The name of the new female giant Pacific octopus at Sidney’s Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea pays tribute to a central figure in the creation of the facility.
Lloyd, which arrived on June 8, one day after the centre released Wanda, is named in memory of Peter Lloyd, a founding member of the centre and chair of its board from 2006 to 2013.
Angus Matthews, executive director of the centre at its founding, said Lloyd supplied outstanding leadership as chair when the duties of board members ranged from working as a dock or car park attendant at fundraising events, to making decisions about millions of dollars. The centre opened in 2009, with the start of planning dating back to 2005.
Shaw Centre executive director Pauline Finn said she was fortunate to meet Lloyd in person during the 2019 annual general meeting.
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“When I first joined the Centre a few years back, his name came up again and again in a variety of places,” she said. “His fingerprints were everywhere, speaking to the variety and depth of his contributions in establishing the then-new (centre).”
Tina Kelly, director of learning and communication, said Lloyd was very community minded and had many connections across multiple organizations that benefited the organization. “He influenced and mentored other professionals, who then also became part of our board.”
To continue Finn’s analogy, Lloyd’s namesake (who arrived weighing some six pounds) has not been shy to use her suckers in learning more about her new environment.
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Kelly said staff in charge of the animal describe her as very curious, sometimes prone to squirt. “(She) is overwhelmingly curious and has settled in very well in the time that she has been here.”
Lloyd’s family is aware of the homage.
“We checked in with them to make sure that they are okay with that,” Kelly said. “They haven’t come in yet that we know of, but I hope that they do.”
Lloyd is the third octopus named in memory of an influential figure connected to the centre and will stay until the end of the year.
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