Discovering Your Opportunities - A summer program for teen moms

Here is a short interview with Leita Blasetti, a Community Relations Liason with the Youth Employment Centre, who talks about the Discovering Your Opportunities (DYO) summer program for teen moms.

The DYO instructor Anita Dam and 19-year-old student, and soon-to-be mom, Jaci Cachene also discuss their experiences with the program.

Please visit calgary.ca for more information or YEC's blog, NextSteps.org. If you prefer Facebook, please visit Facebook.com/UatTheCity for student employee connections or Facebook.com/YouthEmploymentCentre.

Heritage Day 2011 Statutory Holiday Hours of Operation for City of Calgary Facilities

The City of Calgary is adjusting its hours of operation for services and facilities on Heritage Day, Monday, August  1, 2011.

City Administrative Offices

All administrative offices are closed on Heritage Day, Monday, August 1, 2011 and will reopen Tuesday,  August 2, 2011.

Calgary Transit

Calgary Transit will provide a Sunday level of service on Heritage Day, Monday, August 1, 2011. Regular service will resume on Tuesday, August 2, 2011.

LRT Maintenance: Heritage Station  to Chinook Station

Due to maintenance on the ballast (rock) under the rails of both inbound and outbound tracks, there will be no CTrain service between Heritage and Chinook stations Saturday through Monday. Shuttle bus service will be provided between the stations for CTrain customers wishing to continue their trips northbound and southbound via the CTrain.

Brentwood Station

Due to maintenance on the surface of the station platform, CTrains will operate on one track in both directions. Minor delays may occur.

Whitehorn Station

Due to maintenance on the railing of the pedestrian bridge as well as repairs to the roof of the station, CTrains will operate on one track in both directions. Minor delays may occur.

Erlton/Stampede Station
Beginning Friday, July 29, 2011, construction will begin on the Erlton/Stampede Station. This work is being done to prepare for future four-car CTrains on Calgary’s LRT system. Construction will take approximately five months to complete.

Station improvements will include a lengthened CTrain platform to accommodate four-car trains, improved accessibility and improved lighting.

Please note: To conduct the work safely and efficiently, it is necessary to close the south ramp access starting Friday, July 29, 2011. This closure will be in effect throughout construction. The station will remain open during construction and users can gain access through the north entrance to the platform.

If you require ground-level access, please make arrangements to use one of the adjacent stations (e.g. Victoria Park/Stampede or 39 Avenue).

Waste & Recycling

Residential collection schedules and pickup at community recycling depots are not affected by the Heritage Day holiday.

Landfills

All landfills will be open 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Animal Services Centre

2201 Portland Street S.E.

Saturday, July 30: Open 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Sunday, July 31: Open 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Heritage Day, Monday, August 1, 2011: Closed

Tuesday, August 2: Open 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Recreation

For more information please visit calgary.ca/recreation

Arenas/Athletic Parks 

All Arenas will be closed, except for Father David Bauer Arena will be open for booking with approval.

All Athletic Parks will be closed, but available for bookings, please call Facility Bookings at 403-268-3800 in advance.

City Golf Courses

Daily hours of operation for each City course can be found at calgary.ca/golf

Southland Leisure Centre

Heritage Day, Monday, August 1, 2011: Facility open from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Arenas: Closed

Regular admission applies.

Village Square Leisure Centre

Heritage Day, Monday, August 1, 2011: Facility open from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Arenas: Closed

Regular admission applies.

Aquatics and Fitness Centres

All City of Calgary Aquatics and Fitness Centres will be closed on Heritage Day, Monday, August 1, 2011.

Art Centres

Wildflower Arts Centre and North Mount Pleasant Arts Centre will be closed to the public on Heritage Day, Monday, August 1, 2011 and will reopen on Tuesday, August 2, 2011.

City of Calgary Parks

Inglewood Bird Sanctuary 

Inglewood Bird Sanctuary Nature Centre will be closed to the public on Heritage Day, Monday, August 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
Museum open from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. with activities from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Free admission.

Heritage Park
Gate open at 9:30 a.m.

Village opens at 10 a.m.

Park closes at 5 p.m.

Deane House
Closed on Heritage Day, Monday, August 1, 2011.

Calgary Zoo

Open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily.

TELUS World of Science
The 11 Street SW location is now closed. The TELUS World of Science will reopen at its new location October 29, 2011.

City Releases 2011 Census Results

The 2011 Civic Census results for the period from April 2010 to April 2011 show that Calgary’s population has reached 1,090,936. This is an increase of 19,421 residents from April 2010 when the Civic Census showed the City’s population was 1,071,515. This represents an increase of 1.81%. This volume of population growth is similar to what was experienced in 2001 and 2003.

“Good, accurate data like that included in the Calgary Civic Census is the basis for smart decision-making about the future of our community,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi. “City management, my City Council colleagues, and I will use the information in this report to help guide us toward creating the better Calgary we all seek.”

Specific results from the 2011 Civic Census

Community Growth

Panorama Hills continued to lead the way in growth with a population increase of 1,952 residents. Four other communities also had an increase of more than 1,000 residents. The communities with a population increase of more than 1,000 are:

· Panorama Hills (1,952 residents)

· Auburn Bay (1,552 residents)

· New Brighton (1,236 residents)

· Cranston (1,186 residents)

· Skyview Ranch (1,093 residents)

Four communities grew by 100% or more. The communities are:

· Mahogany (205% or 530 residents),

· Walden (183% or 384 residents),

· Skyview Ranch (154% or 1093 residents),

· Sage Hill (102% or 718 residents).

“After a pattern of population decline in many established neighbourhoods over many years, it’s a good sign that many of these communities have experienced recent population growth,” said Mayor Nenshi. “If we can maintain this trend through smart policies and investments, the result will be more sustainable, vibrant, and healthy communities that Calgarians want.”

Net Migration and Natural Increase

Net migration is the difference between the number of persons moving into Calgary and the number moving away. Over the past 12 months, 9,563 more people moved to Calgary than moved away from Calgary. This is a significant increase over 2010 when Calgary experienced a negative net migration with 4,154 more people moving away from Calgary than to Calgary.

Housing

The number of housing units, both existing and under construction, increased to 450,952 up from 445,455. This is an increase of 5,497 from April 2010.

The number of vacant dwelling units in Calgary decreased from 16,929 in 2010 to 16,180 in 2011. The overall vacancy rate in the city is 3.69%, down from 3.93% in April 2010.

There are now 422,290 occupied dwellings. Of this number, 296,020 or 70.1% are owner-occupied. In 2010, the comparable percentage was 70.65%.

Age and Gender

As per Census Policy, age and gender data was collected in 2011. The total number of males

(547,782) slightly exceeds the number of females (543,154). In the breakdown of age groups,

the largest age groups are 25-34 (16.79%) and 35-44 (16.68%).

Number of Employed

As per Census Policy, the number of employed was collected in 2011. The total number of respondents 15 years of age and older who indicated they worked either part-time or full-time, including those who are self employed is 585,169. This represents 65.29% of the population 15 years of age and older.

Mode of Transportation

2011 was the inaugural year for the mode of transportation question. One working respondent in each household was asked how they travelled to work. Of respondents, 69.58% indicated they drove to work alone and 17.15% take public transit.

The Civic Census Results Book and additional tables will be available online at www.calgary.ca/census, by mid-afternoon on July 27, 2011.

Related Calgary City News Blog posts:

City census begins Friday, April 1
Census Workers Needed for 2011 Census
Civic Census Takers Required
Calgary's population hits 1,071,515 - Civic Census Results
City census takers and enumerators to visit Calgary homes
City searching for census takers and enumerators
City Reports on Growth and Change in Developed Areas

Historic Calgary Week July 22 - August 1

Our Centre City team has compiled a list of neat things to celebrate Historic Calgary Week, like a Centre City walking tour. Please visit CentreCityTalk.com for more information.

This is also a great time to feature an oldie but a goodie again, Calgary, The Living West, a 1962 film from the Calgary Convention and Visitors Bureau, is a nostalgic trip featuring a number of tourist attractions and locales in and around Calgary, Banff National Park, and the Drumheller area.

The City of Calgary, Corporate Records, Archives, Accession #NR91-004.

***Image - 17 Avenue S.E.

Calgary Fire Department Breaks Ground on Symons Valley Fire Station

Today, the Calgary Fire Department broke ground on a permanent Fire Station in Symons Valley to serve the communities of Symons Valley, Evanston, Sage Hill, Sherwood, and several new area communities. Currently, this quickly growing residential and commercial area is served by a temporary fire station in Sage Hill, and supported by four other stations.

“Building permanent fire stations in growing and developing communities ensures that Calgarians can take comfort in knowing that fire service resources are nearby and ready to help when needed,” said Fire Chief Bruce Burrell.

In 2010, there were more than 12,000 Calgarians living in and around Symons Valley. The rapid growth and progress of the surrounding neighbourhoods and the expected development of others in the area makes this permanent Fire Station an important addition to the community.

The Symons Valley Fire Station will be approximately 15,000 square feet in size, with three apparatus bays. The station will be fitted with generators able to service the full electrical load of the facility and will be built to a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED)

Gold standard. Features contributing to the LEED Gold achievement include heat recovery radiant panels and rain water capture into cisterns for reuse. The station will also offer community-focused programs including station tours, cholesterol screening and in the winter, sand for icy sidewalks.

The $16.1 million cost of the station and required apparatus has been fully budgeted for, with $6.9 million funded by the Province’s Municipal Sustainability Initiative.

The Symons Valley Fire Station is expected to be fully operational by the third quarter of 2012.

For more information, please visit calgary.ca/fire

***Image: Mayor Naheed Nenshi breaking groun

d on Symons Valley Fire Station with Fire Chief Bruc

e Burrell, and Nenshi and Calgary Firefighter, Mark Meredyk, taking in the groundbreaking ceremony.

Great City. Great Design. - Mayor’s Urban Design Awards

Good urban design matters. When you visit a place that is unique, attractive and created with people in mind, the place often holds a special memory for you. This is the goal of good urban design.

Every two years, we recognize and celebrate good urban design in our city, through the Mayor’s Urban Design Awards (MUDA 2011). The Awards recognize the people who create the best of Calgary’s new urban design, landscape design and architecture. These people include consultants, developers, communities and owners who craft distinctive and cherished buildings and spaces that make our city unique and all of us proud.

The City is currently accepting submissions for MUDA 2011, with a deadline of 4 p.m., Thursday, September 15, 2011.

The Gala Awards will take place on Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at the new Telus World of Science – a tribute in itself, to the wow-factor of good design.

If you or an organization you know is interested in submitting an

project in one of the nine categories, check out the MUDA website at www.calgary.ca/muda for information on categories, eligibility and the gala event.

We hope to see you there, enjoying the event in the beautiful new building.

Related Calgary City News Blog posts:

• Winners of Mayor's Urban Design Awards Announced

Digital and third party advertising signs information sessions

The City of Calgary is conducting a series of public information sessions on the regulations and policies applicable to digital and third party advertising signs, including billboards.

Attendees will be invited to provide comments and feedback for potential bylaw changes as part of an overall review of the provisions in Land Use Bylaw 1P2007 pertaining to the regulation of third party advertising signs (billboards) and digital signs on private property.

This review is to accommodate and manage regulations (i.e. placement, appearance, operation) of these types of signs. Sign rules and policies are intended to take into account, among other things, the safety and aesthetic impact of signs on communities, and it is the development permit process that is used to evaluate the appropriateness of proposed signs.

Information sessions are taking place as follows:

• Thursday, July 21, 7 p.m., Calgary Marlborough CA (636 Marlborough Way NE)
• Monday, July 25, 7 p.m., Banff Trail CA (2115 20 Ave NW)
• Tuesday, July 26, 7 p.m., Inglewood CA (1740 24 Ave SE)
• Wednesday, July 27, 7 p.m., Killarney/Glengarry CA (2828 28 St SW)

The program for each session is:

• 7 - 7:30 p.m. – presentation
• 7:30 – 9 p.m. – open house Q&A opportunity

Grabbing a ride on the Musical CTrain

As part of Calgary Transit’s popular Musicians in Motion program, local artists will be riding and performing on various CTrains until Friday, July 22 to celebrate and promote the Calgary Folk Music Festival.

“Due to the great feedback we have received from our customers this has become an annual event,” said Calgary Transit Director Fred Wong. “Our customers will enjoy some of the great local talent we will have on our CTrains throughout the week leading up to Calgary Folk Music festival.”

“We had such fun bringing this event into the community last year, and this year I am excited to showcase even more local acts along with the international artists we have performing,” said Kenna Burima, the Calgary Folk Music Festival’s Artistic Associate. “Folk on the Train is a great way to get a sneak peek of what’s going to be happening this weekend at the Calgary Folk Festival.”

Related Calgary City News Blog posts:

• Folk Musicians Entertain on the CTrain - Dojo Workhorse
• Folk on the CTrain - Musicians in Motion

***Image: Ontario indie-country band New Country Rehab.

Calgary Transit keeps ‘em movin’ during the Stampede

Calgary Transit pulled out all the stops to help Calgarians and visitors mosey on down to the Calgary Stampede this year by providing an extra 4,000 hours of service during the 10 days of the Calgary Stampede.

CTrain service ran 24 hours a day during the 10-day Stampede, with trains operating on an enhanced schedule during the peak periods and every eight minutes during midday and evening off-peak periods. Overnight service was every 30 minutes (approximately 1:30 am - 5:30 am).

More buses were roped into service across the city. Calgary Transit ran express buses from the west side of the city and from the north to get Stampede goers to Stampede Park quickly, directly and easily. All express buses loaded and unloaded at the terminal adjacent to Erlton/Stampede Station, located at the south end of Stampede Park.

Not even the Stampede parade and Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, could stop CTrain service. Calgary Transit had all available vehicles (buses and CTrains) out of the garages and in service on parade day to help customers get around safely and efficiently. The parade yielded a record crowd of over 450,000 and many parade-goers used transit to get in and out of the downtown core.

Calgary Transit also played a critical role in Their Royal Highnesses visit to Rotary Challenger Park on Friday, July 8, bussing 2,700 passengers from McKnight-Westwinds CTrain Station to the park.

Additionally, the new Airport BRT, Route 300, unveiled just prior to Stampede was a big hit for Calgarians and tourists flocking into the city. The route runs between the downtown core and the airport along Centre Street North, 64 Avenue and Deerfoot Trail. Regular fares apply for northbound riders while there is a premium fare for those catching it at the airport.

Finally,  in time for Stampede, Calgary Transit launched credit card acceptance at CTrain Station ticket vending machines and retrofitted the machines to provide change.

Calgary Transit’s additional levels of service along side improvements to the system made catching a bus easier than hanging on for eight seconds

City offers Free Healthy Yards Lunch and Learn Sessions

The Healthy Yards program is currently offering Lunch and Learn sessions for Calgary businesses. Organizations that are interested in encouraging their employees to adopt environmentally-friendly practices can have The City of Calgary Parks come in and host an orientation session on the Healthy Yards program - an environmentally-friendly approach to yard and garden care.

The Healthy Yards program helps homeowners create a more environmentally sustainable yard by combining the practices of:

• Responsible pest management
• Water Conservation (water wise gardening principles and use of a rain barrel)
• Composting
• Grass cycling (mulch mowing)

The hour long Lunch and Learn sessions include a training package for each participant and demonstrations on how to incorporate environmentally-friendly yard practices into their own backyard. Parks also provides one rain barrel or a composter for a giveaway.

Sessions are currently being booked and will run until the end of September.

Please call 3-1-1 for more information or calgary.ca/healthyyards or email healthyyards@calgary.ca

City and Artists Team Up to Prevent Vandalism

According to broken windows theory, removing graffiti immediately prevents further vandalism as well as an escalation into more serious crime.

It's under this premise that Peter Bushe, a Roads Sign and Streetlight Project Specialist, turned to other cities best practices for inspiration.

“Places like San Francisco and Sydney, Australia saw less vandalism when they had artists paint over areas with high incidences of graffiti,” says Bushe. “Rather than offering a bare public canvass for vandals to claim as their own, the work of artists is respected.”

Last year, Busche teamed up with The City's Creative Services and Public Art and Culture teams to launch a public art pilot project. Artists were commissioned to paint over nine designated traffic signal boxes along the 16th Avenue North corridor. The location was selected simply because the boxes were all brand new and easy to monitor.

The boxes are sanded and primed, and The City supplied quality mural paint designed to be used outside. Each box is finished with a graffiti-proof clear coat to ensure the artwork is protected.

“All the artists have to do is bring their own brushes” said Busche.

What makes The City’s program different from other cities is that the approval process ensures professional artists make the cut and that artists get paid for their work. There is also a requirement that the artwork reflects a theme centered on a communal Calgary.

“In addition to reducing incidences of graffiti, this ensures we can create a community that encourages public art to beautify areas,” Busche said.

After last year's success, the project has been expanded this summer to include 20 new sites around town and the street light control boxes on 16th Avenue, from 11 St. N.W. to 5 St. N.E.

For more information, please visit calgary.ca/publicart

Jump $tart students begin job shadowing

This is a post from The City's Youth Employment Centre's (YEC) blog.

It describes what sort of job shadowing a group of students will be doing this week. In previous posts there are images from student's first aid day where the they learned CPR and tales of fun days Geocaching.

Please visit http://blog.nextsteps.ca to read YEC's blog.

Related Calgary City News Blog posts:

• 2011 Summer Hiring Fair a success
• Jumpstart: Local youth play hockey with former Calgary Flames
• Youth Employment Centre’s Summer Hiring Fair to Help Youth to Find Ideal Job
• From jump rope to a jump $tart

***Image: Dummies eagerly await the day ahead, where they will be, well, CPR training dummies.

City of Calgary Wins 2011 ESRI Special Achievement in GIS Award

The City of Calgary has bested more than 100,000 organizations to win the ESRI Special Achievement in geographic information system (GIS) (SAG) Award for a Core Mapping Project.

According to ESRI's press release, The City was chosen "for its outstanding use of (GIS) technology to centralize municipal land information maintenance."

“It's a great honour to be recognized among the best in the GIS industry,” said John Lethaby, project manager, Infrastructure & Information Services, City of Calgary. “We've always been focused on maximizing the value of our information and technology resources to benefit the community."

Using ESRI's ArcGIS technology, The City integrated legal surveys and land ownership data into a comprehensive geodatabase. This increases efficiency in delivering high-quality, accurate and up-to-date geographic information and basemaps throughout the organization.

"(GIS) provides us with a robust and richer platform for managing and sharing land information. With the advanced analytical tools it provides, we look forward to further leveraging the technology to enhance planning and decision support across our organization,” said Lethaby.

The award was presented on July 13 at the 2011 ESRI International User Conference in San Diego, California.

Alex Miller, president of ESRI Canada, said having a central source for municipal basemaps allows City staff to access these resources quickly and easily integrate business data to enable better decisions.

"Whether it's designing intelligent utility networks, planning sustainable infrastructure or tracking the condition of assets, (The City) enhanced their ability to provide more efficient community services," said Miller.

According to their Website, ESRI Canada provides enterprise GIS solutions for businesses, governments and educational institutions to make timely, informed and mission-critical decisions by leveraging the power of geography.

Folk on the CTrain - Musicians in Motion

Calgary Transit is again hosting 'Folk on the CTrain' by providing quality local entertainment for passengers from Tuesday, July 19 until Friday, July 22 to celebrate and promote the Calgary Folk Music Festival.

A list of what routes will feature live music is on calgarytransit.com.

Related Calgary City News Blog posts:

• Folk Musicians Entertain on the CTrain - Dojo Workhouse

Three opportunities to do nothing to save water and money

It can be this simple. Knowing when not to water your lawn is an easy way to reduce water usage at home.

During the warm summer months, outdoor watering can result in a 50 per cent increase in demand for water. Following a few simple tips at home could save you time and money, while reducing the strain on our rivers and water treatment plants.

A healthy yard only needs one inch of water per week, including rainfall. “As a general rule of thumb, every time you reduce your outdoor watering time by 15 minutes you can save about one dollar on your monthly water bill,“ says Amy Ross, Public Program Coordinator with The City, “Over the course of a month your water savings can really add up.”

Take the pledge to ‘Do Nothing’ to save water this summer. Join thousands of your fellow Calgarians who have already committed to not watering their lawn when:

• It's raining, has recently rained or is forecast to rain
• It's the hottest time of the day (between 11 am and 3 pm)
• It's windy

Visit www.facebook.com/RethinkWaterCalgary and make the commitment. Those who complete the Do Nothing pledge before August 15, 2011 will also be entered to win a prize package. If you're going to be at the Calgary Stampede this year come down to Rooted in the City and relax in the “Do Nothing” zone. Pick up free waterwise gardening tips and tools. Plus, free temporary tattoos for the kids.

Related blog posts

• Do Nothing to Save Water
• Calgary's Do Nothing To Save Water Crew Takes to Calgarians
• Study: Calgary leads North America for low water usage
• Counting on our Water
• Fire Department's Water Re-use Project wins national environmental award
• The Bow is Below: All Calgarians play a part in protecting our rivers
• Fix a Leak Week - Test a toilet, save water and money
• Calgary Fire Department boasts new training facility, water reclamation project
• Calgary wins international water and energy conservation award
• 2009 Water Efficiency Report released
• Calgary’s Water Centre receives Gold LEED designation
• Water recycling a part of Leisure Centres' annual maintenance
• EcoAction School debuts at Ralph Klein Park
• Rain barrel and composter sale

Pet of the Week - Buddy

Howdy y’all, this is Buddy. He's a 5 year old, male neutered, whippet cross. An energetic, athletic, smart dog we'd like to keep around the ranch, because, well... he's super cute. 

Oh sure, he can get a bit anxious at times, so he'd be best for someone that has a lot of time and attention to focus on him (ideally, he’d like to be the only pet). And, it's true, ranch life can make a cowpoke a bit rough around the edges so best get his manners up to speed at some obedience classes. 

He's looking for a family that is willing to commit 100%. Oh, he'll be worth the effort. He's got a good heart and a kind demeanor. Reckon you’d be willing to give him a shot? Call 3-1-1 an' make an appointment to see him.

Related Calgary City News Blog Posts: 

• Pet of the Week - Lola
• Pet of the Week - Gorbi
• Pet of the Week - Juniper
• Pet of the Week - Sylvia
• Pet of the Week - Eagle
• Pet of the Week - Kate
• Pet of the Week - Ike
• Pet of the Week - Will and Kate
• Pet of the Week - Blazer
• Pet of the Week - Cookie
• Pet of the Week - Marley
• Pet of the Week - Chester
• Pet of the Week - Sport
• Pet of the Week - Duke
• Pet of the Week - Pixie
• Pet of the Week - Kris Kringle
• Pet of the Week - Boots
• Pet of the Week - Rosie
• Pet of the Week - Hank
• Calgary joins National Campaign to Address Cat Overpopulation
• Pet of the Week - Sophia
• Pet of the Week - Corky
• 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

Tip Your Hat 2011

Come get your artist-designed, one-of-a-kind, Stampede-worthy cowboy hats.

Tip Your Hat Auction – TODAY at 12 p.m. Stephen Avenue Mall - the corner of 2nd Street Southwest, in front of the ATB. In the event of rain, the Auction is moving to Art Central (100 7 Avenue Southwest).

You can follow Calgary Public art on Twitter @PublicArtYYC

***To the left is an image of every hat to be auctioned, maybe one will fit nicely on your head!

New online tool makes it easier to search City’s Land Use Bylaw

Today The City of Calgary launched a new interactive, searchable version of the Land Use Bylaw that will make searching easier for people looking for land use rules and information. As The City continues to enhance its online services, accessibility and ease of use will keep improving over time.

“Reducing the challenges for our customers was the primary reason for this tool," says Nelson Medeiros, Lead Planner on the Land Use Bylaw Team. “This tool will allow City staff to shift their focus from helping customers find information to assisting in interpreting the Bylaw.”

Other user-friendly capabilities have been added to the new tool including: An index to navigate to a chosen topic in the bylaw based on keyword; links for cross-references to various sections of the bylaw in order to easily find specific information; and links for defined terms and defined uses that will bring up the relevant definition in a small pop-up window.

Some common items that customers reference in the bylaw include: fence regulations, building a garage or shed, building an addition to a residence, decks, home-based businesses, and secondary suites.

The original Land Use Bylaw document will still be available in a PDF format should customers prefer that version. The new tool can be found at: calgary.ca/landusebylaw

CTrain station ticket vending machines accept credit cards, debit cards coming soon

Calgary Transit customers now have more fare options at CTrain stations.

In time for Stampede, CTrain station ticket vending machines have been equipped to accept credit cards and to provide change for customers.

The machines are also being retrofitted to accept debit cards which will be launched over the coming weeks.

“This is all about making it easier for our customers,” said Doug Morgan, Calgary Transit’s Manager of Service Design. “Using a credit card to purchase a fare is now another option for customers and those purchasing a ticket at the CTrain station will receive change if they don’t have exact fare.”

The improvements are part of Calgary Transit’s new wide range of technology initiatives on the transit system. Electronic fare cards (smart cards) will be introduced in June 2012 as well as real-time advanced passenger information systems on CTrains next month and on the bus fleet in 2013.

“Our focus is to enhance the customer experience,” Morgan said. “All of these improvements will make it easier for customers to use the transit system.”

Pet of the Week - Lola

Lola is an Elkhound/Shepherd mix who has been a resident of the Animal Services Centre since April, 2011.

She is an energetic, happy-go-lucky lady who is just under two years old. Lola would be the perfect pet for an outdoorsy family. She loves going for walks, playing with other dogs and wading in the backyard kiddie pool. Lola is looking for a responsible, committed owner to help her enjoy the summer.

You can view her profile by visiting calgary.ca/animalservices and then make an appointment to meet her by calling 3-1-1. Hope to see you soon!

For more information, please visit calgary.ca/animalservices

Related Calgary City News Blog Posts:

• Pet of the Week - Gorbi
• Pet of the Week - Juniper
• Pet of the Week - Sylvia
• Pet of the Week - Eagle
• Pet of the Week - Kate
• Pet of the Week - Ike
• Pet of the Week - Will and Kate
• Pet of the Week - Blazer
• Pet of the Week - Cookie
• Pet of the Week - Marley
• Pet of the Week - Chester
• Pet of the Week - Sport
• Pet of the Week - Duke
• Pet of the Week - Pixie
• Pet of the Week - Kris Kringle
• Pet of the Week - Boots
• Pet of the Week - Rosie
• Pet of the Week - Hank
• Calgary joins National Campaign to Address Cat Overpopulation
• Pet of the Week - Sophia
• Pet of the Week - Corky
• 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

New City Hall CTrain Station to open for Stampede, Olympic Plaza Station closes

On Wednesday, July 6, The City Hall station platforms along the 7 Avenue transit corridor will open for revenue service i

n time for the Calgary Stampede.

The new City Hall station consists of two new “twinned” platforms located between Macleod Trail and 3 Street S.E. designed to accommodate future four-car CTrains and to help welcome both pedestrians and transit riders into the downtown core.

During the Stampede, both the eastbound and westbound platforms of City Hall station will be open to passengers while construction continues throughout the area.

On July 18, the eastbound platform next to City Hall will close to allow for the final pieces of construction. The Centre Street station will be available for those travellers leaving the downtown core as it has been during the construction of the new City Hall station.

The westbound platform next to the WR Castell Central Library will remain open while minor final touches are completed and will serve as the first westbound platform for those entering the downtown core from the northeast or south.

Construction will continue throughout the summer on accesses to the City Hall station, streetscaping and station tie-ins to surrounding buildings. The westbound Olympic Plaza station, which has served as the first westbound station in the downtown core for several months, will permanently close on July 6 as it is being replaced by the City Hall station’s westbound platform.

For more information on the station opening, please visit calgarytransit.com

For more information on the 7 Avenue Refurbishment project, please visit calgary.ca/ti

Cambrian Heights water main replacement completed this week

As part of its proactive main replacement program, Water Services has replaced a 54 year old cast iron water main pipe in the northwest community of Cambrian Heights ( Cornwallis Dr. NW).

The program is aimed at replacing portions of aging infrastructure in The City’s 12,000 underground pipe system, in order to prevent unexpected main breaks and subsequent water loss. The Cambrian Heights project took longer than expected as wet weather, poor soil conditions and several leaks detected during the course of construction, pushed the finished date forward.

The City worked with residents to minimize the impacts of the construction work including providing access for those residents with special needs and providing temporary water lines.

The City has also made arrangement with one resident, Jean Goebel, 96, to cover the expense of mowing her lawn because the lawn care company was unable to access her yard during construction.

The project is now in its final wrap-up stage (testing the water prior to restoring the service, back-filling and paving) and will be completed by week’s end.

Study: Calgary leads North America for low water usage

Calgary uses the least amount of water per capita in North America according to Siemens' Green Cities Index.

According to the report, Calgarians use 429 litres of water per person daily, which is well below the index average of 587 litres.

Overall, Calgary is ranked fourth in Canada and 14th overall in North America for its environmental performance.

According to the report, "the city’s water distribution leakage rate is just 4per cent, the third lowest rate in the Index and well below the average of 13 per cent, which reflects the city’s vigilance in continually monitoring the system. Additionally, with a high percentage of metered customers and strong wastewater management, the city is poised to remain at th

e top in the water category."

If you'd like to read the report titled, US and Canada Green City Index, please visit siemens.com or for more information about Calgary's water, please visit calgary.ca/water.