I have a love of winter, but on these shorter, darker, colder days, it’s easy to find ourselves more isolated than at other times. The happenstance community moments of milder seasons seem to get fewer and far between and we have to commit to making community connections happen in our neighbourhoods. Here are some ideas to connect with others this month:
Join your Community Association – CAs are great for community connection, providing community news, events, and opportunities for volunteering on the board, committees, and for community events and projects.
Head to the skating rink – Many communities have outdoor rinks and open indoor skate times. Don’t skate? Lend a hand and shovel the snow off the ice, be the referee for a pickup game, judge the twirls and skips, or just enjoy watching and chatting with neighbours.
Support our food bank drive with a donation and join the celebration party on December 11 (check out social media for more information or sign up for the Ward 11 e-newsletter).
Attend a live performance – Whether it’s a professional play or concert, or a young family member’s holiday production, live performance is a tremendous way to come together for a joyous, shared experience.
As I write this, we have just come out of City budget discussions. As with any year, we are balancing investment priorities with basic service delivery. With budget, I say everyone is unhappy about something, and to me that speaks to the spectrum of ideals we hold, making for a dynamic and interesting work environment. As Calgary continues to define its trajectory forward, I continue to look at ways to support existing residents and businesses, while making room for new opportunities.
The Ward 11 office is working hard on supporting you through snow and ice control issues, street safety, building relationships and capacity for community associations, and working with my colleagues and Administration on updates to strategic city-wide documents.
Ward 11 – Councillor Kourtney Penner proudly serves the following Communities: Acadia, Bayview, Bel-Aire , Braeside, Britannia, Cedarbrae, Chinook Park, Douglas Glen, Douglasdale, Eagle Ridge, East Fairview Industrial, Elbow Park, Elboya, Erlton, Fairview, Garrison Green, Haysboro, Kelvin Grove, Kingsland, Lakeview, Maple Ridge, Mayfair, Meadowlark Park, North Glenmore Park, Oakridge, Palliser, Parkhill, Pumphill, Quarry Park, Rideau Park, Riverbend, Roxboro, Southwood, Victoria Park, Willow Park, Windsor Park
