Activity at the Community Hall has been restricted by COVID health safety measures since March of 2020. At the writing of this report, there have been Provincial changes being announced that end the Restrictions Exemption Program but retains the Face Covering Bylaw. Further changes are proposed for March 1 and beyond subject to hospitalizations rates dropping. Issues may remain however with the City of Calgary’s response in regards to local regulations. We remain focused on promoting renewed activity at our hall and grounds while maintaining appropriate health safety standards. These will be guided by City of Calgary regulations as owners of the hall and grounds.

As outlined in our February report we are tentatively planning a southern France wine tasting evening on Saturday, May 28. We will of course be monitoring the public indoor gathering regulations against the social nature of this wine tasting and food service event. A firm commitment to this event will be made in early April with tickets going on sale through our website (www.cambrianheightscommunity.com). Details will be provided on this site as well as our Facebook page.

In addition, we have scheduled our Annual General Meeting for June 28 at the Community Hall. We again hope to host this event with guests and a social reception to explore issues important to the residents of Cambrian Heights. Put this on your calendar and contribute to the discussion that evening.

To reopen the Hall to activities after two years of shutdowns we need your help. Whether you have the time to assist in our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram programs, or to help organize social events please contact us at president@cambrianheightscommunity.com to discuss avenues to develop community involvement.

Our two outdoor ice rinks have provided an excellent social and physical activity outlet, particularly in these pandemic winters. By the publication of this issue these two rinks may be on their last legs as March 20th brings the first day of spring. We all extend our appreciation to Scott Jacobson and his team of volunteers for another excellent season.

We continue to support our online yoga program and hope to soon revert to pre-pandemic live classes at the hall as well as a restart of our fitness program. We remind residents with spring and then summer around the corner of the $100 Block party subsidy available through the Community. Bringing your neighbours together is a great way to promote the spirit of friendship. Feel free to explore this idea by emailing president@cambrianheightscommunity.com.

We have all noticed an increase in home sales, renovations, and new builds over the last 12 months in Cambrian Heights. We encourage all new owners to reference our website for the document “Lessons Learned” and discuss design aspects with your neighbours or explore conversation with the Community Planning Committee to avoid conflicts in the development process.

We continue to encourage all residents of Cambrian Heights to consider involvement in your community association. We further encourage all in the community to provide feedback and ideas at cambrianheights@gmail.com identifying what type of programs and activities you would like to see for our community. Whether you have the ability to volunteer or not your suggestions are always appreciated.

Daryl Connolly, President CHCA

While into the second month of a new year the news from your community association continues to be missing the past excitement of events and programs to announce. Instead, we have the highly contagious Omicron variant impacting our social gatherings and daily lives. Our online Fitness classes were suspended in January due to limited participation. Our Yoga classes however have continued, as detailed in the poster within this issue. The annual Polar Party was also canceled due to the inability to provide free skate rentals and volunteer organizations. We, as Directors of the Community Association, are focused on returning the level of programming experienced in pre-Covid years to our community hall. We are tentatively planning for the second quarter of this year a Wine Tasting event, an Open House promoting community participation with an update on our parks development ideas, and our Annual General Meeting in late June. Please watch our website (www.cambrianheightscommunity.com) for details.

Cambrian Heights will need participation from our residents to plan these social events while developing new educational programming such as language classes for all ages and improve on our communication systems with community residents. To help in this process we need someone to volunteer time to realize the potential of our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram programs. If you are able to volunteer some time to help please contact us at president@cambrianheightscommunity.com to discuss your potential involvement.

Our two outdoor ice rinks are available for skating thanks to Scott Jacobson and his team of volunteers. They have done a great service to the community with the two ice surfaces this year in extremely cold conditions. Extra hands are always needed so if you are able to help even for a few hours please contact Scott at scott-andrew-jacobson@hotmail.com.

We remind residents of the $100 Block party subsidy available through the Community. Whether winter or summer, bringing your neighbours together is a great way to promote the spirit of friendship that Calgary is famous for exhibiting. Feel free to explore this idea by contacting me by email or phone.

We continue to encourage all residents of Cambrian Heights to stay safe in 2022 and hope soon to be announcing programs and activities for our community as in pre-pandemic years. In the interim please enjoy our outdoor ice rinks and consider involvement in your community association. We further encourage all in the community to provide feedback and ideas at cambrianheights@gmail.com identifying what type of programs and activities you would like to see for our community. Whether you have the ability to volunteer or not your suggestions are always appreciated.

Daryl Connolly, President CHCA

January brings with it a new beginning and hope for 2022 signaling a year of recovery from COVID-19. We, as Directors of the Community Association, are focused on returning the level of programming experience in pre-Covid years to our community hall. Focus over the past two years has been on the maintenance of a healthy financial position and supporting our long-term Edelweiss Preparatory School as they maintain their programs in the face of decreased enrolment and higher costs due to the pandemic. The Board maintained a primary focus on health and safety by minimizing the use of the hall in the face of ever-changing provincial regulations. We now hope 2022 will witness a return to full use of the hall and outdoor facilities as we progress through this new year.

To make this happen Cambrian Heights will need participation from our residents to plan social events, develop new programming for all ages, and improve our communications with the community. To accomplish this we need someone to volunteer time to realize the potential of our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram programs. If you are able to volunteer some time to help in this process please contact us at president@cambrianheightscommunity.com. to discuss your involvement.

Our two outdoor ice rinks are available for skating thanks to Scott Jacobson and his team of volunteers. Should you wish to help out Scott this year please contact Scott at scott-andrew-jacobson@hotmail.com.

We continue to encourage all residents of Cambrian Heights to stay safe in 2022 and hope soon to be announcing programs and activities for our community as in pre-pandemic years. We further encourage all in the community to provide feedback at cambrianheights@gmail.com identifying what type of programs and activities you would like to see for our community. Whether you have the ability to volunteer or not your suggestions are always appreciated.

Daryl Connolly, President CHCA

December finds us still awaiting restrictions to be lifted for the COVID pandemic that has effectively shut down community hall events. In November both the Fitness and Yoga programs were returned to online participation only. We are hoping that the beginning of 2022 brings higher levels of vaccinations, including children, that will permit a return to social, health and educational programs to our community. In anticipation of this renewed activity, Cambrian Heights needs volunteers to plan new social events and enhance our communications thereby growing the involvement of residents with the community facilities. Please reference the poster in the December newsletter issue looking for help in communications (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) as well as a social planner.

We at Cambrian Heights and all those in Ward 4 are now living with the controversy surrounding Councillor Sean Chu, his election, the events surrounding his conduct in 1997 and the Mayor, our Premier and fellow Councillors’ request that he resign his position on Council. He has chosen not to follow this request and remains our representative with the City administration. He has been stripped of committee posts in Council and will be operating within a non-supportive environment. We await further developments while maintaining open communication with the communities in Ward 4 and Councillor Chu’s office.

On the lighter side, as a result of our free pumpkin giveaway for residents of the Community in October, I wanted to give recognition to a resident on my street that created these pumpkin faces for Halloween. If you have any other such examples of creative artistry at any time please feel free to send them to us (cambrianheights@gmail.com) for publication on our website.

The Alberta Low Impact Development Partnership in conjunction with the University of Calgary have finished creating a “rain garden” and sophisticated monitoring system to study plants that will flourish in southern Alberta under natural watering conditions. A picture of the garden behind our hall is shown. This will be the subject of a live seminar next spring for all residents. Stay tuned to the website for details.

By December our two outdoor ice skating rinks will be available for use. Should you wish to help out Scott and his rink team this year please contact Scott at scott-andrew-jacobson@hotmail.com to offer your volunteer service.

We as the Board of Directors for Cambrian Heights wish to send our Christmas and Holiday messages of health, welfare and happiness to everyone and to wish all the best of life experiences in 2022.

Daryl Connolly, President CHCA

Due to the rise in COVID cases the province of Alberta once again changed course with the announcement introducing new AHS regulations that impacted the indoor renting of our hall facilities for social events. These had the effect of placing liability with the community association for the adherence to masking, vaccination and social distances. As such the hall will suspend rentals for social events for as long as these regulations are in place. This includes moving our fall wine tasting into the spring of 2022.

We did however sponsor, as was the case last year, a free pumpkin giveaway for residents of the Community. This took place on Saturday, October 9 between 10 AM and 2 PM and was a great success. We thank both Barb Milne and Christine Breed for their efforts in making this popular event a success.

Equally successful was the free outdoor concert held on September 18 on a sunny fall afternoon. Over 95 residents attended this event and plans are already underway to repeat this event in the summer of 2022. We thank the Gunn Blues Band for their participation.

As a reminder, the Board of Directors has decided to award all those who paid for a membership in 2021 a free membership for 2022. This Is in recognition of the facility shut down and suspensions of most programs and activities at the Hall this year and last due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Alberta Low Impact Development Partnership has finished creating a “rain garden” beside the Community Hall, demonstrating plants that will flourish in southern Alberta under natural watering conditions. This will be the subject of a live seminar next spring for all residents. Stay tuned to the website for details.

We remind residents that a new Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw will go into effect on January 1, 2022. This addresses “effective compliance and education in response to new trends in animal care and ownership”. It also addresses aggressive and noise issues relating to dogs. A full review of these new policies may be obtained on the calgary.ca website.

Depending on weather our two outdoor ice skating rinks will be taking shape as winter progresses. Should you wish to help out Scott and his team this year please contact them (scottcolleenj@gmail.com) to offer your volunteer services. This effort is rewarded by the extensive use made of these rinks by our residents, young and old, over the winter months.

We continue to highlight the design and work being undertaken towards improving the Off-Leash Park as described in the “digital brochure” accessible through the Cambrian Heights website. As previously reported we have established a partnership with the Parks Foundation Calgary (“PFC”) to allow tax receipts to be issued for any donations made directly to the PFC for the enhancement of this park. Details of how such a contribution may be accomplished online will be published soon.

Daryl Connolly, President CHCA