Community Survey Results

Community Survey Results
The survey helps us capture our community members’ priorities and sets the board’s direction.

We, as a board, continue to analyze the results and, based on the information we have identified to date, are focusing on four key items:

1. The Sears Plume – Please read the article on the Sears plume in this issue of The Beacon.

2. Banff Trail Motel Village Development – We are supporting directly impacted community members and funding an independent review of the development permit process.

3. Community Centre Expansion – We are collecting bids from prospective architects to establish plans to then engage with the community for feedback.

4. City of Calgary Secondary Suite Regulatory Changes – Please read the article in this issue of The Beacon.

Survey results

Presidents Message – March

Presidents Message – March
It’s March, and optimistically, Spring is in the air with the promise of longer, warmer days and, of course, the inevitable snowfall in April. Hopefully you’ve had time to look over the initial community survey results that were published in February and those included in this issue. The survey helps us capture our community members’ priorities and sets the board’s direction. We, as a board, continue to analyze the results and, based on the information we have identified to date, are focusing on four key items: 1. The Sears Plume – Please read the article on the Sears plume in this issue of The Beacon. 2. Banff Trail Motel Village Development – We are supporting directly impacted community members and funding an independent review of the development permit process. 3. Community Centre Expansion – We are collecting bids from prospective architects to establish plans to then engage with the community for feedback. 4. City of Calgary Secondary Suite Regulatory Changes – Please read the article in this issue of The Beacon. We are also keeping a close eye on the possibility of any Sears land development to ensure our community is involved early so we can establish a positive relationship with any potential developers. Our involvement from the onset will allow us to potentially have more influence over the development and its impact to ensure it improves the community as a whole. As with all things, many hands make light work but, while there is no shortage of concern for the aforementioned items, we always seem to be short on hands. Please take the time to step up, get informed, and get involved in your community to support these efforts. While you may not be directly impacted by some of these issues, paying it forward by supporting those who are ensures we have a strong community that supports all when their time of need presents. Please remember, you are always welcome to attend our HH-BH Board meetings, which are held at 7:00 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month from September through June at the HH-BH Community Hall at 1922 – 14 Avenue NW. Attending these meetings is a great way to stay up to date on what is happening and to ensure your ideas and concerns are heard and incorporated into the management of the community association. To include an item on the agenda, please contact admin@hh-bh.ca at least 2 weeks prior to the meeting. If you are unable to attend in person, please write me at president@hh-bh.ca.

Crowchild Trail Upgrades Project – Update

Crowchild Trail Upgrades Project – Update
The Crowchild Trail Upgrades Project continues on this year with the estimated date of completion being Fall 2019. Given that a good majority of the construction work will take place this year, I’d like to provide you with an overview of how I expect this year to unfold:

Project webpage:
The website for this project www.calgary.ca/crowchild continues to be updated bi-weekly with the most up-to-date and relevant construction information.
Ongoing updates:
In addition to the website, we have also been sending out progress reports and construction updates via e-newsletter; If you would like to subscribe to these, please click here. Currently we have 450 subscribers.
Noise wall engagement:
Noise wall engagement will begin in March and be completed by the third week of April. We will begin by first contacting the directly-impacted homeowners, and then complete this process by giving all neighbouring communities the opportunity to weigh in at the following public engagement session:

What? Public Noise Wall Engagement Session
Drop-in Session

When? Tuesday, March 20, 2018
6:30 – 8:30 pm (Doors open at 6:30 pm)

Where? Alexander Ferguson School
School Gymnasium

1704 26 Street S.W.

Please Note: If community members are unable to attend the public engagement session in-person, they will also have the ability to provide feedback online from March 20 – April 10.

2018 information session:
Similar to last year, we will be providing neighbouring communities with the opportunity to review the 2018 Crowchild Trail detailed construction plans and ask questions of the project team at the following information session:

What? Crowchild Trail Upgrades Project: 2018 Information Session
When? Wednesday, May 9, 2018
6:30 – 8:30 pm (Doors open at 6:30 pm)

Where? Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Association
South Social Hall

1320 5 Avenue N.W.

Night-time work:
In order to mitigate major traffic impacts by restricting lane closures to weekends, and weekdays between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., there will be a significant amount of night work taking place this year. We will be monitoring noise levels and working closely with the impacted communities to ensure that not only are they kept in the loop on the work taking place near their homes, but also, that the work we are doing and the associated noise levels are tolerable.

Coordinating projects:
Our Water Resources colleagues and Major Transit Projects colleagues will also be doing some work in the Crowchild Trail project area over the next two years and we are working closely together to ensure that our efforts are coordinated and that impacts to your communities are minimized as much as possible.

Media coverage:
Similar to last year, we will be working with the media to ensure your community members are well aware that this project is continuing on for the next couple of years, and what they can expect in terms of impacts.

Board meetings and/or AGM:
If there is an opportunity for myself and a couple of members of our project team to attend upcoming community association board meetings or your Annual General Meeting (AGM), please let me know. I will try my best to answer your questions, whether this be in-person, over the phone, or via email.

Construction continues and will begin to ramp up in late March/early April; I will continue to keep you, impacted businesses, and impacted property owners updated on progress and construction milestones as our work unfolds.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.

Regards,

Jeff

Senior Transportation Engineer, Crowchild Trail Upgrades

West Hillhurst Garden Sessions

Phone it in to (403)283-0464 ext. 6 and save the admin fee. All talks in the Go-Getters section off the gym.

March 14th – 6:30-9:00 “PLANNING – YOUR GARDEN FOR SUCCESS  with Janet Melrose 6:30-9:00 – $20 Graph paper, will be supplied along with how to instruction for planning this year's edible garden. The focus will be on flowers, herbs and vegetables that grow best in Calgary's climate and we will assist you in deciding what to grow in 2018. You will walk away with a plan, seed catalogues, a seed starting chart, some seeds and information to help you  grow your garden successfully. West Coast Seeds has graciously donated catalogs, and growth charts.

April 11th 6:30-8:00 – Chelsey Anderson and her famous gardener mother Donna Balzar have co-authored a new book. “It Takes a Village to Raise a Chive” will shine a light on all the critters who are truly responsible for growing the food in our urban gardens. During this talk you will learn how to encourage this “village” in your own gardens, meaning you can let nature take care of it! From microbes who feed your plants on demand, to robber flies who will eat almost any pest, to our native bumble bees who pollinate 1/3 of our crops; find out who does what and how you can employ them in your own edible backyard. Chelsey will have some autographed books on hand for sale. $5 donation at door. Please RSVP to ckoper12@telus.netckoper12@telus.net.

April 18th – 6:30-8:30 – GROWING HERBS INDOORS AND COMPANION PLANTING with Janet Melrose. $35 – the focus will be on herbs – and as part of this session you will plant a beautiful 10 in. planter to take home that includes herbs, vegetables  and edible flowers for the outdoors. You can have a planter that not only looks spectacular but is useful too! Keep an eye on the website for details! Supplies will be included in the price.

May 16th – 6:30-9:00 “GARDENING TECHNIQUES AND GETTING THE GARDEN STARTED” we will be sowing and planting. This session focuses on the techniques, getting your garden started and growing strongly. Weather permitting, we will take the class outside for some hands on experience, and you will take home some seedlings you have transplanted to kickstart your garden!

Dcember 5th 6:30-9:30 BUILD YOUR OWN SEASONAL PLANTER – Back by popular demand, it was such a huge hit in 2017. Pricing to be determined.