The Leaflet eNewsletter Spring 2021
Dear Friend,
It should come as no surprise that given the ongoing public health emergency, Allan Gardens Conservatory remains closed until further notice. Despite this, there are still plenty of updates we would like to share with you.
City of Toronto horticulturalists continue to tend to the indoor plant collection and care for the turtles and fish. The outdoor gardeners have been busy planting and it shows. For more on the spring floral display in the park, see the What’s In Bloom section below.
FOAG is delighted to announce that it was recently awarded a Pollinate TO grant for a new native plant garden in the children’s playground. Through community planting days, family programs, volunteer-led tours and signage, the “Pollinator Playground” garden has the potential to engage and educate the hundreds of local families who visit the park on a regular basis. Stay tuned for more information!
Preparation for the Palm House state of good repair work remains ongoing. To date, more than half of the plants in the Palm House have been relocated within Allan Gardens or the Cloud Conservatory in preparation for work to begin. Repair and restoration work on the Palm House will likely start later this year.
Despite the slight delay in completion of the new administration building and public washrooms much progress has been made. Construction is now targeted to be complete early to mid-summer. Once open, the new accessible washrooms will be available to the public during COVID-19 lockdowns.
FOAG has an interest in the park beyond the conservatory walls and understands that not all park-users experience the park in the same way. On March 19, 2021, Notices of Trespass were posted by the City of Toronto on tents and tiny shelters across the City. These notices stated that effective April 6, all encampments will need to be vacated. Any action by the City to vacate encampment residents would have forced them into the overburdened and often unsafe shelter system. On April 1, the City softened its stance, stating that the April 6th deadline was only meant to “guide peoples’ decision making.” While acknowledging that a COVID-19 outbreak had shuttered admissions to a priority hotel shelter, no City action was carried out on April 6.
FOAG supports the right to safe, stable and permanent housing and encourages our members to find ways to not only learn more about anti-poverty policies, but also to support groups and programs working to deliver much-needed resources. Please find a few resources below:
Toronto Indigenous Harm Reduction Network
Who’s Hungry? A 2020 report from Daily Bread Food Bank
Please read on for more news. We hope that the emergence of spring is lifting your spirits. We continue to look forward to the day when we can enjoy Allan Gardens together again.
Be well,
Board of Directors
Friends of Allan Gardens
To read on and view the full spring issue of The Leaflet, visit: https://mailchi.mp/friendsofallangardens/the-leaflet-spring2021
