Present: Eva, Wayne, Jo, Ann, Pat, Janet, Jane, Ruth, Susana, Penny, Cynthia
Regrets: Helen (she teaches on Tuesday nights)
Pat reported that we sold about $180 tickets to this year's Garden Tour (so took in about $1800).
This year's Garden Tour was a huge success.
Pat said that if possible she would prefer not to be involved with Britannia Neighbours finances any longer. Jane and Eva volunteered for role as treasurer. Jane will do it for now and Eva will be available as back-up. We should probably get Eva as a signing officer. (And we agreed to add Ann as a signing officer a few months ago and began the process at Vancity, but I don't believe the paperwork was ever completed. Ann?)
For next year's Garden Tour, Jo and Janet have already found and identified quite a few potential gardens. Pat & Ann and Jane & Sandy are finding gardens as well. So we are well on the way for next year.
Glen at Figaro's would like our Garden Tour operation to be a bit more businesslike and professional. He would like to see us produce more polished brochures and maps and for us to get info to him a bit more in advance.
We will try to enlist the person who designed the Strathcona Garden Open House brochure to help us design one for us for next year's Tour.
We might also produce a flyer that Figaro's can display on the counter in the store over the winter that says something like "Would you like to participate as one of the gardens on the tour? Or would you like to nominate a garden for the next tour?"
We agreed we should invite Glen to attend our Tour planning meetings and that we would keep him better informed about our progress planning the next Garden Tour.
We also enthusiastically applaud his endeavour to provide a limited coffee service at Figaro's (with food, but he will not cook on site). Later, he may sell organic produce he grows on Galiano Island at Figaro's. We all signed the petition about it.
We appreciate our partnership with Figaro's. We get publicity and ticket sales (credit and Interac) before the Tour, and, on the day of the Tour, Figaro's provides bathrooms, coffee and cookies, and space for our home base.
We would also be willing (if Glen was interested) to send an e-mail to all our Garden Tour participants (or at least those who gave us e-mail addresses) to suggest they may want to get on Glen's e-mail distribution list so they can hear about sales and special events, etc., and to tell them how to do that. In exchange, perhaps, Glen can send a notice out in advance of the Garden Tour, to everyone on his list, reminding folks of the date of the tour and telling them how to get tickets.
The mural on the side of Florida Market is in somewhat sorry shape. It's been tagged and repaired many times. We talked about contracting Victoria Oginski to paint a FLORIDA mural on the side of Florida Market. There was quite a bit of enthusiasm for the idea. Someone suggested that Florida Market might be willing to pitch in. So might the BIA. I'll ask both. We'll have to talk to Eileen, who was project manager of the existing mural, and get her support. Folks were wondering how much it might cost and I've asked Victoria to provide us a rough estimate / or quote.
We talked about the upcoming new Britannia Centre sign. Ruth suggested that it should be multi-lingual. Pat is still promoting the clock tower idea. We are contributing to the cost of the new sign so should have some input.
Pat and Penny will go to the Site Management meeting Oct 1 at 9:30 on behalf of Brit Neighbours and will report back if there are any pertinent issues.
Eva suggested that we plant Mahonia in the BIA's espresso cup planter. We need something hardy that folks won't want to sit on or near. Also, mason bees love mahonia.
Ann told us all about the fabulous "Putting on the Glitz" dinner and fashion show that's being put on by the Original Costume Museum Society on October 1. If you're interested, call Ann right away to get a ticket!
Cheers and happy first day of Autumn!
Penny
