Homeowners’ Association (NDHA) News
Happy summer to all! The heat of summer has been quite overwhelming and has created many challenges to the condition of the community landscaping this year. Special thanks to ULS for their ongoing excellent work to keep our community looking its best under particularly challenging weather circumstances. Our watering truck program and irrigation system have no doubt made a difference at the entrance and along the medians; we hope that any damage from the excessive heat of this summer has been largely mitigated.
Landscaping and Mowing: The major landscaping project undertaken this summer is the Xeriscape project in the nine medians along Discovery Ridge Way. This type of landscaping requires a multi-step approach that begins with stripping the sod, increasing the depth of the loam, adding landscape fabric, placing appropriately sized river stone near the curb, then prepping the inside of the median for raised foliage beds and large landscape rocks. We appreciate the patience of those who have had to contend with the construction zone, and we hope that in the end you will agree that it was worth it! It looks amazing!
As you have seen, Alberta Transportation and The City of Calgary have now fulfilled their obligation to install 30 new trees in our entrance median and boulevards! The NDHA will care for these trees as part of our LOU agreement with both parties. We are incredibly happy to see trees in that area once again. A few smaller projects have also taken place around the community to spruce up some tired shrub beds and install some mulch. Our community, like most across the city, saw most of our potentilla shrubs (a prominent feature in many locations) wiped out this year. The mild and dry conditions of the past winter was devastating to these plants. The NDHA has directed ULS to begin pruning out and/or removal of the dead shrubs; we will assess the extent of the damage as we enter fall and determine a plan thereafter.
Finally, in the event of excessive rain, you may find that sections of our green spaces are missed when the mowing crews attend certain areas. If the ground becomes saturated, the heavy mowers will tear up the turf as they pass over it. Also, some greenspaces have grassy slopes. ULS crews will not mow turf on those slopes if it is determined that slippery conditions could pose a danger to the operator. We must wait until things dry up to allow ULS to safely resolve the issue of unusually long grass in those areas; we thank you for your patience.
Road Safety for ULS Crews: It has been noted that on several occasions, ULS staff have been put in danger due to careless drivers speeding past them despite all the orange warning cones. IF YOU SEE SOMEONE WORKING IN THE MEDIANS, SLOW DOWN! Please be respectful of the staff, they are there doing work for you. No one wants to be the cause of an accident. Thank you.
Outstanding Fees: The 2021 NDHA fee of $307 was due on June 29th. We would like to thank our members who have paid their fee on time, and ask that those who have not, please remit immediately. If you are unsure of your payment status, please access your membership portal on our website. If you have questions or concerns, you may contact the NDHA treasurer at accounts@ndha.ca or our Membership Director at NDHAmembership@ndha.ca Please reference your property address.
Can you Help? All of the above is managed by 7 member-volunteers who are also your neighbors in Discovery Ridge. They meet monthly and work diligently behind the scenes to ensure that things continue to run smoothly. We have several openings for new Directors, or for volunteers with a passion for landscaping but don’t have the time to take a board role. Please reach out by contacting us at general@ndha.ca if you can join the team!
We are quite proud of how our community looks and hope you are as well. If you happen to notice an area that might need attention such a bed being missed or damage incurred due to storms or other factors, please let the NDHA know. We are always happy to hear from our members; please access our website at www.ndha.ca to send an email or call us at 403-237-9595.
Have a wonderful August! Safe travels to all!