Ward 6 Newsletter

Want to learn more about city initiatives and happenings in Ward 6? You may wish to consider signing up for the Ward 6 newsletters to receive information directly. Sign up for Ward 6 newsletters on the City of Calgary’s Stay Connected website. Past newsletters are located on the Latest News – Ward 6 page.

City of Calgary Housing Strategy

Did you know that the City is looking to update its housing strategy? Changes to the strategy could affect all of Calgary. The strategy will be reviewed at the Community Development Meeting on September where Calgarians will have the opportunity to have their voices heard. To learn more, see The City of Calgary’s Housing Strategy. To participate, sign up on the city’s Participate in Public Hearings website. See item 7.1 on the Community Development Committee agenda for links to report materials.

Music in the Park Thanks

What a fantastic day! The sun was shining and the music was playing. The DRCA (Discovery Ridge Community Association) would like to thank everyone who came out and celebrated Music in the Park. The park was filled with friends and neighbours, sponsors, musicians, food trucks, face painters, kid’s activities, a beer/wine garden, and a wonderful support group of volunteers.

Once again we would like to thank our amazing sponsors:

Our headlne sponsor: David Pellettier
Resident and Re/Max realtor
Provided advertising support
Provided advertising support
Ward 6 provided a Community Event Grant
Chek Health

We would also like to extend a huge thank you to the talented musicians from the following bands:

  • Ben Rose & Cafe Rose
  • Corazones
  • Jack Lumber Band
  • The Ramblin’ Ambassadors

Last, but not least, thank you to: YYC Food Trucks, NDHA (New Discovery Homeowners’ Association), The Fairy Hut, and The City of Calgary Special Events Crew.

See you all next year!

Music in the Park

Join us on Saturday, September 9 from 3-7 pm at the Discovery Ridge Recreation Facility for live music and fun times at this wonderful family-friendly event. Bring a blanket or a lawn chair and enjoy the entertainment. This year, we are pleased to present performances by:

  1. Ben Rose & Cafe Rose
  2. Corazones
  3. Jack Lumber Band
  4. The Ramblin’ Ambassadors

You can grab a meal or dessert to enjoy while you listen to the music. The food trucks we expect are:

  • Family Dogs
  • Neon Taco
  • Tikka ‘n Tequila
  • Canadian Bear Balls & Poutinerie
  • Cookie Dough
  • Family Squeezed Lemonade

There will be an on-site beer/wine garden for adults as well. For kids, there will be face painting and other activities.

Thank you to our headline sponsor, David Pellettier, Re/Max, for his continued support over the years for this event. Thank you also to our additional sponsors, without whom this event would not be possible:

  • The City of Calgary
  • Chek Health
  • Cheryl Sanguinetti Mortgages
  • Cutting Edge Barber Shop
  • Discovery Dental Centre
  • Home Spritz
  • New Discovery Fine Wines & Spirits
  • No Payne Roofing
  • Renovation Room
  • ULS Landscaping
  • United Westhills Soccer

Finally, thank you to The Honourable Mike Ellis, Deputy Premier and MLA, Calgary West and to Ron Liepert, MP, Calgary Signal Hill for their advertising support.

Please remember that Music in the Park is a family-friendly event, so smoking, vaping, and cannabis use are not permitted. Also, for the safety and enjoyment of all, do not bring your pets. Pets (except service dogs) are not permitted.

Waste and Recycling Services Update

Last fall, four bears were euthanized due to their dependence on residential waste. As previously communicated, a committee was formed to address the multitude of requests asking the DRCA to take action to protect our wildlife and residents. The committee was made up of volunteers who came forward to offer assistance and, in addition, several passionate residents were proactively contacted to ask if they would participate. Everyone joined in enthusiastically. After several months of research and information gathering, it became abundantly clear that waste management was a critical component to success or failure in all communities similar to ours that had also tackled co-existing with wildlife.

The DRCA then reached out to our Ward 6 office to seek its assistance in securing a meeting with the City of Calgary Waste & Recycling Services department. This meeting was granted and, after hearing our presentation and request for its expertise and support, the Waste and Recycling department agreed and jumped on board to take the lead. The original request from the DRCA was twofold: firstly, to have the City provide its expertise and resources regarding appropriate waste and recycling practices for a community such as ours; and, secondly, that Discovery Ridge immediately be considered for alternative bear-resistant green bins.

From there, the research and work done by the Waste & Recycling team was extensive, and dozens of municipalities were contacted around North America for discussions and knowledge. A fulsome education and communication plan was developed, and the City’s Bear Awareness campaign actively began in May. Regular update meetings were held with the DRCA, and feedback from the DRCA and committee was always accepted. After months of work, it was determined that the greatest successes come from bins being stored securely and not placed out overnight for collection. As a result, in Discovery Ridge, bins should be stored in a secure location and not placed out for pickup prior to 5 am on pickup days and stored away again no later than 7 pm to minimize the opportunity for wildlife to become habituated to residential waste.

As part of the City’s review process, centralized bins, similar to those used in Canmore, for example, were considered. It was determined that the decrease in service levels provided to the community by moving from curbside pickup to drop-off locations was not appropriate at this time.

Regarding the green bins themselves, there are many alternative green bin options in existence that generally fall into one of two styles. One is a latch style that the resident has to unlock and re-lock each time compost is added and then unlock at curbside on pickup day. The second style has lids that are released at a certain height and angle above the collection truck. Communities that have this system reported a high failure rate of the bins not opening, in particular in areas with winter weather similar to ours. While the bin options were thoroughly investigated, the City has determined not to pursue alternative green bins at this time. This decision was based on the increased cost of bins and the high failure rates. The DRCA will continue to engage in conversations with the City regarding this matter, and we have offered Discovery Ridge as a pilot community to try different options in the hope alternative green bins could be pursued further and the best bins could be procured eventually.

On July 27th proposed bylaw amendments were presented to the City of Calgary Community Development Committee. The proposal was unanimously passed, so it will therefore proceed to City Council this fall for review, debate, required readings, and a Council vote. The proposal is for the Director of Waste & Recycling Services to designate a community, on a temporary basis, as a Wildlife Affected Area. If a community receives this designation, residents would be required to store bins in a secure location, place bins out for collection no earlier than 5 am on pickup days, and secure bins away again no later than 7 pm during the designation period.

The initiatives and activities undertaken to date are:

  • Multiple communications from the DRCA and the City in the Ridge Review newsletter, MailChimp emails, FaceBook, and other social media.
  • At the request of the DRCA, the City developed a website: Be Bear Smart.
  • Campaigns: #keepbinsin and Don’t Feed The Bears A Midnight Snack.
  • City of Calgary bold signs placed in the community.
  • Door knocking campaign: City representatives knocked on the doors of all homes in Discovery Ridge that have curbside pickup and spoke to as many residents as possible. They had informational material available as well.
  • There was an information booth at the DRCA Stampede Roundup that was hosted by Alberta Fish and Wildlife and City of Calgary Waste & Recycling Residential Services.
  • Garbage Day App alerts and information sharing.
  • Communication and educational initiatives are ongoing and will continue into the fall when there is the greater risk of troubling wildlife/human encounters.

Did you know? 100% of the homes in Discovery Ridge that have curbside pickup have garages, and 100% of those homes have street pickup (no alleys).

Thank you is insufficient but must be said to all of the residents that have volunteered time and effort at any point along the way as well as those who are still volunteering. It was a huge task to take on, and the community is grateful to you all!

While most of the information above has been shared in the past, we felt the timing was right for a recap. If you wish to contact us on the matter, please email drca_pres@discoveryridge.com.

Pathways and Parks Update

Thanks to those who responded to the DRCA Planning Committee’s last update on improving our community’s pathways and parks. We plan to reconnect with the City of Calgary and Alberta Transportation in September, and your support is greatly appreciated.

Our main request to the City is to connect Discovery Ridge to Westhills Way with a multi-use trail or paved pathway We are also asking that they redesign and restore the Elbow Valley Constructed Wetland at the east end of our community. Long-time residents will recall this was built with donations and help from our community and other organizations. It was partly sold and remaining improvements (seating, picnic shelter, displays) demolished in 2019/20 by the City of Calgary to accommodate the Ring Road.

Our ask to Alberta Transportation is equally simple — please show a conceptual alignment (line on the map) for a Multi-Use Trail (MUT) from Westhillls Way to the City boundary on the south side on the Ring Road (Hwy 8). Alberta Transportation has already done this for the west Ring Road, which can be seen on their website.

We believe both these requests to be reasonable and fair. What do you think? Our massive three-person committee can be contacted at dsrleighton1@gmail.com, and we’re always looking for help

Volunteers Needed for Music in the Park

We are excited to announce that one of our favourite community events — Music in the Park — is on again. It will be held on Saturday, September 9, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm in our green space next to the rink and tennis courts. For anyone new to this event, it is an afternoon of music, tasty food, and a beer and wine garden. Admission is free! Bring a lawn chair and come join us for a fun/musical afternoon.

For our event to run, we need the help of our community volunteers. The Music In The Park committee needs help with set up and take down, serving (must be ProServe certified), ticket sales, and gate security. Last year the shifts were two hours each. With more volunteers, the shifts could be shorter.

To volunteer for Music in the Park, contact Lillian at volunteer@discoveryridge.com or complete our Volunteer Form.

Stampede Roundup 2023 Thanks

The 2023 DRCA Stampede Roundup was an astounding success! We had a perfect sunny day to enjoy the food trucks and activities. A special thank you goes out to our volunteers and we would like to give a big YAHOO to our sponsors for making the day spectacular:

Epicure YYC with Bonnie Cross

Activities and Food Trucks at Stampede Roundup

Round up your family and come on down to the DRCA Stampede Roundup on Saturday, June 24 from 4:00-7:00 pm. There is so much fun to be had, including:

  • Butterfield Acres petting zoo (4:30-6:30 pm)
  • Line Dance Stampede (4:30-6:00 pm), which includes a performance and lessons
  • a visit from Harry the Horse, the official mascot of the Calgary Stampede (5:00-7:00 pm)
  • the Calgary Public Library Book Truck
  • a Wildlife in Discovery Ridge information booth with staff from Alberta Fish & Wildlife and the City of Calgary Waste and Recycling Services
  • a DRCA membership table, so you can renew your membership for 2023-2024
  • games, face painting, balloon animals, and music

Bring a lawn chair or blanket, mix and mingle with friends and neighbours, and stay for dinner. These YYC Food Trucks will be onsite:

  • Neon Taco
  • Alberta Burgers
  • Family Dogs
  • Family Cheesed
  • Canadian Bear Balls
  • Lics Ice Cream Shop
  • Family Squeezed Lemonade

See you there!