First Avenue Athletes Village Housing Co-operative

Garden Committee Meeting: 

May 19, 2021, 6:30 pm 

Minutes

In Attendance: Lindsay Alford, Deb Cooper, Diane Holt, Mila Timochevskaya,

Pouneh Bahrami, Ryanne James, Susan Moroney, Adele Laker-Ball

Regrets: Danny Berish

1. Call to Order: 6:41 pm.

2. Approval of Agenda: Approved. Moved, Seconded, Carried.

3. Approval of Minutes of Last Meeting: Approved. Moved, Seconded, Carried.

4. Follow-up from Previous Meeting: The Actions List was reviewed and most were reviewed again along with business items below, as described.

5. Business Items Discussed:

• Treasurer’s Update:

  • Diane gave an update on expenditures and money remaining out of our total $2000.00 budget. Boulevard garden has spent their total budget. We had a total of $475.98 remaining to spend for the rooftop garden according to Diane’s latest update, but Ryanne just submitted receipts today for new hoses, which is not yet included in this. The team also discussed other potential upcoming purchases (see next business item). Team also discussed whether two hoses are needed for the North garden vs. only one. 

  • Actions:

    • Diane will update the records and inform the team of remaining money available in this year’s budget. 

• Upcoming purchases:

  • Plants we still need to purchase for this growing season: tomatoes and cucumber starts (approx $30 for tomatoes, and $40 for cukes); flowers (approx $80).

  • Canopy for North garden has been previously researched and the team all agree it is a good purchase. It will go over the new picnic table to protect from rain.  

  • Ryanne, Deb, and Pouneh shared info about hose reel options for the new hose in the North Garden. Concerns were expressed about members not being careful with how the hose is rolled up with the temporary reel. 

  • Actions: 

    • If the team decides to go ahead with the Lee Valley hose reel, Ryanne will submit a request to the Board to ask for a one-time purchase of the new hose reel because it costs more than we have remaining. 

    • Deb to double check the prices of the canopy, and order if it comes to under $100 including shipping. 

• Irrigation:

  • North side garden irrigation is still not working.

  • South garden irrigation is working fine.

  • Actions: Deb to follow up with Bechir about the North irrigation. 

• Planting:

  • Some team members met since the last meeting and drew up the planting map for the South garden. Lindsay digitized it, shared on Google Drive and posted a paper copy on inside of garden shed door

  • The following veggies have already been planted:

    • Lettuce, potatoes, radishes, peas, and turnips have been planted (Deb)

  • Actions: Team discussed planting schedule and divided up the veggies that still need to be planted: 

    • Lindsay to plant onions this weekend

    • Adele and Lindsay to plant carrots and beets. Susan also offered to teach Adele

    • Mila and Diane to plant cukes

    • Diane to plant chard and Mila and Lindsay to will help care for it

    • Deb to do beans and zucchini

    • Broccoli starts - Deb has them started

    • Pouneh will do tomatoes

• Policy update

  • Lindsay updated the team on the status of rules and policy for common space booking, including garden space. Team discussed options for rolling out information about garden rules and booking procedures. Some initial ideas about signage were discussed, such as a bulletin board just inside the garden glass doors. All agreed that any signs needed to be welcoming and encouraging use of the garden. Other ideas, to include: reminders about taking care of the garden, who to contact for more info or to participate in the garden, where to find more info (direct to AVC Igloo site). This discussion led into brainstorming ways to get members more involved in the garden (see next business item). 

  • Actions - 

    • All team members to brainstorm ideas for content on sign/bulletin board in hallway inside garden door(s). Send ideas to Susan and she will summarize for the next meeting

    • Ryanne will work on Terms of Reference for our team to go on the AVC Igloo website. 

• Involvement of members:

  • Team discussed the ongoing challenge of involving AVC members in the garden, especially difficult again this year due to the pandemic. 

  • We discussed ways to teach interested members to do simple tasks, which Lindsay previously started in list form. Lindsay suggested she could have her son help to film and edit a few short videos as a trial, and link them on the Igloo website for members to use for reference. Ideas would be, how to weed planter pots, weed cracks in tiles, sweep, etc.

  • Team agreed that we still cannot have full work parties and veggie teams, but can welcome participation within household bubble groups. 

  • An idea from Ryanne - could we do short written updates in the elevator or lobby, such as welcome to the garden, reminder to take care of space, what to go look at or pick. 

  • More regular updates on FB

• Actions:

  • Lindsay will do a trial instruction video with son and show to the team for feedback.

  • Lindsay will do a FB post and email to members about garden involvement after we have an update from Dr. Henry on new rules for gathering outdoors. 

  • 
    

• Moving of Plants and Trees:

  • We still have approximately 4 or 5 potted fruit trees left to give away. Deb will post on a gardening facebook site to give away. 

• Other business:

  • We have issues with the garden hoses not being well cared for by members - nozzles get dropped and broken, hoses left lying around and not properly rolled up. Discussed ways to provide education, such as signage, and all of the committee contributing by cleaning up the hoses when left out. 

  • Solar lights - waiting for Ned to drill holes in the cement wall to mount the posts. 

• Next meeting June 16 at 7pm

• Adjourned 7:45pm

• Minutes taken by Lindsay Alford