Hello folks,

Earlier in the week we had a massive rainstorm. I know it is odd because I wrote about torrential rain only recently. It is clear that extreme weather is becoming more common.

When I looked out of my office window I saw Grange Park fill with water – a literal lake was created. By the next morning the center of the park was back to being a green lawn. When the AGO renovated Grange Park (yes, the AGO owns the park and we have a partnership with the City who manages it), we considered climate change. The main lawn is designed to become a reservoir when there is extreme rain. It holds the water until flood water in the storm drains subsides and only then releases the water on the main lawn. It is an example of how good design and helping to mitigate the impact of climate change can go hand-in-hand.

As we know, construction of the Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery is underway. The building has been designed to very high environmental standards by the architects and engineers. Indeed, the expansion will operate without burning fossil fuel. In the future, I can share more about how we are making the building more green.

Stephan