President’s Message – June 2023
It’s June and our Annual General Meeting is behind us! Getting ready for the AGM is always a time consuming process and I want to thank Rick Wierzbicki who stick handled the nomination process, and Elaine Scobie and Terry Meiyeppen who worked through the audit. In addition, a shout out of thanks is due to our ECA office staff, Rachel and Jiayi, and Brenda, our bookkeeper, for their assistance in this process. The listing for the new Board will be up on our website (www.edgemont.ab.ca) and will be published in the July issue of Inside Edgemont. A big thank you to retiring Directors: Bill Kirk, past president; Elspeth Kirk, Inside Edgemont newsletter editor; Changling Luo, who ushered in our new Membership and Events webpage software; Terry Meiyeppen, Treasurer, and Anil Garg who spearheaded our new webpage. These people gave freely their time and talents to make Edgemont a great place to live and their contribution is appreciated.
The Edgemont Community Centre (ECC) continues to be a hive of activity. Summer wedding season is upon us and if you’ve never been in our meeting space, rest assured that the views from the Mountain Room and the Panorama Room are stunning. So is the patio adjacent to the building, particularly when the flower beds have been planted and are in bloom. Makes for a great photo background! The ECC is the place to hold all kinds of events and the office staff (403-239-1211) can give you a tour and help you make a good choice based on your needs.
School is wrapping up at the end of the month and summer activities for children will be in full swing come July. Don’t wait to register if you plan on keeping the kids busy by enrolling them. The details are on the website so have a look and make your choice.
The ECA Pancake Breakfast is back to be held in conjunction with the Nordic Rodeo on June 24. Tickets are required. The cost is very reasonable at $5/adult and $3/child. Rodeo tickets are $2/participant. The breakfast runs from 8 am to 10 am. The rodeo activities are all day from 8 am to 5 pm. If last year’s attendance is any indication, mini ski jumps and the laser biathlon will draw big crowds. Get out and have some fun. This will put you in the Stampede frame of mind!
Edgemont has a number of parks and green spaces for all to enjoy. The City of Calgary Parks and Open Spaces deparment is seeking feedback from citizens on the development of a new 20-year plan. It has launched a public engagement process. There will be three rounds focused on the themes of environment, culture and wellness. Edgemont parks are well used. If residents want to have some influence on our parks of the future, you can go to https://engage.calgary.ca/Parksplan for more information about in-person events or to give online feedback.
If you are interested in crime activity in Edgemont, you might want to go to https://mycalgary.com/crime-statistics/edgemont-crime-activity-update/ . Crime activity was up in March 2023, the latest month for which there is published data. On average, Edgemont sees 9.3 crimes per month which makes it the 26th safest community in Calgary. I think we could improve our standings with some due diligence. Use common sense and lock vehicles. Keep temptation out of the way. Get in a routine to secure your home and property each evening. Close garage doors and windows. Keep your property well lit. If you see or are experiencing a crime in progress, call 911. For non-urgent matters, (403) 266- 1234 is the Calgary Policy Service non-emergency line.
Lastly, I want to remind residents that there are bylaws to consider for some of the initiatives undertaken. Check the City of Calgary website. I’ve had complaints about parking, speeding, keeping chickens and posting side-street signage, to name a few. Consider the safety of the neighbourhood and the right of every resident to enjoy their surroundings.
Pamela Wilson
President