Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/687429
J UNE 2016 | 33 Landscape Products SHADE SAILS PHOTOGRAPHY BY KERI KNAPP as well as 90-degree turns, and they can be combined with coping units to create stairs. Andy Savoie, business development manager for Armtec (one of Canada's largest infrastructure com- panies supplying precast, corrugated steel and HDPE products and solutions), agrees that larger format pav- ers are the "in" thing right now: "As we speak we're awaiting delivery of moulds for larger pavers with varying textures. While my concern about this for- mat is that they may be more susceptible to cracking, there's no doubt they provide ease of maintenance compared to smaller systems with more joints and, consequently, unwanted elements such as weeds growing between the pavers." But big pavers are hardly the only new product to be offered by Armtec. Savoie reports a growing demand for pizza ovens as a backyard residential feature as well as an anchor for common areas in condo devel- opments. "Our Armtec Pizza Oven imported from an Italian distributor can be easily integrated into our retaining wall blocks, even by the casual do-it-your- selfer, and they definitely have a visual appeal in addi- tion to their function," he says. For more than 30 years, innovation has been the driving force behind product development at Keystone Retaining Wall Systems. Keystone focuses on current and emerging market trends, and that diligence has resulted in products like Keystone Compac Hewnstone wall system, which combines strength and structural stability with a natural textured beauty. The company's product portfolio continually evolves and remains relevant to market needs because of its dedication to esthetics and performance. Keystone walls have proven to be the best solution for heavy duty projects in the municipal, industrial and transporta- tion sectors (thanks to technology such as the KeyGrid System, which meets most current bridge design spec- ifications and federal highway administration design requirements). Its wall systems are favoured for their versatility and ease of installation; they are perfect for small to mid-size residential projects as well as for building freestanding elements like fire pits and out- door kitchens. If the stars align, retaining wall providers in B.C. will soon have new competition from a company that is practically a household name in South Africa, Australia, India and other countries: Terraforce, which pioneered the hollow, reversible interlocking concrete block that for the past 25 years has been unmatched in its versatility, both in application and elevation. That's because a Canadian license for Terraforce was recently obtained by Erik Van Heerden, who is currently consulting with various regional manufac- turers and aims to establish a market in the Okanagan later this summer, followed by penetration into Metro Vancouver. "Most competing blocks are trucked into the Okanagan from other locations, so by offering a regionally-made product we will slash transportation costs and provide developers with a superior product at a 25-30 per cent discount," he says. Initially, the blocks available will be the 16 and 36 sizes, which will encompass residential and com- mercial usage. "That way we can help with serious embankment stabilization as well as enable private owners to handle do-it-yourself backyard projects," explains Van Heerden. Terraforce units, which include a rock face and plantable green wall options, are sim- ply stacked up without mortar for cost-effectiveness and can be used for light revetment cladding, medium- to-heavy gravity retaining walls, heavy-duty compos- ite walls in combination with earth reinforcing grids (fabrics), or reinforced concrete infill. If there is one landscaping component that is some- times misunderstood on a regulatory level, it is fire pits. Long a mainstay of many properties, fire pits are CypressStone retaining walls and stairs from Mutual Materials. Lakeside planter and bench from Landscape Forms. Residential shading solutions from Shade Sails Canada; The Armtec Pizza Oven imported from Italy.