Press Release:

(TORONTO – June 12, 2025) This week, the rooftop at Allied Music Centre was all abuzz as a new apiary was introduced - hosting a queen bee and over 8,000 of her fuzzy winged friends.

Working with the expert beekeepers at Alvéole, Allied Music Centre, home of Massey Hall, has joined the crusade to support biodiversity and Toronto’s environmental ecosystems – right in the heart of the city. This project creates an opportunity to reconnect with nature in an urban environment, showcasing how sustainability and community engagement can flourish together.

"We are thrilled to be the caretakers of the honeybee hive we installed on the rooftop at Massey Hall, bringing the magic of pollinators to this iconic space. It was a pleasure to meet the Allied Music Centre staff this week and see all of their genuine enthusiasm and support for this installation.”
 – Alvéole beekeeper, Laura Haché

In the spirit of community engagement, Massey Hall needs the public’s help to name the queen bee. Follow Massey Hall on Instagram in the coming weeks for more details on how to take part!

The Allied Music Centre apiary also shares the rooftop with a two-level green roof flowing with sprawling greens and floral installations to help promote best green practices and sustainability efforts, as well as keeping true to Toronto Green Standard requirements. 

Urban rooftop gardens in Toronto offer significant sustainability benefits, including reduced energy consumption, improved air quality, and enhanced stormwater management. They also contribute to the city's overall resilience by mitigating the urban heat island effect and providing valuable habitat for wildlife.

In other sustainability best practices, Allied Music Centre utilizes both district heating (steam) and district cooling (deep lake water) resources to manage temperature and humidity throughout the complex – saving on utility costs and infrastructure footprint from traditional boiler and chiller technologies. 

More updates on Allied Music Centre’s sustainability practices coming soon as this new cultural ecosystem takes flight.

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ABOUT ALVÉOLE:

At Alvéole, we believe in fostering a deep connection between people and nature. Through the fascinating world of bees and urban beekeeping, we make environmental education accessible and meaningful.

It goes without saying that maintaining healthy urban bee populations is of utmost importance to us. The health of our honeybees, neighboring bee colonies, and the wild bees who share our cities comes first – always. Responsible beekeeping practices are essential to sustainable ecosystems, and we’re committed to doing our part.