Pet of the Week - Corky

Corky is a six-month-old Labrador cross. He is energetic and friendly and looking for a happy home.

For more information please visit calgary.ca/animalservices

Related Calgary City News Blog Posts:

• Pet of the Week - Peanut
• Pet of the Week - Fantasma
• Get into the Spirit of Giving with Animal & Bylaw Services Gift Certificates
• Calgary Cat Lovers Needed - Impound Lot at Capacity - Animal Adoption Program Information
• Feline Frenzy at Animal Services
• Pet of the Week - Scrappy
• Pet of the Week - Emmett

Skating at Prince’s Island

Beginning Friday, Dec. 31, Calgarians can enjoy skating on the lagoon at Prince’s Island.

The lagoon is for pleasure skating only. No hockey sticks, pucks, sleds or strollers are allowed on the ice. Please don’t forget your helmets! Daily skating hours are from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The outdoor skating pond at Prince’s Island is a pilot project this winter for The City of Calgary Parks. Previously, attempts to create an outdoor skating rink had been thwarted by ice jams. However, this year, The City is using an artificial dam to help solve that problem.

Outdoor skating is also offered daily at Olympic Plaza, Bowness Park (48 Street N.W.) and Prairie Winds Park (Castleridge Blvd N.E.). Please note the skating pond at Big Marlborough Park will be closed this winter due to storm water infrastructure construction.

All outdoor skating is weather dependent. To get current details on outdoor skating, please call 3-1-1 or visit www.calgary.ca/parks.

The City of Calgary Recreation also offers public skating at a variety of indoor arenas. For times and locations of indoor public skating, please call 3-1-1 or visit www.calgary.ca/arenas.

Top five post-holiday waste tips

This time of year keeps garbage and recycling collectors hopping as people get rid of extra waste. You might be wondering what to do with that old artificial tree or if wrapping paper is recyclable. Here are our top tips to help you clean up:

Wrapping paper is recyclable

Most wrapping paper is recyclable in blue carts and at community recycling depots. The exception is foiled paper. 

Separate bows and ribbons, which can’t be recycled, and bunch up the wrapping paper into a ball. It can then go straight into your blue cart or to a depot. Wrapping paper should not be bagged.

Recycle your real Christmas trees 

Real Christmas trees can be recycled through the Christmas Tree Recycling program. If you have door-to-door garbage collection from The City, put your tree out where you put your garbage by 7 a.m. on January 8. Make sure it is at least one foot away from your blue and black carts. The tree will be picked up within two weeks.

Trees can also be taken to one of eight drop-off locations until January 18. Make sure all ornaments are removed. The trees should not be tied or bagged.

Because artificial trees are made of more than one material, they can’t be recycled. Instead, break them down and put them out with your regular garbage in bags or your black 

Keep your old electronics out of the landfill

Many electronics contain chemicals and heavy metals that are harmful to the environment if buried in the ground. Some also contain reusable parts.

Old televisions, computers and monitors, laptops, electronic notebooks, printers and some additional devices are accepted at 25 locations throughout the city. If your electronics still work, consider donating or selling them.

Know your options for excess recycling

If you have more recycling than will fit in your blue cart, consider saving some for the next week. You can also visit one of the over 50 community recycling depots.  Although our crews collect from the depots seven days a week, at this time of year they fill up fast. Make a note of the two or three closest depots before you leave your house. If one is full, there will be others within a few kilometres.

Help keep your collector safe 

On a typical day, your garbage collector can lift over 12,000 kilograms of trash – the equivalent of lifting two elephants. If you’re setting out garbage bags, please make sure each one weighs no more than 20kg (44lbs). As a rule of thumb, if you can lift it with one hand, it should be ok.  

And, as always, make sure any sharp material is safely wrapped, and never place household hazardous waste in your garbage or recycling, instead drop it at one of The City’s locations for hazardous waste collection. 

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

The Calgary Fire Department's 43rd Toy Association Christmas Party

The Calgary Fire Department Toy Association hosted their 43rd Annual Christmas Party on December 19 at the Stampede Corral.

The CFD Toy Association Christmas Party is the largest Christmas Party of its kind in Canada with invitations going out to 1815 Calgary families identified by the Salvation Army and the Calgary school boards.

The families were treated to food, refreshments entertainment and of course Santa arrived in an antique fire truck with thousands of gifts for 4500 children.

Santa's helpers consisted of approximately 150 uniformed firefighters, retired firefighters, fire department administration and support staff, the CFD Clown Team and their families and friends.

The Calgary Fire Department would like to merry all Calgarians a merry and safe holiday season.

Mayor Nenshi discusses the Airport Trail Underpass

The City of Calgary is currently investigating the feasibility and cost to construct the Airport Trail Underpass beneath the Calgary Airport Authority’s new runway. Administration has been charged by Council to determine the details on construction requirements and timelines.

In the below video, Mayor Nenshi talks about this potential link in Calgary’s northeast quadrant.

More information about the Airport Trail Underpass can be found at calgary.ca/airportunderpass.

Interactive online event calendar and map

The City of Calgary has created a new way to find and plan for city events and activities. The online event calendar & map helps Calgarians find local event information through search filters that separate data for date, regional and activity.   

You can find information on recreation opportunities, open houses, public engagement events and more. Launching today, the calendar is a helpful tool that allows citizens to coordinate their busy schedules with ongoing activities in a digital and more streamlined way.

The online calendar can be found by visiting calgary.ca/calendar. New events are being added all the time, so be sure to bookmark the site to make updates quick and easy.

Santa Takes Calgary Transit

Santa Claus is getting ready to board a Calgary Transit bus, transformed into a “reindeer sleigh” for the Magic of Christmas!

On Christmas Eve, Friday, Dec. 24 beginning at 7:45 a.m., 10 Calgary Transit buses driven by volunteer transit drivers, will pull out of the “Magic of Christmas” registered charity warehouse located at 9827 Horton Road S.W. (old Laser Quest facility).

Each magically-decorated reindeer sleigh bus will carry Santa Claus and his many Elves. Buses will be filled with Christmas gifts generously provided by both private and corporate citizens of Calgary.

All day and all night, volunteers will visit homes, hospitals, nursing homes and shelters to deliver toys, food, clothing, hope, joy, and other necessities to Calgary’s less fortunate in an effort to ensure no one is left out during the holiday season.

The “Magic of Christmas” will visit over 3,000 people on Christmas Eve to spread the joy of the season.

The City's Transportation GM discusses the northeast area transportation network

Over the past decade, the city of Calgary has experienced a rapid growth in population, increasing by more than 220,000 people from 1999 – 2009. This high level of growth has created a huge demand for increased road infrastructure throughout the city.

One quadrant that has grown significantly is northeast Calgary.

The City has responded to growth in this area by making investments of nearly $600 million to improve the northeast transportation network

In the below video, Mac Logan, Transportation General Manager, identifies the recent investments in pedestrian, transit and road infrastructure and discusses future linkages.

More information about the NE Area Transportation Network can be found here.

City Trade Qualification now Available Online

The City has launched a system that will allow new trades professionals the option to apply online for their required City Trade Qualification.

Tradespeople will also be able to book an appointment to have their qualifications verified and contact information confirmed, which means no more waiting in line at City Hall.

“Applying to become a City Qualified Trade online is the first of many services that will be available online and we are very pleased with the direction we are heading,” said Kevin Griffiths, chief building official with The City. “Providing a service such as this online, helps the process become more efficient and easier to use for those applying for permits as well as reduce time and effort for our staff to process.”

Becoming City Qualified is required prior to a trades professional being permitted to apply for and pull electrical, mechanical, plumbing or gas permits. The process for qualification verification is required to ensure individuals have the correct qualifications prior to doing work on a project.

The ability to apply and receive permits online will be available in the coming year.

To find out more about what is required for applying online and what you need to bring to your appointment, visit calgary.ca/tradepermits

City of Calgary Hours of Operation for December 2010 and January 2011 Holidays

The City of Calgary is adjusting its hours of operation for the 2010/2011 holiday season.

City Administrative Offices
All administrative offices will close at 12 p.m. on Friday, December 24 and will be closed on Christmas Day, Saturday, December 25, Boxing Day, Sunday, December 26 and New Year’s Day, Saturday, January 1, 2011.

Calgary Transit
Calgary Transit will provide regular weekday service on Christmas Eve, Friday, December 24.

Calgary Transit is offering free reduced service on Christmas Day, Saturday, December 25. Visit calgarytransit.com for details.

On Boxing Day, Sunday, December 26, Calgary Transit will operate on a Sunday level of service.

On New Year’s Eve, Friday, December 31, Calgary Transit will provide regular weekday service which will be free after 6 p.m.

On New Year’s Day, Saturday, January 1, 2011, Calgary Transit will provide a Sunday level of service.

For information and schedules, please visit www.calgarytransit.com, call Teleride at 403-974-4000, or Calgary Transit Customer Service at 403-262-1000.

Residential Garbage Collection
Residential collection schedules are not affected by Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day.

Community Recycling Depots
Community recycling depots will not receive collection service on Christmas Day, Saturday, December 25. These depots will receive collection service on New Year’s Day, Saturday, January 1, 2011.

Landfills
Friday, December 24 - all landfills will be open 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday, December 25 - all landfills will be closed
Sunday, December 26 – all landfills will be closed
Saturday, January 1 – all landfills will be closed

Christmas Tree Recycling
The City will pick up Christmas trees from Calgary households that currently receive City residential garbage collection. Trees must be out by 7 a.m. on Saturday, January 8, 2011. Place your tree where you would put your garbage and it will be picked up within two weeks.

The City will also operate eight temporary drop-off depots from December 27 to January 18, 2011:
- Fire Hall #15 – 6328 35th Ave. N.W.
- Prairie Winds Park – 223 Castleridge Blvd. N.E.
- Bottomlands Park – St. Georges Drive and Seventh Ave. N.E.
- South Calgary Community Association – 3130 16th St. S.W.
- Parks Compound – 10312 Sacramento Dr. S.W.
- Spyhill Landfill – 69th St. and 112th Ave. N.W.
- East Calgary Landfill – 17th Ave. and 68th St. S.E.
- Shepard Landfill – 114th Ave. and 68th St. S.E.

All landfills will be closed on New Year’s Day, Saturday, January 1, 2011.

Animal Services Centre 
2201 Portland Street S.E.
Christmas Eve, Friday, December 24:  8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Christmas Day. Saturday, December 25:  Closed
Boxing Day, Sunday, December 26:  Closed
Monday, December 27 through Friday, December 31:  10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
New Year’s Day, Saturday, January 1, 2011: Closed
Sunday, January 2:  10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Recreation 
For more information please visit calgary.ca/recreation

Arenas
All arenas will be closed on Christmas Day, Saturday, December 25 and New Year’s Day, Saturday, January 1, 2011.

The arenas listed below will be open for free public skating on Sunday, December 26, 2010 from 1-2:30 p.m.:

• Ernie Starr
•  Frank McCool
• Murray Copot
• Optimist/George Blundun
• Jimmie Condon
• Shouldice
• Henry Viney
• Stu Peppard

Athletic Parks  
All Athletic Parks are closed for the season.

Aquatics and Fitness Centres
All Aquatics & Fitness Centres will be closed on Christmas Day, Saturday, December 25, Boxing Day, Sunday, December 26 and New Year’s Day, Saturday, January 1, 2011.

City Golf Courses
Give the gift of Golf! Greenbucks are a perfect gift for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and Christmas! Available for purchase through The City of Calgary Online store at calgaryonlinestore.com

$20 Golf Greenbuck Gift Certificates can be redeemed for green fee admissions, rentals, food and beverage services or towards the purchase of a golf punch card or Season Pass.
Southland Leisure Centre
Friday, December 24, 2010
Facility open from 11:00 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Public skating: 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Regular admission applies.

Closed Saturday, December 25, 2010 and Sunday, December 26, 2010.

Friday, December 31, 2010
Facility open from 5:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Shinny hockey runs from 12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Shinny hockey tickets must be pre-purchased.
Public skate from 1 – 2:30 p.m. – regular admission rates apply

Saturday, January 1, 2011
Facility open from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Shinny hockey runs from 12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Shinny hockey tickets must be pre-purchased.
Public skate from 2 – 3:30 p.m – regular admission rates apply

Village Square Leisure Centre
Friday, December 24, 2010
Facility open from 6:00 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Public skating: cancelled
Shinny: 6:30 – 8:00 a.m.

Closed Saturday, December 25, 2010 and Sunday, December 26, 2010.

Friday, December 31, 2010
Facility open from 6:00 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Shinny hockey runs from 6:30 – 8:00 a.m. and 12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Public skate cancelled
Regular admission rates apply

Saturday, January 1, 2011
Facility open from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Shinny hockey noon – 1:30 p.m.
Public skate from 12:30 – 2:00 p.m.
Regular admission rates apply

Art Centres
Wildflower Arts Centre
Closed from Friday, December 24, 2010 through Sunday, January 2, 2011. The Centre will re-open on Monday, January 3, 2011 at 9:00 a.m.
North Mount Pleasant Arts Centre
Closed from Monday, December 20, 2010 through Sunday, January 2, 2011. The Centre will re-open on Monday, January 3, 2011 at 9:00 a.m.
City of Calgary Parks

Inglewood Bird Sanctuary 
Inglewood Bird Sanctuary Nature Centre will be closed to the public on Christmas Day, Saturday, December 25, 2010 as well as New Year’s Day, Saturday, January 1, 2011.

The Inglewood Bird Sanctuary trails will be open from sunrise to sunset.

Natural Environment Parks
Trails open from sunrise to sunset

Devonian Gardens
Closed for renovations

Other Facilities


Fort Calgary
Closed December 24, 25, 26, 2010
December 27 – 31, 2010: Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed January 1, 2011
Heritage Park
Historic Village now closed.
All other attractions open until 3 p.m. on December 24 and December 31, 2010.
Closed December 25 and 26, 2010 as well as January 1, 2011.
Deane House
The Deane House will be closed from December 24, 2010 until January 7, 2011.

Calgary Zoo 
Open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily.
Closed Christmas Day, Saturday, December 25, 2010.

TELUS World of Science
December 24 and December 31, 2010: Open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Closed Christmas Day, December 25, 2010.

Pet of the Week - Peanut

Here is our Pet of the Week, Peanut, a 7-month-old terrier mix.

For more information please visit calgary.ca/animalservices

Related Calgary City News Blog Posts:

• Pet of the Week - Fantasma
• Get into the Spirit of Giving with Animal & Bylaw Services Gift Certificates
• Calgary Cat Lovers Needed - Impound Lot at Capacity - Animal Adoption Program Information
• Feline Frenzy at Animal Services
• Pet of the Week - Scrappy
• Pet of the Week - Emmett

Nominate Someone for a Safer Calgary Award

Do you know someone who is an asset to their community- instrumental in promoting a caring and safe city? Nominate them for a Safer Calgary Award and have their efforts recognized...

Nominations are being accepted until December 31, 2010 for the Jim Gray Awards. The Jim Gray Awards, a legacy to commemorate the designation of Calgary as a World Health Organization Safe Community, are a prestigious recognition of the contributions made by members of the community towards achieving the goals of Safer Calgary. Funded by exploration geologist, philanthropist and business magnate Jim Gray the Safer Calgary Awards acknowledge individuals, groups, communities and corporations for the efforts they voluntarily undertake to make Calgary a safer place to live, work, raise families and enjoy recreational activities.

Guided by their mission to "foster community action towards the creation of a safer Calgary", the awards focus on innovation and dedication in the fields of:

• Injury Prevention 
• Violence Prevention 
• Natural and Built Environment 
• Community-based Crime Prevention

All recipients will be recognized at an awards luncheon. Nominations should include the name(s) of the nominee(s), the relevant category for award, and a short description (up to 200 words) outlining the reasons you believe the candidate(s) should be an award recipient. Please submit your nomination for award in the form of an email to Karen Douglas (karen.douglas@calgary.ca)

The four categories are:

Jim Gray Community Award
Awarded to a non-government, not-for-profit organization that has made a significant contribution to community safety in Calgary by implementing, improving, supporting, or assisting a local project or program.

Jim Gray Corporate Award
Awarded to a Calgary business for innovative and/or exemplary leadership in promoting and implementing safety practices and awareness within their company and in the community.

Jim Gray Safer Calgary Award
Awarded to tan outstanding Calgarian who has made a recent or life-long extraordinary contribution that has improved the safety of life in Calgary or whose recent safety achievements have brought recognition to Calgary.

Jim Gray Youth Award
Awarded to an individual or group of Calgarians, 18 years of age or younger on December 31, of the year of nomination, whose achievements in the promotion of safety have brought recognition towards making Calgary a safer place for all.

Thank you for your submissions- all nominators will be contacted in the new year with results.

Public Notices now Online with New Mapping Tool

Public notices will now be offered online with a new interactive map. Here is an interview with Niki Green, manager of Strategic Services with The City of Calgary explaining how the map will make requesting a services or looking up public notices more convenient.

To view the map, please visit calgary.ca/publicnotices

Get into the Spirit of Giving with Animal & Bylaw Services Gift Certificates

The City of Calgary Animal and Bylaw Services is encouraging Calgarians to give the gift of responsible pet ownership by choosing to give gift certificates towards the purchase of a pet instead of a pet this holiday season.

Every year, many dogs and cats gifted to friends and family are either abandoned on Calgary’s streets to fend for themselves or surrendered to shelters and rescue organizations. Giving gift certificates, rather than pets, helps to avoid this tragic situation by providing potential pet owners with time to choose the best cat or dog to match their lifestyle.

“We believe that people have a responsibility to a pet for the lifetime of that pet so we encourage citizens to make educated decisions before adopting.  We want them to thoughtfully choose a pet that matches their lifestyle and home situation,” says Bill Bruce, the Director of Animal & Bylaw Services.  “By offering gift certificates, we will be reducing the chances of people making hasty decisions and purchasing pets for their family or friends that are not suitable and ultimately end up being surrendered to a shelter or abandoned.“

Gift certificates are available year round. They have no expiry date and are available in any denomination.  They can be used to cover all or part of the cost of adopting a dog ($200) or cat ($150) from Animal & Bylaw Services or to pay pet licensing fees.

For more information on purchasing a gift certificate, visit calgary.ca/animalservices or contact 3-1-1. Gift certificates can be purchased in person at the Animal Services Centre, 2201 Portland Street S.E., between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday to Friday or 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Tree Recycling About to Pick Up

As Calgarians settle into the new year, Christmas trees are also gearing up for a fresh start – as mulch.

The City’s annual Christmas Tree Recycling program will have eight temporary depots throughout the city and residents will be able to set their old Christmas trees out for pick up, which starts on January 8th.

Calgarians who receive City residential garbage collection must have their tree out where their garbage normally goes by 7 a.m. Saturday, January 8th.

Waste Diversion Specialist, Lindsay Lofthouse says that trees will be picked up within two weeks. “This year, we will be doing one sweep through the city over two weeks. It’s really important that people get their trees out before 7 a.m. in January 8th to make sure they’re not missed.”

Lofthouse assures Calgarians that there is one other option to recycle Christmas trees. “We will have eight temporary Christmas tree drop-offs, including the three landfills, which will open on December 27th and remain through Tuesday, January 18th.”

The Christmas Tree Recycling program is for real trees only. All ornaments or tinsel should be removed and trees should not be wrapped or bagged before being put out for collection. Also, Calgarians are reminded that trees, real or artificial, should never be placed in blue carts.

Trees collected in the Christmas Tree Recycling program are mulched and used in City green spaces. By participating in the Christmas Tree Recycling program, residents will help keep garbage collection crews on schedule during peak volumes of seasonal waste, reduce greenhouse gas, extend the life of landfills and recycle a natural resource.

For more information on the program or to find a temporary depot near you, visit Calgary.ca/recycling or call 3-1-1.

Pet of the Week - Fantasma

Here is our Pet of the Week, Fantasma the cat. Fantasma is a loving and playful cat.

For more information please visit calgary.ca/animalservices

Extrication Glove - Saving Fingers while Saving Lives

A City of Calgary employee has co-designed a pair of gloves intended to prevent hand injuries to those who rescue people trapped in crushed vehicles, speeding up the extrication process.

Over the past three years, Randy Schmitz, a renowned vehicle extrication expert and 20-year member of the Calgary Fire Department, has been refining a glove that affords front line workers the dexterity and safety needed to work with specialty tools to cut people free from crashed vehicles.

“There are lots of sharp objects at an extrication scene like glass and metal - we have to navigate these materials to gain access to our patient,” says Schmitz. "A major consideration during extrication is protection, especially that of your hands.”

Another consideration with an extrication glove is that they need to be conducive to delicate tasks like changing a saw blade or bracing a victim.

"Regular gloves can be quite bulky," he says.

This is where the VCII extrication gloves come in, or as those in firefighting circles refer to them as: "Schmitz mitts", after their designer, who learned about one of the most important protective elements of the glove quite fortuitously.

Three years ago, Schmitz found himself chatting about hand safety with a butcher on an airplane (yes, this sounds like the beginning of a bad joke). It was during this conversation that Schmitz learned of a thin, light-weight, slash-resistant glove made, in-part, with stainless steel and fibreglass.

“I thought, ‘Why couldn’t we use this as an inner-liner for our gloves?’” Schmitz asked.

His research led him to Dan Hobbs, co-owner of Whitmore & Hobbs, an emergency equipment manufacturer.

“I gave Dan a list of 15 criteria for the glove - I wanted cut and crush injury protection as well as blood-borne pathogen protection,” says Schmitz.

Over the past three years, the two have refined the gloves, often after of an unforeseen accident in the field. For example, one of Schmitz' colleagues lost a finger at the knuckle while trying save a person trapped after a violent car-on-bus crash. Today, the gloves feature an extremely strong carbon-fibre casing over the knuckles and back of the hand in case it gets pinched between heavy metal or banged.

Hobbs says that not only are the gloves built to protect the wearer, but they're durable and long lasting.

“We get about 300 hours extrication use with these gloves,” says Hobbs, which is a bonus element to the safety component. “What make the VXII glove different is that there are two separate layers of slash resistance and pathogen protection - the glove is water proof plus has flame resistant palms.”

The gloves, or "Schmitz Mitts," will soon be featured on the CBC entrepreneurial show Dragon's Den. We’ll give you an update once the episode airs!

Please note: This article highlights employee innovation and is not an endorsement of the product by the Calgary Fire Department or The City of Calgary.

Related Calgary City News Blog Posts:

• Calgary Hosts and Competes in 2010 North American Vehicle Rescue Challenge
• Calgary firefighters first in region, bested overall by European teams at North American Vehicle Rescue Challenge
• 2010 North American Vehicle Rescue Challenge

A Better Calgary Starts With Us: Mayor Nenshi Addresses City Employees

Mayor Naheed Nenshi addressed City employees on December 14. Mayor Nenshi thanked City employees for their hard work in making Calgary a great city. He also stated that a better Calgary will require a culture shift for all employees. The Mayor believes that we have to move to a place where all employees are all problem solvers for citizens to help make Calgary an even better place to live and work. It may take time, but employees, the mayor, and council can work together to create a Calgary where citizens say "it's better now".

Fire & Ice - Family New Year's Celebration at Olympic Plaza

Looking for family friendly fun this New Year's Eve?

Join us for this free event at Olympic Plaza on December 31, 2010 from 5 to 9 p.m.

Celebrate with a special kids fireworks countdown at 9 p.m.so the young 'uns can ring in the New Year with family and still get tucked into bed on time.

Activities and Events:

• Public skating - Bring your skates, or borrow some! The Skate Shack will provide free skates for use at the event.
• Music and entertainment - The main stage will be alive with music and entertainment on the giant Colossovision jumbotron screen.
• Live Performances - Fire spinners, ice skating performances & more. Find out more about the New Year's Eve Performers.
• Ice sculpture garden - Beautiful, colourfully lit works of art.
• Crafts - Heated indoor crafts area to make paper lanterns.
• Fireworks - Kids countown and fireworks display at 9 p.m.
• Magical lighting - Olympic Plaza will come alive with colourful lighting and projections.

Schedule of Events:

Olympic Plaza:

• Family skating - 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.
• FireStorm (Fire Spinning Troupe) - 10 minute performances at 5:30, 6:45, 7:30 and 8:40 p.m.
• Ice carving by Frozen Memories - 20 minute demos at 6:00, 7:20 and 8:15 p.m.
• Figure skating performances - 5 minute performances at 6:20 and 7:40
• Family New Year's Eve Countdown and Fireworks - 9:00 p.m.

Epcor Centre

• Kids crafts - build your own lantern in the Arts Learning Room from 5:00 - 9:00 p.m. (while supplies last)
• Theatre of the Living Statue (roving performers) - 20 minute performances at 5:45, 6:45, 7:45 and 8:30 p.m.
• Sheraka Sphere (contact juggler) - 20 minute performances at 6:15, 7:15 and 8:15 p.m.
• Find out more about the New Year's Eve Performers.

Municipal Building Atrium

• Warming zone and washrooms open 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.

For more information please visit calgary.ca

Late Night Ride Home Taxi Stands Available in Downtown Calgary

Searching for a taxi in the wee hours of the morning after a night on the town?

Well, beginning this week, you need only look as far as the nearest taxi stand in Calgary's Centre City.

The Late Night Ride Home Stands will be up and running on Thursday, December 16, 2010 and will be operational between the hours of 10 PM and 3 AM on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

Twelve 'Late Night Ride Home' or Taxi Stands are being installed at various locations throughout downtown Calgary.

City Launches Road Conditions Map

The City of Calgary is working hard to keep drivers moving and informed about their commute.

Today, the City released a road conditions map showing real-time results of Calgary’s plowed roads.

“This will be an awesome tool for commuters, the media and citizens,” said Sean Somers, with the City of Calgary’s Transportation department. “We’ve heard time and time again about folks not seeing our equipment out there during big storms. Not only will you be able to see our equipment, you’ll be able to track our progress and plan your commute based on where we’ve been,” he added.

Users will have the ability to see exactly which routes GPS equipped City sanders and plows are working on. Quick links to traffic cameras will also show images of traffic volumes and road conditions that may aid motorists when planning a commute.

The map will also feature text updates about the work being done before, during and after a storm.

Visit calgary.ca/roadconditions to view the map and latest information.

The City’s Snow and Ice Control program maintains nearly 15,000 lane kilometres of road around the clock.

Related Calgary City News Blog Posts:

• Snow and Ice Plowed from Residential Streets
• City of Calgary: Ready for snow
• Snow and Ice Control Activated
• Interim snow and ice policy takes effect

City Launches Facilities and Services Interactive Map

Looking for an athletic park, recycling depot, school or community services?

Well, The City of Calgary has launched a new Facilities and Services interactive map, that will help you find the location of these City operations and a number of others.

The new map filters through eight different categories: Education, Parks and Cemeteries, Waste & Recycling Services, City Visitors, Animal & Bylaw Services, Roads, Community and Neighbourhood Services and Recreation.

Under these categories, you can find things like visitor information centres, City parking, Fire Halls, EMS Stations, Arenas and Art Centres.

The next enhancement of eMaps will include the 'search by address' feature.

City Council Approves 2011 Business Plan and Budget Adjustments

City Council has approved the 2011 budget adjustments.  Addressing next year’s projected $47.4 million operating budget shortfall, Council adjusted the budget to bring the 2011 municipal residential property tax rate increase to 5.0%. This increase will add an estimated $4.90 per month for the typical household in Calgary. 

Key highlights of the approved budget adjustment include:

• Maintaining 140,000 hours of increased service growth for Calgary Transit.
• An increase of $5.0 million in base funding and $5.0 million in one-time funding for improved snow and ice control.
• An additional $8.2 million for 65 new officers in the Calgary Police Service.
• $2.0 million for the new Calgary Public Library.
• $2.3 million to improve access to 9-1-1 services.
• $4.7 million for Fire (Saddle Ridge, Sage Hill and Emergency Operations Centre).
• A price reduction of the low-income transit pass to $40.00 per month.
• Preservation of the Access Calgary Extra (ACE) program.
• On-going funding for standby tow truck service on major transportation routes.
• The elimination of Park and Ride Parking fees at LRT lots beginning April 1, 2011.
• Total net capital budget relinquishments of $65 million. 

Council’s approved adjustments to 2011 budgets and plans also include a number of select areas for reduction:  

• A $3.3 million decrease for Parks realized through reduced seasonal maintenance work, fleet right-sizing, and efficiencies achieved through better asset reporting.
• A $465 thousand decrease for Calgary Transit parking lot maintenance.
• A $950 thousand reduction in Community & Neighbourhood Services budget resulting in reduced social research and community development capacity.
• A $750 thousand reduction in the previously-approved Civic Partners budget increase. 
• A $200 thousand decrease to the Mayor’s Office and Aldermanic Office budgets.
• A $844 thousand decrease for Assessment which may result in decreased assessment quality.
• A reduction of Waste & Recycling Services budget of $450 thousand as a result of efficiencies and lower than projected residential waste collection.
• An elimination of $1.7 million capital funding for a downtown fitness facility.

Administration has also been directed to find an additional $8 million in efficiencies across the organization.  Administration will report back to Council no later than February 14, 2011 with these options.  Also, the Calgary Police Service was requested to provide additional reduction options of $2 million in early 2011.

Further reductions focus on internal services which may limit the organization's long-term capacity, but will have the least impact on services. Other reductions have been gained through administration’s efforts to increase efficiency and change service delivery across the organization.

Related Calgary City News Blog Posts:

• City Administration releases proposed adjustments to 2011 Business Plans and Budgets
• 2011 Budget Adjustment Questions Addressed
• Transit Budget Questions Answered

Today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Every year on Dec. 3, people around the world celebrate the contributions of people with disabilities. The aim is to promote an understanding of disability issues, the rights of persons with disabilities and the gains to be derived from the inclusion of people with disabilities in every aspect of the political, social, economic and cultural life of their communities.

The City is proud to accommodate employees with disabilities, and the Advisory Committee on Accessibility (ACA) helps mandate The City's Corporate Accessibility Policy to ensure employees with disabilities can succeed in the workplace.

"We need to think about what we do through an ‘access lens,’” said Leanne Squair, an issue strategist with Community & Neighbourhood Services who is involved with the ACA. “The City accommodates employees with disabilities with accessible work spaces, the provision of appropriate hardware and software, and an accessible public transportation system to get back and forth to work in.”

The theme for Calgary's 2010 IDPD is Success.

In 2010, The City contributed to a great success for local people with disabilities by completing a series of accessibility upgrades in its renovation of the Council Chamber at City Hall.

The guiding principles for the renovation were to improve accessibility for those with physical, visual, hearing and cognitive disabilities to access the Council Chamber so that they can participate in the democratic process.

Another success is the Access Design Standards (ADS) 2010 which was approved by Council as a mandatory standard as of January 1, 2011 for any City owned and operated property.

“While ADS is about the built environment; it is the foundation to providing accessible services,” said  Darlene Boyes, a community resource services co-ordinator and member of the ACA.  “People with disabilities are a part of our diverse city and these successes exemplify how we are working towards making Calgary a more accessible & inclusive place to live, work and participate in community life”.

December 3^rd is a day for all. This year’s event is taking place at the Metropolitan Conference Centre, 333 Fourth Ave. S.W.  from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is comprised of a number of local organizations involved with IDPD. There will be a trade show component, entertainment, proclamation by The City and Premier’s Council and ACA Awards. 

Snow and Ice Plowed from Residential Streets

As follow-up to the recent eight days of snow, City crews have begun work in residential communities on local streets. Since that work has begun citizens have begun to contact The City. Our hope is to clear up some of the uncertainty surrounding the plowing we do in residential communities.

An interim Snow and Ice Control policy was put in place last winter to guide City crews. A policy is necessary to make a clear statement of the intent of The City of Calgary winter maintenance operations. It establishes the priorities, standards and service levels of the snow and ice control program and was subject to review and approval of City Council.

In accordance with this policy, City crews will only plow snow, not completely remove snow from roads, unless Calgary experiences extreme weather like we did last winter. Snow plowing differs from snow removal. Removing snow from all city streets is incredibly costly, and not a realistic option in the context of our current budget. Snow plowing may result in windrows on one or both sides of the road. The clearing of windrows left by City equipment at intersections, lane entrances and bus stops will be the responsibility of the City and will be cleared as soon as is practical.

On residential roads, the current interim policy states that: The clearing of windrows in front of driveways left by snow plowing equipment shall be the responsibility of the abutting property owner. If snow plowing equipment is used, attempts will be made to keep driveways clear, but any spillage shall be the responsibility of the abutting property owner. The Roads Maintenance Manager will have the discretion to assess complaints, regarding windrows left due to plowing operations. If assessed as being greater than 30 centimetres in height, the Roads Maintenance Manager or Designate has the authority to direct the removal of the windrow with City crews. Otherwise, such windrows left by snow plowing equipment shall be the responsibility of the abutting property owner to clear.

The interim policy is available to view on calgary.ca

Related Calgary City News blog posts:

• City of Calgary: Ready for snow
• Snow and Ice Control Activated
• Interim snow and ice policy takes effect

Transit Budget Questions Answered

City Administration thanks Calgarians so much for their comments, questions and insights into the 2011 Business Plan and Budget Adjustments. Many of your questions have focused on Transportation, and below we have some answers to the questions you have posed.

There have been many questions regarding Calgary Transit, so have grouped our answers together:

Proposed Adjustments
What was proposed was a reduction in the proposed growth of Calgary Transit service levels. In fact, Calgary Transit’s expansion plans as envisioned in the Calgary Transportation Plan (CTP) are already underway, and funding is included in the 2011 budget to continue with these projects, among others:

• Over $1 billion in LRT expansion is funded that will begin operation between 2012 and 2014. West LRT and extensions to the Northeast LRT (to Martindale and Saddletowne) and the Northwest LRT (to Tuscany) will result in 12.8 km of new LRT lines, making service available to almost 150,000 more Calgarians;
• Four-car LRT platform extensions are underway at over 30 existing stations, enabling the introduction of 4-car train operation by 2014;
• 38 new light rail vehicles are being delivered between 2010 and 2012;
• Electronic Fare Collection will be piloted in 2011, offering convenient payment options to transit customers;
• Passenger Information Systems are being deployed on the LRT system and on buses in 2011 and 2012, offering real-time, up-to-the-minute information on transit arrivals and service disruptions; and
• Transit priority improvements are being introduced to improve bus operations and save transit customers time. An example is the transit-only lane on northbound Crowchild Trail entering the downtown, which is used by several bus routes from south Calgary.

In short, The City is getting public transit facilities in place through a capital construction program (using funding available through grants from the federal and provincial governments, in addition to City capital funds). The future, as envisioned in the CTP and the land use plans in the Municipal Development Plan (MDP), has The City moving toward a higher level of public transit service using these facilities combined with land use intensification adjacent to transit facilities. Without future land use intensification, it is more difficult for The City to justify growth in transit service hours.

How can we improve transit service without increasing or decreasing the budget? Have we been researching other cities to learn from their tactics?

Transit improvements

‘Improvements’ to transit service can mean a variety of things – comfort; accessibility; safety; security; directness; speed and cleanliness are all factors. In broad terms, the CTP, while envisioning the future, also provides a great deal on information on how transit can work better in order to serve citizens and customers. We have looked at other cities around the world where transit systems are very strong (high usage). Those cities have a combination of dense development that can provide more riders and shorter trips. This, combined with positive citizen attitudes toward transit usage makes those services more productive, which then drives more routes and greater frequency, thus making it much more convenient for customers.

Strategies and Options
Calgary Transit has some fairly progressive strategies to keep costs down including various vehicle types to match demand more closely. We are constantly looking at new advances including scheduling, vehicle technologies, and customer interaction services. We meet with western cities on a quarterly basis to discuss initiatives. We also attend CUTA (Canadian Urban Transit Association) conferences twice per year. Calgary Transit is also a member of UITP (International Association of Public Transit) which provides information on transit initiatives across the globe. In essence there are lots of options but the question is complex and no answer will be easy or free.

Snow and Ice Control

This isn't related to Transit but is a part of the Transportation Department.

Roads crews work tirelessly around the clock making best efforts to ensure Calgary roads are safe for commuters and motorists. Snow and ice control operations are based on a council approved policy. Calgary does not have a bare-pavement policy, however commits to providing reasonable winter driving conditions in the winter months by using a variety of tactics and materials. With 15,000 lane kilometres of roadway covering nearly 800 square kilometres of area, Calgary’s roads are treated on a priority basis, with the busiest roads being tackled first.

Calgary Transportation would like to thank Calgarians for their keen interest in their and would like to encourage people to continue submitting questions or comments.

Related Calgary City News Blog Posts:

• City Administration releases proposed adjustments to 2011 Business Plans and Budgets
• Some Budget Questions Addressed Here

Stop, Drop and Shop: A Way for Children to Have Fun While Parents Shop

Parents.....want a guilt free day of holiday shopping?

No, we won’t give you gift cards or a spending spree but we will offer you the freedom of knowing that your children are well cared for while you are out for the day.

Every Saturday leading up to Christmas Day your child can enjoy a day of crafts, fun activities and a swim while in a safe and supportive environment.

Here’s all the info you need,  Just remember to get a ‘wish list’ from your children before dropping them off at the Glenmore Aquatic Centre.

Who: Children aged 7 - 12) or a little older.

Where: Glenmore Aquatic Centre

When:

• Saturday Dec 4th  9am-4pm Barcode: 282546
• Saturday Dec 11th   9am-4pm Barcode: 282547
• Saturday Dec 18th   9am-4pm Barcode: 282548

Cost: $33.60

Please visit calgary.ca for more information or register here.

Pet of the Week - Navajo

Here is our Pet of the Week, Navajo the cat. Navajo is has spent six months in the kennel, the longest stay of all the pets.




Calgary.ca/animalservices

Related Calgary City News Blog Posts:

• Feline Frenzy at Animal Services
• Pet of the Week - Scrappy
• Pet of the Week - Emmett
• Calgary Cat Lovers Needed - Impound Lot at Capacity - Animal Adoption Program Information