Financial incentive to encourage participation
Fees raised for some members
Membership fees have been raised to $100, starting in 2026, for members who fail to meet the requirement of three contributory labor hours.
The garden board approved the change after members were notified of the proposal in March and asked for feedback.
According to the new policy, reflected in changes to guidelines, gardeners who have met the three-hour rule in the previous season will be charged a reduced fee of $35. Gardeners who were not members in the previous season will also be charged $35.
One board member said the new policy already seems to have encouraged greater work party participation.
“Both our April work parties were very successful,” the board member reported. “Lots more gardeners than usual turned out to lend a hand.”
Previously, guidelines directed that members who failed to meet the three-hour rule would lose their membership.
However, the board felt the old policy was both too extreme and unworkable.
In 2024, for example, data indicates that more than half the membership failed to meet the three-hour rule. Though last year’s record-keeping was faulty and will be improved this year, the board realized that it would be impossible to terminate the membership of so many gardeners.
“We’re trying the financial approach as a less extreme penalty for non-contribution,” said another board member. “If some members continue to fall short of three contributory hours, they will pay more for membership in the following year, making things a lot fairer for members who actually do contribute their time and labor.”
As part of the change, the board has improved its tracking of work party participation, with provision of leaders for each work party and a sign-in sheet that members themselves must monitor to ensure their contribution is accurately recorded.
Additionally, the board will soon post on the website a link to the spreadsheet used to record members’ participation. This way, gardeners can ensure that record-keeping is accurate.
At the Annual General Meeting in March, there were some complaints that last year’s work parties were often aimless, without clearly-defined tasks. This year, work party leaders will be asked to specify clear goals so members’ time is used more efficiently.
In other changes, the fee payment deadline, starting in 2026, will be changed from April 30 to April 1 to allow more time for the Membership Coordinator to update records.
Another guidelines amendment, which takes effect immediately, provides that gardeners unable to work their plots for more than one season can, in extenuating circumstances, apply to the board, but not to a general meeting, for an extension.
Normally, failure to work one’s plot for more than one season results in forfeiture of membership. Last year, three gardeners who had failed to work their plots for a number of seasons lost their membership.