SUNALTA’S MISSION
The mission of the Sunalta SASS is to connect neighbours, families and resources, to nurture community involvement for a healthy, safe environment, and to celebrate Sunalta’s vibrant diversity and historical significance.
SUNALTA’S VISION
The vision of the Sunalta SASS is to empower the Sunalta residents to build a safe, healthy and sustainable community while being protective of its historical legacy and respectful of future integrity.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Calling all Residents
The Sunalta Community Association realizes it’s very important to communicate to our residents. We undertake publishing this newsletter four times a year and hopefully it passes along useful and informative material. We will be communicating more timely news via our web site at http://Sunalta.Net. The other way we communicate is via our e-mail distribution list. About once a month we send an e-mail reminding everyone about our upcoming community meeting as well as the agenda for that meeting and any other information that would be useful to community residents. If you would like to receive the latest news about what’s happening in Sunalta please send an e-mail to sunaltacommunity@shaw.ca and ask to be added to our list.
Kevin Ritchot
President, Sunalta Community Association
UPCOMING SUNALTA COMMUNITY EVENTS and ACKNOWLEDGMENTS…
Though the holiday season has past, there are many residents within our community who continue giving. The Sunalta Community extends a huge thank you to the following community volunteers:
Seniors
Join us for the Senior's Tea, Sunday, March 15, from 3:00 - 5:00 pm in the community hall. RSVP by calling Kelly at 403-256-3999
Ice Rink Creation and Maintenance: Wayne Immonen
The bounteous amount of snow that fell this winter was removed by Wayne, and when additions of ice were needed, it was Wayne who flooded the cracks. Wayne is retiring from ten years of creating and caring for the ice rink this season. If you are interested in the continuance of the Royal Sunalta Park ice rink and willing to learn the ropes, please contact Wayne Immonen at 403 228-5710.
Sunalta Family Christmas Potluck and Historical Articles in Sass: Riki Winkler
Riki organized, prepped, and ensured the community hall was left in good order following the Sunalta Family Christmas Potluck. Thanks for organizing the fun event! (And thanks to all who attended!) Riki also contributes to the community by unearthing history from Sunalta’s past and writing up these stories for the SASS. Look for her article in this issue!
LRT and ARP Community Involvement Representation: Kevin Ritchot and Peter Rishaug
Kevin and Peter attend city organized meetings, putting up untold numbers of volunteer hours. They speak for the interests of Sunalta in the presence of planned progress. Thank you!!!
Sunalta Shelter receives Donations from Sunalta Community Association:
Sunalta Community donated $500 to the Centre Men's Shelter this Christmas season. The donation included socks, underwear, deodorant, toothpaste and seasonal chocolates. The Shelter staff wanted us to know that they are deeply grateful for our community involvement and support of their ongoing efforts to help the homeless population in Calgary. This is the second such donation to the homeless shelter and Sunalta Community hopes to make it an annual event.
The following items are in demand and can be dropped off between the hours of 8:30 pm and 7:00 am at 2032 - 10th Ave SW, or anytime at the downtown location: laundry detergent, shampoo/soap, men’s socks and underwear, cough drops, toiletries, gloves and toques, and alcohol-free mouthwash.
Senior Men’s slow pitch softball notice
The Calgary Men’s Slow-Pitch Softball League would like to notify all men over the age of 55 of the opportunity to play slow pitch softball. We are members of the Alberta Senior Citizens Sport and Recreation Association (ASCSRA). The League consists of three divisions. The recreational (“A”) division play Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday starting at 10 am in the Triwood community area. Sport and competitive (“AA” and “AAA”) play Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings starting at 6 pm at the same location. Each team plays twice each week from May through August. For more information go to: http://grandslamslopitch.com/index.html or call 403-681-4606 after 6 pm.
Infant-Scientists WANTED!!!
The BABY SIBS Research Group at the University of Calgary is looking for infants under the age of 4 months who have at least one older sibling with or without a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Infants will participate in a number of fun, interactive activities with parents and researchers. Our goal is to learn more about early development of language and social communication skills in infants who are at low or high risk of developing Autism. Participation involves five visits between the ages of 4 and 18 months. Visits occur at the University, and free parking and babysitting is provided. To join the Baby Sibs Project or to request more information, call 403-220-2444 or email us at babysibs@ucalgary.ca.
Sunalta Wildflower Garden update:
Thanks again to all who helped to make our fall cleanup a grand success! We are hoping to have a similarly successful spring cleanup – one quick day to get everything spruced up for a beautiful growing season. So please look for the blue sign at the garden for the date of this event – probably sometime in May.
Ann Marie Barnhill
ambarnhill@shaw.ca
Trees for Sunalta!!!
I am pleased to announce that our community has been selected for this year’s City of Calgary NeighbourWoods Program. This is an amazing opportunity for us to spruce up our boulevards (well not technically, as the spruce is not one of our options). But there are plenty of amazing options that include the Brandon Elm, Bur Oak and Schubert Choke Cherry.
Although I don’t know all the details yet, I do know that the city will dig the hole and supply us with 6’ trees for a very nominal fee which offsets the cost of the slow-release watering bag. We are to plant the trees and care for them in their formative years. There is a lot more information on the City of Calgary website, so I would encourage you to check out www.calgary.ca/parks and then click on NeighbourWoods Program.
So to get the ball rolling, please provide me with potential tree locations: I will need addresses, land owner name and contact info (if known), your name & contact info (if different from land owner).
And if you have questions or wish to be involved in the tree planting or some other way, please contact me. Thank you
Ann Marie Barnhill
ambarnhill@shaw.caambarnhill@shaw.ca403-245-8306
SPRING GARDENING: Tips from Ann Conway
Ahhhh... Spring… You know what that means! It’s time to clean up the yard. We’ll ignore all the obvious bits, like getting rid of the surprises that the dog left under the snow.
Did you put leaves down on the beds? That’s the first order of business. The hit-and-miss nature of our springs makes this a little bit tricky, although you do need to rake up leaves on the grass right away. The tannic acid created by the breakdown of the leaves can damage your lawn. The idea is to have the new growth that will appear under the leaves protected from drying winds and hard freezes, while avoiding mold and rot caused by damp leaves and warm temperatures at soil level.
As soon as it starts warming up, you need to check under the leaves. When soil starts to thaw, you will have to make a decision based on the date and average temperatures. If you’ve only put down three or four inches of leaves, you can generally leave them alone, as they will dry out as they thaw. On the other hand, they won’t have done much to protect your plants.
Suppose it’s a very early spring, and suppose there have been many chinooks, removing the snow cover. That creates a situation where the ice will have melted at ground level, the soil is beginning to thaw creating a layer of wet leaves, but further cold weather and heavy snow can be expected. In this case, the best idea is to remove the dry leaves on top to one pile, then remove the wet leaves to another.
The wet leaves can then be composted and the dry leaves returned to the bed. If you are growing non-hardy roses, bend the canes back down and cover them again. Many times, they will already have started to put out delicate new leaves, unlike roses that were not covered, and that new growth needs to be protected. If it’s later in the spring, you can do the same, but leave the canes up and only return some of the leaves to the bed, removing more as the weather improves.
Once in a while, we get such a hot, early spring, that it may be advisable to remove all the leaves. When this happens, it’s a good idea to bag the dry leaves and keep them around for a while. Then, if you find that a sudden cold snap is expected, you can return them to the beds until it warms up again. If you don’t remove thick mulch at all, you will probably end up with some mold and rot. The thicker the layer of leaves, the worse this will be. How serious this is depends on what you are growing. For example, bearded irises will be severely affected, Siberian irises, and most hardy perennials will not, or will receive only minor damage.
Still, you don’t want that to happen if it can be avoided. It’s a judgment call, and one that, while it becomes easier with experience, always has an element of risk. Every spring is a gamble, but the jump on growth and the protection afforded by leaf cover makes it worth it.
If you are growing only hardy plants, you will still benefit from a lack of drying during winter chinooks, and early growth. Covering with leaves will also extend the number of plants that can be grown dramatically. Winter chinooks kill far more plants than cold temperatures. While covering with leaves makes spring cleanup much more difficult, and you will occasionally damage or lose plant due to making the wrong call in the spring, your garden will be up and growing earlier and you will lose fewer plants over the long term.
Eventually, the cold weather will pass, the leaves will be bagged up and removed, and the plants will just be starting to grow. This is a great time to do any transplanting that you may not have done in the fall. Just make sure that the ground is thawed to a few inches below the root ball of the plant or shrub that you want to move. Transplanting when it’s very muddy is never a good idea as the soil tends to pack too tightly around the roots.
If you buy new plants, hardy perennials can be planted earlier than annuals, but must still be acclimatized to the outdoors by putting them outside in the shade. The temperature should be at least fifteen degrees. Start with an hour or so then increase the time outside daily, exposing them to more sun each time. This will take a couple of weeks or more, depending on the hardiness of the plant. They’ve been in a hot and humid greenhouse, and need to adjust. Don’t leave them outside overnight until they’ve fully adjusted and the temperatures are reliably above twelve to fifteen degrees at night.
Annuals need the same type of acclimatization, but it cannot be done earlier than the last three weeks in May. You don’t want to go buy your plant on the May long weekend and stick them right in the ground. That will set them back and damage them. It’s best to plant them not on that weekend, but on the one after, which is statistically more likely to be after the last snow fall. Buy your plants early in May, when there is still a good selection, acclimatize them slowly, and plant them around the 27th.
Of course, this might not be good advice if it’s blazing hot all May. You might be able to do everything earlier. Our weather is so entirely unpredictable that it’s difficult to make hard and fast rules. That’s the challenge of gardening in Calgary!
SACRED HEART SCHOOL
“Personal, Positive, Prayerful”
It’s hard to believe that we are halfway through another school year! To continue a focus on active living at Sacred Heart School, Mrs. Morrison, our physical education / health teacher and the grade 5/6 students organized a Winter Sport and Fashion Show. They showed our students how to dress warmly for winter fun and demonstrated possibilities for winter sports like skating, hockey, cross-country and downhill skiing, winter hiking, snowshoeing, tobogganing, etc… Students got some great ideas for how to stay active and fit during the winter season! The liturgical season of Lent is just around the corner. We mark the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday, February 25, with a mass at Sacred Heart Church. The students will be involved in service projects such as collecting coins in support of the Holy Childhood Association and making Easter decorations for the patrons of the Mustard Seed.
We are always accepting registrations for students for all grades from K-6. At this time of year, parents are often looking to register their children for Kindergarten. For the 2009-2010 schoolyear, students must be five years of age before March 1, 2009. If you or anyone you know would like to register their children at Sacred Heart School now or for September 2009, please have them contact the school at 403-244-5207 or visit us at 1312 – 15 St SW.
SUNALTA SCHOOL NEWS
Lots of engaging activities are happening at the school including a first class robotics program for Grades K, 1, 2 and 5 and a journalist in residence program for Grades 3-6. Both programs foster critical thinking, creativity and problem solving skills. Our annual Circus in Residence program took place in February and everyone had a great time. Several Calgary Flames dropped by to promote our Reading Give It a Shot Program.
The gym wall reconstruction is finally complete except for exterior painting. The CBE will be meeting with the community to discuss the mural. Stay tuned for a date. Thanks for your patience throughout the construction process.
Plans to upgrade our creative playground have been drawn up and we are hoping for a spring installation.
Once again, we had a fabulous turnout for Kindergarten registration. Parents are still willing to drive from all corners of the city to give their children a Sunalta education. In boundary, we have enough students for one class. We are proud of the work we do and appreciate your support.
Chris Aylesworth, Principal
caaylesworth@cbe.ab.ca
SUNALTA AREA REDEVELOPMENT PLAN (ARP) UPDATE
Sunalta Community representatives on the Community Advisory Committee have just finished up formal consultation meetings with City of Calgary Land Use, Planning, and Policy (LUPP) staff on ‘Phase 1’ revisions of the Sunalta Area Redevelopment Plan. Phase 1 includes the land use areas adjacent to 10th Ave SW including the LRT Station to be located at 10th Ave and 16th St SW just across the street from the existing Community Hall grounds.
A working draft of Phase 1 of the ARP is expected to be complete by March 2009 with expectation of this portion of the project to come formally in front of City Council by July 2009.
The City of Calgary hired Bing Thom Architects from Vancouver early in 2008 as external consultants to work on many aspects of urban design for Phase 1 of the Sunalta ARP project. The process overall has generated many creative and exciting ideas for the future of Sunalta as well as highlighting many pre-existing challenges for our community. The contract for this firm has now concluded and City of Calgary Planning Staff will be completing the remainder of the Sunalta ARP in conjunction with the Community. The Sunalta Community Association extends a big Thank You to Mr. Thom and his staff of creative, dedicated, and kind individuals for all of their efforts on the ARP project.
Phase 2 of the Sunalta ARP project is currently ongoing with community consultation meetings running through 2009 and possibly early 2010 to complete the entire ARP.
Some of the major considerations for phase 2 of the ARP include:
· Integration of LRT Station Development and pedestrian and cycling access into the existing and future fabric of the community
· Enhanced connections to the river and park areas to the north of the CPR tracks
· Future development of cultural amenity and park spaces on the north side near the Pumphouse Theatre
· Maintenance of the existing single-detached home context and historical aspects of the older parts of Sunalta near 13th and 14th Ave SW
· Careful examination of proposed densities / zoning for the entire community area and how to plan and transition density appropriately in community context
· Future development of mixed use commercial / residential buildings near the current Greyhound site and various car dealerships on the north side of the CPR
· Careful examination of current and future traffic patterns and proposed changes on 10th, 11th, and 12th Aves that will enhance community life and increase pedestrian and cyclist safety
Sunalta Community has been selected as one of three Calgary community areas to receive a comprehensive traffic study for 2009. The valuable information collected from this traffic study will be integrated into Phase 2 of the ARP as to optimize safety and connectivity considerations for pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicular traffic. One of the major components of portion of the ARP will be to modify and reduce volume of commuter traffic through the community. In the long-term vision of the ARP, 11th and 12th Aves will be geared more towards local resident traffic and less of major commuter routes into the beltline and downtown.
10th Ave changes will be moving towards a future “High Street” concept (i.e. Kensington-like area with mixed uses and pedestrian-friendly). The City of Calgary is currently designing the at-grade intersection to open up 10th Ave across 14th St SW. The community is in on-going talks with City Roads and Transportation departments regarding the specifics of design to ensure this change will beneficial to future community development and not simply another commuter route downtown. Additional signage and speed limit changes will be occurring in parts of the community, coordinated with the 10th Ave intersection opening, to greatly reduce short-cutting traffic and speeding through sensitive areas near schools and busy pedestrian routes.
Peter Rishaug
Vice-President, Sunalta Community Association
WEST LRT: SUNALTA STATION DESIGN COMMITTEE UPDATE
In July 2008 the Sunalta West LRT station committee was formed, made up of city officials as well as a broad selection of community representatives. Sunalta business owners, developers, residents, and community association members participated in a series of meetings from July to December defining the community’s needs for a LRT station and coming up with the first stage of the design. The meetings were very well organized in a fashion where all ideas and suggestions were discussed and considered. In the end we came up with a design that all the committee members were proud of. The design is not finished yet but we have made some of the major decisions and the completed station should look pretty much as indicated in the diagram below. In 2009 further work will be undertaken by the station committee to decide on uses of the public space including safety, colours, finishes, lighting, landscaping and other more aesthetic aspects of the station and surrounding area.
Please keep look at http://sunalta.net and click on the West LRT link for the latest updates and images of the Sunalta Station opening late 2012.
MUSIC FOR YOUNG CHILDREN REGISTRATION ON NOW!
Fall registration is on now for this outstanding parented music program for children. Sessions are available for children ages 6 months to eight years, with limited space. See www.myc.com and call Kelly at: 403 256-3999 to register or for more information
A new Music Pups session is starting in April at Scarboro United Church for ages 6 months to four years. See: www.themusicclass.com or call Kelly at: 403-256-3999 for more information or to register.
WARD 8 NEWS - A MESSAGE FROM ALDERMAN MAR
“Playgrounds Graffiti – Not My Problem?”
Graffiti is becoming a widespread problem across Canada. Ironically it is not a new wave of taggers or street artists that have discovered “pristine targets” in our communities, but rather it is a challenge to the traditional Canadian apathy that is causing our problems. Graffiti has been a problem worldwide for many years, and often it is associated with other criminal activity. There is a bigger issue that stretches through all graffiti related crime scenes, and that is the damage it does to a community’s social make up, structure and value.
With the use of crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) we can stop the erosion of these communities. There are numerous strategies from the “broken windows” theory that can be put to use. Simply put, if an area, building or community is not maintained that lack of ownership and maintenance sends a strong message to potential offenders in the area that nobody cares, there are no guardians of the area and it is theirs for the taking. Graffiti is often one of the first signs of this breakdown.
Have you been in an area that has been repeatedly targeted by criminal activity? It feels like nobody cares what happens there? They will likely be experiencing increased break-ins, vandalism and other property crimes, lower property values and rental rates, etc.
So how can you, the citizen and resident come to the rescue? It is actually an exercise in relationship building and personal responsibility. Your first step may be to enlist the aid of a CPTED specialist that can help you identify some of the key problems or hotspots in the area. This is what the Community life Improvement Council (CLIC) does. They work with you to build, create and deliver programs and projects that are specific to your area and situation. Only when there is a holistic, research based plan can you work towards some creative solutions to the area’s problems.
In Calgary we have seen community based response team’s work with residential and business communities to battle the problems in their neighborhoods. Response has been overwhelming and residents report they have recovered their investment of time and materials many times over by the exposure, goodwill and relationships that have been created.
If you adopt this approach to your community everybody wins in the end – especially your quality of life!
Information provided by Barry Davidson Barry Davidson is a Senior Instructor with the Canadian Crime Prevention Centre and the Executive Director of the Community Life Improvement Council (CLIC). He can be reached directly at clic@cpted.net
SUNALTA HISTORY by Riki Winkler
House History Demystified: Researching House History from the Comfort of Your Home
Hey, I am not trying to put myself out of a job – I mean volunteer position. I would be delighted to receive a history request from anyone living in an original Sunalta house. But, for this issue, I thought I would demystify the process of house history hunting for anyone interested in doing it themselves.
This idea came about when a neighbour asked if I could research the history of her house. I did it that same day, sent her the information, and she responded, “Did you find this all from the comfort of your home, online?” And I suppose I did.
When I first became interested in researching the history of our home, I didn’t know where to start. I took a seminar at the W.R. Castell Library, presented by Harry Saunders, a local historian. It was there that I learned about the Henderson Files; the starting point. This is the one step of the process where you will need to get off the couch and head to the W.R. Castell Library.
The Henderson Files were the directory of the day. Like telephone books, they contain alphabetical listings of Calgary residents, their addresses AND occupations, and a reverse directory listed by addresses. These are available in the local history room at the W.R. Castell Library. For some years there are physical copies, and for others you will find them on microfiche. The people at the information desk are wonderful if you find yourself needing some help.
I have an advantage in that I possess a binder generously compiled and donated by David Peyto, grandson of the famed explorer and guide Bill Peyto. It contains Henderson File data for houses in Sunalta dating from 1913 to the early 40’s.
So when my neighbour was interested in finding out the history of her house at 1531 – 14th Ave, I started with my trusty binder. I find the name of one of the early owners, Silas Dawson, and his employer, A.B. Cushing Lumber. I then research the names online through google.ca. It helps if the name is unique. I find out that the A.B. Cushing Lumber building was across from Community Natural Foods on 10th Ave and is now home to a cafe. I also find a small article from the Calgary Herald about the Dawson’s hosting a Reverend and his wife visiting from Rangoon.
I then move on to online census data. Census data can be found at automatedgenealogy.com and is available for 1901, 1906 and 1911. From census data I find out the names of Silas’ wife and children, their ages, birth dates and nationality. This site also allows you to view the original census documents, which are very fascinating.
At this point the Glenbow Museum Archives can be consulted - glenbow.org/collections. I have had a few good finds through this avenue. I have found photographs and sometimes fonds for the person I am researching. Fonds are collections of papers, letters or photographs relating to a person’s life, and One more source to explore is contacting living relatives. This is more easily achieved if the family has a unique name. Contacting living descendents can lead to a whole other dimension of researching a house’s history: personal memories and photographs and perhaps even friendships. The possibilities are endless.
This is just one example of researching a house’s history. It doesn’t always work out this way. Sometimes you’ll find a lot of information, and sometimes you’ll hit a road block and have to come up with some creative ways to get your answers. I am still working on the full history of our house and have been for some time. My next step is contacting a family in Sundre whom I believe are descendents of one of the original owners of our home, and a long term owner of our next door neighbour’s home. I once took a friend who was interested in the history of her home in Ramsay, and in one night we found the name of the family whom had lived in her home for decades. They were original owners, and the husband was in military service and died in WWI. We found out the location of his grave in France, and online found a genealogy website with their family tree, including photographs. All in one night!
That’s what keeps me interested in this; every story is different. If you, the reader out there, do end up discovering your house’s history, please let me know and we can publish your story. Telling the story of our community is how we are going to connect to where we live, and foster neighbourhood pride.
Sunalta Spring Cleanup
Mark your calendars for the Spring Clean-up set for Saturday May23rd starting at 9:00 am. Please e-mail sunaltacommunity@shaw.ca if you can assist.
COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
President: Kevin Ritchot 245-0246
kevinrichot@shaw.ca
Vice President:Peter Rishaug 650-5831
prishaug@shaw.ca
Secretary:Lois Ferguson 802-4827
tlferg@telus.net
Treasurer:Sharon Woodhouse 245-1302
sca1@telusplanet.net
Director:Rick/Tanya McFerrin 698-9283
rick-and-tanya@twowheelview.org
Director:
Maureen Keough 452-1979
maureen.keough@encana.com
Director/Sunalta Block Watch:
Teresa de Groot 802-6804
wester11@telusplanet.net
Director/Hall Maintenance & Rentals:
Aileen Palmer 244-3739
Director/Membership:
Shelley MacGregor 230-5551
smacgregor@shaw.ca
Director/Garden:
Ann Marie Barnhill 228-5710
ambarnhill@shaw.ca
Graffiti Removal:
Kate Page 228-9838
kate.page@gmail.com
Community History:
Riki Winkler 245-0246
rikiwinkler@shaw.ca
COMMUNITY MEETING DATES
The Sunalta Community Association meets at the hall (10th Ave and 16th St SW) nine times a year on the second Monday of every month at 7:30pm. There are no meetings in July, August or December. Everyone is welcome. Make your voice heard. Turn ideas into action!
THE SUNALTA SASS
The Sunalta SASS is a collective effort of many residents and edited by Tanya McFerrin and Riki Winkler. If you would like to make a submission to The Sunalta Newsletter, “The SASS,” please contact Riki Winkler at 403-245-0246 or send an e-mail: rikiwinkler@shaw.ca. The SASS welcomes community news. The SASS is published quarterly: March, June, September and December. The submission deadline for the June issue is Monday, April 27th, 2009. Community announcements are published free of charge and may be edited due to limitations in space. Business Advertisements may be run in 1/8 page size, $50. The SASS is distributed to approx. 2600 Sunalta residents quarterly. Send submission files in .pdf format or high resolution .jpg, in black and white to: rikiwinkler@shaw.ca. The SASS does not publish political advertising and due to limited ad space, advertising requests will be reviewed and selected at Editorial Board Meetings.
REPORTING CRIMINAL OR SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITIES IN OUR COMMUNITY
Our community remains strong as we take a stand as to what activities take place here. For any suspicious activities or persons make a call. It makes a difference!
911 Police emergency
266-1234 Police nonemergency, dial “0” for more immediate response
311 City Bylaw enforcement
206-8100 Drug-related info (recorded message)
1-866-960-SCAN (7226) Suspected Drug Houses
When reporting please remember to include sufficient details so your information can be used.
General information: Record location, nature of the activity, time of day, duration, etc.
Identifying people: Names if known, description, height, weight, skin colour, clothing description.
Reporting vehicles: License plate number, colour, make, model, year.
Claim your community!
