Students Take Spring Cleaning Outdoors

Volunteers from Lester B. Pearson high school, with some help from City of Calgary and community partners like EMS, Calgary Police Services, Calgary Public Libraries and a host of community businesses, worked in a typical Calgary spring day (yes, it was snowing) to clean trash and remove graffiti around the school.

The second annual community cleanup is part of the neighbourhood efforts to increase civic pride in youth and combat crime in the area. The event is a big draw and is supported by Alderman Ray Jones and MLA Manmeet Bhullar who is a graduate of Lester B. Pearson Senior High School.

Check out the video below for more information on how the day’s clean up events unfolded.

Littering - it'll cost you

Every spring, snow melts revealing the budding foliage of our lawns, parks and green spaces – and a lot of litter.

According to Animal and Bylaw Services, litter doesn’t just impact the natural environment, it also affects the health and safety of our communities. Garbage and cigarette butts on our lawns and in our parks are not just unsightly, but can pose a potential fire risk.

The City would like to remind Calgarians of the Bylaws that are in place to deal with litter in our streets and parks. Littering is against the law, and offenders risk being stuck with a hefty fine:

Littering $500
Littering from a vehicle $750
Disposing of a burning litter $1,000

Animal and Bylaw Services uses the Broken Window Theory to explain how litter affects our communities, exacerbating social disorder - the more litter there is, the more people will continue to litter.

For more information about City Bylaws, please visit calgary.ca/bylaws.

City of Calgary Preparations for Storm Front

This morning, a storm warning was issued for the city of Calgary by Environment Canada as a storm front is expected to bring 15 centimetres to 20 centimetres of snow fall throughout the day today and into tomorrow.

To prepare for the possible effects that this storm front may have on the city, the Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) is working with its agency partners including: Calgary Transportation, Calgary Police Service, Calgary Transit, Water Services, Customer Service and Communications, Calgary Fire Department and Enmax to monitor the situation and proactively mitigate potential issues.

City crews are applying salt and calcium chloride on roadways addressing known potential trouble spots such as bridge decks and hills to help prevent or reduce ice build-up. Snow isn’t expected to accumulate with temperatures still above freezing and overnight lows remaining above 0°C, but crews will proactively apply de-icing material to ensure there is no ice build-up as the snow continues to fall.

Water Services expects river runoff to be moderate and river flow rates are expected to remain around or below seasonal averages. There is no concern over river flooding at these levels.

In working to ensure response preparedness of City operations and our agency partners, we would like to remind Calgarians of several measures that they can take to ensure their safety.

Calgary is a winter city, and motorists are reminded to do their part during snowfalls.

• Slow down.
• Drive defensively.
• Have appropriate tires, top up your windshield washer fluid and ensure that your vehicle is clear of snow and ice.
• Keep well back from City crews and equipment and allow us to do our work.

Calgary Police Service also advises drivers to take time to remove snow from your vehicle before you head out, give yourself some extra time to get where you need to go and to remember to always wear a seatbelt.

Also, please practice patience when commuting, whether you are driving or using public transit.

Calgary Transit is preparing for the weather but there could be the possibility of delays due to the snow and traffic. For more information and updates, please visit www.calgarytransit.com or contact the Calgary Transit Customer Service Centre at 403-262-1000.

City holds 4th Annual Culturally Diverse Media Forum

On Saturday, April 24, The City of Calgary held its 4th Annual Culturally Diverse Media Forum.

The main goal of the forum was to develop closer communication and partnership between culturally diverse media and The City of Calgary to effectively inform all Calgarians about programs, services and available City resources.

"Increasingly inclusive and accessible communication and marketing best practices are the key components that lead to a better understanding among people and harmonious life in our city," said Slawa Gruszczynska, Arts & Culture Coordinator with The City.

Participants of the Forum had the opportunity to learn about importance of Plain Language application in Media. Terri Peters from Literacy Alberta presented a very comprehensive workshop about this innovative and effective tool of communication.

***Image: Jacqueline Cox, Corporate Marketing Lead from Corporate Marketing & Communications introduces variety of marketing innovative technologies used for the media to receive information about what the City of Calgary offers.

Day of Mourning Honours Fallen Workers

Flags will be flown at half-mast today to commemorate the National Day of Mourning. Across the country, Canadians will stop to remember friends and co-workers who died or were injured on the job.

On December 28, 1990, the Canadian government passed the Workers Mourning Day Act, which established an official day every year to commemorate workers killed or injured at work, as well as those who suffer from occupation-related illnesses.

The date April 28 was chosen to coincide with the anniversary of the first comprehensive Workers’ Compensation Act in Canada. Although it began in Canada, the Day of Mourning is now observed in almost 100 countries around the world.

In addition to remembering fatalities and those injured on the job, the Day of Mourning is also intended as a day to renew our commitment to safer workplaces.

In 2009, occupational deaths in Alberta dropped to their lowest level in seven years.

For more information about the National Day of Mourning, visit the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety website.

Guide Dog Pups Board Calgary Transit

Twelve young canines being trained by Alberta Guide Dog Services took a ride on a Calgary CTrain today to get accustomed to the sights and sounds of Calgary Transit.

“We’re excited about this training outing,” says Donna Luchak, Puppy Raising Supervisor for the charity.

“We want to teach the puppies a standardized method of accessing the platform and the trains. Blind people with their guide dogs use the CTrain regularly so we want to make things as easy for them and Calgary Transit staff as possible," said Luchak.

This experience will help the four month to 18 month-old dogs to do a better job when they graduate as full-fledged guide dogs.

“We are pleased to help facilitate this important training for these guide dogs, some of whom will ultimately assist our visually impaired customers in future,” said Calgary Transit spokesman Ron Collins from Stampede-Victoria Park CTrain Station.


The guide dog puppies will be accompanied by their human puppy raisers, volunteers who do the basic training with these very special dogs from the time they are eight weeks old.

Alberta Guide Dog Services provides professionally trained guide dogs for blind and visually impaired Albertans, with youths between 13 and 18 being the main focus. It costs approximately $50,000 to produce one guide dog and takes two years to train. The recipient of the dog pays a symbolic $1 fee for the dog's services.

***Image: Babs and Bill Lester board the CTrain for the first time at Victoria/Stampede Station.

Update: WorldSkills Calgary 2009

Yesterday, City Council recognized The City’s efforts hosting a successful WorldSkills Calgary 2009 competition highlighting the financial, cultural and civic benefits of the event.

“The whole purpose of WorldSkills Calgary 2009 was to bring the world together to get young people excited about pursuing a career in trades and technology – and we were successful,” said Guy Mallabone, Chair of WorldSkills organizing committee,.

Here is an interview with Mallabone as he describes how Worldskills benefited Calgary and a legacy video of the event.

Celebrating Earth Day with hope for the future

On April 22, The City invited Calgarians to participate in a lunch 'n' learn held at the Calgary Public Library downtown location.

Kevin Strange, conservation advocate and Senior Advisor of Conservation Outreach for the Calgary Zoo spoke about the benefits that making small changes to our everyday lives can have for the environment and encouraged attendees to take responsibility for the future on an individual basis.

According to Strange, “if you boost peoples’ sense of hope about conservation and the environment then they’re more likely to take action.”

Strange spoke about what’s currently being done to protect endangered wildlife and what we can do to help ensure the integrity of our environment for the future.

The City encourages Calgarians to get involved in environmental initiatives in their communities and to make every day Earth Day. For more information, visit calgary.ca/footprint.

Calgary eco-improvements since first Earth Day

Here is some great eco-improvements Calgary has made since the first Earth Day 40 years ago from The Calgary Herald's Green Guide reporter Trent Edwards.

Edwards says, "Calgary is one of many cities that host an entire week of Earth Day-themed events. But how far has Cowtown really come in the past 40 years? The Herald raided archives and quizzed the city's environmental leaders to determine the 40 biggest environmental improvements in Calgary since Earth Day began."

Some of the improvements are related to The City of Calgary's green initiatives, such as:

• The wind-powered light rail transit
• Blue Cart recycling
• The City's requirment that all new City buildings meet the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold standard
• An A-plus rated waste-water treatment facility
• our 700 kilometres network of paved paths and 300 kilometres of bikeways
• our landfills that use gas capture wells to generate power
• The City's Sustainable Environment Procurement Policy
• The City's wetland conservation plan
• The City's $50 rebate for replacing 13-litre and larger toilets with four-to six-litre tanks
• and many more . . .

What are your thoughts? What is The City doing correctly and what can it improve on.

Here is The Herald's photo gallery of 40 things Calgary does to save the planet

Mayor releases Annual Report

In his final annual report to Calgarians, Mayor Dave Bronconnier describes his commitment to Move Calgary Forward, and how this goal has largely been achieved in his almost nine years as Mayor.

The Mayor’s 2009 Annual Report, released today in video format, highlights Councils’ achievements in meeting the demands of agrowing city by focusing on transportation, protective services and the environment.

The report outlines major initiatives accomplished since 2001, such as investing over $135 million in green spaces through the ENMAX Legacy Parks Fund; kick-starting redevelopment of East Village; beginning construction on the much-awaited west leg of the LRT; hiring more than 500 police officers; and becoming the only city in North America to run 100% of its municipal operations entirely on green power. To achieve these milestones, The City of Calgary also worked to become more financially sustainable by signing agreements with other orders of government worth $5 billion for infrastructure.

“I believe the goals set in 2001 have largely been met," said Bronconnier. "I know Calgary will continue to move forward because that’s the character and spirit of the people who live here."

This is the second year that Mayor Bronconnier has used issued the report by video to Calgarians. The e-report offers considerable cost savings over print, with the total cost of production this year at approximately $26,000.

"It’s been a true honour and privilege to be Mayor of such a city. And, I certainly couldn’t have done it without their trust and support,” Bronconnier said.

To view the Mayor’s annual report please visit www.calgarymayor.ca.

Independent review indicates PSC meets majority of industry best practices

The results of an operational review recently completed on The City of Calgary’s Public Safety Communications (PSC) indicates PSC is meeting all, or a considerable portion, of industry best practices in 78 per cent of 56 assessed areas.

Over the last eight months, a team of independent consultants evaluated 56 best practice areas across PSC, including its organizational structure, operations, technology and facility. In addition, 500 citizens were surveyed regarding their impressions of 9-1-1 and police and fire non-emergency lines. More than 1,000 frontline fire and police officers and over 200 PSC staff were also surveyed to assess their level of satisfaction with the service provided by PSC.

Citizens Have Positive Perceptions of 9-1-1
A survey of citizens indicated 82 per cent of Calgarians have a strong and positive opinion of 9-1-1 services. Citizen impressions were somewhat lower, at 75 per cent, with the fire and police non-emergency number service.

The review indicated PSC has a sound internal organizational structure. It also has a strong hiring and staffing plan with lower-than-average staff turnover rates. Since its amalgamation, PSC has also consistently improved the times in which a call is answered on 9-1-1 and non-emergency lines.

“The review has told us that the results are typical of what is seen in other changing and evolving environments such as the one we have at PSC,” indicated Steve Dongworth, PSC Manager. “As a result of the dedicated efforts of our staff, we have established a solid foundation of public safety that is recognized by Calgarians.”

Focus on Five Key Areas Going Forward
The review identified 22 per cent of areas where PSC still needs to meet best practice, which resulted in a total of 36 recommendations. Work is under way, or was planned previously, on many of these recommendations, including the sixteen that were assigned the highest priority to address five key areas identified as integral to maintaining current levels of public safety:

Creating a Faster Flow of Information

• Examine potential integration of fire/EMS and police computer-aided dispatch systems to reduce repetition and duplication of information required by a caller to 9-1-1, transfer information more easily and quickly between multiple agencies involved in an incident response and reduce equipment and maintenance requirements.
  
• Allow for quicker workflow adjustment of Emergency Communications Officers to accommodate peak times, changing call demand or large-scale incidents through implementation of universal workstations.

Responding to High-Demand Area

• Ensure the appropriate numbers of Emergency Communications Officers are available to provide more and faster information to emergency responders through the analysis generated from a management reporting function added to existing radio systems.

• Implement ongoing workload and staffing analysis to reduce call wait times for 9-1-1 and non-emergency lines, improve information sharing with emergency responders and allocate staff to areas where citizen and emergency responder needs are highest.

Continuing to Maintain Public Safety During Disasters

• Educate citizens and emergency responders on the PSC functions that will continue to be performed or halted during a disaster impacting the PSC facility.

The sixteen high priority recommendations also include enhancements to areas such as policy development, training and organizational governance, where work has been in progress for several months.

Improving Relationships with Emergency Responders
“We are taking the right steps operationally,” said Dongworth. “However, we need to translate those steps into service improvements that matter to our emergency responders.”

Satisfaction with PSC services ranged from 31 to 43 per cent among emergency responders and PSC staff. Fire and police officers indicated timeliness and quality of information provided to them are critical elements to their satisfaction. PSC staff reflected similar sentiments, indicating a desire for additional training to ensure information is being collected from 9-1-1 callers and disseminated as quickly and accurately as possible.

“Work has already started on many of the review recommendations,” said Police Chief Rick Hanson. “I am confident through implementation of the recommendations and our ongoing support that PSC can address our officers’ concerns and continue to enhance public safety through both the 9-1-1 and non-emergency lines.”

“PSC has the difficult job of trying to get accurate and clear information from a distressed person on the other end of the line, then providing that information as fast as possible to emergency responders,” said Fire Chief Bruce Burrell. “There are challenges inherent on both sides of that equation, but overall, the review tells us PSC is finding that balance and heading in the right direction.”

How the Recommendations will be put into Action
The 36 review recommendations will be incorporated into PSC’s broader business plan for 2010 and 2011, which also considers others business factors and initiatives key to the organization. Recommendations with lower priority or requiring other work to be completed before they can be initiated will be included within the 2012 to 2014 business planning cycle.

Resourcing is already in place through the current PSC budget for implementation of some of the key recommendations in 2010. Staffing adjustments were also made in early 2010 to augment personnel available for the police non-emergency line and fire dispatch. Costs associated with implementing other priority recommendations will be brought forward as part of The City’s 2011 budget adjustment process or incorporated into PSC budget planning for 2012-2014.

The operational review report, containing an executive summary and all 36 recommendations, as well as a summary of work completed to date on high priority recommendations, is available on www.calgary.ca/911

Water supply levels for North Calgary and Airdrie returned to normal

The water supply for northern Calgary and Airdrie has now returned to normal levels. The large water feedermain that was under maintenance is back in full working order.

“Thank you to those Calgarians and residents of Airdrie who cut back their water use over the past two days while we brought the feedermain back into the system. ,” said Stuart Peters, Team Lead with Water Services, also thanking corporate customers who reduced operational water use

The City asked residents and businesses in north Calgary and Airdrie to voluntarily reduce their water use starting Tuesday and ending last night because a section of a feedermain which supplies the north was shut down for regular maintenance.

"This type of maintenance is strategically scheduled during periods of historical lower water use, taking into consideration the short time frame between winter weather conditions and summer’s higher water use," said Peters.

Unseasonably warm temperatures and subsequent high water use throughout last weekend combined with the feedermain maintenance resulted in low levels of water reserves.

All Calgarians are reminded that water is a precious resource and good water management practices should be used every day. Here’s how Calgarians can use water wisely around their homes:

Outdoors:

• Use a rain barrel to capture and re-use rain water from your roof. If you don’t have a rain barrel you can get one at the 2010 Green Calgary rain barrel sale Saturday, May 1, 2010 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Brentwood, Anderson LRT parking lots and Richmond Co-op.
• Choose water wise plants that once established grow well in Calgary’s climate (lists can be found at www.calgary.ca/waterservices)
• Avoid wasting water by overwatering. Your lawn needs no more than one inch (25 mm) of water over the week - including rainfall). This encourages the roots of lawn to go deeper looking for water and help it survive the extreme conditions of summer. Overwatering creates a shallow root system that makes your lawn dependent on frequent watering.
• Keep the water on your lawn – not the sidewalk or driveway. Water on the sidewalk or driveway is a sure sign that some water is being wasted. Check to see sprinklers or irrigation heads are directed onto your lawn. Water running off your lawn suggests your lawn could be saturated and has enough water.
• Water in the morning to reduce water evaporation, when the temperature is cooler and there is little or no wind.
• Keep your lawn three inches long. The longer grass will protect the roots from the sun and will help retain moisture in the soil. Longer roots will develop and the longer grass may even crowd out weeds.

Indoors:

• Look for high-performing water-saving appliances such as low water use toilets - see www.calgary.ca/waterservices.
• Use the dishwasher and washing machine only when required and with full loads.
• Don’t let the tap run unnecessarily. This includes turning off the tap when brushing teeth, shaving and washing hands or face.
• Limit showering to five minutes.

For more information about the water shortage, please read City Asks Calgarians in northeast/northwest and Airdrie residents to voluntarily limit water use.

Taking Action to Protect our Rivers

April showers not only bring May flowers, they wash sediment and debris from roofs, lawns, roadways and construction sites into Calgary’s rivers. These rivers are not just an important habitat for fish and other aquatic life; they are the source of Calgary’s drinking water.

In addition to urging citizens to protect Calgary’s rivers by properly disposing of hazardous products, picking up pet waste and limiting the use of pesticides and fertilizers that can be carried away by rainwater and lawn watering, The City of Calgary is leading by example with its Stormwater Management Strategy.

“The purpose of the Stormwater Management Strategy is to protect Calgary's water resources and reduce the impacts of urban drainage on local watersheds," explains René Letourneau, team lead of Urban Water Management. “In older communities, stormwater often goes straight into the rivers and creeks untreated."

To address this issue, the construction of several stormwater quality retrofit projects has been approved - five in the Fish Creek Park area and two along Nose Creek. To date, four projects have been completed throughout the city, with three more slated for completion by the end of this year.

“The recently constructed stormwater quality retrofit projects are examples of the commitment to protect our watersheds by reducing the sediment loading to the Bow River and its tributaries,” says Letourneau.

Retrofit projects are just one of the ways The City is doing its part to protect our rivers from stormwater sediment and debris. Here are some others:

• The City’s Water Centre building has a system in place to reuse stormwater. The site also minimizes stormwater run-off through bioretention (using grass and vegetation to limit runoff), a green roof, and porous pavement in the parking lot.
• The City’s Spring Clean-up Program lowers the potential for water pollution by preventing the run-off from sanding materials and debris from entering our stormwater system.

For more information on the Stormwater Management Strategy and what you can do at home to help protect our rivers, visit Water Services on calgary.ca.

Osprey returns to reinstalled nest along the Bow River

An Osprey seems to have found a new home that the City of Calgary, along with TERA Environmental Consultants erected a few weeks ago.

Last November, a serious windstorm caused the collapse of a light pole at the Broadview Athletic Park. At that time, the remaining seven poles were removed as a safety precaution. An osprey nest was located on one of those light posts, and the nest material was recovered by The City of Calgary and stored through winter.
On April 9, that pole was reinstalled along the north shore of the Bow River with hopes the Osprey would return, and yesterday it did.

“We’re very pleased to see the osprey pole in use in such a short time after installation. If they choose this as their nesting spot, the osprey will be building the nest and laying eggs in the next couple of weeks,” said Julie Guimond, an educator and wetland biologist with the City of Calgary, Parks.

By early June, the young should hatch and both parents will be around to help feed them.

“This is a great sign for the health of our river ecosystem, the efforts of Calgarians to keep it intact, and potential osprey-watching on the Bow River,” added Guimond.

TERA Environmental Consultants, who funded the erection of the pole, are equally excited.

“ We're very happy that we were able to work cooperatively with the City of Calgary and Enmax to provide the osprey with a nest to return to,” said Lois Pittaway, a Senior Wildlife Biologist with TERA. “Along with all Calgarians we look forward to watching them over the summer and for years to come.”

The pole is located on the north side of the Bow River, just east of Crowchild Trail.

Here is a video of the pole being moved from Broadview field and re-installed in it's new location and a link to that blog post.

***Yes the photo is small. It's an Osprey. Look really, really closely. Yes, there it is. The Osprey has landed.

Calgary's students are learning how to stay safe

Since 2003, The City and its partners have been on a mission to increase awareness about personal safety for school children grades four to seven.

Safety Expo is an annual event held in the Municipal Building Atrium where Calgary’s kids receive hands-on education about safety.

Alderman Diane Colley-Urquhart, Honorary Chair of the Safety Expo for several years, sees it as a unique opportunity to address a very important audience.

“The goal of Safety Expo is for Calgary kids to internalize what they learn about safety at home, school and play and then help ensure safe environments for themselves and others,” she said.

On March 10 and 11, The City and several corporate and community partners are expecting about 3,200 students from Calgary Catholic, public and charter schools to attend Safety Expo 2010.

According to Colley-Urquhart, students at this age are an ideal audience for messages about safety. “They are excited to learn about safety and eager to share what they learn with their families, friends and school mates.”

The event will feature more than 35 interactive booths, five workshops, presentations and hands-on learning opportunities. Transportation costs for pre-registered students are paid for by ENMAX.

During the Expo, the Jim Gray Safer Calgary Awards will also be announced. The annual awards honour groups and individuals for their contributions to violence prevention, injury prevention and safety.

For more information about Safety Expo 2010, or for a list of organizations participating in planning and hosting the event, visit calgary.ca/animalservices.

96 Avenue N.E. Road Extension information

Here is a video of Conrad Hild, a communicator with The City of Calgary giving details about the 96 Ave. N.E. Road Extension and Interchange Upgrade.

For more information please visit calgary.ca/roads

City Asks Calgarians in northeast/northwest and Airdrie residents to voluntarily limit water use

The City is asking Calgarians living in the northwest and northeast and Airdrie residents to voluntarily limit their indoor and outdoor water use for the next 48 hours as a precautionary measure in light of a potential water shortage.

Maintenance and inspection work on a large feedermain combined with high water demand as a result of unseasonably high temperatures have created the potential for a water shortage in this area of the city.

Residents and businesses can help reduce overall water use during this time by refraining from outdoor water use, such as:

• watering of lawns, gardens, trees and shrubs with a sprinkler or
• irrigation system.
• washing down outdoor surfaces, exterior building surfaces, sidewalks, driveways or walkways of any sort.
• using water for filling outdoor decorative features, fountains, pools or hot tubs.

To reduce indoor water use:

• Delay a load of laundry.
• Run only fully-loaded dishwashers and washing machines.
• Using a garbage can, not a toilet to dispose of trash.
• Take short showers and turn off taps.
• Turn off humidifiers and ice machines.

“Calgarians are always extremely cooperative pitching in during a situation where we need to reduce water consumption,” says Paul Fesko, Manager Strategic Services, City of Calgary Water Services. “We are asking customers in the northwest and northeast for their help in reducing their non-essential water use over the next 48 hours.”

Fesko adds that customers should not be concerned about the quality of the drinking water. The water being produced for Calgary and Airdrie is still of its normal high quality.

For more information, please call 3-1-1, or visit www.calgary.ca

Downtown Motorcycle Parking Available Again

The City of Calgary and the Calgary Parking Authority are making a special effort again this year to accommodate the growing number of people who choose to use motorcycles or scooters for their downtown commute.

Approximately 75 designated on-street parking stalls are now available for motorcycles and scooters until the fall. These stalls span five designated parking locations that include 3 Street S.W. south of 8 Avenue; 3 Street S.W. south of 2 Avenue; 7 Street S.W. north of 9 Avenue; 4 Avenue S.W. west of 5 Street; and 1 Street S.E. north of 4 Avenue.

These designated locations allow motorcycle and scooter operators to park all day weekdays for $2.50 per hour to a maximum of $8 and on Saturdays for $0.75 per hour to a maximum of $2.50.

The Calgary Parking Authority said the motorcycle and scooter parking spaces were well-used last year.

For a map of the motorcycle and scooter parking locations please visit www.calgaryparking.com

Spring Clean-up starts today

Beginning today and finishing in time for Stampede, the city's streets will be cleaned.

Spring clean-up will improve safety and mobility in Calgary by removing sanding materials and other debris that have accumulated on roads and along major sidewalks and boulevards this past winter.

The accumulation of material expected to be picked up during spring clean-up this year would cover the playing field in McMahon Stadium with a pile of debris 12 feet deep.

The City's Spring Clean-up program also helps protect our environment because it lowers the potential for water pollution by preventing the run-off from sanding materials and debris from entering our storm water system. The street sweepers also reduce air pollution by removing dust and debris that would be made airborne by moving traffic.

Keeping Calgary clean is a collaborative effort. Help make Calgary a beautiful city by doing your part: don’t litter, and move your vehicle or carts from the street on the date that sweepers will be cleaning your community.

To find out when sweeping is scheduled for your community, watch for signs in your area, visit www.calgary.ca/sweep, or call 3-1-1.

The City of Calgary Transportation Department thanks local residents, businesses and motorists for their patience and cooperation during the annual clean-up.

City Hall flags to be flown at half-mast

To honour Private Tyler William Todd, an Alberta-based soldier who was killed in Afghanistan earlier this month, flags at City Hall will be flown at half-mast from sunrise to sunset on Monday, April 19, 2010 the day of his funeral.

City Hall lowers flags for Poland's National Day of Mourning

Flags at City Hall and the Municipal Building will be flown at half-mast from sunrise to sunset on Thursday, April 15, 2010 to honour the memory of Lech Kaczynski, President of Poland; the First lady; and senior Polish political and military leaders who lost their lives when the President’s plane crashed while travelling to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Katyn Massacre.

Roving Tow Truck Pilot Making an Impact

Keeping Calgarians on the move on major roadways is a little easier since The City’s roving tow truck pilot program began in February.

The one-year trial program, aimed at improving rush hour traffic flow and the safety of people using major roadways, has already made quite an impact on Calgarians’ daily commute.

Tow trucks have responded to an average of 7 incidents per day at various locations along high traffic routes in Calgary. Since starting February 16, operators have assisted at approximately 255 incidents involving vehicles that were stalled, abandoned or inoperable and moved those vehicles to a nearby safe location.

Moving stalled or inoperable vehicles off busy roadways to a nearby safe location helps ensure the safety of stranded motorists and passengers, clears traffic hazards and helps keep Calgarians on the move. In one instance, a tow truck operator assisted a driver in medical distress by calling an ambulance, staying with the driver until emergency crews arrived and then moving the motorist’s vehicle to a nearby safe location.

Under the pilot program, tow truck operators are focusing on high traffic routes of Crowchild Trail at the Bow River crossing; Memorial Drive between Deerfoot Trail and Edmonton Trail; Macleod Trail from Anderson Road to 162 Avenue S.W.; Glenmore Trail between Crowchild Trail and 14 Street S.W.; and along Deerfoot Trail. In addition, The City’s Traffic Management Centre has directed operators to assist motorists who have been detected on traffic cameras in the 24-hour centre. Communications between tow truck operators and the Traffic Management Centre is a vital part of detecting and addressing incidents on the roadways.

The pilot service is free to motorists. Council approved the use of $636,000 from the Fiscal Stability Reserve to run the pilot for up to a year.

The City will continue to monitor the success of this trial service and report back to Council by November 2010.

City Hall tour guides recognized for volunteer service

City of Calgary tour guides were recognized in council yesterday for over 15 years of service.

Marg Ellis, Clare Goetz, Shelagh Morrison, Marie Nelson, and Cheryl Peters have been providing complimentary guided tours of the Calgary Civic Complex since 1993.

“These volunteers have been great ambassadors for The City of Calgary and have contributed much by sharing their interest in municipal government with others,” said Mayor Dave Bronconnier, at the ceremony.

A City employee began providing tours of the Administration and Sandstone buildings in the early 1970s. In 1985 when the Municipal Building opened, the program was expanded to offer tours of the new Council Chamber and the open atrium concept, something that was relatively new to the office work environment.

A more formalized program was developed and more volunteers were added during the 1988 Olympic Winter Games. Tour guides and Hosts in ‘red serge’ jackets proudly provided tours and information about our buildings.

Their enthusiasm and dedication to the program over the years has been amazing,“ said Laurie Daniluk, the program's volunteer coordinator. “We are grateful and appreciative of their hard work and commitment to the program.”

The City of Calgary volunteer tour program has evolved and grown to inform visitors about the workings of municipal government, the Calgary Municipal Complex and what city hall does in our city. Those that benefit the most are grade 6 students as part of their social studies curriculum. Tours are also given to seniors groups, scout troops and English as a second language students.

In addition to providing guided tours, these volunteers have also provided support at various City functions including numerous conventions, sports recognitions, royal visits, dignitary visits, grand openings at City facilities and more.

“On behalf of Council, I would like to thank each of you for your many years of service and dedication to the Tour Guide Program, and I hope that you will continue to play a part in the program for many years to come,” said Bronconnier.

For more information on Civic Complex tours please visit calgary.ca

***Photo courtesy of Duane Starr: Shelagh Morrison, Clare Goetz, Margaret Ellis, Marie Nelson, Cheryl Peters

City relocates osprey pole and nest

Thanks to a local environmental consulting company, an osprey will have a new home to return to this spring.

Last November, a serious windstorm caused the collapse of a light pole at the Broadview Athletic Park. At that time, the remaining seven poles were removed as a safety precaution. An osprey nest was located on one of those light posts, and the nest material was recovered by The City of Calgary and stored through winter.

Today, The City of Calgary Recreation and Parks, Calgary United Soccer Association and TERA Environmental Consultants teamed-up to reinstall the nest and nesting pole.

The new nest site is closer to the Bow River, right across Memorial Drive from the soccer field. It is a beneficial location for the fish-eating osprey. The old materials are being used for the new nest on the new platform for the osprey to continue building a family that area residents have grown to love. Soccer players are also rumoured to lament the missing fish bits and feathers often found on the field - gifts from the field's sentries perched high above.

TERA Environmental Consultants is a Calgary-based company and funded the majority of the costs to erect the relocated nesting pole.

2010 Lion Awards celebrate Calgary's history

Contrary to popular belief, heritage in Calgary is not an oxymoron. Since 2006, the Calgary Heritage Authority (CHA) has been hosting the biannual Lion Awards to honour Calgarians whose commitment has helped to promote, preserve and grow our unique heritage.

For some, the term ‘heritage’ evokes images of regal Victorian homes and majestic sandstone buildings. Calgary’s prominent heritage sites include Fort Calgary, built by the North West Mounted Police in 1875, the Simmons Building in east downtown constructed in 1912 and the lion sculptures placed on Centre Street Bridge in 1917. But Calgary’s history isn’t simply restricted to its architecture.

“Calgary’s heritage is everywhere. There are a million people in Calgary hence a million stories to tell. That’s what the Lion Awards are about,” says David Plouffe, City of Calgary Heritage Planner.

The Lion Awards recognize Calgarians who have undertaken initiatives, of any scale, in support of heritage conservation and promotion in Calgary.

“It’s our hope that through understanding our heritage, people will care for and enjoy it,” says Plouffe.

The awards are divided into six categories, including community revitalization, landscaping initiatives and awareness raising publications and exhibits. Citizens, organizations, public agencies and corporations are all eligible to receive a Lion Award.

As a young city, some may wonder how much heritage Calgary has accumulated over the years, but as Plouffe explains, Calgary’s heritage isn’t just about preserving the past; it’s about promoting the future.

“It’s about the stories we attach ourselves to today and tell to future generations.”

Plouffe cites the Calgary Tower as an example of Calgary’s Heritage - completed in 1968, The Calgary Tower may not be very old, but is iconic of Calgary’s progressive spirit.

Calgary’s Heritage is not confined to the downtown core and the communities surrounding it and as a result the size and scale of projects eligible for Lion Awards can vary greatly.

The Lion Awards will be accepting nominations until May 28. For a list of criteria, or to submit a nomination online, visit calgary.ca/lionawards.

Artists offered a temporary home in East Village

This spring, artists will be offered a temporary home in a vacant seafood market in the East Village.

Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) and Calgary Arts Development Authority (CADA) are teaming-up to see this endeavour bloom.

“We felt it was a really unique way to draw people into the neighbourhood and see how the area is changing,” said Chris Ollenberger, President and CEO of CMLC. “Our vision of East Village includes the arts community as a future anchor tenant, so we think of this as a preview of sorts.”

Lorna Wallace, project manager with The City's Centre City Implementation team, said artists and their work bring vibrancy to a community.

"That’s just one reason why it is vital to support art in our Centre City," said Wallace. "We applaud our colleagues at CMLC and CADA for putting this great idea into action.”

According to CMLC, the pilot project will run for three months utilizing the 24,000 sq. ft. building for a variety of programming that could include theatre, music, visual arts and/or new media.

While the Seafood Market is slated for eventual demolition, the creative use of an existing vacant building is part of a long term initiative to integrate the arts community into East Village. CADA will be encouraging local artists looking for temporary space to submit proposals for the use of the Seafood Market.

CMLC and CADA will provide more details in the coming weeks.

For more Centre City information please visit centrecitytalk.com

City Rolls Out Universal Metering Program

The City is rolling out a water meter program to convert remaining flat rate residential accounts to meters.

About 1 in 5 homes, or 50,000 or so flat rate accounts need to new water meters installed to comply with the Water Utility Bylaw, which requires all homes in Calgary have water meters by the end of 2014.

“We will be contacting remaining flat rate account holders to schedule the installation of their meter,” says Paul Fesko, Manager Strategic Services, Water Services.

“Water meters are a key to achieving our goals of reducing water consumption. They are an effective tool for reducing water consumption because they allow customers to monitor, manage and pay for the actual amount of water they use,” says Feski. “You don’t have to wait until we are in your community. Give 3-1-1 a call to arrange a free meter installation.”

Calgary’s water supply is limited and our growing population places increasing demands on the Bow and Elbow rivers. In 2005, City Council adopted the goal of reducing water consumption by 30 per cent over 30 years with the intention of better managing our water resource.

The metering program is occurring on a community-by-community basis, beginning with Coventry Hills, McKenzie Lake, McKenzie Towne and Cranston. Households with flat rate accounts in these communities will receive a phone call or letter from The City and CMI Services in the coming weeks. CMI Services, which has partnered with The City to install meters, will schedule an appointment and provide information about the installation process and tips for managing water bills.

Residents of Harvest Hills, Country Hills, Panorama Hills, Chaparrel, Douglasdale and Douglas Glen will be contacted by CMI later this spring.

For more information about meter installation appointments, how to use your meter to manage your water bill and other water-wise tips, visit Calgary.ca/watermeters or call 3-1-1.

Rocky Ridge Road Closure and NW LRT extension

Here is a video by City communicator Conrad Hild, describing the road closure, alternative routes and construction.

The access between Rocky Ridge Road and Crowchild Trail in northwest Calgary will be permanently closed this Saturday in order to meet the required expressway design standards for the Stoney Trail/Crowchild Trail interchange, and to facilitate construction of the LRT extension to the communities of Rocky Ridge, Royal Oak and Tuscany.

Andy Esarte, The City’s Project Manager. said the south end of Rocky Ridge Road is just too close to the planned interchange.

“It’s primarily a safety concern." he said. "When you try to create an access point that close to a systems interchange the result is a substandard and unsafe roadway.”

Esarte said The City has recently upgraded nine intersections in the communities with signals and traffic controls and extended a section of Country Hills Boulevard to help ease traffic congestion after the access closure. Delays are expected while traffic patterns are re-established.

For more information please visit here or calgary.ca/ti

Flags flown at half-mast to honour Canadians who served in WWI

City Hall's flags will be flown at half-mast to honour Canadians who served in the First World War from sunrise to sunset on Friday, April 9.

John Babcock, the last known Canadian veteran from World War 1, passed away in February 2010 and flags on all three levels of Government will be lowered in memory of him, and all soldier's from the great war.

Local Olympians honoured in Calgary

Alberta's Olympians and Paralympians were white-hatted and celebrated with Calgarians yesterday at Olympic Plaza.

Here is a video and photo slideshow of the event.







***Images of Skeleton racer, Jon Montgomery and Curler, Cheryl Bernard at Olympic plaza. Courtesy, Duane Starr

City Hall CTrain Station to close for refurbishment

The City Hall CTrain Station and the 3 St. SE CTrain Station will be closed starting May 3, 2010 as part of the 7 Avenue LRT refurbishment project.

Two new “twinned” CTrain platforms will be constructed on both sides of the block between Macleod Trail and 3 St SE. They are scheduled to open by June 2011.

The 3 Street SE CTrain Station will close permanently.

The new platforms will accommodate future four-car trains and will be more pedestrian friendly, with wider sidewalks integrated directly into each platform, improved lighting, and enhanced streetscapes between stations.

Calgary Transit customers are advised to use Olympic Plaza and Centre Street CTrain stations until the new platforms open for service.

Please visit here for more information.

Calgarians urged to limit their speed when driving

As warm weather approaches and pedestrian traffic increases, The City of Calgary’s Transportation Department is actively reminding Calgarians to “limit your speed”.

The City of Calgary is launching our Limit Your Speed campaign to increase driver awareness about the importance of following posted speed limits.

“The campaign is aimed at reminding Calgarians to be aware of their speed and the consequences that are associated with speeding” says Troy McLeod, City Traffic Manager. “The fact is that one in every four collisions is a result of speeding.”

Throughout April, Calgarians will see signs and banners posted throughout the city. City staff will be sharing information at a number of community open houses and school events and reminders will be running on The City’s 106.5 FM Traffic Advisory Radio.

The City will also be installing 14 solar powered devices in various communities throughout Calgary that will tell motorists if they are driving faster than the posted speed limit. These devices are useful reminders to motorists to slow down.

“These new devices will increase driver awareness and observance of posted speed limits, especially on residential roadways,” says McLeod. “The program conveys community concerns about speeding and effectively balances enforcement activities with an educational component.”

The City is also reminding motorists that they must slow to 60 km/h, or less if the posted speed is lower, when passing emergency vehicles or tow trucks stopped with their lights flashing. Fines for speeding in these areas are double the regular amount.

Driving above the posted speed limit reduces your ability to steer safely around curves or objects on the road; reduces the effectiveness of roadside hardware such as barriers, crash cushions and bridge rails; and decreases your field of vision and your peripheral vision. Limit your speed…It’s worth it!

For more information on this Transportation initiative or to download a copy of the 30-second PSA, visit www.calgary.ca/roads

City Roads Spring Clean Up to begin

The City’s Spring Clean Up program is about to get underway. The annual work, beginning April 19, will remove sanding materials and other debris that has accumulated on roads and along major sidewalks and boulevards over the winter months.

“This will help make roads safer, protect the environment and improve the city’s aesthetics,” said Sean Somers, with The City of Calgary’s Transportation Department.

The City sweeps some 15,000 lane kilometres of paved roads, and getting the work done is a collaborative effort explained Somers.

“We need all Calgarians to be good neighbours – to watch for the signs in their neighbourhood, and to remove their vehicles and garbage or recycling carts from the roadway when they see them,” he said.

“We are coordinating with Waste and Recycling Services to reduce street cleaning on scheduled garbage and recycling days wherever possible, but blue and black carts left on the street can interfere with Spring Clean Up,” said Somers. “Place your cart on the sidewalk or grass boulevard next to the curb on the week your street is scheduled for cleaning.”

If your cart is picked up from a back lane, put it in the same place as normal. Make sure to leave at least one metre between the cart and surrounding objects.

If parking bans are in place, vehicles left on the roadway will be towed. If no bans are in place, vehicles or other obstructions on the road will be swept around, leaving behind debris.

Sweepers will most likely not be able to return to these streets because of the tight schedule.

“Moving vehicles from the roadway is a short-term inconvenience for the good of the city,” said Somers.

The program typically removes about 50,000 tonnes of debris. If poured into McMahon Stadium, the pile would be three metres deep.

The City's Street Cleaning Program consists of five main activities, which are implemented to maintain cleanliness of public thoroughfares throughout the year. These include: Winter Sweeping; Pre-Sweep of On-Street Bikeways; Spring Clean Up; Summer Sweeping; and Fall Leaf Sweeping.

Removing the loose material left after the winter helps to make the roads safer:

• Keeps bikes, motorbikes and cars from sliding around
• Cuts down on the rocks flung by vehicles

Spring clean up also protects the environment:

• Reduces water pollution by preventing run-off of sanding material and debris into the storm water system
• Reduces air pollution by cutting down the dust and other particles in the air

For more information and for tentative schedules, visit calgary.ca/sweep






Here are some educational Street Cleaning Videos.