Ric Jordan
Geese Can Also Reflect in the Reflecting Pool
Ric Jordan who has contributed 40 years of his life to the Arboretum talks about the Reflecting Pool. He shares an interesting story about the construction of the original pond. This story tells the development process of the Reflecting Pool, with special visitors, the geese.
Interview by Sanjot Takhar, HIST*3560 student, University of Guelph.
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Transcript
0:01 This interview is with Rick Jordan who retired after 40 years as manager of the Guelph Arboretum.
0:07 He shared his story,
0:09 “Geese can also reflect in the reflecting pool” sitting in the sun room of the Arboretum Center.
0:17 At some point, we decided to put half barrels of planters in.
0:22 So they were planting barrels within the pond.
0:24, it was quite attractive.
0:29 There was, I think the first a mallard duck decided to nest in one of the barrels originally and then after it was redone, it was a walkway, still a walkway, but they had railings,, big planters in and that was when the Canada geese started to nestle in there.
0:50 Oh, ok.
0:52 And so, one day people were coming into work and, gander was outside the door into the arb center and wouldn’t let people in.
1:04 I had to go around to the back door to get in.
1:06 But, and it lasted for a fair bit of time and eventually it failed and, due to new building codes and that they wouldn’t let us put the water right up to the building.
1:23 So that’s why now there is the, gravel path between the glass windows and the barn.
1:30 And, we did away with the bond, the outside the director’s office to the board.
1:38 And how long have you been working with the arb rick?
1:42 How many years has it been?
1:43 I started as a student in 75 and became full time in 78 and retired in 2015.
1:50 So in all 40 years.
