DIGS AGM - Feb 28, 2026

Douglas Island Garden Society (DIGS) 

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting, held February 28, 2026

Members present: 19

1. Call to Order: 1:30pm - Land Acknowledgement

2. Adoption of Agenda, as amended

Moved         Lin Neufeld

Seconded    Mike Gillespie     CARRIED

3. Approval of Minutes of the 2025 AGM, held February 22, 2025, as amended 

(item 2, 3 and 6 should say CARRIED)

Moved      Margaret Harris

Seconded Barry Elmer CARRIED

4. Correspondence:  Received an email from Jane Watson and Graeme Ellis, well known residents on the island, with appreciation for the restoration activities on the island and the work of DIGS and Antler Swamp Restoration Group.

5. Business arising from the minutes:  Regarding Allotment Bed Rules and Guidelines, Jurgen proposed a motion to replace the website listed under 4c (bcinvasives.ca) with the City of Nanaimo’s web page for local invasive plants.

Moved      Jurgen Goering

Seconded Jane Foxwell CARRIED

6. Treasurer’s Report (Veronica): 

Opening bank balance $15,618.23

Revenues $  7,755.35

Expenditures $  8,329.63

Ending bank balance $15,043.95

Partner in Parks contract: will ask for re-imbursement from the city for metal garden beds already purchased, plus for the city to purchase additional metal beds, all as part of the matching grant funds due to DIGS.

Motion to accept the treasurer’s report (detailed reports submitted)

Moved      Kathy Goldsmith

Seconded Mike Gillespie

Discussion regarding money paid to the city and volunteer hours “in kind”.

CARRIED

7. Allotment Coordinator’s Report (Jurgen): we have 11 large garden beds plus an overflow bed, for a total of 24 allotment beds. Two lease holders took a sabbatical due to health reasons and their beds were used by the community garden. Two people from the overflow beds will be getting allotments beds and two new people are getting into the overflow beds. As of today we have zero people on the waiting list. The beds are physically deteriorating - many thanks to Mike Gillespie for his work shoring up the beds. There was a wasp nest in one bed this year. Losses due to unauthorized picking were minimal this year. Some watering issues this year.

Discussion:  Kevin and Jim offered to be contacts for new members to learn how to mow and water. Barry will contact the city to turn the water back on for the summer. Mowing needs to start soon. Jim offered to cut the grass during the first week of March.

8. President’s Report (Jim): thanks for being here to show support for the community garden, we appreciate it. Major things happening at the garden this year: 

• two 8x12 greenhouses (one heated); public thanks to Mike Gillespie, Kevin Pistor, Sandy Crowe, and Jim Harris for assembling the green houses, taking 4 men 4 days per greenhouse

• metal garden beds - Barry’s bed placement design was the winning entry, thanks to all for putting six metal beds together

• Margaret and Jim are stepping down as president and secretary after many years, time to reset the board of directors for the future of the garden, with some new ideas from new people. 

Discussion: Jurgen pointed out that Jim’s report was all about hardware and he wants to address produce, such as the garden had a record of 522 cucumbers this year. Others pointed out that the buddy system worked well, pairing a new member with a seasoned volunteer, to work together on a specific crop.

9. Directors for 2026: call for nominations from the floor (first, second and third), seeing none, the following are acclaimed and they will determine their roles within the committee executive:

    Veronica Zehntner

    Jim Harris

    Jurgen Goering

    Jane Foxwell

    Mike Gillespie

    Marla Thorburn

10. New Business:

a) update from Antler Swamp Restoration Project (Barry) - project is supported by 2024 City of Nanaimo Watershed Restoration Grant, grant term of one year but it is a multi-year effort. 70’ x 50’ blackberry thicket and large amount of lamium removed. South facing demonstration garden. Signage with land acknowledgement in planning stage. Site preparation lasted 7 months. Many plants, trees, shrubs and seeds planted. Small native plant nursery to propagate plants for restoration and DIGS plant sale. Coordinating with Emily Barnwell to provide plants for Pirates Park. Encourage DIGS to continue supporting the restoration project. Members of restoration group are Barry Elmer, Jurgen Goering, Nancy Turner, Marla Thorburn and Corinne Brolewicz.

Discussion: DIGS is an adjoining property with shared boundaries and we hope that you continue to share information at DIGS Saturday work parties. It was asked if there would be signs to identify plants with an answer in the afirmative. Discussion regarding terminology: stream, streambank, riparian area, drainage ditch, wetland, water channel. Request to amend the report to remove the word stream. It was generally agreed that water channel is a better term than stream. It was stated that there is a general understanding that there is a defined boundary to the wetland restoration area and to clarify that the ongoing support from DIGS is for work done within those boundaries.

b)  announcement about Jim and Margaret Harris’ retirement (Mike Gillespie) - presented with bouquet of flowers, card and gift card for the View restaurant.          - Jim has been vital for support from the city and has done an amazing job and it will be a challenge to move forward in the way it’s been before. All the board member and DIGS members will need to step up and we hope moving forward we will be able to do the garden justice. Jim will continue on the board as a director-at-large and will continue to provide his truck.

 

11. Announcements

• Event dates:  Plant Sale May 9th, Dessert Auction June 20th, Fall Fair Sep 5th

• Promotion:  DIGS blogspot www.digsgarden.blogspot.ca - a wonderful site for gardening information - should put a link to the blog on all emails and posts to pro-isle - and it can get advertised in the newspaper and Geo can come to the garden

12. Motion to adjourn

Moved         Jurgen Goering

Seconded Neil Goldsmith CARRIED

Meeting adjourned at 2:39pm