Happy summer to all! The weather this season has been quite interesting and created a variety of challenges to the community landscaping this year. Special thanks to Pixie Gardens for keeping our flower planters looking great, and to ULS for their ongoing excellent work to keep our community looking its best! During hot stretches, our watering truck program and irrigation system certainly help the condition of foliage at the entrance and along the medians; please use caution when passing this large, slow-moving vehicle.
Landscaping and Mowing: The landscaping projects described in our July article (see our website for details) should be finished or nearing completion by the time you read this. We particularly appreciate the patience of those who have had to contend with extra activity in the areas of new mulch application, but we hope that in the end you will agree that it was worth it!
As a reminder, in the event of excessive rain, you may find that a portion of our green spaces are missed by the mowing crews. This is intentional; if the ground becomes saturated or has drainage issues, 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 these slopes if it is determined that slippery conditions could pose a danger to the operator. ULS crews must wait until things dry up to safely resolve the issue of unusually long grass in those areas; we thank you for your patience.
In the case of dry/drought conditions, turf will become quite yellow and the soil powdery dry. ULS will skip mowing these areas some weeks or only trim/mow park areas on an as needed basis. You will notice much less grass maintenance activity in this scenario, and also when grass “slows down” its growth starting in August.
Chinch Bugs: Chinch bugs have become problematic in some West Calgary communities. If your grass looks dead/patchy despite being well-watered, you may have Chinch bugs. See our website (Home page, HOA News) for pest control advice from the City of Calgary. They won’t go away one their own.
Outstanding Fees: The 2022 NDHA fee of $325 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? The NDHA is currently managed by eight (8) community volunteers. The work of these volunteers, your neighbors, saves the association more than $100,000 per year – money that would otherwise be paid to a professional management company. That’s the equivalent of NDHA fees for 325+ homes! These savings are why we have the funds to invest in the landscape upgrades and maintenance that have made Discovery Ridge one of the most striking in the city.
Many new, young families have moved to Discovery in recent years. This is fantastic; it means that our community is alive and continues to be desired by those looking for a home in Calgary, even 23 years after it was started! Extraordinary! But it’s time to bring new faces into the NDHA Board. Make this community what you want it to be for the next 23 years! Please consider volunteering with us, so the torch can be passed on. All skill sets welcome; current board members will help to transition the position of Secretary, Landscape Contractor Management, News Coordinator, and other roles! Contact us anytime by sending an email to general@ndha.ca if you have questions or 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 to send an email or call us at 403-237-9595.
Have a wonderful August! Safe travels to all!