TheRiverwoodConservancy
AnnualGeneralMeetingMinutes
Monday,April15,2024|7:00pm
ChappellHouse|4300RiverwoodParkLane,Mississauga
Participants:
CurrentMembers(34):
HeatherShaw
PeeterPoldre
RobinHaley-Gillin
LindaMorris
DougRichards
TrishiaKluge
SaraWilbur-Collins
ClementMbulu
ShirleyDaniels
MarcJohnson
JoeHorneck
GillianLien-Robinson
Non-Members(9):
BethJones
StephanieKeeler
RasheedClarke
Proxy(1):
DavidLeeder
BrianPackham
ElinorLaffey
DaveIrwin
DeanSane
DerekStone
RobertPaton
ChristinaWoodward
LynnMcFerran
PeterNewsome
AmyTjen
JonathanDavis
MonicaJako
SwaroopDogra
TimPickering
SusanRichards
SuzanneRoy
CarolynSherk
VickieMicallef
NinaBarabas
OliveHanna
ImdadJunejo
FrancineMartin
MirnaZaldivar
JodiCabral
KerryFurneaux
TayaKehler
ErinFarrow
IvancaNaje
1.CalltoOrder,AcknowledgementoftheLandandWelcome
HeatherShaw,ChairoftheBoardofDirectorsreadtheLandAcknowledgementandcalled theAnnualGeneralMeetingtoorder.BethJoneswastheRecordingSecretaryforthe meeting.
2.AcceptanceoftheMinutesoftheAnnualGeneralMeetingheldonApril26,2023
Motion:TheminutesofthelastAnnualMeeting,heldonApril26,2023,wereapprovedona motionbyElinorLaffeyandsecondedbyShirleyDaniels
3.ReportoftheChair
HeatherShaw’sreporthighlightedhow2023markedthelaunchofanewthree-yearStrategic PlanforTheRiverwoodConservancy. Guidedbythegoalsandprioritiesoutlinedinthat
plan,wecontinuedtofocusthroughouttheyearonworkimportanttoTheRiverwood Conservancy’smission,includingeducatingpeopleaboutnature,andpreserving Riverwood’sbeauty. WealsolaunchedeffortstorecruitanewTRCYouthCouncil,through whichwelookforwardtoengagingmoreyoungpeopleinhigh schoolandpost-secondary. Workwasalsoundertakento bringourArticlesofIncorporationandBylawsintocompliance withthenewOntarioNot-for-profitCorporationsAct,andtodiversifyourrevenuestreamsby bringinginmorerevenuefrom sponsorships,donationsandfees. Heatherexpressedthanks toTheRiverwoodConservancy’sstaff,volunteers,donorsandsponsors. Shealsothanked theCityofMississaugafortheirongoingsupport,includingWard6CouncillorJoeHorneck andalltheCityCouncillors.Thankyouall!
4.ReportoftheTreasurerandAppointmentofAuditors
TimPickeringreviewedthe2023auditedfinancialstatementsthatweredistributedpriorto themeeting.Henotedthattheorganizationrananoperatingdeficitof$93Kin2023,andthat wehadabout$517KincashattheendofDecember2023,mostofwhichisintheoperating reserve,andwhichrepresents40to40%ofourannualexpenses. Wearestillinarelatively goodfinancialpositiongoinginto2024.
Motion:ItwasmovedbyElinorLaffey,secondedbyPeeterPoldre,andcarried,thatthe Treasurer’sReportbeacceptedaspresented.
Motion:ItwasmovedbyPeterNewsome,secondedbySwaroopDograandcarriedthatthe firmofGlennGraydonWrightbeappointedauditorsfor2024.
5.ArticlesofIncorporationUpdates
JonathanDavisspoketothepackageofrecommendedchangestotheObjectsandBy-Law thatweredistributedwiththemeetingmaterials. Inhis comments,hehighlightedthatthe implementationofthenewOntarioNot-for-ProfitCorporationsAct(ONCA)requiresusto submitupdatestoCRAandthentotheOntarioBusinessRegistrypriorto theONCAdeadline inOctober. HealsonotedthatTRCsecuredadvicefromlegalcounselwithregardstothese updates,andthatlegaladviceprovidesthefoundationfortherecommendedchanges.
CurrentObjects(inplacesince1990):
1) TopromoteandassistintheprovisionofamajorPublicGardeninMississauga, Ontario,ontheformerChappell–MacEwan–Bird–Zaichukproperties.
2) ToprovidehorticulturalexpertisefortheplanningofpublicgardensintheCityof Mississauga,Ontario.
3) Toencourageandfosteranunderstanding,awareness,andappreciationof horticulture.
4) Toprovidepublicdisplaysandconductcompetitions,educationalseminars, conferences,andpublicforumsaboutthefloraandfaunaofPeelRegion.
Proposedadditionalobjectstobeaddedtothelistabove:
5) Toadvancethepublic'sknowledgeandunderstandingofRiverwoodParkby providingeducationalprogramsabouttheenvironmentalfeaturesoftheParkandits contextwithintheCityofMississaugaandtheCreditRiverwatershed.
6) Toprotecttheenvironmentforthebenefitofthepublicbystewardingtheecosystems andbiodiversityofRiverwoodParkonalong-termbasis.
7) Topromotepublicparticipationthroughvolunteeringopportunitiesforindividuals andgroupsinMississaugaandtheCreditRiverwatershed.
8) Toincreaseknowledgeoftheoutdoorsandappreciationoftheimpactsofclimate changebyofferingenvironmentaleducation,conservation,andstewardship programstodiverseaudiences.
9) Toprovidesupplementaryexpertiseand/orcapacitytoothernaturalareasand gardensintheCityofMississauga.
MemberQuestion–Whydotheupdatesgetsubmittedto CRApriortotheOntarioBusiness Registry?
AnswerfromSaraWilburCollins–Thisishastodowiththeupdatedobjectsof incorporation. BecausetheyalsoserveasourCharitableObjects,CRAneedsto confirmtheyaredescribingactivitiesthatareappropriateforanorganizationwith charitablestatus.Oncethatapprovalisreceivedthe fullpackagecangototheOntario BusinessRegistry
MemberQuestion–Withintheseupdates,haveyouaddresseddiversity,equityand inclusion?
AnswerfromSaraWilburCollins–Accordingtoourlegalcounsel,theObjectsof Incorporationshouldbeaveryconcise descriptionof“what”wedo. Concernsabout diversity,equityandinclusionaredealtwithindepthintheStrategicPlan,whichis moreaboutthehowofwhatwedo
Motion:ItwasmovedbyDeanSane,secondedbyMarcJohnsonandcarriedthatthe membershipofTheRiverwoodConservancyapprovetherecommendedupdatedObjectsand By-LawamendmentsinordertobringTRC’sArticlesofIncorporationintocompliancewith theOntarioNot-for-ProfitCorporationsAct(ONCA)
6.ReportoftheExecutiveDirector
SaraWilbur-CollinsreportedonthehighlightsofabusyyearatTheRiverwoodConservancy, andnotedthatakeyfactorthatalignedourworkwasthelaunchofthenewStrategicPlanin thespring. Throughouttheyear,wecontinuedtoadvancethegoalsandobjectivesoutlined inthatplan. Innovationsincludedthe“ChooseYourOwnAdventure”SummerDayCampthat engaged50kids;aNatureforNewcomerprogramdeliveredincollaboration withthe NewcomersCentreofPeel;GardeningNaturallyprogrammingforelementaryschoolclasses;
andaTrailAmbassadorprogramthatengaged1300parkvisitors.Wefeltveryhonouredwhen theMississaugasoftheCreditFirstNationprovidedtheirendorsementofland-based educationatRiverwood,andwhentheCityrenewedtheirfundingforanother threeyears.On asobernote,forthefirsttimeever,poorairqualityduringwildfireseasoncreatedachallenge forthedeliveryofouroutdoorprograms. Toensurewecancontinuetoadvanceourmission, weinvestedinourfundraisingprogram,andin2023hostedourfirst-everAmbassadors Breakfastforthosewhoarewillingtoopendoorsforusinthecorporatesector. Manythanks totheCity’sstaffandCouncilmembers,toourpartnerorganizationonthesiteVisualArts Mississauga,toourfundersandindividualdonors,andtoourgrowinggroupofmajordonors andsponsors.
7.ReportoftheNominationsCommittee:
CarolynSherk,chairoftheNominationsCommittee, presentedthereportoftheNominating CommitteeandwelcomednewmembersPeeterPoldre,ImdadHussainJunejo,andMonica JacoasacandidatesforelectiontotheBoardofDirectors.
Motion:ItwasmovedbyMarcJohnsonandsecondedbyChristinaWoodwardthatPeter Poldre,ImdadHusseinJunejo,andMonicaJacobeelectedasDirectorsofTRCasofthis meeting.Themotionwascarried.
Motion:ItwasmovedbyElinorLaffeyandsecondedbySwaroopDograthatthenumberof directorsontheboardofdirectorsbesetatthirteen(13)membersforthe2024-2025year. Themotionwascarried.
8.AppreciationofRetiringVolunteers
HeatherShawexpressedTheRiverwoodConservancy’ssincerethankstotwo longstanding andoutgoingboardmembers,CarolynSherkandMarcJohnson,foralloftheirmany contributionstotheorganization.
TayaKehler,GardensCoordinator,expressedtheorganization’sandtheGarden’sCommittee gratitudetofoundingvolunteer GaryWatsoncloseto40yearsofvolunteering,adirector, committeemember,andfinallymemberofthegardenscommittee.
9.StaffYearsofServiceRecognition
HeatherShawnotedthatwehavestartedanewtraditionthisyearofrecognizingstaff for theiryearsofservicetotheorganization. Manythanksgoouttothefollowing:
Inrecognitionoffiveormoreyearsofservice:
• StephanieKeeler(fiveyears)
• RasheedClarke (fiveyears)
• KerryFurneaux(sevenyears)
• BethJones(nineyears)
Inrecognitionoftenormoreyearsofservice:
• ErinFarrow(elevenyears)
• BrianPackham(thirteenyears)
10. UpdateontheMacEwanPondProject
DerekStone,DirectorofPrograms,sharedanupdateaboutthenewlyreleasedfinalplansfor theMacEwanPondrestorationproject. Henotedthatthescopefortherestorationhasbeen adjustedsignificantlyfromearlierplans. Thenewplanfocusesprimarilyonimprovementsin accessibilitybycreatingnewboardwalks,benchesandinterpretivesignage,andbypaving pathwaysthatcurrentlyhavesoftsurfaces. Theoriginalplanhadalsoaimedtoincreasethe expanseofopenwaterinthepondbymeansofmechanicaldredgingtoremoveaccumulated biomassfrominvasivephragmitesgrasses. However,hydrogeologicalstudiesconducted overthelasttwoyearsindicatedthatsuchdredgingcouldcausemoreharmthangood. Instead,thenewplanwillraisethechannelthatallowsoverflowtodrainout,ameasure whichmayraisewaterlevelsbyuptotencentimeters. Constructionisexpectedtobe completebyMay2025.
MemberQuestion–CouldthepavingofthetrailwestofMacEwanPondnegatively affect wildlifeandwaterqualityinRon’sPond?(asmallwetlandadjacenttoMacEwanPond)
AnswerfromDerekStone–Materialsforthepavingworkhavebeenhand-pickedto avoidconflictswiththeecosystemasmuchaspossible.Forexample,thepaving materialswerechangedtoprotectanearbyButternutTree.
11.NewBusiness
None
12.Members’Questions
None
13.AdjournmentoftheMeeting
Motion:At8:30PMitwasmovedbyCarolynSherk,secondedbyTimPickering,andcarried thattheAGMbeadjourned.