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DECEMBER | 2015

P U B L I S H E D B Y M I N D ’ S D E S I G N S T U D I O S I N C E 2 0 1 5 C A L L 4 0 3 . 2 0 3 . 9 1 5 2 F O R A D V E RT I S I N G O P P O RT U N I T I E S W W W. M I N D S D E S I G N . C A

V I S I T U S AT: W W W. D I S C O V E RY R I D G E . C O M

WELCOME TO YOUR NEW “MONTHLY” OFFICIAL COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER. PLEASE ENJOY!HIGHTLIGHTS INCLUDE: MANY PROGRAMS, EVENTS AND UPDATES FOR DECEMBER.

YOUR ONLY

OFFICIAL C O M M U N I T Y

N E W S L E T T E RF O R

D I S C O V E RYR I D G E

Join Us!Ridge ReviewNEW YEARS DAY

SKATE SEE P8

See page 6

CIRCULATION | 2000 HOMES AND BUSINESSES

Pg. 2 December 2015 Thank you for supporting your community association and your local businesses!

News & NumbersDiscovery Ridge BabysittersList your name free of charge.* To add your name, or to make changes to your listing, please contact [email protected].

THE RIDGE REVIEW is the official newsletter of the Discovery Ridge Community Association and is distributed free to all residents of Discovery Ridge eleven times a year. Circulation is approximately 2000.

SUBMISSIONS - Please direct editorial enquiries to [email protected] and ad enquiries to Bobbie-Jo Bergner at 403.203.9152 or [email protected].

DISCLAIMER - The opinions expressed within any published article or advertisement are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Discovery Ridge Community Association or the publisher.

DRCA Channels of Communication Our community association has several channels to communicate to you, and for you to communi-cate with us!Member emails: get a membership and provide your email for ‘what’s new’ updatesRidge Review newsletter: eleven publications/yearFacebook: www.facebook.com/ DiscoveryRidgeCommunityAssociationWebsite: www.http://discoveryridge.com/ welcome.htmlEmail us: see the listing at top left of this page or the website ‘contact us’ page for contacts ❊

Benefits of DRCA Membership What does the DRCA do for me?! • Organizes social events such as the gala, annual Stampede breakfast, Santa event• Publishes the Ridge Review community newsletter • Provides up-to-date information about issues affecting you and the community through member only email provides updates on important items for all at www.discoveryridge.com• Allows soccer registration with Westhills United Soccer • Communicates regularly with Alderman Richard Pootmans on community and city related issues • Provides effective representation and advocacy to external third parties about issues of concern to the community, including public safety, development and the natural environment • Attains & works casinos to fundraise for the community• Creates a sense of community pride through participation in community activities. ❊

Babysitters are welcome and encouraged to advertise themselves, free of charge, in the Ridge Review (or website). We do however request.that the family/household the babysitters are a part of, be members in good standing of the Discovery Ridge Community Association (i.e. the $25 annual fee paid in full). If you wish to advertise babysitting services but are not currently members, the household/family may register

online via the community website www.discoveryridge.com or with the registration form on this page.

Advertising opportunities are available on our community website www.discoveryridge.com. please visit to get more information. ❊

Undersigned hereby consents to: (1) the collection of the personal information on this form; (2) the use of the information for the following purposes: to solicit volunteers for DRCA’s programs and activities; to solicit renewal of membership in DRCA; to solicit participation or membership in programs or activities provided by DRCA; to provide information to you on DRCA programs and activities; (3) disclosure of the information in the DRCA register of members which is available for review by various members of the public as required by law. The purpose of collection of the information is to provide contact and registration information for DRCA and to use in and disclose it as described above. The DRCA does not sell membership lists. Designated members of the board of the DCRA are able to answer questions about the collection of the information.

DISCOVERY RIDGE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION(DRCA) EXECUTIVE (2015)ALL EMAIL ADDRESSES @discoveryridge.comPresident Jacquie Hansen-Sydenham drca_pres@Vice Presidents Brent Ludwig drca_vp@ Patricia Bolger drca_vp@ Candace Matviw drca_vp@Treasurer Chris Hauck drca_treasurer@Secretary Dana Fleury drca_secretary@Directors Paul Decloux, Ben Lee, Tim Leitao, Michelle Williams, Bill Miles, Claudine Tylor and Jeff KeebleCURRENT COMMITTEESCommunications Jacqui Basha newsletter@ website@Fundraising Tim Leitao fundraising@Membership Candace Matviw membership@Recreation Facility Paul Decloux recfacility@Safety & Security Ben Lee safety-security@Special Events Michelle Williams specialevents@Traffic Colin Chambers traffic@

Mail payment & form to: Discovery Ridge Community Association,PO Box 75023, Westhills RPO, Calgary AB T3H 3M1

Enclose cheque for $25 payable to ‘Discovery Ridge Community Association’Membership runs from Sept. 1, 2015 to Aug. 31, 2016

NAME(S): .......................................................................................................................................................

NAME(S): .......................................................................................................................................................

ADDRESS: ..................................................... POSTAL CODE: ...................................................................

PHONE NUMBER: ......................................................EMAiL: ...................................................................

DATE: ..................................................SigNATURE ..................................................................................

Community association Membership 2015-16

Travis Beran ...................... 403.240.4994Sophie Blayways. ............ 403.217.1668Jonathan Blair .................. 403.663.0625Olivia Burns........................ 403.686.7019Nolan Channon................. 403.277.5757Alexa Coderre..................... 403.471.2539Madeline Cummings.......... 403.663.0212Shannon Cummings........... 403.663.0212Boyan Demchuk................. 403.686.2477Julia Gagne ...................... 403.663.8644Regan Greer........................ 403.246.2684

Isabelle Hoffmann.............. 403.464.2538Connor Jorgensen...............403.242.5452Jessica Kotarba................... 403.278.4440Daniel Kotarba.................... 403.278.4440Jessica Lalonde................... 403.829.4277Uriah Lederhos................... 403.685.5225Carrie MacNeill................... 587.434.9526Parna Manzouri.................. 403.246.4152Kyle Miller........................... 403.240.0862Sidney Nedelmann ......... 403.697.3673Ryan Parisien...................... 403.240.2853

Haley Pasay........................ 403.532.1424Brandon Phillips................. 403.698.2792Nick Pineau......................... 403.246.7694Saba Riaz............................ 403.590.0124Haley Sanchez ................. 403.479.2670Dana Sigordson.................. 403.249.1202Scout Simard...................... 403.243.1388Darby Stearn....................... 403.242.4291Samantha Sziraky.............. 403.532.0996Isabella Vandergaag...........403.686.0450Alexandra Wright...............403.276.9206

Pg. 3 December 2015 l The OFFiCiAL community newsletter for Discovery Ridge

Board Message

Welcome to the DRCA’s premier edition of the Ridge Review with our new

publisher Mind’s Design. We are very happy to be working with them! The Ridge Review will now hit your mailboxes monthly so you can look forward to up-to-date information from your Community Association. We’d like to thank all of the businesses advertising with Mind’s Design as it makes our newsletter a reality.

Calling all photographerS! Do you remember way back when we had a feature in each Ridge Review asking, “Where in Discovery is this?”

and a photograph was included? if you’d like to submit a photo for upcoming Ridge Reviews please send it to us at [email protected] along with the answer!

gardening, running routes in Discovery, wildlife sightings, recipes, children’s articles, geocaching updates – the list is endless! if you fancy yourself a bit of a writer and are willing to submit articles for the Ridge Review we’d love to hear from you. We just ask that the content ties in with our community in some way.

Please contact us as [email protected]

introducing the new Ridge Review !

2014/15 DRCA Membership Counter

532 tiMe to renew or purChaSe Your MeMberShip! Memberships for the 2015-16 year are now on sale at www.doscoveryridge.com/membership.html. The cost of an annual membership is $25 and the membership year runs from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31 each year.

thankS for Your Support!

DrCa board meetings are typically held on the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. The next board meeting will be Monday, December 14th. DRCA members are welcome to attend. For meeting specific’s please email [email protected]

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Fundraising Focus

what Does the pfC/DrCa partnership

Mean to You?

The DRCA has partnered with Parks Foundation Calgary (PFC) to administer donations towards the DiscoveryRidge Recreation Facility. PFC is a not-for-profit organization, which means that now your donations of $25 or greater made towards the recreation facility will be eligible for a tax receipt as a charitable donation. Please donate today! ❊

10 • DRCA RIDGE REVIEW • JUNE 2014

What Does the PFC/DRCA Partnership Mean to You?

The DRCA has partnered with Parks Foundation Calgary (PFC) to admin-

ister donations towards the Dis-covery Ridge Recreation Facility. PFC is a not-for-profit organiza-tion, which means that now your donations of $25 or greater made towards the recreation facility will be eligible for a tax receipt as a charitable donation. Please donate today! G

I would like to make a donation in support of Parks Foundation Calgary to Discovery Ridge Recreation Facility – Phase II.

Donor Information

title _______ first name ________________________ last name ___________________________________

address ________________________________________________________________________________

city ________________________ province _________________ postal code ________________________

phone (h) ____________________________________ phone (m) ___________________________________

email __________________________________________________________________________________

indicate how you would like your name to appear for donor recognition:______________________________________________________________________________________

Payment Informationo I would like to make a one-time donation in the amount of $ __________________________________

o Please charge to my credit card (enter info below).o My cheque is enclosed (Payable to “Parks Foundation Calgary.” Please specify “DRCA Recreation Fa-cility” on the memo line.)

o I would like to pay in o monthly o quarterly o annual installments of $ ____________________

credit card info o visa o mastercard o american express card expiry ___________________ (mm/yy)

card number ________________________________ signature ____________________________________

Donations of $25.00 or more will receive a tax receipt. Mail donations to Discovery Ridge Community Association, PO Box 75023, Westhills RPO, Calgary AB T3H 3M1

o Yes, email me Park Foundation Calgary quarterly newsletter.o No, I would not like to receive Park Foundation Calgary quarterly newsletter.

YOUR AD COULD BE

HEREcall: 403-475-7001

Publisher of THREE OFFICIALCommunity Association Newsletters

on Calgary’s West Side:

www.skid-mark.ca

Gazette (Strathcona, Christie & Aspen)Ridge Review (Discovery Ridge)

WSCR News (West Springs & Cougar Ridge)

Skid MARK

ETIN

G TM

403-475-7001

in March, 2015 the DRCA made application for a grant to support the construction of the planned building at the site of the community’s tennis and rink facilities. We were recently

awarded $112,000 of the $125,000 dollars requested.

The Community Facility Enhancement Program (CFEP) is funded by the Alberta government through the Alberta Lottery Fund and requires that communities independently raise at least half of money required for a project. The grant then “matches” the money to the extent possible.

There were two sources of “independent” money for this phase of the project including:

• Donations - $61,000• Volunteers who participated in the 2013 “Halloween” Casino – You raised $66,269.66 that has now been almost doubled through the grant

The DRCA’s heartfelt thanks go to the supporters of this phase and all supporters that have made this project a resounding success and invite you to visit the DRCA website to see a complete listing of donors.

~Tim Leitao, DRCA, Fundraising Committee Chair

DrCa fundraising


SAVE THE DATE!DeC. 14 DRCA Board Meeting 7 p.m.DeC. 20 Meet Santa at Javino, 3- 5 p.m. Followed by Carolling, meet at Cornerstone SquareJan. 1 News Years Day Skate, 1- 4 p.m.

DRCA News

Please note that new NO PARKiNg signs have been erected by The City of Calgary to ensure the safety of our community members on our roads.

The intersection at Discovery Ridge Blvd, Discovery Ridge Lane, and Discovery Ridge Hill has a long history of poor sight lines and close calls with pedestrians. The new signage will certainly allow for fewer incidents.

No parking will now be enforced at the North-East corner of Discovery Ridge Blvd adjacent to Cornerstone Square and the South West corner of Discovery Ridge Blvd at Discovery Ridge Lane. Please take note and adjust your parking accordingly.

Any questions regarding the new signage can be directed the The City of Calgary by calling 311.

please obey parking signs

help us name the Discovery recreation facility buildingWe are excited to announce that we have the necessary funding in place to build the Discovery Recreation Facility Building. Since this is a bit of a mouthful we are wondering if any Discovery Ridge residents can come up with a great name for the building. it will largely be used for storing our rink clearing equipment, tennis nets, etc. as well as having an outdoor seating area to put on skates and sneakers depending on the season!

Now it’s time to give it a name! Please have your submissions sent to [email protected] no later than January 1st. We will announce the winning name via MailChimp to all DRCA members in good standing – make sure you have your current membership!

outdoor ice rinkYou Spoke, anD the DrCa liSteneD!

Although it won't be a spit-and-polished facility, a Leisure Rink will be created for your enjoyment for the 2015/16 skating season!

User schedules will be created for each skating surface (the Hockey rink and the Leisure rink) and DR residents can refer to the display boxes at the rink and on the bottle shed, on the DRCA website, and our Facebook page.

Do you have ideas for how our community can get the most out of our rinks? Do you wish that we had adult shinny on Sunday nights, ladies-only skate or U5-U10 shinny? Do you have organizational skills that make you a great candidate to run/administrate user groups? if you do, contact [email protected].

Jennie elliott School newsTwo provincial accountability measures were recently released and we did extremely well on both. On the Accountability Pillar Survey we were awarded excellence in the categories of safety, education quality, citizenship and school improvement. On the grade 6 Provincial Achievement Tests our students outperformed the provincial average in every category. These results did not happen by accident. They stem from a talented staff, wonderful students and supportive parents.

On the charitable front we raised close to $8000.00 for the Terry Fox Foundation and everyone got their Mo on to support Movember. Our school community is very generous and supportive.

~ Chris Aylesworth, Principal

help prevent Crimeprevent crime in our neighbourhood and lock up your things!

STOPPiNg CRiME iS EVERYONE'S RESPONSiBiLiTY! if we make it hard for thieves to steal maybe they will stop. Please make sure to lock your cars (garage door opener’s can be used to gain access to your home), homes, arm your security systems, anything to deter crime!

Seasons Greetings


MLA Update

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We hoped you enjoyed reading our Ward 6 Report that was delivered to Ward 6 residents in early November and can also be found at calgary.ca/

ward6. in that newsletter, we have set up four Councillor Chat opportunities around Ward 6 in 2016. Please join us on January 16, 2016 at glendale Community Association (2405 glenmount Drive SW) from 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. Our January Ward 6 Report will highlight important issues from 2015 and look to the year ahead. Due to anti-spam laws, if you are interested, you must specifically request email updates at calgary.ca/ward6connect. You may withdraw your consent at any time.

Did you know you can recycle your Christmas tree and get free mulch for next season? Each January the City collects real Christmas trees from homes that receive black cart garbage collection. Temporary drop-off locations are also available. Please remove all decorations, tinsel, plastic and string before placing your tree out for collection. This program diverts over 35,000 trees from going to the landfill! You can leave your real Christmas tree next to your black cart which will be chipped

happy holidays from the ward 6 team!into mulch and made available for residents for garden/yard use which can be picked up for free from the East Calgary Landfill. For more information visit calgary.ca and type in Christmas tree recycling program.

Although weather forecasting is calling for one of the warmest winters on record due to a strong El Nino system, snow and ice clearing are important services to ensure safe mobility for Calgarians. When a snow event does occur, you can check calgary.ca/roadconditions for frequent updates on road conditions, snow route parking bans, as well as which routes have and have yet to be plowed. Visit calgary.ca for winter driving tips including taking the time to winterize your vehicle and giving plenty of distance when approaching cars in front of you. Stay safe and enjoy the 2015 Holiday Season!

* journey * live * love

“Unto us a child is born...”~ isaiah 9.6

Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2015at Calgary Academy

4pm Christmas Family Servicewith Holy Communion

8pm Traditional Christmas ServiceCalgary Academy1677 - 93rd St SW

St. Martin’s Officeph 403-249-3014

www.stmartinscalgary.ca


NDHA Update

The NDHA has had a busy several months since the June AgM. Projects are always ongoing in the neighborhood and we strive to do our very best to ensure that you are

getting the most out of your annual NDHA fee. Xeriscaping of the medians along Discovery Ridge Boulevard between the Cornerstone Square and the end of Phase 10 was completed in late June. Xeriscaping of additional medians is part of the NDHA’s Capital Plan and a schedule will be followed based on identified need and cost as we go forward. Additionally, seven concrete planters were purchased and placed in the area of the roundabout. These planters will be used to add color and/or seasonal foliage throughout the year for the enjoyment of all residents as they enter the community. Sadly, we experienced two severe, plant damaging hailstorms soon after they were added this summer; we will endeavor to put in more resistant plants next year. We hope you enjoy the holiday foliage we have added for the winter months!

Several enquiries came in about our lack of a waterfall this summer. An unfortunate “perfect storm” situation arose this year and as you saw, it did not function this season. The pump had to be rebuilt; that was done fairly quickly. The major issue was a severe water leak in the pond. Trying to isolate and repair the leak has been a very difficult process with many factors affecting the decision on how to move forward at each stage. We completed as much of the final repair before freeze-up, and plan to complete the last stages in May, weather permitting. We are confident that you will see the waterfall running normally next season. More detailed specifics can be found on our website at www.ndha.ca

We would like to thank ULS Landscaping for a job well-done this past growing season. ULS took over maintenance of all areas of the community in April and we are confident that our residents have seen a noticeable improvement in the state of our greenspaces since then. There are many hectares of varying types of parkland in Discovery Ridge; management of this - with all of the nooks and crannies unique to each phase - has not made the transition an easy one for ULS. We appreciate hearing from residents when something is broken, vandalised or simply missed. This is your neighborhood and we ask that everyone who calls Discovery Ridge home help the NDHA and ULS to continue to ensure that it’s beauty and safety remains paramount.

On a final note, the NDHA changed our email addresses in late

October. Difficulty getting service from our provider forced this change; our sincere apologies to those who may have sent an email between September and October if you did not get a response. We value your input and if you wish, encourage you to resend your note via the new addresses which are posted on the NDHA website.

best wishes for a wonderful holiday Season!

homeowners’ Association News

2) Press the icon in the top left hand corner to open up the settings menu.

here you can:• use the moon icon to turn on night vision,• turn the music on/off, • take pictures of what you see and share it with friends• use the wrench icon to check CALiBRATiON and LOCATiON. This will make sure your device is calibrated to where your standing.

Have fun with your family -

happy Star gazing!

Technology Corner

My family found an amazing new and free App. it provides a great way for us to hang out together during the evenings, especially now that the evenings are darker earlier!

it is called SkyView-Free - Explore the Universe

We downloaded it, walked outside into the dark evening, pointed our iPhones and iPads at the sky and were AMAZED. Suddenly constellations in the sky were outlined on our screens.

We found stars, constellations and planets. We are still hoping to see a satellite but we are still young cosmo explorers! We have been avid observers since we downloaded it in late October.

To get started look North and up (towards Hwy 8) and you should immediately see: • Urus Minor (a.k.a. the Little Dipper) • Urus Major (a.k.a. the Big Dipper) • Cassiopeia (looks like a ‘W’)

hints:1) Point the camera to the ground and a compass will appear. This will help you orient yourself

by Sarah greenfield

SanTa aT JavinoS!Please join us at Javino on Sunday, December 20th from 3:00- 5:00 for crafts and fun along with a visit from Santa Claus! We will also be collecting donations for Toy Mountain. Don’t forget you camera! A huge thank you to Javino for providing the space for us to celebrate the holidays with our neighbors.

Christmas caroling will follow Santa at Javino. grab a hot drink, dress warm, strap on your headlamps and bring your best singing voices as we travel around the community singing! Meet at Cornerstone Square at 5:00 p.m.

Javino is offering dinner specials the evening of December 20th following our holiday events. Please join us!

Kids dinner menu $8.00Mac and cheese w\garlic toast ORPepperoni pizza

Holiday activities Adult dinner menu $14.50Squash ravioli w\sautéed chicken and market veg OR Butter chicken and rice

new YearS DaY SkaTe 2016Come on down to the ODR (Outdoor Rink) on New Years Day!

1:00 – 2:00 Family Skate (no sticks/pucks)

2:00 – 3:00 Shinny for the younger crowd

3:00 – 4:00 Shinny for teens and adult

Please join us for treats and hot chocolate and remember to wear your favorite team jersey!

Thank you to Time Music for providing music for this event. We appreciate your continued support!

Things To Do



Volunteer update

Are you looking to be more involved in our community?

The DRCA is always in need of volunteers to help grow our community spirit throughout the year. Please have a

look below to see if there’s an event/committee that you would be able to help out with.

ice rink Committee:The DRCA is excited to announce that in addition to the hockey rink, the leisure rink, located north of the hockey rink, is a gO for the 15/16 skating season! However....all good things usually come with a wee bit of hard work! Our already hard-working Rink Crews need 2-3 more volunteers per crew to help out.

Our Volunteer Coordinator is looking for up to 20 new volunteers to assist with the creation and maintenance of our beloved ice surfaces. Having both the Leisure surface and the Hockey surface will allow for maximum enjoyment by our residents and our hope is to increase participation by both user groups.

here is the commitment needed from our volunteers:One week per month, late November until mid March. (Depending on the number of volunteers gathered, we may be able to go down to 1 week per every 5 weeks)

8:45-10:00PM Sunday-Saturday as required by the weather.

As needed availability when Mother Nature dumps large amounts of snow upon us!

We are also interested in hearing from any At-Home-Moms/Dads who are willing to do some day-time clearing of the Leisure Rink. Commitment will be dependent on numbers.

any interested/available community members can contact [email protected] for more information or to sign up for a rink vrew. please include any dates that you are not available throughout the sakting season.

here'S to a great SeaSon out on the rinkS!

❊ ❊ ❊

SpeCial eventS CoMMittee volunteerS: The DRCA’s Special Events committee is an awesome group that meets regularly throughout the year, typically during the day. We are looking for two new members to join us as we plan upcoming events like our annual New Years Day Skate, Stampede Breakfast, Earth Day, and perhaps even a fall Pumpkin Hunt next fall. We’re always looking for new ideas and enthusiasm!

❊ ❊ ❊

urgent help requireD!This year the DRCA’s annual Christmas Caroling event will be held on December 20 at 5:00pm. We are in need of someone with a strong voice and some people skills to lead the group in song. is that you?

Please contact [email protected] if you are interested in any of the volunteer positions.

Shopping online is easy and convenient, but it can put your personal information and finances at risk. if you connect to the internet by a WiFi, make sure you’re taking steps to protect your personal information from fraud and scams.• Keep your iD, passwords and PiNs confidential—don’t share them with anyone, even family members.• Don’t use public-access, open networks when buying or banking online. • Do not allow your computer or mobile device to

auto-remember your password or credit card information.• Shop on encrypted websites. Look for the lock symbol or https:// at the beginning of the website address. The “s” means “secure.”• Always type in the address yourself— don’t follow a link.• Update your apps and security software whenever new versions are available.• Log off or close the browser window when you have finished your transactions.

Tips to protect your personal information

- newscanada.com

we neeD volunteers!


Environmental Corner

This season think environmentally and help conserve the unique components of our community like griffith woods and the Elbow River. At the same time you can help conserve the money in your family’s account.

important facts about our electricity

51% of Alberta’s electricity is powered by coal burning power plants(1). As coal burns it releases:

• large amounts of CO2 which contributes to climate change.

• other particles that create SMOg, acid rain and other dangerous components of air pollution.

• pollutants that ultimately change our forest, our river and potentially hurt our lungs

• The electricity in our homes is used mostly by appliances (81%), then lights (10%) and finally electronics (9%)

How can you help the environment of Discovery Ridge this Winter? Each of us can use LESS electricity by:

1. avoiding phantom loads. Do this by unplugging appliances or by using a power bar that can be easily be turned on/off

phantom loads are caused by the invisible power consumption in your home by things like microwaves, TV’s cordless phones and DVD players

thinking efficiency this winter!

2. using ceiling fans to move warm air around our homes. They should be spinning clockwise at this time of year

3. letting our dryer’s sensors judge the drying time - don’t use timed drys. Even less energy is used by letting our clothes dry on dryer racks.

4. turning the Heat Dry option off on our dishwasher and letting the dishes air dry instead.

5. replacing our home’s light bulbs with energy efficiency bulbs - remembering to change high use areas first

6. using vacation mode on our hot water tank if leaving the house for more than 2 days.

For more information about how your home can be more energy efficient this winter - read up at www.greencalgary.org

1. Electricity Statistics. (1995-2014). Retrieved October 16, 2014 from: http://www.energy.alberta.ca/Electricity/682.asp

The Southwest portion of the Calgary Ring Road (SWCRR - segment between the Sarcee/glenmore intersection south to Hwy 22X) is scheduled to commence construction in late 2016. Recently, however, the segment of the ring road adjacent to our community's northern boundary, which was previously part of the West Calgary Ring Road (WCRR) project, has now been added to the SWCRR project. This means the ring road north of our community will commence construction late next year and will not be deferred for 3 - 4 years as previously announced by the Province under the Conservative government at the time.

While the Discovery Ridge Community Association (DRCA) fundamentally supports the construction of the ring road, questions are being raised relative to the ultimate scale and cost the design of the road along the northern boundary of Discovery Ridge (between Sarcee Trail and 101 Street SW) is being planned to accommodate.

The current plans are being designed to facilitate tying in a

ring road updatesecond future ring road (in approximately 40 - 50 years) such that the road north of Discovery Ridge could have up to 16 lanes between 101 Street and east then south to Highway 22X.

The DRCA Ring Road Committee has been working with Alberta Transportation, our MLA Mike Ellis, and the Minister of Transportation/infrastructure to address these questions for several years. Although the Committee has been able to achieve some positive results with Alberta Transportation, some concerns still remain as we continue to voice the concerns raised by many residents.

Please visit the Discovery Ridge web site for a full update and fill out the survey if you haven't already. Please also talk to your friends and neighbours about the topic, so that our entire community is well informed on the topic.

Visit the DRCA website at http://discoveryridge.com/2015/10/21/the-ring-road-is-coming-4/

~DRCA Ring Road Committee


Soon – perhaps already – snow will be falling. it’s the perfect time for getting outside to make snowmen and to ice-skate and toboggan. it’s also the ideal time to get cozy

with your family at home . . . together with books!

Put on your warm PJs, turn off the TV, make hot chocolate to drink, cuddle-up with blankets and pillows and read great books together about winter fun and adventures. They may give you ideas for new activities, or you may be informed, entertained and intrigued. Check if your school or local public library has these books for you to borrow and enjoy. Ask teachers and librarians for other suggestions of great winter adventures too:

the Snowy Day by ezra Jack keatsNo book has captured the magic and sense of possibility of the first snowfall better than The Snowy Day. Universal in its appeal, the story has become a favourite of millions, as it reveals a child’s wonder at a new world, and the hope of capturing and keeping that wonder forever.

the Snowman by raymond briggs illustrated in full color, this is a wordless story. A little boy rushes out into the wintry day to build a snowman, which comes alive in his dreams that night. The boy invites him home and in return is taken on a flight high above the countryside.

one Snowy night by nick butterworthOn a snowy night when a park keeper takes the animals into his hut for warmth, things get too crowded for comfort.

over and under the Snow by kate Messner with illustrations by Christopher Silas nealOver the snow, the world is hushed and white. But under the snow is a secret world of squirrels and snowshoe hares, bears and bullfrogs, and many other animals who live through the winter, safe and warm under the snow.

now: Create your own winter tale!Once your family has shared these (or other) great reads, consider writing your own family winter adventure. get out and have some fun in the snow and come back to write about it together; perhaps draw illustrations or, if writing your story on the computer, include photos you took! How did you look exactly as you tumbled off the sled? Then share your ‘book’ with family and friends in hard copy or via email. it’s fun to pass along your family’s news in a creative way . . . and, you are helping your children build their literacy skills too!

For lists of great children’s books by age and resources to help your child develop critical literacy skills and a joy of reading, visit calgaryreads.com.

Winter reading (and writing) FUN!

“NOT BELIEVE IN SANTA CLAUS! YOU MIGhT AS wELL NOT

BELIEVE IN FAIRIES!”- FRANCIS PhARCELLUS


Slow Cooker Chicken alfredoSlow cook time: 5-6 hours Serves: 6 healthy eaters Serve with: garlic bread and salad

ingredients-6-8 skinless cooked boneless chicken thighs cut into cubes (*)-12-16 whole wheat NO COOK lasagna noodles-750ml (or about 1.5 jars) of your family favorite Alfredo sauce(We love the President’s Choice Blue Label) -1 cup of water-1 container of cottage cheese (510g)-2 eggs-1 tablespoon oregano-1/2 teaspoon ground pepper-3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese plus extra for topping

Step by Step1. in a bowl combining Alfredo sauce and water - set aside sauce mixture- this will be about 4 cups of sauce2. in a 2nd bowl, combine cottage cheese, eggs, oregano, and pepper - set aside cottage cheese mixture 3. Use a non-stick cooking spray to coat the inside of the slow cooker4. Pour 1 cup of the sauce mixture into the slow cooker5. Start the 1st layer by covering the sauce mixture with 3-4 lasagna noodles. They will have to be broken and patch worked together to fit6. Next, use 1/3 of the cottage cheese mixture to cover the noodles7. Follow by sprinkling 1/3 of the cooked chicken on top8. Complete the layer with a sprinkling of 1/3 of the shredded mozzarella cheese9. Start the second layer with noodles and THEN 1 cup of sauce mixture10. Complete the layer by spreading cheese mixture, then chicken and finally another 1/3 of the shredded mozzarella cheese11.Create the third layer by repeating steps 9-10. 12.To finish it all off - place a fourth layer of noodles, pour the final cup of sauce mixture on and sprinkle with the extra cheese reserved for the topping(*) Chicken thighs are full of flavor and are usually cheaper than chicken breasts. Chicken breasts can be used if your family prefers. 3 large breasts does the job.To make it really easy, purchase a club package of chicken thighs.Dump the whole lot into the slow cooker . Add a 1/2 bottle of oil based italian or greek salad dressing AND 1 cup of water. Set it to cook for 4-6 hours. When they are cooked bundled them into groups of 6 and freeze them for future use.(**) this recipe is adapted from Karlynn Johnston’s “Crockpot Chicken Alfredo Lasagna” recipe on thekitchenmagpie.com

AVID Home Watch Inc.

•  Safe, reliable, home checking services throughout the Calgary Area.

•  Designed to meet your needs and insurance requirements while you’re away for the winter/summer, on vacation, or your home is vacant due to work.

•  We also represent owners of corporate owned properties, homes vacant due to corporate relocations as well as realtor listed or bank owned properties.

To learn more, call Jen at (587) 436-2843 or Kara at (587) 435-2843

www.avidhomewatch.com [email protected]

Providing peace of mind while you're away

Whether we love or hate snow, shoveling is a reality of winter life. Clearing sidewalks is important for the safety of pedestrians, but the activity can prove hazardous for those unaccustomed to heavy lifting. Consider the following tips.

1. Always talk to your doctor about your health status before the winter season.2. Warm up first with a walk or light stretching.

3. Don’t be afraid to take lots of breaks. Drink plenty of water before and after and pay attention to your core temperature – you don’t want to get too hot or too cold.

4. Dress for the part. Layering from head to toe is always good.

5. Always bend from your knees and not your back. Think about pushing the snow to the edges instead of trying to lift it.

6. Be a good neighbour. if someone isn’t capable of shoveling their sidewalk, give them a hand.

- newscanada.com

Shovel snow safely

Recipe


AVID Home Watch Inc.

•  Safe, reliable, home checking services throughout the Calgary Area.

•  Designed to meet your needs and insurance requirements while you’re away for the winter/summer, on vacation, or your home is vacant due to work.

•  We also represent owners of corporate owned properties, homes vacant due to corporate relocations as well as realtor listed or bank owned properties.

To learn more, call Jen at (587) 436-2843 or Kara at (587) 435-2843

www.avidhomewatch.com [email protected]

Providing peace of mind while you're away

Santa has 8 Reindeer. Their names are Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen.Hanging up stockings comes from the Dutch custom of leaving shoes out filled with hay for St Nicholas’s donkeys (Santa’s Reindeer). He would leave small gifts in return.if you received all of the gifts listed in “The Twelve Days of Christmas” song, you would receive 364 presents!Traditionally Boxing Day gets its name from the money collected in church alms-boxes for the poor.Chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil, commemorates St. Nicholas / Santa Claus who gave bags of gold coins to the poor.

Did You Know:

A fun and stimulatingpage for kids to enjoy!

KidsCorner

DECEMBER 2015

Spot the 7 Differences Circle them on picture B.

A B

Can you help our Christmas pets climb the tree to reach the star?

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t

before!What if Christmas,

he thought, doesn’t come from a store.

What if Christmas...perhaps...

means a little bit more! ~ Dr. Seuss,

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!


barre & beatS fitneSS, a new unique dance and fitness studio has just opened its doors to the community of Springbank, located Bay 8 141 Commercial Drive. For more info. on rates and schedule, please visit www.barrebeatsfitness.ca or call 403-471-4168

ConCrete Cutting for baSeMent winDowS anD DoorwaYS - Cut, Supplied & installed. Doorways Cutting - Concrete Wall Cutting - Concrete Floor Cutting - Core Drilling - Any Size. Excavation/Window Well Supplied & installed - Weeping Tile installation. Phone 403.570-0555. Please see display ad on pg 3.

neptune pluMbing & heating ltD. Residential and commercial service. Renovations, gas fitting and backflow testing. Fully licensed and insured with competitive rates. Customer satisfaction assured. CALL 403.255.7938. 24 HOURS EMERgENCY SERViCE!

South CalgarY kiDS art ClaSSeS Winter 2016 Starts week of Jan 5 for 12 classes 4:30 - 6 pm. Tues Strathcona, Wed Queensland, Thur Riverbend, Fri Braeside. Register/info: Email: [email protected] Jotform: https://form.jotform.ca/form/52509181973259 Facebook: facebook.com/calgarykidsart Website: www.originalpaint.ca Lillian Tkach-instructor.

Your

To place your classified ad, contact sales at 403-203-9152 or email: [email protected] today!

CommunityCLASSIFIED ADS!!!

CalgarY publiC librarY holiDaY prograMMing: JINGLE BELL BABIES/CREATE A hOLIDAY CARD get in the holiday spirit with Calgary Public Library. Visit calgarylibrary.ca for program times, registration information, and to access more program listings in the current edition of library connect.

visit calgarylibrary.ca

Traditions are important to every family. They can strengthen bonds and create meaningful and lasting memories. While many traditions are set in stone, try some new rituals this season to get into the holiday spirit and bring your family together.• Rent a ping-pong table and host an elimination tournament with your family. The last person standing gets a free pass for not doing the dishes.• On Christmas Eve, implement a mandatory onesie dress code. To document your onesie party conduct a playful photoshoot with your family and friends.• Create a playlist of old tunes from your grandparents and parents’ generation, your teenage years and classic cheesy holiday songs. Turn up the music and have a dance party.• Combat the cold by incorporating tropical items into your holiday menu. Create Caribbean inspired drinks like coconut eggnog slushies or mandarin orange spritzers and beach inspired snacks like guacamole or crab dip.• Dust off and bust out your old school VHS player and watch old home videos from your childhood.• Have a slumber party with your siblings by camping out in the living room in front of the tree.• Host an ugly sweater craft session and contest with your family. The person with the most ‘likes’ on social media gets to open the first present. grab a DiY holiday sweater kit from your local Mark’s store or order one right to your house at marks.com.• Make breakfast. Four words: “The Wife Saver Recipe.” This breakfast dish that you can easily throw together the night before will save you when your family wakes up with hungry tummies after a night of festivities.

- newscanada.com

Start a family tradition

DiD you know? Mind’s Design offers our community the opportunity to purchase classified advertising in the Ridge Review.

Contact sales at 403.203.9152.


your city section brought to you by The City of Calgary

Stay connected to the City of Calgaryfacebook.com/cityofcalgary ~ twitter.com/cityofcalgary ~ calgarycitynews.com

DiD You know? the Christmas season is the busiest time of year for the City’s recycling facility. it sees an

approximately 30% increase in recyclable material during the holidays.

CalgarY.Ca/ChriStMaStree

Check out these important updates from the City of Calgary More information

Explore what The City has to offer during the snowy season - from how to get around, stay safe and keep active. Visit calgary.ca/winter.

calgary.ca/winter

New Year’s Eve Family Dance Party - Ring in 2016 with this free, family-friendly NYE party featuring music, activities and a kids’ countdown. Don’t forget your dancing shoes!

calgary.ca/NYE

Recycle your real Christmas tree this year. Place your tree on the ground near your garbage collection spot by 7.am. on Friday, January 8. Leave the tree out and it will be picked up by January 31.

calgary.ca/christmastree

Make sure you know what’s naughty or nice for your blue cart recycling this Christmas. Find the answers with our online search tool at calgary.ca/whatgoeswhere.

calgary.ca/whatgoeswhere

Be a Snow Angel! As you shovel your walk this winter, clear a neighbour’s too. You’ll help them, and everyone else traveling in your community.

calgary.ca/snowangels

Sing & Skate – From Dec. 7th through to December 11th, listen to elementary school choirs perform seasonal favourites over lunch on the main stage at the Olympic Plaza, and don’t forget your skates!

calgary.ca/recreation

Recreation is offering Calgarians a chance to stuff kids’ stockings with fun. For only $5, the Kids Stocking Stuffers are perfect for celebrating the holidays on a budget.

calgary.ca/recreation

Calgary AfterSchool offers fun, safe and supervised after school programs for ages 6 to 16 calgary.ca/afterschool

The City is looking for more Calgarians to join Calgary’s online panel. citizensview.ca.

The City installed 600 solar panels to help power Southland Leisure Centre and offset the facility’s electricity consumption. Learn more about this project by visiting calgary.ca/solar.

calgary.ca/solar

City subsidized programs are available to those who qualify. One application is all you need to access all five programs.

calgary.ca/fairentry

The City of Calgary provides two new maps in the Map gallery. Learn about our new My Calgary Services and Calgary Public Art maps by visiting maps.calgary.ca maps.calgary.ca

REACh OVER 250,000 POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS! 20 NEwSLETTERS - 46 COMMUNITIES For more info. or to book your ad, please contact us at: 403-203-9152 [email protected] BRIDGELAND-

RIVERSIDE BRIDGES Bridgeland & Riverside

NEDistribution: 6000

THE BROADCASTERCoach Hill, Patterson Heights

& Prominence Point SWDistribution: 3300

AROUND THE BAYAuburn Bay, Cranston

& Seton SEDistribution: 10600

PATHWAYSMahogany, Copperfield & New

Brighton SEDistribution: 9800

ABOUT TOWNEMcKenzie Towne

SEDistribution: 7700

THE GAzETTEMcKenzie Lake

& Mountain Park SEDistribution: 5100

BRIDGESDouglasdale, Douglas Glen &

Quarry Park SEDistribution: 5400

RIVERBEND REVIEWRiverbend


MOCA MOTIONMillican, Ogden, Lynnwood

& South Hill SEDistribution: 4800

HELLO ACADIAAll of Acadia and

Fairview (businesses) SEDistribution: 6000

WILLOW RIDGE NEWS Willow Park & Maple Ridge


CKE NEWSChinook Park, Kelvin Grove &

Eagle Ridge SWDistribution: 2350

CHRONICLECanyon Meadows &

Southwood SWDistribution: 6200

CHRONICLEShawnessy, Millrise &

Shawnee SWDistribution: 6650

EVERGREEN EDGEEvergreen & the Evergreen

Estates SWDistribution: 7500

THE BREEzESomerset, Bridlewood &

Silverado SWDistribution: 9200

THE REPORTERRocky Ridge & Royal Oak

NWDistribution: 7500

SCA GAzETTEStrathcona, Aspen Woods &

Christie Park SWDistribution: 8400

WSCR NEWSWest Springs & Cougar Ridge

SWDistribution: 6800

RIDGE REVIEWDiscovery Ridge

SWDistribution: 2000

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