Mike Dall’AcquaBY PATRICK DIXON – RICHMOND HILL, ON

For Mike Dall’Acqua, the lure of landscaping began at childhood. Born to Aldo and Patricia in March of 1985, Dall’Acqua learned the value of hard work at a very young age, and his parents served as a shining example of perseverance and commitment. It was his father’s passion for building in particular, says the King City, Ontario native, which inspired him to pursue landscaping as his livelihood. “Some people are born to be hockey players, some are born to be artists, and some are born to be musicians”, he says, “I knew, somehow, that I was going to end up in construction. I’ve got it in my blood.” As a 21-year-old graduate of York University’s Urban Devel-

for a lengthy and prosperous career. -ing plenty of buzz on the local landscaping scene amongst clients and professionals alike, Dall’Acqua founded Kingscape Landscape

pair turned Kingscape into a neighbourhood sensation almost overnight. Dall’Acqua’s ability to visualize a concept, capture each

is what helped put Kingscape on the map. Today, as a 29-year-old with more than 7 years experience under his tool belt, Dall’Acqua continues to meet projects with a

me, ‘what are you on?’” he laughs. For the record, Dall’Acqua’s high is a natural one that stems

four screws in his leg following a hockey injury, his energy can scarcely be contained. So much so, that despite having a 12-person landscaping crew at his immediate disposal, Dall’Acqua personally attends to every aspect of a project from conception to conclusion. “I’m hands on”, he admits, though confesses, “I’m not the kind of

If the guys need a push, then I’m on the shovel. I drive excavators. I drive dump trucks. I’m on site 100%. I like being involved.” When prompted to recall his proudest architectural accom-plishments, Dall’Acqua instead reminisces about the meaningful relationships he has developed with his clients over the years.“You feel good when the client is shaking your hand. Sometimes they hug you, or they cry, because it means a lot to them. I’m friends with a lot of our clients. We get to know them and they consider us family. I feel proud about that.” -

to escape the job site every now and again. You can occasionally

sun, catching some waves, and gathering inspiration for his next big project.

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