Industry Advancement and Student Design awards celebrated at OSSGA

Niagara Falls – The Ontario Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (OSSGA) celebrated achievements in the aggregate industry at its 2020 conference and AGM in Niagara Falls, Ont. from Feb. 11 to 13.

Ashlee Zelek, OSSGA director of environment and education, presented the awards, highlighting 2019 community relations, industry achievements, and student design.

“The awards are an opportunity for the association and our peers to congratulate one another on a job well done,” said Zelek.

Industry Achievement Awards

CBM Aggregates and Walker Aggregates Inc. each received a Community Relations Award. The community relations award recognized those who showed leadership in promoting good neighbour relations, community involvement, education and industry awareness.

CBM Aggregates receiving the Progressive Rehabilitation Award. Jay Koblun

CBM Aggregates received awards for their work at Sunderland Pit in Brock Township and Walker Aggregates Inc. received awards for their work at Duntroon Quarry, Duntroon; McGregor Quarry, Amherstburg; Ridgemount Quarry, Fort Erie; Severn Quarry, Severn; Vineland Quarries and Crushed Stone, Lincoln; and Walk Brothers Quarries, Stamford.

Lafarge Canada, CBM Aggregates, Harold Sutherland Construction LTD., and R.W. Tomlinson Limited each received a Progressive Rehabilitation Award.

“The progressive rehabilitation awards recognize ongoing efforts of individual operators in progressively rehabilitating their sites in accordance with their site plans,” said Zelek.

Lafarge Canada received the Judge’s Choice Award for their rehabilitation efforts at Orillia Pit, Oro-Medonte. While also receiving progressive rehabilitation awards for efforts at Newton Pit, Champlain; and Tanner Pit, Perth South.

OSSGA recognized CBM Aggregates for their rehabilitation efforts at Coburn Pit, Puslinch; Diocese Pit, Middlesex County Township; Olalondo Pit, Middlesex County Township; Sunderland Pit, Brock; and Sunderland Pit Phase 1B East, Brock.

Harold Sutherland Construction LTD., received an award for their efforts in rehabilitating Lamont Pit, Saugeen Shores.

R.W. Tomlinson Limited received an award for their efforts in rehabilitating Standard Pit, Nepean.

Lafarge Canada and R.W. Tomlinson Limited each received a Property Enhancement Award.

“Property enhancement awards recognizes operational best practices in a site’s entrance, approach and perimeter screening, office and scalehouse areas, employee areas, plant appearance, environmental controls, truck and mobile equipment, and communicative signage,” said Zelek.

Zelek added sites that initially meet the minimum requirements in each of these sections receive a plaque. Site operators are then provided with an opportunity to win a “gold” bar for each section by meeting the comprehensive list of criteria for each.

“There are a total of seven gold bars that can awarded,” she said.

Lafarge Canada received two gold bars for their work at Cambridge Pit, North Dumfries; three gold bars for their work at Goodwood Pit, Uxbridge; and two gold bars for their work at Mosport Pit, Kawartha Lakes.

R.W. Tomlinson Limited received the maximum seven gold bars for their work at Rideau Quarry, Gloucester and one gold bar for their work at Stittsville Quarry, Goulbourn.

Student Design Awards

The Student Design Competition recognizes the most innovative and impressive designs for the rehabilitation of a former pit or quarry. This year, OSSGA challenged students to create site plans for CBM Aggregates’ Ayr Pit in North Dumfries.

The first-place team received $3,000 and given to a team from the University of Guelph for their project titled Memoryscape.
Team: James Lamb, Evan Wrigley, and Jingyi Yang.

The second-place team received $2,100 and given to a team from the University of Guelph for their project titled A Bug’s Life.
Team: Justin Luth, Daisy Reid, and Amanda Passero.

Justin Luth representing his team from Guelph University. Their project titled A Bug’s Life won second-place in the OSSGA Student Design Awards. Jay Koblun

Third-place saw a tie and each receiving a $1,000 prize. Both teams were from the University of Guelph.
Soaring in Ayr team: Katrine Eccles, Dana Lim, and Shyla Kimmell.
Walking on Ayr Sanctuary team: Oliva Chin, Katie Garrett, and Emily Moffat.

The Walking on Ayr team tied for third place in the OSSGA Student Design Award contest with the Soaring in Ayr team. Jay Koblun

The Soaring in Ayr team tied for third place in the OSSGA Student Design Award contest with the Walking on Ayr team. Jay Koblun

OSSGA awarded honourable mentions to two teams from Fanshawe College and received $900 prizes.
Carapace Crossing team: Connor MacLeod, and Aliyah Richards.
Eco Links team: Eric Kennes, and Ryan Korean.

An honourable mention was given to the Eco Links team at the OSSGA Student Design Awards. Jay Koblun

An honourable mentioned was given to the Carapace Crossing team at the OSSGA Student Design Awards. Jay Koblun

The industry awards review panel had judges from outside the industry, including Michael Williams, Ducks Unlimited Canada; Erica Rumbolt, The Ontario Aggregate Resources Corporation; Brent Armstrong, Aggregate Technical Specialist with MNRF; and Robert Koculym, Resource Management Technical Specialist Intern with MNRF. They were supported by OSSGA member Kevin Fitzpatrick of WSP Canada Inc.

The student design review panel had members from OSSGA’s Rehabilitation and Ecology Committees: George Antoniuk, The Miller Group; Kevin Fitzpatrick, WSP Canada Inc.; Debra Walker, MHBC Planning; and Stephen May, CBM Aggregates.