Presented by Marnie Latour at the AGM on Sept 19, 2026
The Society had another successful year of growing our gardens and our community. Our plots are all being utilized, and we still have a long list of gardeners wishing to join us. The newsletters and bulletin board have enhanced our communications with members. The long anticipated gazebo project was finally completed, providing shade and a gathering place. Garden beds are being repaired on an ongoing basis, and the grounds are being kept neat and tidy. We were out and about in the community at events like Seedy Saturday, the Colwood Volunteer Fair, and most recently the Lagoon Arts Festival. And we provided beautiful organic produce to the Living Edge Market over the summer. All of this is thanks to the dedication of our volunteers, to whom we are all grateful.
We are all aware, I think, of the large grant we received from the federal government towards a new garden space. Despite numerous setbacks, Derek DeCandole has been tireless in his efforts to bring this project to fruition. We hope that following the municipal elections there will be a renewed focus on this project, with a new site by Lagoon West Park having been identified. Further details will be provided as they become available.
Looking ahead, we hope to revitalize our website as another means of communicating and engaging with the community. We are evaluating different options for more durable beds that might require less maintenance. And we intend to bolster the ranks of our volunteers and give more people the opportunity to contribute to and build upon the good work currently taking place.
On that note I would like to take this opportunity to recognize two of our members for their outstanding commitment and contributions to the Society. Barb and Bob Sibbald have done so much for us over the years. Barb has taken on various board positions, most recently as City Hall Liason. Her sunny disposition and knack for engaging with people have benefitted us greatly and in no small part have brought us to the point where the dream of a second garden might become reality. Bob has quietly worked behind the scenes doing maintenance and building projects, as well as singlehandedly managing our major fundraiser, the ongoing bottle drive. They have had to significantly scale back their involvement recently, although they still have a plot and will be around the garden. We wish them well in the next chapter of their lives and offer our deep gratitude for years of support.
Here’s to a successful year that was, and an exciting new year ahead of us!
Respectfully submitted,
Marnie Latour