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Aldergrove Nursery founder recognized for lifetime achievement

2017 BCLNA Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award to be awarded posthumously to Dave Redekop
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The 2017 BCLNA Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award to be awarded posthumously to the founder of Aldergrove Nursery, Dave Redekop, who passed away on November 14, 2017.

Dave Redekop, founder of Aldergrove Nursery, will be recognized for his contribution posthumously by the horticulture industry at the BC Landscape and Nursery Association’s (BCLNA) Awards Night this month.

Dave Redekop was selected to win the 2017 BCLNA Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award, BCLNA’s highest Award, by the BCLNA Past Presidents earlier this year. Unfortunately, Dave Redekop passed away on Nov. 14, just two weeks before the awards ceremony.

Dave Redekop had been advised that he had won the award, and he was looking forward to accepting his award surrounded by his peers.

The eldest of seven children of Russian immigrants William and Mary (Dyck) Redekop, Dave first came to Aldergrove in 1946 at age 17 when the family bought 40 acres of land on Lefeuvre Road. The family cleared the land and established a nursery operation.

Dave began his career in the horticulture industry as a nursery grower in 1944 under the mentorship of Henry Eddi, a pioneer in the B.C. nursery industry.

In 1953 the newlywed Dave and Lenora (Dahl) purchased five acres at 28080 Fraser Highway from which Dave initially sold fruit trees door-to-door.

For the first couple of years Lenora worked at the Royal Bank in Aldergrove while Dave worked with plants, supplementing the family income with seasonal construction projects.

Over time, Dave and his wife Lenora specialized in growing roses and in time Aldergrove Nursery grew over 150,000 roses annually and had hundreds of varieties.

Dave and Lenora were very active in the community events and activities and the family are members of the Ross Road Mennonite Brethren Church.

Dave was generous with his time and expertise, openly sharing his knowledge and skills with others in the industry. Many learned the skills they needed to know from Mr. Redekop and started their own business.

This willingness to help others exemplified him as a truly outstanding BCLNA member, acknowledged by the BCLNA Lifetime Achievement Award. Dave was a huge asset to the success of the nursery industry.

Today Aldergrove Nursery remains in the Redekop family. Dave’s son and daughter-in-law, Lorne and Shirley, continue in the business along with their son.

Lorne and Shirley took over major responsibility for the nursery when they moved into the family residence in 1980, and Dave and Lenora “downsized” to a home in Clearbrook.

However, Dave remained active in the nursery’s daily operations and through Dave’s mentorship Lorne focused on products for the local garden centre market and has grown the business to 24 employees and 75 acres, with sales of over $2 million.

Dave’s grandson, Jeremiah, also works on the nursery, allowing the Redekop family to enjoy three generations working side by side before Dave’s passing.