December 2022 Newsletter

Hello Ward 6!

In this December edition of the newsletter, you will read about my thoughts on Westbrook LAP, reflection of the past year, property assessment, crime prevention tips and much more. 

Dear Ward 6 Residents,

On behalf of the Ward 6 team, we would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We hope that this holiday season is filled with gratitude and celebration, and you can share it with those who are most important to you.

In reflecting back on the past year, I believe my team and I have worked hard to advocate for you. We are actively working on building safe, inclusive and connected communities, and focusing on Calgary’s economy as we continue to recover from the pandemic. We serve you with the sincere goal of building a better Calgary, one we can all be proud to call home.

My focus for our communities continues to be on public safety, development, roads, pathway connectivity, and parks & greenspaces. This past year my team and I have been hard at work facilitating the completion of important projects in our Ward. We were successful in championing the need for more safety-oriented traffic calming measures and road improvements throughout Ward 6, such as the Bow Trail U-turn. We also supported Coach Hill/Patterson Heights in acquiring the much need funding through the Council Community Fund for their Outdoor Activity Hub, which all residents will be able to enjoy.

In October, I was again chosen as Chair of the Audit Committee. As such, my focus is to ensure effective governance and compliance at the City. Finally, with my audit background and my passion for my community, I decided to sit on the Community Development Committee, where we strive to achieve balance between affordable housing, cohesive planning around parks and community development.

My staff and I look forward to 2023 and working in partnership with Ward 6 residents.

Westbrook Local Area Plan (LAP)

Many of our constituents, and all of our affected Community Association Boards, have pressed me on what my reaction to the LAP would be, and whether or not I would vote to support it when the time came.  Numerous questions and legitimate concerns have been raised, and opinions have been divided.  I attended public engagement sessions, and heard firsthand from residents what they thought the effects of the LAP would be on them and their neighbourhoods.  I understand that each of the communities I represent within the LAP is different and unique, and that they each have their own specific concerns about how they would be affected.

The status quo, with no growth planning, is not an option we can live with going forward.  We have seen the results of endless indiscriminate spot zoning in surrounding communities.  Foresight will ensure high quality results and more livable communities.  This LAP helps protect your community from disorganized and chaotic ad-hoc development.

I have had numerous conversations with the Westbrook LAP group and questioned how they designed the LAP and envisioned its implementation. I have seen the changes they made to the plan as they received public input.   As with many public engagements, residents have expressed concerns about being heard and listened to.  I believe that Administration has been open to suggestion and flexible in amending the plan.  I also believe that the LAP is a realistic step forward in promoting densification in our older neighbourhoods, something which is inevitable and needed to maintain the vitality and ongoing lifeblood of these communities.  As a reminder, the Municipal Development plan mandates that by 2050, 50% of our growth (currently about 20,000 people per year) will be in green field suburban areas and 50% in established areas)

That being said, and I stress this - the key to making this all work is in its implementation.  I, as Councillor for this area, and with my fellow councillors, must still consider every application that comes forth under the LAP, not only on its individual merits, but on the impact it will have on the surrounding neighbours and the community at large.  We must strive to preserve the uniqueness of each community, and the value of the particular property to the community.  We need to consider the existing residents and those “next door” when we give our approvals. 

In closing, we must view the LAP as a living document, a tool to be used and followed every time we make a decision that affects a neighbourhood.  It is prescriptive, but still subject to Council approval, and our constituents’ concerns must be taken into account when we vote.  Used properly, I see it as being favourable to our communities, and I voted to support it at Infrastructure and Planning Committee on December 8.

There will be a Public Hearing of Council held on January 17th @ 9:30am where the proposed policy will also be presented and ultimately decided upon. This meeting will be of interest to those wanting to participate and share their opinions and concerns regarding the bylaw. Use the public submission form to register to speak and you will receive further information on how to call in. In the days leading up to the meeting date check the Committee meeting agenda progress at www.calgary.ca/agenda. For full information on the presentation to Committee/Council please review the following information found at: Participate in a Council or Committee meeting (calgary.ca)

Project Update: 17 Avenue S.W. and 37 Street S.W. Main Streets

The Main streets project team is happy to share that both the 17 Avenue S.W. and 37 Street S.W. Main Street projects are now substantially complete.

During the past three years the project team worked on improving the public realm space by creating unique spaces that reflect the community and the character of the neighborhood, while focusing on maintaining pedestrian movement and business access. Additionally, the project enhanced these new main streets by delivering:

1. Over 500 trees to improve the tree canopy.
2. Curb extensions, wheelchair ramps, new street furniture, pedestrian level streetlighting, sidewalk improvements and signal upgrades to improve pedestrian safety and comfort.
3. A new continuous pathway on the east side of 37 Street S.W.
4. New and improved pedestrian connections on both sides of the 17 Avenue bridge over Crowchild Trail.

Next spring there will be some minor concrete work, sign installs, paving and landscaping work that crews will complete. We do not anticipate any significant impacts to residents and businesses in the area while this work is happening. Project updates will be available at 7 Street Main Street (calgary.ca) and West 17 Avenue Main Street (calgary.ca).

Property Assessment Customer Review Period: Jan. 4 - March 13, 2023

2023 Property Assessment notices are mailed on Jan. 4^th. When you receive your notice, check the property details and review your property value. Your property assessment reflects the market value of your property on July 1, 2022, and the characteristics and physical condition of the property on December 31, 2022.

To help you review your property assessment we offer general resources on calgary.ca/assessment, and property specific tools through the secure logon feature of Assessment Search at calgary.ca/assessmentsearch . By logging onto your property specific account on Assessment Search, you can: 

• Check the property details used to determine the assessed value of your property.
• Update your residential property details. It’s important you keep your information current, as incorrect property details may result in assessments that do not accurately reflect the value of your property.
• Compare your property’s assessed value to other similar properties in your area to ensure fairness.
• Review real estate market trends and learn how your property was assessed.

New to Assessment Search? Visit calgary.ca/about-assessment-search to learn how to set up your account. 

We offer a property tax calculator at calgary.ca/assessment to help you estimate your 2023 Property Taxes and find out where your tax dollars go.

If you have questions about your 2023 property assessment, please contact us during the 2023 Customer Review Period which runs from Jan. 4 to March 13, 2023.  Your property is used to calculate your annual property tax bill, which is mailed in the spring.

Ask the City Assessor: Jan. 17, 2023

Learn more about Property Assessment at the Ask The City Assessor Q&A session. For more information and for event registration visit calgary.ca/assessment

Go Paperless Contest: Jan. 1 – March 31, 2023

Switch to a paperless assessment notice then enter to win one of 12 $250 Visa gift cards. Contest details at calgary.ca/gopaperless

Where to Park: Online Map Shows Calgary’s Residential Parking Zones

When planning a trip within the city, don’t forget there are many residential areas in Calgary that have parking restrictions. The Calgary Residential Parking Zones map shows communities which have residential parking zones established to help communities control the number of non-resident vehicles parked there. To ensure you are parking in residential areas where permits are not needed, visit the map at https://maps.calgary.ca/CalgaryParking/.

To view more City of Calgary maps, please visit the Map Gallery at https://maps.calgary.ca/. 

Snow Bans Restricted Parking: Online Map Shows Calgary’s Snow Route Parking Bans

December marks a potential for snowfall in the city and this means snow bans can come into effect. Before heading out, know which streets have parking restrictions by using The City of Calgary’s online map that shows banned parking locations. The Snow Route Parking Bans map shows where parking is temporarily restricted on designated snow routes across the city. Parking bans may last up to 72 hours following a parking ban being issued by The City. This map is located at https://maps.calgary.ca/SnowRouteParkingBans/.

To view more City of Calgary maps, please visit the Map Gallery at https://mapgallery.calgary.ca/ .

Help protect your household water pipes from freezing this winter

Every winter some Calgarians experience frozen water pipes, which can result in water outages. Houses close to the river or in older communities tend to be at higher risk for this happening. Other major factors that impact risk are the depth of your water service pipes, river water temperature and frost depth.

You can take steps to reduce your risk for frozen household pipes

1. Look for cold drafts in unheated areas where water supply lines are located. This includes basements, crawl spaces, attics, garages and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets.
2. Repair broken windows, check doors and insulate areas that allow cold exterior air to enter.
3. Insulate your hot and cold water pipes that are located in cold areas.
4. Open interior doors and cabinets in cold areas to allow heat from the house to warm unprotected pipes.
5. Keep the heat set to at least 15°C.
6. Make sure the water lines to outside faucets, garden hoses, pools or decorative water features are turned off, disconnected and drained.
7. If your hot water tank is in a maintenance room outside of your home, make sure the area is adequately heated.
8. Regularly run water in your pipes through everyday use. You can also run a continuous pencil-width stream of water, but you will be responsible for any increase in water charges unless you received an official notice from The City of Calgary instructing you to do so.

Find out more at calgary.ca/frozenpipes.

Calgary Police Service Crime Prevention Tips

The Calgary Police Service introduced the 9 p.m. routine a few years ago, which is a security list of things to check every night before going to bed. Here are some crime prevention tips to help you to keep your property safe and prevent the risk of being a victim of crime:

Protect your valuables

Put curtains or blinds up to cover any windows in the garage or house, so thieves can’t look for items to steal, or see if your vehicle is there.

Make it secure

The man-door between your house and attached garage should always be locked. It should be solid core and have a deadbolt lock. The same goes for other exterior man-doors on your garage. If your garage is detached, then always make sure the man-door is locked and secure. The main garage door should only be open when you are present. Keep your overhead door closed and your other garage doors locked, even when you are at home.

Check your locks

Secure your man-doors with deadbolts (which need to be operated from the outside with a key).

Make it bright

Install lights near your garage to keep the area around doors and windows lit: These can be motion-sensor or photo (light) sensitive, so that they turn on automatically when someone walks past or when the sun sets.

Put up a number

Put your house number on your garage, especially if it opens into a back alley. This helps emergency personnel to identify which house is yours.

Keep records

Catalogue your garage’s contents, including serial numbers of valuable items and vehicle identification numbers. Taking photographs, videos or digital recordings of contents can also help police and your insurance company if there’s a break-in, fire, or flood.

Double-check

Never drive away without checking that your overhead garage door is down. Also check the operation of automatic doors once a month for safety (read your instruction booklet or contact the door’s manufacturer for details).

Maintenance

Keep bushes trimmed back from garage windows to avoid letting thieves use the bushes to hide their break-in attempt, or you can add spikey, aggressive and nasty plants (thorny bushes).

Double Up

Lock up vehicles and high-value items such as lawnmowers even when they’re inside the locked garage.

Out of Town

Disconnect or lock your automatic garage door opener when you’re out of town.

If you do become a victim of a break-in, or witness suspicious behaviour or vandalism in the community, please report it to Calgary Police Service

• 911 emergency dispatch (crime happening now, danger to people or property)
• 403-266-1234 non-emergency line (crime not in progress, no danger to people)
• Online reporting for non-emergency issues:

1. Logon to www.calgarypolice.ca

2. Look for “Report a Crime” and click “Submit an online report”

3. Look for “Reports you can submit online”

4. Click on “File a report” below the list of reportable crimes

5. Choose the check box that best describes your situation and click “Start report”

6. Enter your information. Be prepared with your driver’s license.

* If you are reporting a crime in progress, dial 911.

Nominate a worthy Calgarian for the 29^th Annual Calgary Award!

The Calgary Awards are The City’s highest honour, awarded each spring to outstanding Calgarians whose exemplary acts of service are leading positive change in communities. Incredible happens here - when Calgarians give their time and share their talents within domains such as philanthropy, the arts, equity, justice and education.

Incredible happens here - when we celebrate the exceptional achievements and contributions of Calgary Award nominees who pave the way for giving back with even more momentum, inspiration, and enthusiasm.

Look no further than your neighbours, colleagues, community leaders, local groups and companies who qualify as award recipients. There are 5 categories and 13 awards, and the nomination process is easy – Follow the steps outlined on our webpage - calgary.ca/calgaryawards. Deadline for nominations is Feb. 1, 2023. 

Coach Hill/Patterson Heights - https://www.chph.ca/

• Who has the best light display in the neighbourhood? We want to see all the beautiful lights, garlands, and even holiday inflatables! Enter your home in our Parade of Lights and you could win a prize. Details here:  www.chph.ca/post/parade-of-lights

• Boxing Day Skating Party

Our Annual skating party is always a fun way to gather with friends and neighbours while skating away a few extra turkey calories. Join us for hot chocolate, snacks and skating.

When: December 26, 2022 - 2 pm to 4 pm

Where: CHPH Rink (at the soccer fields on Coach Hill Road)

• Kids Skating Lessons at CHPH Rink

We are pleased to offer a winter skating program at the CHPH Rink for kids aged 4-12 years old. These lessons will cover all abilities with a focus on FUN!

Lessons will be run by our own Samm Domagala, a NCCP (National Coach Certification Program) Certified Facilitator/Masher Coach Developer who has been teaching to learn to skate since she was 15.

Saturdays in January 2023 (January 7, 14, 21 & 28)

Time: 1 pm

Click here to register. Registration is open until December 27th.

SCA Community Association- 277 Strathcona Dr SW, https://scacalgary.ca/

The SCA CA (Strathcona Christie Aspen Community Association) and CCIS are hoping you would be able to share our Meet and Greet date to anyone whom you think would be interested in contributing to what type of workshops to host.  Once workshops have been decided on and what types of support attendees would require (such as interpreters) I would like to share these workshops with you.  All workshops will be free for all attendees and happen in 2023.

SAVE THE DATE: “Meet your neighbours at our Community Winter Meet Up”

SCA CA and CCIS are collaborating to present workshops and need your help on what our community would benefit from.

• Come and meet your community and learn about some new programs and services CCIS offer
• Informal conversation, networking
• Refreshments and prizes
• Everyone’s welcome

 Date: Thursday, January 26, 2023

Time: 6:00 – 8:30 pm

Place: Strathcona Community Association – 277 Strathcona Drive SW

West Springs/Cougar Ridge- https://wscr.ca/

WSCR will have two Paul Davis Social Networking/Online Safety events coming up on January 14, 2023. Here are the registration details: