Power restored to downtown Calgary

ENMAX successfully restored power to the west-end of the downtown core at 5 a.m. on Thursday, October 16. While the power is back on, ENMAX crews still have some work to do to rebuild the system and there will continue to be some lane closures in the area of 8 Street and 5 Avenue SW.

Entry to buildings will be delayed while heating, ventilation, water and other electrical systems come back on-line and are checked. To find out the status of your specific building, please contact your property manager.



Impacted Residents
Information about returning home is available at the Mewata Armoury, 801 11 Street SW (open from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. today), and on Calgary.ca. Volunteers with The Canadian Red Cross will be in the area to provide assistance as Calgarians return to their homes.

Citizens who require any additional social assistance support should contact 2-1-1.



Safety check
Once you have been given the okay to return to your residence from your property manager, please perform an immediate safety sweep. If you have natural gas appliances, heat, or fireplaces and you smell gas, leave immediately and call 9-1-1.

Check the stove and oven in particular to be sure they are off. Look for other things that may be plugged in such as irons. Carefully plug in any devices that you have unplugged, recognizing that some systems may take some time to come up and some devices may need reprogramming.

For information on troubleshooting your telephone, cable TV or Internet service contact Shaw.

Re-entry checklists for Residents, Building Owners and Managers and Commercial Businesses are available on Calgary.ca.

Water 
Tap water may be brownish in colour or contain some sediment. If this is the case, run the tap until it runs cool and clear. If the issue persists, contact your building operator.

Spoiled food
When in doubt, throw it out. If you did not clean out your fridge and freezer prior to evacuating, you should do so as a priority. Large waste bins are available at Mewata Armoury for food disposal. Spoiled food items that are securely bagged can be discarded in your regularly provided facility bin. If that bin is full or no longer accessible, residents may place their securely bagged spoiled food items on the street curb. The City of Calgary’s Waste and Recycling Services will provide special curb-side pick up service from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. today only.

Thank you
To the citizens of Calgary and those directly impacted by this outage, The City of Calgary and our partner organizations are grateful for your patience and understanding. The volunteers of Calgary continue to impress and inspire. Thank you for rallying behind your community and supporting each other.

City Hall School celebrates 10,000 student milestone

Today, City Hall School celebrated the 10,000 students who have taken part in the program since it began in January 2000.



It allows teachers to move their classrooms to the Municipal Building for a week-long, custom designed learning experience where students meet with elected officials and work alongside City employees.

“Students get an inside look at how The City works and how they can be involved in local government,” says Jody Danchuk, City Hall School Coordinator.

Eight-year-old Milan, a student at Escuela Canyon Meadows School was among the Grade three/four split class, honoured at today’s event.

“I think it’s good because people can learn about art, Calgary and history. They can see the old city hall, learn about how the Mayor and Council make decisions, and learn about leadership,” she said.

Milan's teacher, Cecilia Gutiérrez, says she appreciates how City Hall School teaches students to be great citizens who contribute to their communities.

“This is an amazing program. The teachers here support us so much. Students know how blessed we are to live here. They understand the chances and opportunities we have in this city,” added Gutiérrez.

For more information on City Hall School, please visit calgary.ca.

Off-Leash Ambassador program acknowledged for innovation

BREAKING NEWS: The City has been selected to advance to the International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies in Lake Louise in October where eight finalists will vie to be chosen as the 2014 Innovator of the Year.

The City of Calgary’s Off-Leash Ambassador Program is being recognized for innovation at the 2014 Urban Animal Regional Conference today in Calgary.

Animal and Bylaw Services (ABS) Business Strategist Cheryl Herperger was asked by industry peers to give a 20-minute presentation on the new program, followed by a short question and answer period.

“Being recognized for the innovative work we are doing is very rewarding.  This session will give us the opportunity to share the success of our program with other organizations and communities,” says Herperger.

Volunteers promote responsible pet ownership

Through the Off- Leash Ambassador Program, launched in 2013, volunteers help promote the Responsible Pet Ownership bylaw and assist owners with positive pet interactions and safety. This is accomplished through educational information, demonstrations and discussions.

The ambassadors are positive role models in off-leash areas. They promote Calgary’s bylaws and provide an avenue for citizens to express concerns which are then passed along to City bylaw staff.

Program started in NW and is expanding to all quadrants

“The first year of the program was a huge success. The ambassadors did a great job promoting the work we do at ABS and the services we provide, such as animal adoption and licensing,” says Herperger. “As a result, we are expanding the program this year from the northwest to all four quadrants of the city.”

The Urban Animal Regional Conferences are held in four major urban centres every year to discuss issues, showcase innovation, establish strategy, and develop relationships. The vision is to unite sectors of the animal industry and solve some of the urban animal challenges facing communities across the country.

Two projects from the Calgary session will advance to the International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies in Lake Louise in October. One will then be chosen as the 2014 Innovator of the Year.

If you would like to volunteer for the Off-Leash Ambassador Program, visit the Volunteering at ABS page on Calgary.ca and sign up today.