|
85,000 Visitors Attend IPM 2006 The International Ploughing Match & Farm Machinery Show of Ontario (IPM) occurs annually showcasing the agricultural industry in Ontario. This exhibit is the largest of its’ kind in Ontario, perhaps the country. With a history that dates back to the settling of Ontario, ploughmen and their peers come here to strut their stuff.
The 2006 event took place in Peterborough County at Glen Isles Farms near the village of Keene. This years’ attendance of 85,000 exceeded estimates by an astounding 40,000 visitors. The main exhibit area covered approximately 40 hectares. There were craft exhibits, live entertainment and children’s educational programs. To quote County Warden Neal Cathcart “We are working with eight local townships and the City of Peterborough to create an amazing Peterborough regional display.”
A local committee hosts the event in a different community every year. This takes a lot of hard work by an army of volunteers and exhibitors all working together. The key to working together is clear communication. With a large venue such as this, reliable radio communications are mission critical.
Understanding these needs, Glentel / Time MCI has supplied the IPM with their radio communications for 5 events. Howard Selcer, Glentel / Time MCI’s Rental Division Manager, coordinated the implementation of the trunked radio system. Working with Norm Blodgett, President of the Peterborough committee and Roy Craft, the set up of the trunking system and distribution of the portables went on without a hitch. Norm commented, “The radio coverage of the entire Festival grounds was paramount to the success of the event and Glentel / Time MCI exceeded our expectations”.
The 800 MHz trunked radio system offered each group the privacy of a separate talk channel but with the ability of reaching any other group on the radio. This gave all users the peace of mind that if they needed help in any way it was a simple switch away.
Roy Craft, Chairman of the Communication & Sound Systems committee, said, “Glentel / Time MCI is a well oiled, well organized machine. The radios were systematically distributed plus, any changes were done quickly and efficiently on the fly. The trunking system, all 180 portable radios, 5 base stations and 24 PA (public address) speakers were up and running on the day we agreed to… as promised. All issues relating to the radio system were dealt with quickly and in a professional manner”. Jeff Waldroff, Past President of the OPA and Chair of the Tent City Committee was thoroughly impressed with Glentel / Glentel / Time MCI. He said, “The radio system that Glentel / Glentel / Time MCI provided was exceptional. The accessibility, not only to our group but also to the other 13 talk groups was instant. The service technician on-site had his challenges as well but came through with flying colours. The PA system was ideal for safety and security and worked flawlessly”.
Ken McCormack, General Manager of the OPA, was absolutely delighted with the performance of the radio equipment. "Once the trunking system was set-up, the radios worked like a dream. The radios were so easy to use and the additional batteries came in handy especially when some volunteers forgot to re-charge their radios overnight. The coverage of the radios exceeded our expectations. The service that Glentel / Time MCI’s representatives Howard Selcer and Eric Pomainville provided was very much appreciated. They definitely went above and beyond the call of duty”.
With a weather forecast that performed as well as the radio system, the event was a rousing success. Contact Glentel today for a custom rental solution at your next event! |
