At the writing of this message the Provincial government as of February 8 started to ease COVID-19 restrictions on a gradual basis with targeted hospitalization numbers. Restrictions are scheduled to be eased for Community Hall activities in Step-2, when COVID hospitalizations are sustained below 450 in Alberta. This will be no sooner than March 1. Step 3 proposes to ease restrictions on social gatherings when we sustain less than 300 hospitalizations, but again no sooner than March 22. The last phase, Step 4 occurs at less than 150 hospitalizations with a currently scheduled earliest date of April 12. At all stages we still anticipate some restrictions due to the slower than anticipated rollout of vaccinations across Canada. Based upon all these uncertainties we continue to remain in a hold pattern for social events until full clarity and protocols are published and understood.

We sympathize with the local businesses that had to shut down or restrict service during these pandemic times. We, like all communities in Calgary, value the contribution of such businesses to the well being of our neighborhoods and encourage support of these stores and facilities once restrictions are removed. We also continue to recognize the sacrifices of our health care workers and those continuing to provide essential services throughout this crisis.

At Cambrian Heights we will continue, subject to weather, to maintain our two ice rinks to support outdoor activity. We also encourage residents to utilize Confederation Park for sliding and walking during this winter season. If you are not aware, Nordic skiing is available at Confederation Golf Course thanks to volunteers from various organizations grooming trails. Nordic trails are also available at Bowness Park, Shaganappi Golf course and South Glenmore Park. As well we are fortunate to have Nose Hill Park for snow shoeing after fresh snow falls and walks on warmer winter days.

Our weekly Yoga Program and our Fitness Programs will continue to be offered online.  Both Lorene Hughes – Fitness (scarybunnybefit@gmail.com) and Kyrsten Blair – Yoga (kyrstenblair@icloud.com) will operate these programs, gaining from their experiences since COVID-19 forced this change in March. Please consult the advertisement posters in this issue or our website for further details. At this point it is unlikely these programs will return to the Community Hall before September.

In the past community newsletter issues we have reported on the efforts of the Parks Committee to advance the planning and fundraising to improve the Cambrian Heights Dog Park located at 10th Street and 32 Avenue next to Queen’s Park Cemetery. Published in this issue is a preliminary diagram of the development envisioned for the Dog Park. This concept was developed during 2020 by volunteer committee residents  from both Cambrian Heights and Rosemont communities. A team of Mount Royal students have joined us as we look to engage and encourage residents in both communities to get involved in this multi year project. Please see the Cambrian Heights Dog Park announcement in this newsletter for more details.

I want to remind everyone that we continue to support an award winning Edelweiss Preparatory School for Preschool, Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten students at the Community Hall. The Edelweiss School has served this Community for well over 30 years since its inception in 1988. Obviously parents concerns with COVID-19 has substantially reduced enrollment. However, Edelweiss re-opened in September 2020 with strict health safety protocols in place. We reference you to their website at epschool.ca to check on the program so many of us as parents have experienced. They are currently taking registrations for September 2021.

The next meetings of the Board are scheduled for March 1 and April 5 .  With the Hall closure mandate these meetings are being conducted online. If you wish to bring some issue forward to the Board please contact me in advance of any meeting. We can then make arrangements for you to attend  through video conferencing if necessary.

We have scheduled our Annual general Meeting for June 15 in anticipation of such gatherings being permitted by Provincial government health regulations.

Stay Safe But Remain Active.

Daryl Connolly, President CHCA

At the writing of this message, the Provincial government has extended social restrictive measures in an attempt to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This announcement continues the closure of the Community Hall until at least January 21. We sympathize with the local businesses that had to shut down or restrict service during these pandemic times. Like all communities in Calgary, we value such businesses’ contribution to the well being of our neighbourhoods and encourage support of these stores and facilities once restrictions are removed. We also continue to recognize our health care workers’ sacrifices and those continuing to provide essential services throughout this crisis.

At Cambrian Heights, we will continue to provide our two ice rinks to support outdoor activity. If you are available to help out with the rink’s maintenance, please contact the team headed by Scott at scottcolleenj@gmail.com to offer some hours of worthwhile effort for the kids. We also encourage residents to utilize Confederation Park for sliding and walking during this winter season. If you are not aware, Nordic skiing is available at Confederation Golf Course, thanks to volunteers from various organizations grooming trails. Nordic trails are also available at Bowness Park, Shaganappi Golf course and South Glenmore Park. We are also fortunate to have Nose Hill Park for snowshoeing after fresh snowfalls and walks on warmer winter days.

We will continue to explore options for online programs focusing on informational and social activities. In this regard, we organized a Mealtime Cooking demonstration online for January 28 and have scheduled a three-part Community Waste Exploration for February 10, 17 and 24th. Details of this may be found in a poster within the Newsletter. If you have ideas for additional online activities, please feel free to contact us at CHCA_hall@telus.net.

While the COVID -19 pandemic has forced the cancellation of social events, our weekly drop-in Yoga Program and our general Fitness Programs will continue to be offered online into 2021. Both Lorene Hughes – Fitness (scarybunnybefit@gmail.com) and Kyrsten Blair – Yoga (kyrstenblair@icloud.com) will operate these programs, gaining from their experience when COVID-19 forced this change in March. Please consult the advertisement posters on this site for further details. A review will be made in the first quarter of 2021 towards returning to Community Hall sessions starting in April.

The Community Association continues to look for residents interested in volunteering to help develop programs and activities for adults and children living in Cambrian Heights. Of particular interest to many residents is the amount of development activity occurring within Cambrian Heights. There are also ongoing changes to regulation guidelines being proposed by City officials to encourage such development. Joining the Planning Committee for your Community will open up opportunities to impact such developmental changes on the ground floor. To get involved or for more information, please contact us at president@cambrianheightscommunity.com.

The Planning Committee continues to work on both near term responses to Development Permits and the longer-term issue involving such City projects as the Green Line LRT and the changes coming in development planning detailed in the updated Guidebook for Great Communities available on the City website (www.calgary.ca). As a recent City of Calgary initiative, we remind everyone that concerned residents may now view online proposed development permits after completing a Viewing Authorization form. Simply email PropertyResearch@calgary.ca to start the process. Previously, a resident had to view the downtown Municipal Building plans or by contacting the Community Association. Cambrian Heights will reference residents wishing henceforth to view such plans for this new online service.

A volunteer committee, made up of residents both in Cambrian Heights and Rosemont, is planning enhancements of the 32nd Avenue Dog Park space for residents and their dogs. We are currently working with Calgary Parks on this initiative, which has recently committed to planting some small trees in the space during 2021. We have also recently partnered with a Mount Royal student program to develop an effective resident communication platform and fundraising effort. You will hear more about that program in the near future. The Committee now expects to have a preliminary design concept and procedures for comments posted on a bulletin board at the 32nd Avenue Dog Park and on this site in February. It is imperative we have effective consultations before project initiation during the spring/summer of 2021. It is further expected that this will be a multi-year process as funds need to be raised for each stage of development. Critical to this process is that residents come forward and involve themselves with all design, fundraising, and implementation stages. It is hoped that this will be the first step in our program to enhance all the parks in the community to make them more useful as green spaces for community area residents. If you wish to be part of this process, working with other volunteers in a partnered effort, please contact us at cambrianheights@gmail.com.

The next meeting of the Board is scheduled for February 1.  With the Hall closure mandate, these meetings are being conducted online. If you wish to bring some issue forward to the Board, please contact me in advance of any meeting. We can then make arrangements for you to attend through video conferencing if necessary.

Stay Healthy and Safe.

Daryl Connolly, President CHCA

At the writing of this message, the Provincial government has announced new restrictive measures to reduce social interactions in an attempt to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus. While the Community Hall had been ordered to be closed in November, this announcement continues such closure into 2021. We sympathize with all the community residents, particularly our seniors, who had to forgo the traditional family gatherings that provide the true meaning of Christmas and the Holiday Season. We also sympathize with the local businesses that had to shut down or restrict entry at this critical time to their continued operations. We, like all communities in Calgary, value the contribution of such businesses to the well being of our neighbourhoods and encourage support of these stores and facilities.

At Cambrian Heights, we will continue to provide our two ice rinks to support outdoor activity. If you are available to help out with the maintenance of the rink please contact the team headed by Scott at scottcolleenj@gmail.com to offer some hours of worthwhile effort for the kids. We also encourage residents to utilize Confederation Park for sliding and walking during this winter season. If you are not aware, Nordic skiing is available at Confederation Golf Course thanks to volunteers from various organizations grooming trails. Nordic trails are also available at Bowness Park, Shaganappi Golf course and South Glenmore Park. As well we are fortunate to have Nose Hill Park for snowshoeing after fresh snowfalls or walks on warmer winter days.

The annual children’s Lego Contest was not held live this year for safety reasons. We did however sponsor an online virtual contest which was judged on November 21. Some pictures from that contest are shown here with the remainder being available on our website.

We will continue to explore options for online programs focusing on informational and social activities. If you have ideas in this regard please feel free to contact us at one of the email addresses provided in this Newsletter.

While the COVID -19 pandemic has forced the cancellation of social events our weekly drop-in Yoga Program and our general Fitness Programs will continue to be offered online into 2021. Both Lorene Hughes – Fitness (scarybunnybefit@gmail.com) and Kyrsten Blair – Yoga (kyrstenblair@icloud.com) will operate these programs, gaining from their experience when COVID-19 forced this change in March. Please consult the advertisement posters in this issue or our website for further details. A review will be made in the first quarter of 2021 towards returning to in Community Hall sessions starting in April.

Our first 12-week language class was concluded in December. It was a great success involving in-person classes until late November when it was switched to online due to Provincial orders to close Community Centres. We would like to hear your thoughts on conducting another such class in early 2021 focusing on Spanish, French, German or Mandarin. Class size is restricted to 6-8 to maintain maximum individual attention, with a cost of $120. If you are interested in either online or in-person lessons please let us know by emailing cambrianheights@gmail.com.

The Community Association continues to look for residents interested in volunteering to help develop programs and activities for adults and children living in Cambrian Heights. Currently, we are actively looking to recruit someone to replace our current Secretary later in 2021. This is an opportunity to join the Board of Directors and learn the job from the current Secretary and contribute to the successful running of the Cambrian Heights Community Association.  To get involved or for more information please contact us at president@cambrianheightscommunity.com.

The Planning Committee continues to work on both near term responses to Development Permits and the longer-term issue involving such City projects as the Green Line LRT and the changes coming in development planning detailed in the updated Guidebook for Great Communities available on the City website (www.calgary.ca) in late December. As a recent City of Calgary initiative, concerned residents can now view online proposed development permits after filling out a Viewing Authorization form. Simply email PropertyResearch@calgary.ca to start the process. Previously, a resident had to view the plans at the downtown Municipal Building or by contacting the Community Association. Residents wishing henceforth to view such plans will be referenced by Cambrian Heights to this new online service.

While interrupted with the pandemic early in 2020 a Committee, looking into enhancements of the 32nd Avenue Dog Park, has refocused and is exploring various designs and concepts to enhance the space for residents and their dogs. We are currently working with Calgary Parks in this initiative. We have also recently partnered with a Mount Royal student program to develop an effective resident communication platform and fundraising effort. The Committee, made up of resident volunteers from Cambrian Heights and Rosemont communities, expects to have a preliminary design concept for comments posted on a bulletin board at the 32nd Avenue Dog Park and on our website in late January or early February. It is imperative we have effective consultations before project initiation during the spring/summer of 2021. It is further expected that this will be a multi-year process as funds need to be raised for each stage of development. Critical to this process is that residents come forward and involve themselves with all stages of design, fundraising and implementation. It is hoped that this will be the first step in our program to enhance all the parks in the community to make them more useful as green spaces for community area residents. If you wish to be part of this process, working with other volunteers in a partnered effort, please contact us at cambrianheights@gmail.com.

The next meeting of the Board is scheduled for January 4.  With the Hall closure mandate, these meetings are being conducted online. If you wish to bring some issue forward to the Board please contact me in advance of any meeting. We can then make arrangements for you to attend through video conferencing.

Stay Healthy, Safe and Best Wishes for You and Your Family in 2021.

Daryl Connolly, President CHCA

The Community Hall remains open for rentals and the Edelweiss Preparatory School resumed classes in September. Obviously, with the COVID-19 pandemic and the provincial and City regulations rentals and normal social and fitness programs have been impacted. Recent levels of COVID infections have resulted in a Provincial mandate of a 15 person maximum for private social events, which in fact are being discouraged. As a consequence, our yoga and fitness programs have been switched to online broadcasts and will continue into 2021 with this format.

As a new initiative in these restrictive times, the Community Association sponsored a free pumpkin patch giveaway on Saturday, October 3. Over 160 pumpkins were distributed to families in Cambrian Heights. In addition, during the rest of October, an online contest was held for best costumes in adult, children and pet categories. A best decorated front yard and house award was also judged. Some of the pictures from Halloween are shown here but a full catalogue may be found on our website.

The annual children’s Lego Contest will not be held live this year for safety reasons. We did however sponsor an online virtual contest which was judged on November 21. Pictures from that contest are not available at the publication deadline of this issue but will be placed on the website and highlighted in the January Newsletter.

We will continue to explore options for online programs focusing on informational and social activities. If you have ideas in this regard please feel free to contact us at one of the email addresses provided in this update.

As indicated our weekly drop-in Yoga Program and our general Fitness Programs will continue to be offered online into 2021. Both Lorene Hughes – Fitness (scarybunnybefit@gmail.com) and Kyrsten Blair – Yoga (kyrstenblair@icloud.com) will operate these programs, gaining from their experience when COVID-19 forced this change in March. Please consult the advertisement posters in this issue for further details.

The introductory 12-week Spanish language class at the Community Hall was concluded on December 8. It was a great success from the participants’ viewpoint of which I was one. We would like to hear your thoughts on conducting another such class in early 2021 focusing on Spanish, French, German or Mandarin. Class size is restricted to 6-8 to maintain maximum individual attention. If you are interested please let us know by emailing cambrianheights@gmail.com.

On the positive side, with the advent of winter, our two outdoor ice rinks will once again provide a first-class recreational activity for young and old. Enjoy the outdoors and our rinks either in the light of day or the artificial lights illuminating the evening behind the Hall. Once again volunteers make this possible. If you are available to help out please contact the team headed by Scott at scottcolleenj@gmail.com to offer some hours of worthwhile effort for the kids.

The Community Association is also looking for a volunteer to undertake the job of Secretary for the 2021 year. There remains an opportunity to join the Board of Directors and learn the job from the current Secretary and contribute to the successful running of the Cambrian Heights Community while contributing new ideas and joining an active group of volunteers that are your neighbours. Please contact me at president@cambrianheightscommunity.com for more information.

While interrupted with the pandemic early in 2020, the Committee, looking into enhancements of the 32nd Avenue Dog Park, has refocused and is exploring various designs and concepts with the support of Calgary Parks. They expect to have a preliminary design concept for resident comments late this year. It is imperative we have effective consultations, particularly with those residents most impacted on 32nd Avenue, before project initiation. It is further expected that this will be a multi-year process as funds need to be raised for each stage of development. Critical to this process is that volunteers come forward and involve themselves with all stages of design, fundraising and implementation. It is hoped that this will be the start of our program to enhance all the parks in the community to make them more useful as green spaces for Cambrian Heights. If you wish to be part of this process, working with other volunteers in a partnered effort, please contact the Community at cambrianheights@gmail.com.

The next meeting of the Board is scheduled for January 4.  While these meetings normally take place at the Georgina Thomson City building on 14th Street and Northmount Drive, recent City guidelines have restricted that buildings use and for the near term all Board meetings will be held either at the Community Hall or via Zoom online. These meetings occur at 6:30 PM and residents are normally welcome to attend. At this point, we are not encouraging community residents to attend due to health safety concerns. If you do wish to bring some issue forward to the Board please contact cambrianheights@gmail.com in advance of any meeting. We can then make arrangements for you to attend in person, or through video conferencing, when required for health and safety reasons.

Stay Healthy, Safe and Best Wishes for You and Your Family This Holiday Season.

Daryl Connolly, President CHCA