Parade root: Staff volunteers help prep greenhouse for plant parade 

A group photo of a few dozen people who helped carry plants to the new greenhouse.

Potted plants in hand, dozens of Facility Services staff members road-tested the route community volunteers will take on Aug. 14, when they help move plants from McMaster’s old greenhouse to new. If you'd like to volunteer, please click on the signup sheet in this article.

BY Holly Gibson

August 9, 2024

One professor. One project manager. Three years, dozens of volunteers, hundreds of plants. And a single, 11,500 square-foot goal.

Biology professor Susan Dudley and McMaster project manager Sam Sargeos will watch months of work pay off on Aug. 14, as volunteer students, staff, faculty, alumni and community members help to move the final batch of plants across campus, from the old Biology Greenhouse to the newly constructed McMaster Learning and Discovery Greenhouse.

Join the plant parade!

Community members are invited to join the final plant move on Wednesday, Aug. 14 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Click here to learn more or sign up to help.

It will be the third and final move-in day for the plants: First the trees were moved by specialists. Then, on July 24, more than 40 Facility Services workers volunteered to get the first round of smaller plants moved before a massive downpour began.

Their help was a welcome gift, Dudley says.

“Our students will tell you; true friends are the ones who help you move,” she says. “I’m delighted to see how many friends our greenhouse has.”

Project manager Sam Sargeos and professor Susan Dudley standing and smiling in the new greenhouse
Project manager Sam Sargeos from Facility Services, left, and Biology professor Susan Dudley share a smile after safely moving some of the plants to the new greenhouse ahead of the big plant parade.

It was only appropriate that the volunteers came from departments across Facility Services, many of whom previously supported the project in one way or another.

“While the greenhouse will be the pride of the Biology department, for the entire Facility Services team, this new greenhouse represents the impact of their work on our campus,” said Ehab Kamarah, AVP and Chief Facilities Officer.

“Every employee in Facility Services has contributed in some way to this project and we are excited to be here today to help, get our hands dirty and assist in bringing the greenhouse to life.”

This fall, researchers and students will get the opportunity to learn more about the over 200 plant species under a stunning white-frame structure.

Open to the public and offering opportunities for learning and discovery, the greenhouse promises to be a place where not only plants but also students and community members can grow.

Two side-by-side images of facilty service staff carrying big potted plants.
The volunteers from Facility Services carried many of the heavier plants across campus, and made it to the new greenhouse just before a major rainstorm.

The new greenhouse also advances McMaster’s sustainability strategy as home to campus’ first specialized geothermal exchange system. This technology will access thermal energy stored 600 feet below ground for carbon-free heating and cooling year-round.

Community members are invited to join the final plant move on Wednesday, Aug. 14 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Click here to learn more or sign up to help.

The McMaster Learning and Discovery Greenhouse is a fundraising priority for the university. To learn more about the greenhouse and how you can support it, please email giving@mcmaster.ca.