Michelle Whitten

We are fortunate to have so many pathways and sidewalks throughout our special community, but when colder temperatures arrive they can become icy and treacherous on occasion. Did you know our partners at the New Discovery Homeowners’ Association (NDHA) oversee green spaces, snow removal, and holiday lights for our community pathways? However, the NDHA does not clear snow on the sidewalks adjacent to roads. This explains why some areas are so well cared for and others have very different conditions. The City of Calgary is directly responsible for the sidewalks along Discovery Ridge Boulevard and Discovery Ridge Hill in addition to a few smaller areas. It is also important to note that while the NDHA continues to use ULS to maintain our community pathways, the City no longer uses ULS for the walks they are responsible for. If these city-controlled sidewalks are not maintained to a reasonable, safe standard similar to those the NDHA oversees, these spots must be reported to 311 to ensure they are addressed. Using the 311 app is fast and efficient, and photos of icy or neglected areas can be included. It should also be noted that all property owners are responsible for clearing city sidewalks adjacent to their property.

We encourage everyone to refer to this map which shows the areas ULS maintains under its NDHA contract (highlighted in red). Additional information can be found on the NDHA website in the FAQ section (see question 22).

The city also has an online map that shows all city-owned pathways and sidewalks that get cleared and who is responsible for clearing them: If you go to the Layers section and cancel the Snow Clearing By Other Agencies eye, it does become very clear where the city has responsibility. Unfortunately, this map doesn’t show any of the pathways owned by NDHA nor the paths behind Discovery Ridge Manor/Park/Mount (special circumstances), so the map’s usefulness is a bit limited.

The warm weather has not permitted the making of ice thus far for our community rinks, but the goal remains to have rinks this winter. Unfortunately, our rink’s concrete pad doesn’t have a built-in cooler and, with all the exposure to direct sunlight, the ice will not form properly until it is colder. Stay tuned!

Despite the unseasonal weather, the winter holiday is here! It’s a moment for reflection, enjoyment, and anticipation for the upcoming new year. Amidst a busy 2023, we eagerly look forward to new initiatives and exciting events in 2024. The DRCA Board extends warm holiday wishes to all of our dedicated volunteers and DRCA members.

We are looking for additional volunteers to create and maintain the ice surface on our outdoor rinks at the Recreation Facility. If you would like to help us out, please email volunteer@discoveryridge.com and type Rink into the subject line.

Congratulations to our DRCA membership contest winner, Andrea B., who won two Cineplex movie tickets. Thank you to all who renewed or purchased a new membership.

As of November 15, 2023, we have 405 members, which is about 25% of our households. The DRCA’s main sources of revenue are memberships and bottle shack donations. With these funds, we operate and maintain our recreation facility (tennis courts and ice rinks) and host community events. Every membership makes a difference. A one-year membership costs only $25/year. Become a member and help support your community.

The city of Calgary recently posted a profile of Discovery Ridge based on the 2021 federal census. In 2021, our community had a population of 4,330 people with 68% between the ages of 15 to 64; 17% between 0 to 14 years; and 14% between 65 and 84 years. The profile shows a total number of 1,630 households, but this excludes the new area of Discovery Ridge Point which includes townhomes and single-family homes.

If you are interested in joining our monthly DRCA Zoom meeting to find out more about how the DRCA works; ask questions; or join the board, please email us at drca_pres@discoveryridge.com. Our meetings are usually the first Monday of every month from 7:30 to 9:00 pm. A Zoom link will be sent to you.

Check out the Discover Christmas Community Market Collective happening in our very own community strip mall, Cornerstone Square. The ladies from It’s Vintage YYC have organized this collective that will take place this Thursday, November 30th, between 4:00 and 8:00 pm at Wonder Donuts. The market will feature Discovery Ridge resident small business owners and artists who will have their art on display and for sale! Let’s show our support for local small businesses and celebrate each other.

Wow! So many fantastic submissions were received. They were all worthy of winning, so we entered all of them into a draw for the prizes. The winning prizes went to: Anna R. (family photo) and Julie W. (grandchild photo). Congratulations!

The City of Calgary is currently gathering input on a few initiatives. You are invited to join the conversation at engage.calgary.ca.

Secondary Suites: The City is focused on encouraging people with existing secondary suites to bring them up to the minimum safety standards and get them on the registry. To facilitate improvements to the registration process, the City wants to hear from registered and unregistered secondary suite owners about the issues, challenges, and barriers to registration. They also want to hear from people who rent secondary suites. The information gathered will help create more supports and incentives to encourage people to register their secondary suites. More registered secondary suites will help create more safe and affordable housing choices for renters and owners. To participate in the online survey, visit Calgary.ca/suitesfeedback from November 6 to December 15, 2023.

Recreation in Calgary: Calgarians are invited to help reimagine public recreation by completing a survey at calgary.ca/GamePLAN.