To date, we have held three social events at the Hall. The Polar Party in January (pictures attached) witnessed colder weather than we would have liked but the addition of the inside Chilli, outside hot chocolate and a fire pit warmed the participants. This year the Cambrian School parents participated in some new fundraising events lead by Jessica DeMars. Assistance was also provided by the City and the nearby Baptist Church. Credit goes to the ice rink volunteers led by Scott Jacobson for providing two excellent sheets of ice.

February events included a Pub/Games Night organized and run by volunteer residents Carol Tubman and Pat Herrel on February 10 and the Rustic Sign Handicraft Workshop run by the Cambrian School parents as a fundraiser on February 24.

Current additional scheduled events are as follows:

Fun & Fearless Fitness           April 3

Wine Tasting                           April (tbd)

Red Cross – Be Ready             April 10

Janes Walk                             May  5

Annual General Meeting         May 15

Stampede Breakfast               July 14

Community Cleanup Event     Sept. 9

Other than the Wine tasting all these events are free to attend. Please check our website (www.cambrianheightscommunity.com) for updates and details of all events. Volunteering for setup, takedown or general assistance is an excellent way to make sure such events continue and to meet other members of the community. Please contact cambrianheights@gmail.com for more information.

We continue to look for volunteers who may have a specific interest in the Planning Committee or who will be able to become involved in the Provincial Casino fund raising program. Our next Casino we estimate will not be until early 2019 so there is plenty of time to benefit from past experience and procedures.

The Planning Committee has published on our community website a summary for the process of Development Permits dealing with the City approvals. In addition a practical guide entitled “Lessons Learned” written by two residents of our community details the practical process to avoid costly and lengthy delays in obtaining such City approvals through harmonious consultation with neighbours.

The next meeting of the Board will take place in March. All residents are welcome to attend and share any concerns, questions or ideas you may have for our community. Please contact us at our email address for the specific date, time and place.

Remember Participation Builds Better Communities.

Daryl Connolly, President CHCA

January witnessed our first event of the year our 4th Annual Polar Party. At the writing of this letter, plans call for the addition of, in partnership with the Cambrian Heights Elementry School, a Chilli cook-off and a 3X3 Hockey Tournament. While weather always impacts this event we hope the fire pit and hot chocolate provided relief from any cold weather. With free rental skates, no admission charge and the new events we know our community families took full advantage of this event.

February scheduled events include a Pub Night for February 10 and the Rustic Sign handicraft workshop on February 24. Other events scheduled for 2018 include a Wine Tasting in March or April, a Janes Walk on May 5, our Annual General Meeting on May 15, the Community Cleanup Event in May and our Stampede Breakfast July 14. Other than the Wine tasting all these events are free to attend. Please check the website for updates and details of all events. Volunteering for setup, takedown or general assistance is an excellent way to make sure such events continue and to meet other members of the community.

The continuation of these programs, development of new programs and the financing of new and existing facilities within our community is the continuing objective of your Board of Directors. New volunteers are always needed for social and recreational programs throughout the year. No less critical are the financial, area developmental planning and administrative issues that may be less visual but are equally important. This Winter/Spring explore the possibility of volunteering a little of your time towards areas in which you feel comfortable and allow for flexible time commitments. In particular, we are looking for someone who wants to become involved in the Provincial Casino fundraising program. Our next Casino we estimate will not be until early 2019 so there is plenty of time to benefit from past experience and procedures. Please contact cambrianheights@gmail.com for more information.

The outdoor ice guys continue to maintain both our ice surfaces in great condition through the different weather patterns Calgary endures. Our hats go off to them on behalf of all users. Please volunteer to help out this winter and if you have questions/recommendations about the ice please let me know at the email address (president@cambrianheightscommunity.com).

The Community Hall has completed an upgrade this fall to establish our facility as a full commercial kitchen. We await a final access requirement to be completed before our commercial status can be approved. This provides increased usage of the kitchen and thereby expands the types of events that may be hosted at the Hall.

As announced by the City and detailed in the January Newsletter, the recycling centre located at the Rosemont parking lot was scheduled to be removed sometime in January. One recycle option will be the east side of the North Hill Mall. A second option is the Superstore parking lot off 4th Street and 68 Ave. NW.

Capital projects for 2018 are currently being reviewed on a priority basis for improvements to the Community Hall. Consideration is being given towards completing an LED conversion from current fluorescent lighting, improvements in Hall facilities including audio, ventilation, security and signage enhancements. All these will be designed to increase usage by the Community residents.

We encourage you to watch for posted development permit announcements as construction activity is increasing throughout our community. Whether it is a new deck, garage, complete rebuild or an application for a secondary suite, you have a right to understand the development and object if City guidelines are being amended or there are certain detrimental impacts on your property. We direct you to our website for information on pending Permits or Land Use amendments. Soon we will be posting a discussion of recommended procedures for both builders and residents alike based on recent experiences within Cambrian Heights. If you wish to get involved with the Planning Committee they are currently in need of a Secretary to help out with their meetings and communications.

The next meeting of the Board will take place Monday, February 12 at the Georgina Thomson building on 14th Street and Northmount Drive NW at 6:30 PM. All residents are welcome to attend and share any concerns, questions or ideas you may have for our community.

Remember Participation Builds Better Communities.

On Behalf of the Board;
Daryl Connolly, President

January is a new year and we wish all residents of Cambrian Heights a very happy and rewarding 2018. What better way to enjoy your neighbourhood and your children than participating in the growth and activities provided in our community. Your community Hall and facilities are there to be utilized by all residents. Whether winter ice skating under the lights, Hall birthday parties and family gatherings or spring and summer barbecues the facilities are yours to enjoy. Feel free to contact any Board member with questions, suggestions or proposals that utilize or improve our neighbourhood.

November witnessed the generation of two new events resulting from asking community residents to participate in the design and management of new programs sponsored by the Community Association. The first was a Lego Contest for children age categories from 4 to 14. This took place Saturday, November 18 and was an immediate success with the participation of all age categories. Pictures from this event may be found on the Community website at www.cambrianheightscommunity.com. A second event originally scheduled for December 2 witnessed the first joint project with the parents association from the Cambrian Heights Elementary School. This was a Rustic Sign workshop initiated as a fundraiser for the school children. Due to timing issues, this event was subsequently re-scheduled for early in the new year. We anticipate future events being held at the Hall throughout 2018 involving participation from both organizations in our attempt to increase volunteerism and community participation.

Our first scheduled event for 2018 will be our 4th Winter Polar Party on the outdoor ice rinks Saturday, January 27. This event is fun for all ages of children and ice skates, games, a warming fire and refreshments are provided free of charge. At this point, we also have scheduled another Pub night on February 10 and a Wine or Scotch tasting event in the first half of 2018. Our Annual General Meeting is tentatively scheduled for May 17. Be sure to mark your calendar and explore what is happening in your community. Lots of ideas are being generated for children’s activities based on our new partnership with Cambrian Elementary. Again, look for details in our website or the Community monthly Newsletter as we draw closer to the events.

The continuation of these programs, development of new programs and the financing of new and existing facilities within our community is the continuing objective of your Board of Directors. New volunteers are always needed for social and recreational programs throughout the year. Currently, we need rink rat volunteers for our outdoor ice maintenance. Please contact Scott at scottcolleenj@gmail.com for information.

No less critical are the financial, area developmental planning and administrative issues that may be less visual but are equally important. This Winter/Spring explore the possibility of volunteering a little of your time towards areas in which you feel comfortable and allow for flexible time commitments. Contact cambrianheights@gmail.com for more information.

As previously announced the Community Hall has witnessed an upgrade this summer to establish our facility as a full commercial kitchen. This now provides increased usage of the kitchen and thereby expand the types of events that may be hosted at the Hall. The challenge will be to generate ideas and programs that will develop its use potential into 2018 and 2019. Renting it out to commercial enterprises can add revenue for the Community but we hope its greatest use will be through community activities whether social, educational or charitable.

Thanks to a grant issued by the Federation of Calgary Communities and financed by ENMAX Corporation we have now replaced current ice rink and building lighting with LED energy saving fixtures that should reduce our electrical costs significantly. We added lighting to our secondary ice rink surface at the same time.

The next meeting of the Board will take place Monday, February 5 at the Georgina Thomson building on 14th Street and Northmount Drive NW at 6:30 PM. All residents are welcome to attend and share any concerns, questions or ideas you may have relevant to Cambrian Heights.

Remember Participation Builds Better Communities.

On Behalf of the Board;
Daryl Connolly, President

On Saturday, October 28 the Community hosted their annual Halloween Party featuring music, games, prizes and a great exhibition of costumes. Attendance was at a maximum for the Hall at times as participants came and went.  We want to thank all the volunteers that made this event possible especially Jessica Demers, Chris Maggiora and Board member Jennifer Manns. In addition, the City of Calgary provided three volunteers whose help was greatly appreciated.

At the writing of this letter, we are looking forward to two new events.  The first new event is being introduced on Saturday, November 18 at the Community Hall. Thanks to one of our members, Nancy Else, we are holding a Lego Contest for children age categories from 4 to 14. The theme for the contest is Canada 150 and is open to community residents and those of surrounding neighbourhoods. A second new event is planned for December 2 involving a joint effort between the Community Association and the Cambrian Heights School Parents Association. This is a fundraiser for the school focused on an evening of Rustic Sign Painting, wine and deserts. For more information and event details please see our website www.cambrianheightscommunity.com or contact Jessica Demers at jessdemers@hotmail.com. In addition, the Polar Party will return January 27 with expanded activities. At this point, we also anticipate another Pub night and a Wine or Scotch tasting event in the first quarter of 2018. Again, look for details on our website or the Community Newsletter as we draw closer to the events.

The continuation of these programs, development of new programs and the financing of new and existing facilities within our community is the continuing objective of your Board of Directors. Our developing partnership with the Cambrian Heights School holds great promise for new events combining the Community resources and the school volunteer base. New volunteers are always needed for social and recreational programs throughout the year. No less critical are the financial and administrative issues that may be less visual but are equally important. This Fall/Winter explore the possibility of volunteering a little of your time towards areas in which you feel comfortable and allow for flexible time commitments.

The Community Hall has witnessed an upgrade this summer to establish our facility as a full commercial kitchen. This now provides increased usage of the kitchen and thereby expand the types of events that may be hosted at the Hall. This program has been in planning and development for the past three years. With grants from both the City of Calgary and the Provincial Government, the cost of this work is minimal to the Community. We anticipate the establishment of our kitchen as a full commercial cooking facility in late December or early January 2018. In anticipation of this enhanced use capability, we have modified our rental rates slightly in recognition of other community halls with equivalent facilities. The challenge will be to generate ideas and programs that will develop its use potential into 2018 and 2019. Renting it out to commercial enterprises can add revenue for the Community but we hope its greatest use will be through community activities whether social, educational or charitable. If you have any ideas please contact us at cambrianheights@gmail.com.

Thanks to a grant issued through the Federation of Calgary Communities and financed by ENMAX Corporation we will be replacing current ice rink and building lighting with LED energy saving fixtures that should reduce our electrical costs significantly. We will add lighting to our secondary ice rink at the same time.

We have at our Annual General Meeting held in May raised the membership fees (except for senior rates which remain constant) for the Community effective January 1, 2018. These fees will now be more comparable to those of surrounding communities. However, until the effective date, 2018 memberships may be purchased at existing rates. See our website or the Community newsletter for registration.

The next public meeting of the Board will take place Monday, January 8 at the Georgina Thomson building on 14th Street and Northmount Drive NW at 6:30 PM. All residents are welcome to attend and share any concerns, questions or ideas you may have relevant to Cambrian Heights.

Remember Participation Builds Better Communities.

On Behalf of the Board;

Daryl Connolly, President