Latest News & Events:

THEATRE CLASSES FOR KIDS

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Playground report

Playground at 51 Saddleridge Close

Today marked a special time in Saddle Ridge, we finally opened the new playground located at 51 Saddleridge close.  This park was paid for by Parks Foundation Calgary, Saddle Ridge Community Association, The City of Calgary Parks, Imperial Oil, & Encana. Volunteering from Saddle Ridge CA were David Brown, Judy Brown (SRCA President), and Greg Steiner, also many volunteers from Imperial Oil.   This park took three days to build, longer than normal due to extremely bad weather but thanks to Dan and Andrew of B& G Recreation services guiding all the volunteers we got it done.  A result of that hard work is a playground that cost just under $49,000 for the equipment alone, a playground worth close to $100,000.00. Also a playground which will enrich the entire community of Saddle Ridge as well as the play value for the children of Saddle Ridge. 

Neighborwoods

Today as a part of the opening of this playground we are started another program that will come to Saddle Ridge next year.  That program is Neighborwoods.  This program allows you to get a free tree (you pay for the watering bag $30) your only commitment water the tree for the next five years.  If this sounds like something you would be interested in hearing more about you can call Dave Brown @403-273-9081.  We are looking for volunteers in the community to help us spread the word about Neighborwoods so if this is something you would be interested in give me a call.  If you want to get a watering bag for next years program and want to sign up all you have to do is call 311.

The trees we finished planting today (12 in total) were paid for by co-operators Insurance  (Faiza Solomon) and Scotiabank (Mariam Esmail)  They originally were sponsoring our Pond Party but because it was cancelled they agreed to use their sponsorship money for the beautification and greening of the park.  So if you want to see more green in Saddle Ridge give us a call, get involved in Neighborwoods.

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This winter, Calgary will implement Snow Route parking bans for the first time in our city’s history. This program will touch every community in Calgary and will impact all citizens who drive.

Please take a few moments to read the information in this letter and become familiar with the new program. 

What are Snow Route parking bans and why do we need them?

Snow Route parking bans are temporary parking restrictions on designated routes that will be in effect for up to 72 hours following snow falls of five (5) centimetres or more. Snow Routes exist in all communities in Calgary, and include major roadways and most bus routes.  Snow Routes have been marked by blue signs with white snowflakes ―Watch for these signs in your community. Snow Route locations can be found at Calgary.ca/snow

Snow Route parking bans are beneficial for a number of reasons:

· City crews will be able to remove snow from curb-to-curb on major traffic routes.

· Plowing times will be reduced by up to 30 per cent as plows won’t have to navigate around parked cars. This will enable crews to get to residential routes faster.

· Vehicles won’t get plowed-in.

· Snow that builds up around parked cars will not get pushed back onto the road once they are moved.

Snow Route parking bans have been considered a best practice for years in most winter cities, including, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal and Chicago.

What this means for Calgarians

We need your support to make this program a success. You can help us make our roads safer and more driveable this winter by ensuring your car is not parked on a Snow Route during a parking ban. Become familiar with the Snow Routes in the areas where you live, work and visit. Be aware of the weather and understand that if you are parked on a Snow Route this winter and a parking ban is declared, you will have to find alternate parking.

If you are ever unsure if a parking ban is in effect, visit Calgary.ca/snow, tune in to local news or radio stations, or call 3-1-1 and listen to the automated Snow Route message.

Parking bans will be declared through a five-step process:

1.    Snow Event Advisory - If 5 cm or more of snow is forecasted, The City will issue a “Snow Event Advisory” through the media and online. This is meant to warn citizens that snow is expected and vehicles parked on Snow Routes will have to be moved.

2.    Citizens move their vehicles – Cars parked on Snow Routes should be moved as soon as possible.

3.    Snow Event declaration - If there is an accumulated snow fall of 5 cm or more, The City will declare a Snow Event and Snow Route parking bans will be in effect for 72 hours.

4.    Plowing – Snow clearing operations will occur on Snow Routes for up to 72 hours after a parking ban has been declared.

5.    Snow Route parking ban lifted – The City will announce through the media and online when the Snow Route parking ban is lifted. Once the ban is lifted, citizens can park on the roads as usual.

Questions?

To find out more about Snow Routes visit www.calgary.ca/snow.

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Genesis Centre has a new website:  www.genesis-centre.ca check out the updates on construction, info on the open house and Grand Opening!

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To the Residents of Saddle Ridge

Calgary Parks Bylaws

There have been instances of residents mowing the grass behind their properties which back onto Hugh Bennett Park.  Please be advised that this is not allowed under City of Calgary BYLAW NUMBER 20M2003

These rules apply to all parks not only in Saddle Ridge but throughout the entire city.  Please help maintain our parks.  If you think something needs to be done to the park call 311 please do not take it upon yourself to do these jobs.

"Natural Area" means City controlled land or water or both which contains nativeplant or animal ecological or geographical systems including wetlands,

escarpments, riparian corridors, grasslands, wood lands and other wildlife habitat; "Park Vegetation" means any fungus, plant or part thereof which grows in a Park;

 PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES

17. No Person shall:

(a) dig, disturb or remove any mineral substance including soil, sand, gravel or rock

from a Park;

(b) damage, dig, cut, disturb or destroy any Park Vegetation, whether alive or dead;

(c) damage, dig, disturb, deface, destroy or remove any fossils, bones or historical

artifacts from a Park;

(d) damage or destroy any wildlife habitat; or

(e) pester, feed or otherwise interfere with any animal in a Park.

No Person shall, in a Park:

(a) plant, grow, place or modify any plant, flower or other Park Vegetation;

(b) build, erect, place, remove or modify any Amenity, Pathway or Trail;

(c) cut, irrigate, spray or apply any substance, including pesticides and

fertilizers, to any grass or other Park Vegetation, or otherwise disturb or

damage the Park Vegetation;

(d) leave, place, store, deposit or hoard anything; or

(e) build, erect or create a jump or ramp.

This is only a small portion of the Bylaw the Bylaw itself is approximately 20 pages long. To read the bylaw in its entirety go to this link.

http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/ABS/Pages/Bylaws-by-topic/Parks-pathways.aspx

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New online tool makes it easier to search City’s Land Use Bylaw

The City of Calgary has launched a new interactive, searchable version of the Land Use Bylaw that will make searching easier for people looking for land use rules and information. As The City continues to enhance its online services, accessibility and ease of use will keep improving over time.

“We are excited to introduce this new tool and improve the customer experience for those looking for information regarding the Land Use Bylaw. Reducing the challenges for our customers was the primary reason for this work; “says Nelson Medeiros, Lead Planner on the Land Use Bylaw Team. “This tool will allow City staff to shift their focus from helping customers find information to assisting in interpreting the Bylaw.”

Other user-friendly capabilities have been added to the new tool including: An index to navigate to a chosen topic in the bylaw based on keyword; links for cross-references to various sections of the bylaw in order to easily find specific information; and links for defined terms and defined uses that will bring up the relevant definition in a small pop-up window.

Some common items that customers reference in the bylaw include: fence regulations, building a garage or shed, building an addition to a residence, decks, home-based businesses, and secondary suites.

The original Land Use Bylaw document will still be available in a PDF format should customers prefer that version. The new tool can be found at calgary.ca/landusebylaw

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Executive & Board of Directors meetings are the last Thursday of each month, please feel free to call or email us with suggestions/concerns.

Our phone is now working, you can call & leave a message for a member of the Executive or Board of Directors at: 403-285-1166

2011 Saddle Ridge Community Association Memberships available only $10! Contact Dave at saddleridgemembership@shaw.ca or 403-273-9081