
ReForest London was founded in 2005 as a not-for-profit with a mission “to improve London’s environmental health through the planting of trees throughout the community.” After boldly daring Londoners in 2011 to undertake the Million Tree Challenge (MTC), a task with a clear objective to plant one million trees within the city, over 452,000 trees have been recorded on both private and public lands. ReForest London has left a lasting impression, ensuring that the “Forest City” continues to provide its inhabitants with clean air, a biodiverse environment, and more citizen advocates for environmental sustainability.

OALA Research & Innovation Award:
This award recognizes the outstanding leadership, research and/or academic achievements of a member or non-member who, through scholarly activities and/or the development of innovative practices, academic papers, research, publications, books, e-applications, or public presentations, contributes to the knowledge base that furthers the advancement of the art, science, and practice of landscape architecture.

Michael von Hausen, FCIP, CSLA, LEED AP
Michael holds a BLA (honours) from the University of Guelph and a MLA in Urban Design, with a specialization in real estate development economics from Harvard University. He is the only landscape architect in history given the honour of Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Planners, and is a past-president of the BCSLA. He is also a LEED accredited professional and a certified Public Participation professional (IAP2). He has represented Canada on missions to Russia and China. He uses his teaching at Simon Fraser University and Vancouver Island University to explore the cutting edge of urban planning, economics, development, and design. He also facilitates the School of Development for the Urban Development Institute, Pacific Region, to provide him with further awareness and ground his designs in real-world economics.

OALA Honorary Member:
The Honorary category of membership is for non-landscape architects who have performed notable service in advancing the course of landscape architecture in the Province of Ontario for whom Council wishes to recognize for outstanding contributions in their own fields to improving the quality of natural and human environments.

Ian McAskile
Ian is the owner and president of Maglin Site Furniture, Inc. In over 30 years of addressing the needs of landscape architects for quality site furnishings, Maglin has garnered a strong reputation for innovative, modern designs with clean and environmentally sustainable manufacturing methodologies. Many OALA members can attest to this dedication. More notably, Ian is often a public voice for landscape architects; where landscape architects can often be humble about their work, Ian quite refreshingly speaks out and promotes the work of landscape architects and the OALA, both personally and professionally year after year.