About the Friends of Allan Gardens

We are a volunteer-based organization that is working to imagine and lead the revitalization of Allan Gardens.

Mission

We aspire to grow the park and conservatory from their heritage roots as a horticultural garden of education, natural beauty, and cultural influence to become a year-round green oasis and vibrant destination at the heart of downtown Toronto. The Friends of Allan Gardens aims to share the stewardship of this land with Indigenous organizations and support groups throughout the city, and with our many benevolent society neighbours adjacent to the Gardens. We recognize the donation by George Allan to the citizens of Toronto of the five acres that became Allan Gardens, an early example of Canadian park philanthropy.

What’s Next?

The Friends of Allan Gardens are working on Growing With The City, an initiative to cultivate continued engagement, fundraising, and stewardship in the development and coordination of future programming and capital projects in Allan Gardens

Staff Team

Derek Barber, Edible Garden Coordinator

Derek has been growing vegetables in backyard gardens, balconies, community gardens, rooftop gardens and on commercial farms for many years. Ten years ago, he decided to follow this passion and went back to school in horticulture and urban agriculture. Today, his focus is to teach and promote vegetable gardening as a healthy activity and as a career with the goal of increasing food sovereignty in our neighbourhoods.

Matt Canaran, Project Manager

Matt graduated from the Master of Landscape Architecture program at the University of Guelph in 2022. Matt is an avid gardener, an enthusiastic urbanist, and an advocate for environmental stewardship. He is excited to use his background in project management, landscape design, and horticulture to serve the entire Friends community. In addition to working with the Friends of Allan Gardens, he runs a garden design practice with his brother, Sean.

Charles Leonard, Community Facilitator

As a Community Facilitator at Allan Gardens, Charles brings a passion for cultivating spaces and fostering community engagement. With a background in volunteer work and a love for houseplants and native forest ecosystems, he enjoys gathering and replanting seeds to support biodiversity and sustainability. In his free time, he pursues an interest in analog photography, capturing and developing stunning landscape images.

Tiana Osborne, Communications Specialist

As the Communications Specialist, Tiana brings her experience in Public Relations and Events to Allan Gardens along with her passion for plants. With a Masters degree in Communication and Culture from Toronto Metropolitan University, Tiana is excited about helping to uplift and grow the Allan Gardens community. In her spare time, you can find her reading a book or taking care of her one too many houseplants

Board of Directors

  • Michael McClelland, Founder and Chair of Board

  • Ionela Florescu, Treasurer

  • Dana Alexandrescu

  • Laura Dean

  • Rina Fraticelli

  • Adele Freeman

  • Robert McKaye

  • Steven Shuttle

  • Brendan Stewart

Partners

  • City of Toronto, Parks Forestry & Recreation

  • Toronto Metropolitan University, Office of Social Innovation

  • Centre Francophone

  • Common Boots Theatre

  • GreenThumbs Growing Kids

  • Toronto & York Region Metis Council

  • Miziwe Biik

  • Dot Dot Dash

  • ERA Architects

  • Park People

  • Garden Club of Toronto