GB LANDSCAPES WINS THE PRESTIGIOUS BOG OAK TROPHY
20 October 2014
GB Landscapes based in Castlederg has notched up a unique achievement to win the most coveted award in the industry with their first ever entry into the ALCI Landscape Awards.
GB Landscapes based in Castlederg has notched up a unique achievement to win the most coveted award in the industry with their first ever entry into the ALCI Landscape Awards. The winning scheme was for landscaping works at the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen. The project designed by Landscape Architect Richard Hannay, LUC London was completed in June 2012. Main contractor for the site was FCC Elliott.
Reg Maxwell, one of the judges said “We were taken by the scale and diversity of this project. There are many horticultural features within the contract area; it complemented the building and was functional giving service to the users and visitors”
The Awards, attended by 140 people from the landscaping sector across Ireland, were presented on Friday 17th October 2014 at a lunch in Titanic, Belfast. ALCI President Garth Dalzell spoke about importance of the landscaping element being considered as an integral part of projects and not just an afterthought “I know our colleagues in the construction sector do an excellent job creating the buildings, but it is often the creative landscaping around them that makes them sit into their location”
This year’s event was addressed by Rhona Quinn, President of CEF NI, Rhona was pleased to be speaking at a time when we are coming out of recession and also focused on the landscaping of construction sites “I am all too aware of the importance of landscaping to the buildings that we build. Landscaped spaces are now becoming extremely important areas within and outside buildings. It is important that designers and developers prioritise investment in landscaping and do not relegate it to an afterthought when all other budget headings have been allocated”
There was more good news for Portadown-based sports ground specialist Clive Richardson Limited receiving both the award for Sportsground construction and the Special Award for Design & Build for the pitch at the Petrovskiy Stadium in St Petersburg, Russia. CRL has been at the forefront of technology within their field, developing new systems and equipment for world class pitches both at home and abroad often under very challenging conditions. Previous projects include both Croke Park and Aviva Stadiums in Dublin and pitches in Ukraine & Poland for Euro 2012 and Brazil for the 2014 World Cup.
Judge Reg Maxwell said “A most exciting and world leading project in pitch development. It is a credit to the landscape contractors and this organisation (ALCI) that they work in the World Market”.
Other award winners included long established landscaping companies Cameron Landscapes and The Landscape Centre with several awards also going to up and coming Banbridge based company Nature at Work. The judges commented on the increasing high standards of work across the sector in all areas from large commercial schemes to private gardens and maintenance.
ALCI represents firms involved in commercial and private landscaping and maintenance across the island of Ireland, and the awards alternate annually between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland. ALCI was established in 1971 and it works to improve and maintain high standards of landscaping throughout Ireland for both the private and public sectors. The annual Awards recognise the excellent standard of landscaping and garden design achieved by landscaping companies in Ireland and judgement is based on original concept and design, standard of work in hard and soft landscaping, integration, suitability, efficiency and overall presentation. The ALCI represents over 140 member companies throughout Ireland.
