Greetings Ward 14!
When seeking the honour of standing for Calgarians, community associations become part of your life. Constant contact with them has been a critical part of the job. That has been my policy, and I believe it has served me well.
The importance of community associations to a Councillor is obvious, but I hope others see this value too. In Calgary, there are 152 community associations that stand for almost 200 neighbourhoods. More than 20,000 community association volunteers contribute approximately 2.4 million hours (about 274 years) of public service every year to organize and host social, recreational, and educational programs. They manage important neighbourhood facilities and are also often points of contact for local land use changes—providing engagement with the community beyond what is required by the City. Perhaps most importantly, they give a sense of community.
There are many ways to support these important organizations. Becoming a member of your local community association is a good start. You can also volunteer varying amounts of your time. There are all sorts of ways to help.
If you believe that strong community bonds are critical (like I do), consider getting involved with your community association. At the very least you will get to meet some of your neighbours, but you might also make your community a better place.
In the full version of this column at calgary.ca/ward14newsletter, you can read about Neighbour Day, Community Cleanups, Calgary’s River Valley’s Plan, and other topics.
Feel free to contact me any time. The best way to contact me is by visiting calgary.ca/contactward14 or calling 403-268-1653.
Councillor Peter Demong
Ward 14 – Councillor Peter Demong proudly serves the following Communities: Bonavista Downs, Chaparral, Deer Ridge, Deer Run, Diamond Cove, Lake Bonavista, Legacy, McKenzie Lake, Midnapore , Mountain Park, Parkland, Queensland , Sundance, Walden, Wolf Willow
