On September 5, the province's top stone masons competed in the Bricklayer 500 Ontario regional championship at Conestoga’s Roofing Skills and Training Centre at the Waterloo campus. The event showcases the skill and craftsmanship of professional masons who compete for the title of Ontario’s best bricklayer. This year, four Conestoga graduates were among the competitors.
The province's top stone masons competed at the Bricklayer 500 Ontario regional championship at Conestoga’s Roofing Skills and Training Centre on September 5.
The competition was established by SPEC MIX, Inc. in 2003 to drive workforce development and promote the masonry industry. Conestoga is one of just four Canadian locations to host the event - this was the eleventh year it was held at the college - and graduates Lyndon Brubacher, Felisha Lainey, Keith Richards and Dakota Bezemer were among the 19 teams involved.
Competitors were required to build a 26 ft. wall and the win went to the team able to lay the most bricks in one hour.
In addition to the participation of graduates, faculty member Rene Letoile said the event involved students from the college’s Brick and Stone Fundamentals program who assisted in the event setup, mixed mortar and moved materials during the competition. The event also gave students a chance to connect with local masons and meet with industry partners.
Mario Alves and his mason tender Kevin Avila, of A&M Masonry in Hamilton, finished in first place with a brick count of 707 and will advance to the World Championship in Las Vegas in January.
Conestoga is a provincial leader in the delivery of trades and apprenticeship training to serve industry needs and our growing community. Comprehensive programming includes a wide range of post-secondary trades programs that provide pathways to employment in skilled trades careers as well as pre-apprenticeship training and in-school training for apprentices.
Visit the School of Trades and Apprenticeship for more information.