Fwd: ✍️ Sign Our Petition to Expand the Conservatory

[Joe Nasr]

Hello TUGgers,

I am sharing with our list members a petition that was recently launched by the Friends of Allan Gardens and endorsed by the Mayor to expand substantially the conservatory at Allan Gardens by doubling the number of its greenhouses.  If you go to the link in the newsletter below (here is the direct link: https://www.friendsofallangardens.ca/legacy) and scroll down, you can see a drawing that gives a sense of what is proposed.  Specifically, you can see an "Agricultural House" on the left.  This would be basically an indoor teaching garden for urban agriculture, adjacent to the existing "Teaching Garden" that is largely focussed on food and pollination crops (I hope you have all visited Allan Gardens recently, including the Teaching Garden!).  Moreover, the expansion includes meeting spaces for education and events on a lower level.

I encourage TUGgers to back the petition.  Funding possibilities are promising from what I understand, but public support will help bring this major expansion to reality, including permanent indoor and outdoor spaces for urban agriculture education.  If you have questions, feel free to email me, I will be happy to share what I know so far.

Thinking of a food-focussed, centrally located showcase greenhouse while we are surrounded by mounds of snow - perfect timing for this petition!  Hopefully, this will be the foundation of more greenhouses across the city.

Joe Nasr
TUG Co-coordinator

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Friends of Allan Gardens <in...@friendsofallangardens.ca>
Date: Thu, Jan 29, 2026 at 4:14 PM
Subject: ✍️ Sign Our Petition to Expand the Conservatory
To: Joe <jn...@torontomu.ca>

...and join us for Hungry for Love Carnivorous Plant Sale, Family Day, and our Farmers' Market!

Have you seen our plans to double the size of the Allan Gardens Conservatory? With weather like this, it's clear Toronto needs more public greenhouse space, we're ready to deliver... but we need your support! Sign our petition to expand Allan Gardens, creating a truly world-class botanical garden and civic gathering place in the heart of Toronto! We’re aiming for 10,000 signatures! Will you help us get there!? Allan Gardens is ready for its next chapter. Watch to learn more about the Friends of Allan Gardens and our plans for to double the greenhouse conservatory for this and future generations to enjoy, together! ✍️ Sign and share our petition with everyone you know. Let's bring our most ambitious dreams to reality, together! Sign the Petition Things Are Really Ramping Up!  🙌 This greenhouse expansion is getting tonnes of traction! We launched the petition at our volunteer appreciation event on the weekend, and the Mayor was there to celebrate with us (see photo below)! Despite launching less than a week ago, we already have over 2,000 signatures! Michael McClelland, Chair of the Friends of Allan Gardens was on CBC's Metro Morning talking about our ambitions. Listen here. Urban Toronto wrote an article too, read it here. We're getting more and more interest on the topic every single day!  📣 Upcoming Events 📣 Toronto's Favourite Carnivorous Plant Sale is Back! 💘 Friends of Allan Gardens and Plantzza Hut are excited to co-host Hungry for Love, a volunteer-run, multi-vendor carnivorous plant sale has returned for its fourth year, this time it's taking place in the newly renovated Palm House! Come hungry for plants! 😈 🗓 Date & Time: Sunday, February 15, 11AM-4PM 📍 Location: Palm House, Allan Gardens, East side of the park (Sherbourne & Carlton) 📬 19 Horticultural Ave, Toronto, M5A 2P2 Learn More Pete Moss Plays on Family Day! 🎸 Pete Moss is an award winning family folk musician that celebrates birds, plants and the hidden wonders of nature. With catchy, kid-friendly tunes and heartfelt storytelling, he inspires curiosity and connection across generations - bringing joy, ecology and a touch of magic to every performance. You’re invited to Family Day at Allan Gardens featuring Pete Moss!  🗓️Date & Time: Monday, February 16th, 10:00-12:00PM. Pete plays from 10:30-11:15. 📍Location: Allan Gardens Children’s Conservatory, west side of the Park by Jarvis & Carlton Learn More Farmers' Market Runs All Winter! Pick up fresh food, shop local, visit your favourite vendors, and enjoy the beautiful greenhouses this winter!  🗓️ Date & Times:  Every Saturday from 10-2PM!📍 Location: In the Allan Garden’s Children’s Conservatory and Teaching Garden on the west side of the park. By Jarvis and Carlton. Address is 19 Horticultural Ave, Toronto, Ontario. Follow our social media for weekly vendor updates (Facebook, Instagram) Learn More 🌴 Visiting the Conservatory  🤩 The Allan Gardens Conservatory is open 365 days a year. Admission is free, thanks to the City of Toronto! ⏰ Conservatory hours: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (last entry at 4:45 p.m.) Palm House lights turn on nightly by 4:45 p.m. and are best viewed outdoors after sunset. 🚇 Choose public or active transportation when visiting the park. Driving? Please note that there is no parking on site. There is paid street parking along Carlton St. and Gerrard St., as well as a Green P lot at 405 Sherbourne St.  📣 Rotational greenhouse closures are currently happening, for routine maintenance. Depending on the date of your visit, one or two greenhouses will be closed. Signage will be posted in the park to help navigate the closures. This is expected to last until early March, 2026.  Pass Along this Newsletter ⏩ Do you know anybody who'd like to attend an event or learn about our work? Forward this newsletter to them. Let's share the fun!  Thank you, Friends! Do you want to dig in and be a part of the future of Allan Gardens? Donate or Volunteer now! Donate Volunteer View this email in your browser Copyright © 2026 Friends of Allan Gardens, All rights reserved. You're receiving this email because you opted to stay informed about the future of Allan Gardens, upcoming events, and how to get involved. Our mailing address is: Friends of Allan Gardens c/o Allan Gardens 19 Horticultural Ave Toronto, On M5A 2P2 Canada Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

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Joe Nasr

jn...@torontomu.ca / joe...@sympatico.ca