Jay Kivell

Jay has been a horticulture and parks course facilitator for the Ontario Parks Association and the Ontario Recreation Facilities Association since 1984 delivering courses throughout Ontario and Quebec and has provided horticulture advice to individuals, companies and municipalities.

Jay has been involved with the Communities in Bloom program as a provincial judge and the Winter Lights program as a national judge sharing his knowledge and experience with over 20 communities in Ontario and New Brunswick.

He has been employed in both the public and private sectors.  In the private sector, he has been a floral designer, the head gardener at a horse race track, a manager in a garden centre and nursery operation, and a landscape foreperson in two landscape firms. Since 1974, he has worked in a small-sized municipality of 20,000 and a medium-sized municipality of 120,000. He has recently retired as the Director of Parks for the City of Guelph.

He has a Niagara Parks Diploma in general horticulture from The Niagara Parks Botanical Garden and School of Horticulture.  A life-long learner, he continued his education and holds a Recreation Leadership Program Diploma, a Business Management Studies Certificate and holds the AMCT designation from the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario.

Professionally, he is a Past President of the Ontario Parks Association, a Past President of the Alumni Association of The Niagara Parks Botanical Garden and School of Horticulture and has been recognized for his contributions to the Ontario Parks Association, the Alumni Association of The Niagara Parks Botanical Garden and School of Horticulture and the Ontario Recreation Facilities Association.

Contact Jay if any of the services are of interest to you.