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Natural Evolution design services for two Erin Mills subdivisions. Although PMA's initial creations were "not exactly ground-breaking," according to Melvin, the irm tried to instill every design with an increasingly stronger ecological ethic. "We became experts in recycling and re-using water, and in green roofs – Ruedi was doing those back in the '60s. We did things like build unique waterfall features operating from captured rainwater rather than fountains." PMA also maintained its strict focus on landscape architecture, rather than attempting to go the multi-disciplinary route. The company began forming a network of specialist collaborators – soil agronomists, water purveyors, architects and ecologists; structural, electrical and geotechnical engineers; even craftspeople and public artists – each of whom could bring a polished professionalism to whatever task was at hand. This approach, along with an environmental foresight developed decades before green standards such as LEED became the norm, made the irm a name to be reckoned with in a highly competitive business. Still, you can't eat prestige. When the next recession rolled around in 1992, PMA might not have been able to weather it if a new, like-minded client hadn't seen it just then to hire the irm for a major project. Robert Schad, then-CEO of Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. based in Bolton, Ontario, was ahead of the curve too. He wanted his headquarters to have an industrial park like no other – more of a natural, campus-like setting for his employees to enjoy rather than a manicured paean to commercial enterprise. Jim Melvin remembers: "We basically took a remnant parking lot off Highway 50 and turned it into a forest. We used deep soiling techniques – breaking the soil up so that introduced plants could breathe better. Then we planted a variety of 'whips' [switch-like stalks of small, woody plants and trees], as opposed to large-calibre trees. The latter might have given an instant long-time look to the place, but the process of digging up and transporting established trees would have been environmentally unsound, and root shock could stunt their growth as well as their overall health. Ecologically and inancially speaking, the smaller stock makes more sense. As Ruedi used to say, 'If you prepare the soil properly and plant a smaller tree, in ive to eight years, you end up with the same size tree.'" CHARTING THE UPWARD GROWTH OF TORONTO'S PMA LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS by Leslie C. Smith F From little seeds, big things grow. Fung Lee says she was "always into art as a kid, so I applied to architecture school at the U of T. I didn't make the cut." The landscape architecture program was open, however, so she switched over to that, something she calls "a happy accident." After graduating in 1997 and with a further two years' work experience under her belt, she applied for a job opening as an intermediate project manager at Toronto's renowned PMA Landscape Architecture. Her boss at the time was sorry to see her go but applauded the move, saying what most people in the business say: "They're a really good irm." PMA has steadily built that reputation since its founding in 1982, bringing a unique combination of environmental sensitivity, technical knowledge and sheer creativity to a series of industrial, municipal and residential projects, most situated in southern Ontario's Golden Horseshoe region. The irm has won many awards over the years, but that wasn't exactly how it started out. The company's co-founder, Jim Melvin, graduated with a geography degree from York University in 1975 and went on to the University of Manitoba for his Masters in Landscape Architecture, graduating in 1979. The next year, he landed a job at Toronto's Project Planning and then another at Associated Environmental Landscape Planners, where he, Don Parsons and David Anselmi worked under the renowned designer Ruedi Hofer. The recession of 1982 abruptly ended the three younger men's jobs. "We were 'laid of,'" says Melvin, "not 'off.' Because of that typo, I've been able to say I've never of icially been ired." The trio of Parsons, Melvin and Anselmi used their initials to found PMA Landscape Architects, and used AELP's basement as a work area, trading drafting services for of ice space. A few years later, with PMA more established and working out of a new Mississauga location, Hofer himself joined the irm as a principal, and stayed until his retirement in 2008. Parsons moved on in 1987; Anselmi left in 2001. 8/ Photo and above: Toronto Botanical Garden In the early years, the irm entered whatever competitions it could, yet never won anything. The irm's work, however, caught the eye of some potential clients. One second-place design was commissioned for construction by the City of Mississauga for its Living Arts Centre park, and Cadillac-Fairview hired the irm to provide landscape Photo and inset, left: O'Connor Park, Mississauga, ON. JUNE 2012 p.08-09Coverstory.indd 8 5/25/12 11:38:12 AM

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