GTI Relocation Update - Construction Currently Underway

Posted on Tuesday, November 1st, 2016

Written by John R. Watson

GTI relocation construction photo

The Guelph Turfgrass Institute (GTI) will soon have a new home in the Arboretum.

As a result of discussions with the Province of Ontario, the current facilities of the GTI will be moved from Victoria Road to a portion of land in the Arboretum on the north side of College Avenue East and adjacent to the Cutten Fields Golf Club. Additional land will be developed at the Elora Research Station for larger-scale projects.

The proposed site plan includes a new G.M. Frost Centre, turfgrass research plots and greens, trial gardens, an irrigation pond, two storm water retention ponds and an upgrade of existing Arboretum facilities at the site.  

Site development commenced in late September with site surveying and installation of silt and tree protection fencing. More recently earth moving operations began to facilitate grading and drainage installation and research plot construction. The research plot construction process will be completed in spring 2017 with seeding and turf grow-in maintenance to follow. Ground breaking on the new G.M. Frost Centre building and maintenance facility is scheduled to follow. The relocation project is expected to be complete in late 2018.

Special Note for Arboretum Users: Please note that the trail system that runs through the construction area will be temporarily closed until research plot construction is complete. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and will work in coordination with Arboretum staff to advise users when the trail loop is open again. We appreciate your understanding and co-operation during this period of construction.

For more information on the GTI construction project, please contact John W. Vanos, Project Manager, Physical Resources at 519-824-4120, Ext. 56079 or jvanos@pr.uoguelph.ca

The GTI is supported by the University, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the turfgrass industry.

For construction process updates and turf related news, follow us on social media:

www.facebook.com/GuelphTurf             www.twitter.com/GuelphTurf

 

This news brief authored and published by John R. Watson, Guelph Turfgrass Institute Communications

For general inquiries or comments, please connect with us: gti@uoguelph.ca

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