March 7, 2018

March Community Association Awareness Month is here!
We kicked off this month-long celebration with an exciting event last Friday, March 2 at the Southview Community Association. Despite the winter wonderland outside we still had a great turnout, so thank you again to everyone who attended! Watch for photos on our Facebook page this week. We also had the big reveal of the twelve 2018 Faces of Community! Click here to meet the twelve featured volunteers and read their stories of involvement. We will be spending the month running a social media campaign with the call to action: how will YOU be part of it? Visit our webpage here. We invite you to take part in the action all month as well! Follow along on social media and use the hashtag #howwillYOUbepartofit.
Community Representation Framework (CRF) Think Tank – Do you want to be part of it?
At our March Monday Mingles earlier this week, a group of community association leaders reviewed the information we sent out about CRF. Click the links to see the reports and the video. After a discussion on the CRF’s suggested Forum model (pg. 5), it was recommended to be proactive and bring our own ideas for how this model should work for our network. This is where you come in! We need your input to tease out the details on how we can make this model work for us. In full transparency, the City is not asking us to do this work, nor are we certain that the ideas we identify in the Think Tank will be incorporated. If you are interested in participating in the CRF Think Tank, email Leslie before March 12. Click here for more information.

We’re now on Instagram!
The Federation of Calgary Communities is now on Instagram! What was ActivateYYC is now FedYYC! We will continue to share information about ActivateYYC, and we will now be introducing photos and stories about community associations and volunteerism here in Calgary. Go follow us @fedyyc and stay tuned!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Treasurer’s Workshop for the Inexperienced Accountant – Part 1 – Thursday, March 8
PIP: Urban Design & Character: Main Streets, Streetscape & Heritage – Thursday, March 10
Be Ready! Personal and Community Preparedness – Saturday, March 17
Community Planning Exchange: Change in Calgary #2 – Saturday, May 12
Click here for more upcoming events

 

Beyond the Four Walls: Shifting Attitudes – Global to Local

What is Community Economic Development (CED)? CED has principles based on social inclusion, local economy and resident-led initiatives. Learn creative ways to create local opportunities for developing a resilient and vibrant community at our Beyond the Four Walls Conference: Shifting Attitudes on April 28, 2018. Explore how CED can be used to shift your neighbourhood. To learn more and register for the conference, click here.

Exclusive: Workers Compensation Board (WCB) Workshop
The Workers Compensation Board (WCB) is hosting a workshop exclusively for our members on Thursday, April 12, 2018 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. The topics will focus on coverage for not-for-profits, with a focus on community associations. It will also discuss important issues such as who you should cover vs. who you can choose to cover or not, how to calculate the cost of WCB, and the benefits of WCB coverage for your organization. To register click here.
How to Tell Your Success Stories!
Struggling to get interest in your events and activities? Are your residents unsure of what you’re up to or what you’re even about? It might be that you are not effectively sharing (or communicating) what you’ve been up to. Taking time to recap and feature your successes, big and small, or simply what is going on can help build an understanding of who you are and why your community should be involved. Join us on March 15 for an interactive workshop and learn how to tell your success stories. More info and registration is available online here.
Dementia Friendly Communities
The Brenda Strafford Foundation has launched two Dementia Friendly Community Proof of Concept Projects: one in Calgary Westhills and one in Okotoks. The initial project is running for 2 and ½ years with a long range goal to become sustainable and grow city and province-wide. As part of this project, a toolkit is being developed to enable further areas to set up Dementia Friendly Communities in Alberta. Click here to learn more.
Jane’s Walk Calgary website is now LIVE!
The Calgary Foundation’s Jane’s Walk Calgary website is live. Now is the time to start designing your walk and posting it on the new site. If you need some inspiration, attend The Calgary Foundation’s free “how-to” workshop on March 10 to learn how to lead a walk – register here. Jane’s Walk Calgary takes place on May 4, 5, and 6, check out the website for all of the walks taking place across Calgary here.
Survey: The City of Calgary’s Integrated Pest Management Plan
The City of Calgary is revisiting its existing Integrated Pest Management Plan from 1998. They are conducting a survey of expert and community stakeholders to gain insight into the best policies and procedures for managing pests on City-owned land. A report containing anonymous feedback from various stakeholders will be produced and you will be notified when the report is available. To complete the survey, click here.

Here are a few highlights from our urban planning world this month – be sure to check our blog for a complete listing of recent events and updates.

  1. Federation Letter on Secondary Suites and March 12 Public Hearing: The Federation has submitted a letter to Council on the proposed changes to secondary suites. If you have comments or concerns about the proposed changes, we encourage you to speak at Council on March 12. Click here to view our letter and to find out how to give input.
  2. NCRP Income Inequality Workshop on April 17: A follow-up to the “Three Cities” workshop in October, this workshop will look further into how income inequality is distributed in Calgary, as well as its implications. The researchers will present their work and a discussion will follow. Click here to find out more!
  3. IMPORTANT Message from the City re: Notice Postings: Did you submit a comment through the online Planning & Development Map regarding a rezoning in your community between Feb 1 and 13? Your submission may not have been received by the City Clerk. Click here to find out more and to verify your submission.
  4. Orientation to the Planning Process 201: Want a deeper understanding of the planning process? This workshop will cover the planning application processes, stakeholders’ roles and implementation of policies and plans. There will also be time for questions and discussion. Click here to register!
  5. Infill Working Group: The infill working group met for the first time on March 1. Click here read the meeting minutes on the discussion of front porches. If you have any thoughts, please reach out to Carrie.

Membership Recruitment for March Community Association Month
A while ago we produced some interesting videos on “Why do members join community associations?” Check out the videos and many other helpful strategies on recruitment of new members. How will you be a part of it?

  1. Video – Membership through profile building
  2. Membership Drive Step by Step Guide
  3. How to use recruitment tools effectively
  4. The Importance of Following up on what you do

ActivateYYC would like to thank everyone who took the time and effort to apply for our second round of microgrant funding! Your creative project ideas made our judges’ job very difficult. Grant recipients and upcoming round deadlines will be announced shortly on our social media and website!