by Michel Bourque, President MRCA
Welcome to spring and summer! We hope you take the opportunity to enjoy our community’s many public open spaces, such as South Mount Royal, Talon, Cartier, and Earl Grey parks, plus our Station tennis and basketball courts!
Guide to Local Area Planning (formerly known as the Guidebook for Great Communities)
Thank you to our nearly two hundred MRCA members who attended our March 3 Town Hall, providing critical feedback and advocacy afterwards about the proposed Guidebook for Great Communities.
I and the board express gratitude to the many individuals who dedicated time, knowledge, and passion to fire up our love for communities by defending our neighborhoods, showing teamwork, and sending City Council a powerful message.
Thanks to hard work by community associations and dedicated volunteers throughout Calgary, city administration has proposed a number of amendments to the Guidebook for Great Communities. This includes amending the document name to “Guide to Local Area Planning” and making it a non-statutory plan. The “Guide” has served as a rallying force amongst Calgary communities, with 38 community associations and 21 individuals representing 77 communities in 14 wards, submitting a joint letter to Council.
Residents have worked tirelessly, and clearly demonstrated to City Council how deeply we care about our neighbourhoods. Given the nature of the proposed amendments shared with residents after the submission deadline had passed, individuals and communities requested a delay to enable the opportunity for review and discussion of proposed changes amongst communities. City Council’s Planning and Urban Development Committee again heard from citizens on May 5, before sending the Guide back to city administration for use as a general source for future planning studies. The committee recommended that Council abandon the bylaw that would have adopted the Guide as statutory.
New MRCA Domain, Website Upgrade, and Membership Platform
Our new mrca.ca website is now live! MRCA has a new website and membership platform. We have secured the web domain mrca.ca, which should be easier to remember and share on promotional materials.
New content is now posted, with updates planned for the coming months. Our new site will link with social media and member communication platforms, increasing frequency and quality of community engagement, and making it easier for you to communicate with us. Check out our website, renew your membership, and visit often!
Membership Drive
Our new, integrated membership platform enables 365-day rolling memberships and auto-renewal, printed and online membership cards, registered events, and targeted member communication. All new memberships (plus those purchased since July 2020) are valid for 365 days.
Not a member? Join now at mrca.ca! Let’s sign up as many new members as possible! As a member, you can stay current on community issues, participate in exciting events, use MRCA facilities, and receive member benefits from local businesses (coming soon!).
Current member? Update your membership preferences now at mrca.ca! Ensure your contact information and preferences are current. You will be notified by email when your membership is due for renewal.
Tennis
The pandemic and subsequent indoor fitness and sport facility restrictions have resulted in a tremendous increase in tennis and basketball court usage. Courts were cleaned in May and are in great shape.
Our board recently reviewed tennis membership categories/ rates. Starting June 1, only Mount Royal residents can purchase single/ family tennis memberships. Additionally, annual tennis membership fees will increase to $50 for single memberships and $100 for family memberships to support upkeep and eventual resurfacing needs.
Tennis members have received communication about our new sign in process and maximum playing time limits. We thank Mount Royal tennis enthusiasts for their cooperation in ensuring an enjoyable tennis experience for all.
