Haig Seferian

Haig Seferian

ASLA Chapter: Canadian Chapter of the ASLA
Category: Leadership/Management
Firm: Seferian Design Group Limited, Burlington, Ontario, Canada
Education: Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada;
School of Environmental Design at California Polytechnic Institute at Pomona 1985 Pomona, California, USA

Most notable professional accomplishments: Our firm is involved in Residential, Commercial, Industrial and Institutional work.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR We have prepared numerous Master Plans and Urban Planning Solutions for Public and Private clients.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR Out of all this work, the work that has given me the most personal satisfaction is the community work that we have done.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR My parents taught me a very young age that it takes a village to raise a child and that is how my sister and I were raised.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR "Always help the community", my dad would say and in return the community will thrive and open opportunities for others.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR Using this principle and a Television Show as a catalyst, millions of dollars worth of community landscape projects have been built while at the same time educating the public as the nature of our profession.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR One particular public park stand out in my mind.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR Percy Street Park was a derelict park full of used condoms and needles.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR Children would be afraid to use the park and gangs of kids token ownership of it.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR After a meeting with the neighbourhood residents it was agreed that the park would be taken back and used for its initial purpose, as a 'public space for the community'.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR Meetings were held, plans were made, flyers sent out, permits obtained and the entire process was documented for a television show as a template for all communities to use in the future.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR After two weeks, a project worth $250,000.00 was finished without any cost to the residents or the municipality.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR All the work was donated through our firm's efforts.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR It was until a year later that I knew that we had succeeded when I went back to the site to take some photographs.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR As I entered the site, I was accosted by a resident who had seen me and come out of her house and approached me.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR It wasn't until I showed my business card that she realized that I was involved in the park's transformation.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR The park looked great and the local community had taken ownership of it.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR It was a place gathering and there were no signs of graffiti or garbage anywhere.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR The people of the neighbourhood loved their space and took care of every aspect of it.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR The Mayor of the City of Toronto cited Percy Street Park as a great example of community development and recognized all involved with an award.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR He encouraged all other communities to use this park's development as a template for developing a space within their own community.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR Every community has the ability to do this.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR It was a very satisfying process and we have gone on to do many many more similar projects.

Thoughts on being elected to the Council of Fellows: When I received the telephone call from the ASLA President I was very emotional.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR This great honour of being elected to Fellowship within the ASLA organization was overwhelming.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR This is something that you dream of happening, but understand that it will probably never happen to you.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR I was told not to be upset because this can take a few tries before you are considered for elevation.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR The fact that my peers feel that I am presently worthy of joining the ranks of the FASLA tells me that I made the right career choice.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR I have such passion for the work our office does and for my staff who make it possible for these creations to become reality.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR I am elated by this bestowal and will wear this badge of honour with great pride.???????(R)?EUR??,,????'?EUR??,,?EUR The only thing that could possibly give me more satisfaction would be to inspire colleagues to achieve the same.