FROM THE TBG

INTERIM TBG BOARD CHAIR GORDON ASHWORTH LOOKS TO THE FUTURE

The Toronto Botanical Garden’s annual general meeting held via Zoom in June was a great success with over 300 members in attendance. It included the presentation of the financial reports, answering of questions and the election of a new slate of directors. With retirements from the board there were 11 vacancies to be filled.

The Nominations Committee undertook an extensive canvass for new members that might serve on the board. More than 100 applications were received and after an extensive interview process the slate was presented to the membership. The new board includes directors that cover many disciplines needed for the good operation of the board. The number one trait of the new board members is an avid interest in gardening. Please read the bios of the new board on the TBG website for background information. With the election of the new board a new set of board officers will be selected at our first board meeting in the fall.

I would like to pay tribute to our outgoing Acting Chair Cynthia Webb, who took over the role of Chair after Gino Scapillati left the board in mid-term. Cynthia has been a tireless member since she joined the board in 2016. In recent years she has been a Vice Chair of the board and Chair of the Development Committee. She also served on the Governance Committee. Cynthia brought her past development experience, coupled with her love of plants, to the management and direction of the board. A big thank you to Cynthia for the hours she has given to the TBG.

The new board has two big items on its agenda. First, with the departure of CEO David McIsaac, the board is leading the process for the hiring of a new Executive Director. This will be a detailed search with criteria that includes management skills, communications abilities and a knowledge of what and how a botanical garden operates.

Our second item is guiding the process for the expansion of the garden. As was indicated at the annual meeting and in Trellis, PMA has been selected to guide the planning process. PMA is consulting with groups that use the garden and other experts. It is anticipated that a detailed plan based on the consultations and the TBG Master Plan will be presented to the board later this year.

The next year at the TBG will be very busy as we come out of the pandemic and resume regular activities whether they be rentals or new education opportunities. The board would like to thank the staff for its dedicated work throughout the pandemic period and encourage our members to come to the garden and participate in our many programs. Happy gardening.

Gordon Ashworth Interim Chair tbgboard@torontobotanicalgarden.ca