Notes: A miscellany of news and events
conferences
The OALA and the Ontario Professional Planners Institute will be hosting a joint conference in London, Ontario and hybrid (online), on September 21st and 22nd. The goal of the conference is a chance for planners and landscape architects to “explore the important role that professional planners and landscape architects play in the natural and built environments, including the ongoing climate crisis, racial and social injustice, the inherent rights and title of Indigenous Peoples, and other relevant topics impacting Ontario communities.” For more information, check out: oala.ca.
And the “Grey to Green” virtual conference is back for 2022, with a focus on “future proofing our communities with green infrastructure.” This event will take place online June 22nd and 23rd from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm EST. The conference is presented by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, who expects roughly over 300 attendees. There will be technical presentations, panel Q&As, an expert round table, and more. For more information, check out: greytogreenconference.org.
summit
The International Landscape Collaborative (ILC) has organized an “interdisciplinary summit, bringing together professionals, academics, policy makers, and community organizations who work at the intersection of ecology, infrastructure, and urban development to share knowledge and experiences from across the world to spark change in planning policy and city-building practices.” “Bridging Scales and Disciplines: an Ecological Approach to City Building” will take place June 3-4, in person, at the University of Toronto John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design. The event will feature a variety of keynotes, conversations, and presentations, as well as optional site tours of ecological infrastructure and conservation across the Toronto metropolitan area. For more information, check out: landscape-collaborative.org/summit.
new members
The Ontario Association of Landscape Architects is proud to recognize and welcome the following new members
to the Association:
Kathleen Alexander *
Emily Bowerman
José Castillo-Pilcol
Marc Cote
Mackenzie Fantini *
Nicole Huculiak
Sarah Ko *
Wenting Li
Zhiyu (Jerry) Liu *
Candice Micucci
Reesha Morar *
Pauline Moskal
Emily Mueller de Celis
R. Sean Nailer *
Ammar Nasir
Adam Nordfors
Stephen O’Neill *
Matt Perotto
Margot Shafran *
Laura Solano
Shane Ursprung
W.A. Jesse Williamson *
Irene Wong *
Asterisk (*) denotes Full Members without the use of professional seal.
in memoriam
Charles Lanktree, BLA, OALA, CSLA
The OALA is saddened to announce the passing of Charles William Lanktree on November 28th, 2021. Charles had been a full member of the OALA since January 1988. Charles William Lanktree died at home in Toronto at 68 years old, after a brave struggle with melanoma cancer. He is survived by his wife Ruth, son Graham (Avalon), daughter Marion (Ryan), and grand-daughter Iris. He also leaves his mother Phyllis Schneidmiller, brother Ed (Sue), sisters Rosemary (Gerry) and Carol (Steve), and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. Friends and colleagues of Charles kindly prepared condolence information.
Charles earned his first degree in Urban Design at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario. He married Ruth Bice in 1976, and the couple then moved to Toronto. There Charles worked for the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) before earning a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Toronto in 1980. He took up his practice as an urban planner in Halifax, where he and Ruth welcomed two children, Graham Charles and Marion Clare.
Charles received a scholarship from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), graduating in 1986 with a master’s degree in Urban and Rural Planning from Dalhousie University. In the same year, the family moved to Peterborough, Ontario, where Charles worked for the City as an urban planner. He served there until 1990, when the family moved on to Ottawa, Ontario. There Charles began a successful twenty-five-year career as an urban planner for the City of Ottawa, retiring in 2015.
Following retirement, Charles and Ruth resettled near their daughter and son-in-law in Toronto, where they welcomed the birth of their grand-daughter Iris Ruth MacLean in 2019. In October of 2021, Charles and Ruth celebrated 45 years
of marriage.
Charles was a member of the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects (OALA) where he served on the OPPI Task Force and volunteered for the Urban Forum. He also loved his planning profession and was honoured with a Member Service Award for his valued contributions to the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) in 2018. Passionate about his community, Charles volunteered with the Danforth Planning Study and the Danforth-Main Laneway Connection. He served at various soup kitchens, community gardening organizations, choir and as a board member for the Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation (NUUC).
Charles was a deeply spiritual man who cherished his Unitarian Universalist faith. He found strength in his Tai Chi practice, meditation, and enjoyed cycling and cross-country skiing. His other hobbies included the Spiritual choir, gardening, playing his guitars, sketching, watercolour and photography.
In lieu of flowers the Lanktree family would be grateful for any donations to one of two charities below, both of which were close to Charles’ heart: The Odette Cancer Centre, and the Toronto Environmental Alliance.
books
Former Ground Editor Lorraine Johnson has a new book, co-authored with Sheila Colla, featuring illustrations by Ann Sanderson. It’s called A Garden for the Rusty-Patched Bumblebee: Creating Habitat for Native Pollinators (Ontario and Great Lakes Edition), and explores the relationship between native plants and local pollinators such as bees, moths, butterflies, beetles, flies, wasps, and other insects. It shows you how to create and maintain healthy pollinator ecosystems in your own green space. As well, the book profiles more than 330 Ontario trees, shrubs, perennials, vines, and more. The book is already available for pre-order with online retailers and local book stores, and will hit the shelves on May 21, 2022. For more information, visit Lorraine’s website: lorrainejohnson.ca.
