Calgary.ca outage information

There will be a shutdown of the Information Technology Data Centre from 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011 to 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011 to accommodate scheduled routine maintenance.

The City of Calgary website, calgary.ca, will be unavailable during the shutdown. In the event of an emergency or a major news event, information will be available on The City’s Twitter feed and Calgary City News blog. The outage is expected to have no impact on The City Newsroom for the distribution of media advisories, news releases and Public Service Announcements (PSAs).

Citizens who visit calgary.ca during the Data Centre shutdown will see an outage page.

During this maintenance period, City of Calgary apps may be impacted and there will be delays with email processing. For those who send an email to The City and receive a non-delivery notification, please resend the email once the scheduled outage is complete.

 3-1-1 and 9-1-1 are operational during this maintenance period.

Leave a gift for Mother Nature this fall: 2011 Leaf & Pumpkin Composting program begins

Though Mother Nature has given us a few extra weeks of warm weather, the reality is fall is here and Calgarians will soon be raking leaves.

The City of Calgary’s annual Leaf & Pumpkin Composting program starts Friday, September 30 and runs until Sunday, November 13, 2011. Calgarians are encouraged to bring their bagged leaves and pumpkins, at no charge, to one of the 33 designated seasonal drop-off locations.

“It’s one of many ways Calgarians can help the environment - when the compost is ready, it’s a nutrient-rich soil booster that we use in our City parks and green spaces," says Lindsay Lofthous, a Waste diversion specialist with The City. "Composting also helps reduce greenhouse gases by keeping millions of kilograms of organic material out of our landfills.”

Calgarians are also once again encouraged to brown bag it this year. Paper yard waste bags, which can be purchased at many local yard and garden retailers, are the best type of bags to use because they can be placed directly into the compost rows. This helps make the process more efficient and leaves no waste behind.

The annual Leaf & Pumpkin Composting program is for residential use only and is not for other types of organic materials, such as grass clippings, branches or prunings. Rocks should also be removed from bagged leaves and pumpkins.

Due to the large volume of leaves that are gathered in yards every year, those who choose not to bring their bagged leaves to one of the Leaf & Pumpkin Composting program seasonal drop-off locations should be aware that The City will implement, as needed, a temporary limit on the amount of excess garbage collected outside of the black carts. This will ensure all black carts are collected and City crews can complete collection routes on schedule.

The 2011 Leaf & Pumpkin Composting program is being held at 33 seasonal drop-off locations, including the three City landfills. For more information on a drop-off near you, visit calgary.ca/waste or call 3-1-1.

City's first natural stormwater-filtering Rain Garden underway

Winston Heights/Mountview Community Rain Garden being built 

Construction of The City of Calgary’s first rain garden, a landscape feature that will help treat stormwater before it returns to creeks and rivers, is well underway.

Most water that washes into Calgary storm drains goes straight into the river – untreated. With this in mind, there are several projects that The City has implemented to improve the treatment of stormwater before it is returned to local water bodies like Nose Creek and the Bow River.

In new communities, The City requires that developers include stormwater treatment in their planning and design. In existing communities, The City retrofits the area with stormwater treatment technologies like wet ponds and rain gardens.

Currently, large ponds or wetlands are the most common ways to treat stormwater in retrofit communities, with 11 of these projects currently being constructed throughout the city. However, many existing communities do not have sufficient land for these large scale technologies. In these communities the installation of rain gardens is a great alternative.  Winston Heights/Mountview is one community where rain gardens are the most viable stormwater management technology.

The City of Calgary has identified two demonstration rain garden sites in the community where rain gardens are currently being constructed - both locations are public City of Calgary land:

• Winston Heights/Mountview Community Association 
• 17th Avenue at Marlowe Place N.E.

The construction phase of the Winston Heights/Mountview project began in the week of August 15 and will be completed by November.

Public engagement:

• The City hosted a series of public information sessions in March 2011 where they presented a series of rain garden designs to the residents of Winston Height/Mountview
• Over 30 residents attended the information sessions to learn about stormwater and how rain gardens work, meet with members of the project team, and provide their feedback
• Following the March information sessions The City of Calgary project team compiled all feedback received, reviewed comments and requests - almost all of which have been incorporated into the final planning stages of the project
• It has been a collaborative planning process between The City and the community of Winston Heights/Mountview, which will result in two new rain gardens being constructed on City land in Summer/Fall 2011: Community Centre and Marlowe Place N.E.

About Rain Gardens:

• Rain gardens are landscaped features designed with an aesthetic appeal and engineered to help treat stormwater before it returns to our creeks and rivers
• They collect runoff and slowly filter the water prior to it re-entering the stormwater system
• Additionally, the plant and landscape features in a rain garden further contribute by helping absorb stormwater, returning it to the atmosphere through natural processes
• One specific benefit of rain gardens is that the above ground landscape can be designed to complement the surrounding area; landscaping can accommodate a number of different styles, with various types of plants and rock features, to ensure it is well-suited to the local environment
• Construction of rain gardens in existing communities supports The City’s Stormwater Management strategy, helping to protect the health of our creeks and rivers; rain gardens help reduce the rates and volumes of runoff, reducing the amount of pollutants that enter our watershed. 

Calgarians happy - 2011 Calgary Citizen Satisfaction Survey results

People are generally happy about life in Calgary, according to the 2011 Citizen Satisfaction Survey results released today.

The survey also found that 92 per cent of Calgarians give The City a positive rating for overall performance.
Other notable highlights from this survey include:

• 83 per cent of Calgarians say the quality of life in Calgary is good.
• Nearly 80 per cent  of citizens rated The City’s service quality as consistently high.
• The belief that The City practices open and accessible government has increased 15% in the past year.
• Over the past three years, satisfaction with City programs and services has gone up 7%.
• 86 per cent of citizens believe we are on track to becoming a better city.
• 83 per cent of citizens are satisfied with the communication they get from The City.

The complete survey findings are available on The City’s website at www.calgary.ca.

The survey is conducted every year.  The information collected is shared with City departments and services for continuous business improvement, and is used for performance measures in corporate business plans.  This year, The City will also be conducting a focus group with citizens in the fall to further analyze the data.

The survey also found that 84 per cent of those surveyed said they were proud to be a Calgarian.

Prizes:

The City is inviting people to share what they love about Calgary on The City’s Facebook page and through Twitter with the hashtag #heartyyc.  All posts will qualify to win prizes, like passes for City transit and recreation facilities. Contest details and rules can be found on The City’s website or on its Facebook page.


The telephone survey conducted by Ipsos Reid with a randomly selected sample of 1,000 Calgarians aged 18 years and older between August 25th and September 1st, 2011. The margin of error for the total sample of 1,000 is ±3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Related Calgary City News Blog posts:

• Calgary Citizen Satisfaction Survey 2010
• Calgarians give high grades in 2009 Citizen Satisfaction Survey
• Ipsos Reid discusses Calgary's Citizen Satisfaction Survey

Stay in the loop – get the scoop on your pooch’s poop

Animal waste in City parks has negative effects on both water shed and the local flora and fauna.

Being a responsible pet owner not only includes the basics of licensing, neutering, training, socializing, providing a proper diet and medical attention; it also means limiting barking, sharing public spaces and picking up your animal’s waste.

The City has developed the P.U.P.P.Y program in order to help educate Calgarians on the need to clean up after their pet. P.U.P.P.Y stands for Pick Up Pooch’s Poo Yourself. This is a fun way to remember that your dogs waste is your waste to remove.

Dog poop is an attractive snack to coyotes. Unfortunately, that same attractant is an unhealthy source of food for the animals. When a coyote gets habituated to eating dog scat it can start to search out that food source in populated areas. Dog poop is also a vehicle for the spread of disease. Approximately two thirds of dog scat contains round worm, which most domesticated animals get treated for.  

With more than 5,000 dogs every summer weekend in Nose Hill Park, it is easy to imagine how quickly it can pile up. Do your part end help protect the natural inhabitants of our park systems while also protecting of water tables and plant life. Not only is it the right thing to do but it could save you from a violation fine as well.

 

Learn about pet ownership through these links:

• Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw
• Cat and dog care
• PUPPY program
• Licensing a cat or dog
• Impounded cats or dogs
• Complaints regarding animals
• Adopting a cat or dog
• Dog bites
• Lost cats or dogs
• Animal statistics
• Spaying-neutering
• I Heart My Pet program
• Lost cat or dog
• Mobile application
• Adoption stories

Related Calgary City News Blog Posts

• Opportunity to Identify Remains Offers Closure for Pet Owners
• Local Volunteer Logs 300 hours with Animal Services
• Feline Frenzy at Animal Services
• Get into the Spirit of Giving with Animal & Bylaw Services Gift Certificates
• Animal and Bylaw and Calgary Police win safety award
• Calgary Cat Lovers Needed - Impound Lot at Capacity - Animal Adoption Program Information
• Calgary's Animal and Bylaw Services wins Urban Animal award
• Millrise fire: trapped pets rescued
• Caring for and Protecting Pets on Hot, Sunny Days
• Simple Steps to Help Pets Before a Crisis
• New spay and neuter clinic opens
• Love a Cat/Love a Dog Adopt-a-thon
• Calgary Joins National Campaign to Address Cat Overpopulation
• Calgary’s No Cost Cat and Dog Spay Neuter Program Begins
• Be a Rewarded Pet Owner with "I Heart My Pet"
• City of Calgary rewards responsible pet owners
• Giving a pet for Christmas? Why not an adopt-a-pet gift certificate?
• Ailing owl an unusual pick up for CTrain operator

Staples for Education and The City of Calgary and Calgary Community Agencies supply 2,547 backpacks to children in need

Over 2,500 children in need are going to school with new backbacks filled with school supplies thanks to donations through the Staples for Education program.

"We would like to acknowledge and thank all the people who generously donated to and supported our annual ‘Staples For Education’ fund raising efforts,” said Saxon Wong, District Manager, Staples.  “With the assistance of The City of Calgary, the many Community Agencies and our associates in the 10 City of Calgary Staples retail locations, we were able to ensure that 2,547 children start the school year off with the right tools."

The right school supplies make a big difference in the learning and development of children.

The Staples for Education program, provides backpacks filled with school supplies to children from low income families that have expressed a need and registered through a supported community agency.

The City of Calgary, Staples and various Calgary Community Agencies joined forces over the summer to ensure families who couldn’t afford to buy school supplies for their children did not go without.

The Staples for Education program has made a significant difference in the lives of children. This year, the program raised $90,261 and filled 2,547 backpacks.

For more information, please visit calgary.ca/staplesforeducation.

City work trucks test hybrid technologies

The City of Calgary is doing a pilot project with hybrid technologies in heavy vehicles. which include refuse trucks, community shuttle buses, and aerial trucks (shown in the video below).

This pilot project will help The City evaluate the range of green vehicle solutions. This work is being done in partnership with Climate Change Central through their Trucks of Tomorrow program to promote these technologies and share this experiences.

Here is a video by Climate Change Central of The City's hybrid experience.

Calgary Transit preparing for CONNECT - electronic fare collection

CONNECT bus reader

Commuters will be able to use Calgary Transit's new electronic fare collection system in June 2012.

Transit fares will be available to customers on disposable or reloadable “smart cards”, e-stickers (used on Upass) and/or key fobs.

A naming contest was held a contest in July of this year, and the new cards will be called “Connect”. In keeping with this theme, the new system will be called the CONNECT system.

Customers will simply have to tap their card, key fob or e-sticker on a bus reader or at a CTrain station.  Transit peace officers will check fares using a handheld inspection terminal.

CONNECT cards

• The current open system will continue to be used on CTrain platforms, so gates and turnstiles will not be installed.
• Cash will always be an acceptable form of fare payment
• Disposable preloaded cards will continue to be sold at most of the existing sales merchants (7-11, Macs, etc)
• Most of the existing products will continue.

Through a new MyCONNECT website, customers can register their card, check their balance, add value to their reloadable card and review their card history. Registered cardholders are also eligible for lost card protection, negative balance protection and autoload (time, ride credits, monetary value).

CONNECT Timeline:

Handheld inspection terminal

• Sept/Oct 2011:  Software and equipment testing
• Oct 2011-March 2012:  Installation of equipment on buses and platforms
• March-April 2012:  Training (including operators)
• April-May 2012:  Implement pilot (U of C spring/summer students)
• June 2012:  Implementation of new system

Celebrate Right to Know Week

Do you know what the abbreviations FOIP, HIA or PIPA stand for? The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP), the Health Information Act (HIA) and the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) all support the efforts of our nation to be fair and open to all citizens.

Celebrated in Canada since 2006, Right to Know Week emphasizes the rights of citizens to know what their government is doing and the responsibilities of citizens to follow up on that right. This year’s national theme is “openness in the public interest”. The City of Calgary is participating in this initiative through the Mayor’s proclamation that Sept 26 to 30, 2011, is Right to Know Week. 

Calgarians can participate in Right to Know Week by educating themselves on The City’s FOIP policy and process and by engaging in conversations with friends and families about the balance between an individual’s right to privacy and the public’s right to information.

Read the Alberta Information and Privacy Commissioner and the Mayor of Calgary’s thoughts on your right to know posted on our website. You can also find out more information on the federal government’s Right to Know website, including the event’s history, how different provinces support the initiative and what tools are available to empower citizens to access information. 

Citizen feedback wanted for Airport Trail Tunnel

The The City of Calgary would like to know how you would like Airport Trail Tunnel updates and information as the project progresses.

Construction activities for the Airport Trail Tunnel began in mid-July and excavation is ongoing.

As the excavation progresses, the project team expects that crews will start work on the deep utilities and concrete footings for the tunnel structure by mid-October.

Please visit Calgary.ca/airporttunnel and fill out a quick online feedback form (open until Monday October 17).

The Airport Trail Tunnel is a 620 metre tunnel that will run under the new Calgary International Airport runway and will extend Airport Trail from Barlow Trail to 36 Street N.E. The estimated cost for the construction of this tunnel is $294.8 million, which was approved by Council in February, 2011. This project is expected to be completed in May 2014.

Related Calgary City News Blog posts:

• City, Airport Authority finalize agreement
•             Calgary City News Blog: Airport Trail Underpass clear for takeoff
• Calgary City News Blog: Airport Trail Underpass project - UPDATE
• Calgary City News Blog: Details on the Airport Trail Underpass
• Mayor Nenshi discusses the Airport Trail Underpass
• Closure of Barlow Trail NE - Airport Access after April 2

Bronze leaf disease reappears in Calgary

Some Calgary trees are at risk of being infected with bronze leaf disease (BLD). BLD is a relatively new disease in Calgary. It’s a fungus that infects various poplar species and hybrids; specifically Trembling Aspen, Swedish Columnar Aspen and Tower Poplar. BLD can kill an infected tree within three to five years of initial infection.  Early detection and treatment are important to save trees and prevent widespread infection.

The City has been in the process of identifying the scope of BLD in Calgary since 2010 and is monitoring, diagnosing and treating BLD in City-owned trees. The City does not have the capacity to monitor, diagnose and treat BLD in privately-owned trees, and is asking Calgarians to recognize symptoms and contact a local tree care professional for diagnoses and treatment options. 

BLD spreads from one tree to the next via airborne spores, which disperse in early spring.

Symptoms:

• Diseased leaves often first show up in the lower crown but may be scattered throughout the crown of the tree or isolated to a few branches.
• Leaves become dark reddish-brown, chocolate brown or bronze although the veins and the leaf stem may remain green for some time.
• Infected leaves remain on the tree through winter.
• Once the disease spreads, browning may be observed under the bark of diseased branches.
• New leaves on infected branches may appear underdeveloped in subsequent years.

Infected branches should be taken to a City of Calgary landfill for proper disposal. They should not be chipped, composted or used for firewood. For more information call 311 or go to calgary.ca.

Related Calgary City News Blog Posts

• Bronze leaf disease infecting Calgary's trees
• Help Prevent Dutch elm disease
• City Weed Regulations Align with Provincial Changes

City Hall LRT station open

On Monday, Sept 19, the new City Hall "Gateway Station" along 7 Avenue opened for revenue service. 

Riders were greeted by City staffers with hot coffee and yummy apples and scones on a drizzly morning. The station had seen a temporary opening during The Calgary Stampede to help with traffic but was closed afterward to allow work to continue.

The stations reopening allows for passenger traffic while final construction phases are finished. The City Hall stations are composed of twinned platforms on the north and south sides of 7 Avenue between 3 Street S.E. and northbound Macleod Trail. 

This open, well lit area increases area safety and pedestrian appeal. The platforms are being integrated into the Calgary Public Library and the Calgary Police Administrative building on the north side, and City Hall to the south.  

Similar stations are being constructed on the west end of downtown between 10 Street and 11 Street S.W. The east and west stations on 7 Avenue will become the gateways into and out of the downtown core, connecting Fort Calgary and the East Village with Millennium Park, and eventually, the new West LRT line.

Related Calgary City News Blog Posts

• Construction on 7th Ave LRT Enters Final Phase
• 7th Avenue Refurbishment Open House
• (Timelapse Video) 4 St S.W. CTrain Station set to open
• Downtown CTrain stations close
• Calgary's Downtown CTrain Station in LEGO and Howie Mande
• City Hall CTrain Station to close for refurbishment
• Third Street S.W. CTrain station opens for business
• Folk Musicians Entertain on the CTrain
• Whitehorn CTrain Station upgrade to begin
• Stephen Avenue's Little Sister - 7th Avenue S.W.

Calgarians' input requested for the next phase of the Framework for Growth and Change

October 28, Public Consultation Closed.

"Thank you for your time and sharing your thoughts on this subject with us. The project team will be reviewing all of the feedback and comments collected from the public and key stakeholders. The recommendations in the December 2011 reports to Council will be based on the input collected." ~ Joel Armitage, Team Lead of the Corporate Growth Management Project.

Over the next 50-60 years, Calgary’s population is forecast to grow by 1.3 million people.  These additional people will need places to live, options for getting around, recreational spaces  and public and private services to meet their needs.  In short – Calgary is going to grow a lot and the needs of this growth will be great.

By strategically planning where and when growth and development happens in our city, we will be making the best use of investment and infrastructure, now and into the future.  In order to strategically plan areas of growth in our city, a framework is needed  that will allow for integrated decision making by The City. 

We refer to this framework as the Framework for Growth and Change.  One of the components in the Framework is a set of criteria by which to prioritize the areas of growth over the next 60 years.

This set of criteria will allow for growth areas to be prioritised for Investments in infrastructure and services within the financial capacity of The City.

The City of Calgary is asking for citizen’s input on the development of these criteria.  We want to know what criteria should be considered when growth is being prioritized in our city.  It is important to remember that growth and change will happen in existing communities, new residential communities, and commercial and industrial areas.

How to participate:

·        Please visit calgary.ca/growthmanagement for background information

·        Leave comments or ask questions here, on this blog post (blog will close for comments and input on October 28, 2011)

·        We will present the findings for consideration to City Council as part of the approval of the Framework

For more information, please visit calgary.ca/growthmanagement

Related Calgary City News Blogs 

• Calgarians asked to help develop Framework for Growth and Change
• City Reports on Growth and Change in Developed Areas
• City Council Passes Plan It

Mayor Nenshi, Transit Boss announce Calgary Transit improvement plans

The City of Calgary and Mayor Nenshi are taking Calgary's Transit's service disruptions seriously.

“Calgary Transit is aware that these service disruptions affect our customers negatively, and we are working hard to reduce these disruptions,” said Fred Wong, Calgary Transit Director.

Calgary Transit has undertaken an aggressive program of planned maintenance that will reduce disruptions by unexpected failures.  This includes improving regular maintenance on overhead power lines in conjunction with ENMAX, bringing new CTrain cars into service which will improve vehicle reliability and increased maintenance inspections on all CTrain vehicles.  

     

While these steps will eliminate some of the disruptions that the system has been impacted by, more than half of the disruptions have been the result of vehicle accidents, passenger emergencies and police incidents.

Calgary Transit’s digital displays on platforms will be operational in the coming weeks. Once up and running, these digital displays will provide real-time next train arrivals as well providing Transit customers with any service and schedule adjustments or delays on the LRT lines. Calgary Transit’s Twitter feed is also being used to keep customers updated in the event of delays.

A Calgary Transit Customer Advisory Group will also be created to give customers a greater collaborative voice in the future of Calgary Transit, particularly in the area of customer service.  Transit customers can apply to volunteer on the Calgary Transit Customer Advisory Group by going to this website: http://www.calgarytransit.com/ctcag/

Related Calgary City News Blog Posts

• New City Hall CTrain Station to open for Stampede, Olympic Plaza Station closes
• Calgary Transit keeps ‘em movin’ during the Stampede
• Grabbing a ride on the Musical CTrain
• Folk Musicians Entertain on the CTrain
• CTrain station ticket vending machines accept credit cards, debit cards coming soon
• Your chance to name Calgary Transit’s new electronic fare card
• Calgary Transit's Valentines Love Train
• Calgary Transit Joins Forces with Calgary Police to collar auto thieves
• Peace Officers Graduate
• Santa Takes Calgary Transit
• Calgary Transit set to double the size of its CTrain fleet
• Guide Dog Pups Board Calgary Transit
• Calgarians feeling safe on Calgary Transit
• Calgary Transit Stuff-a-Bus Food Drive 2010
• Access Calgary: helping people with disabilities ride public transit
• Young Calgarians design monthly transit passes
• Transit and Fleet aim for safety and efficiency
• Free New Years Eve Public Transit
• Calgary Transit service lane staff assist Haiti relief effort
• Calgary Transit service lane staff assist with Haiti relief

Culture month in Calgary

September is synonymous with back to school and cooler weather, but in Calgary September is Culture month.


For seven years The City of Calgary, Calgary Arts Development, artists and arts organizations have celebrated Culture Month in September. This month provides Calgarians with opportunities to experience, encourage and appreciate art in our city. 


Originating from the Province of Alberta’s annual Arts Days (Sept. 30 – Oct. 2), Culture Month is a celebration of culture, heritage, artistic diversity and provincial pride. A history of the Public Art Program can be found here.


Calgary continues to support the arts and culture sector through the Festivals and Events policy, the Public Art Policy, the Civic Art Policy. In addition to art friendly policies The City also supports two art centres; the North Mount Pleasant Art Centre and the Wildflower Arts Centre. 


Art is is vital in keeping cities attractive to talented professionals and growing economies. So important that both the Centre City Plan and the East Village development include art as central to achieve their goals. September is also host to the Mayors Urban Design Awards, and many other initiatives.


Calgary joined the ranks of leading cities around the world when Council adopted a Public Art Policy in 2004, including the Percent for Art program which allocates one per cent of capital projects greater than $1 million to public art. In seven years: 

• 28 public artworks have been installed in four City quadrants;
• Another 18 installations are underway in locations including LRT corridors, parks, and public buildings and other spaces
• 11 Civic partner Public Art Projects are underway at locations such as the Genesis Centre for Wellness, the Calgary Zoo and the Canada Sports Hall of Fame.

More information on Culture Month


City of Calgary Public Art Twitter page
City of Calgary Arts facebook page
Art courses and events 
Citizen input on public art
The City of Calgary Downtown Public Art Circuit App

Related Calgary City News Blog Posts

• The City of Calgary Public Art Program Seeks Citizens Input
• Public Art 101 - Webinar Series
• CANstruction: Taking Part in Engineering Art
• Public Art 101 - Webinar Series
• New Art in Chinatown Banners
• Taking Part in Engineering Art
• Beautiful new Banner Art Adorns City Bridges, Olympic Plaza
• Calgary Artists in Parks Celebrate "Art in my Park, Park in my Art"
• Celebrating the Bow River Through Art
• City unveils iPhone apps for public art and recreation passes
• Exhibition of Children's Art a hit with with all ages
• River of Light begins on the Bow
• Beverly Pepper's Sentinels at Ralph Klein Park
• New Centre City Banners Promote Arts, Growth

City's second Annual Feline Frenzy

Help us find homes for over 80 fantastic fuzzy felines. 

The City of Calgary's Animal & Bylaw Services is holding its second annual Feline Frenzy: a week-long event that provides a great opportunity to adopt a cuddly kitty companion. 

  

Feline Frenzy runs from Wednesday, September 14 to Wednesday, September 21 inclusive. The public can come to the Animal Services Centre and receive 50 per cent off the adoption fee for any cat six months of age or older.

The reduced adoption fee is $75 and includes spay/neuter surgery, a microchip, vet check, de-worming, the first set of vaccinations (excluding rabies), testing for feline leukemia and FIV and a free six month licence. The owner will also receive a free bag of pet food and adoption kit.

“Our main goal remains the same with this event.  We want to continue to increase awareness and have these wonderful cats out of cages and into permanent, forever homes,” said Bill Bruce, director of Animal & Bylaw Services.  “We hope the cat lovers out there will see this as a great time to adopt.”

Last year’s Feline Frenzy at the Animal Services Centre saw over 60 cats find loving, permanent homes.  “Events like this help us to get the word out that the Animal Services Centre is a great place to come when looking for a well-socialized, loveable cat or dog to adopt,” says Bruce. 

You are invited to visit the cats at the Animal Services Centre, 2201 Portland St. S.E., between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on weekdays or 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.   To view the cats Animal & Bylaw Services has available for adoption, visit www.calgary.ca and search “adoptable cats.”  For more information, contact 3-1-1.  

If you'd like to download the pets mobile app, visit calgary.ca/mobileapps.

More Calgary City News Blog Animals & Pets here

Pathways and Bikeways mobile app launched

Cyclists and joggers now have a different way to plan their route on The City’s extensive pathway system with the launch of the new Pathways and Bikeways mobile application.

The app is a convenient and readily accessible way to access pathway and bikeway information, in addition to The City’s hardcopy and online versions of the 2009-2011 Pathways and Bikeways map.

The Pathways and Bikeways app also features detour routes/closures, safety messages, information about parks and links to Twitter and Facebook.

Not only does the app provide a convenient and efficient way for Calgarians to navigate the pathways and on-street bikeway system, but it provides an environmentally-friendly means to do so.

The City looks forward to releasing the 2012 – 2014 version of the Pathways and Bikeways map. This will include local pathways and gravel trails, as well as pathway connectors such as stairs and engineered walkways that connect to regional pathways, on-street bikeways, CTrain stations offering bicycle parking, and bus routes.

Several Calgary Transit buses are fitted with bike racks and folding bikes are permitted on all buses and trains.

Parks and Transportation continue to work collaboratively to provide up-to-date information to Calgarians and visitors to keep Calgary moving as directed by Council and as identified in the recent Council-approved Cycling Strategy.

To download the Pathways and Bikeways mobile application please visit calgary.ca/mobileapps or the iTunes store.

Calgary's water usage lowest in North America

Calgary is ranked the number one city in the water category in the latest U.S. and Canada Green City Index conducted by The Economist Intelligence Unit.

Compared to 26 North American cities, Calgary consumed the least amount of water and was recognized for its low water distribution leakage rate.

The report said this “reflects the city's vigilance in continually monitoring the system”. Calgary was also recognized for its high percentage of metered customers and strong wastewater management.

With Calgary’s growing population there is an increased demand on our source of drinking water. This is why it’s important for Calgarians to continue to play a key role reducing water consumption at home, which alleviates the strain on our rivers.

A trend we want to continue:
In a city of a million-plus, individual water conservation efforts can make a big difference. Here are a few water savings tips that can help save water – and money:

• Inside: wash only full loads, install low-flow fixtures, find and fix leaky toilets, and install a water meter.
• Outside: water the lawn in the morning with no more than an inch of water per week, and use a rain barrel to collect water for your garden.

The City of Calgary continues to take a strong leadership role in managing the quality of our Water Quality, Water Efficiency,  and Stormwater Management.

Cutting water consumption in Calgary (This is from the report: US and Canada Green City Index - Assessing the environmental performance of 27 major US and Canadian cities)


"Since 2003 Calgary has been implementing its 30-in-30 policy of reducing per capita water consumption by 30% over 30 years in order to keep total demand steady as the population grows. As part of the plan, it has made water meters mandatory. In 2010 Calgary’s water utility began installing them in 53,000 unmetered homes – out of about 280,000 total residences.

The city expects to install about 10,000 per year,finishing the project in 2014, and the impact is likely to be substantial. Local studies show that the introduction of a meter reduces the average household’s water consumption by around 60%.

Although the meters are now compulsory, the city is trying to win people over rather than use regulatory force to have them installed. In particular, it is focusing on customer service. Residents can book an installation appointment online anywhere from the next week to months in advance. They can also leave feedback and score the installation team. Between November 2010 and March 2011, the reviews all rated the service as four or five out of five. Finally, the meters even help households save money.

Installation is free and on average in 2009 metered households paid C$41.89 per month,compared with C$50 per month for those still on the flat rate."

The complete Calgary index can be found on page 39 of the report.

Related Calgary City News blog posts

• Calgary water surveillance cameras detect dangerous water levels
• 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