President’s
Message
by Alex MacWilliam
I recently spent
time in Slovenia, a country widely considered be one of Europe’s most beautiful
and underrated gems. Its capital, Ljubljana, is famous for being
pedestrian-friendly, green, and safe. I can certainly confirm this description,
and it is probably the cleanest city I have had the pleasure to visit.
Ljubljana was the
first European capital to commit to a zero-waste strategy, moving from
dependence on landfills to high-level waste separation and treatment. The city
is aiming to recycle over 75% of its waste and operates an advanced recycling
facility which processes mixed and bio-waste to generate electricity, heat, and
compost. Ljubljana’s actions and results have seen it reduce its per capita
annual waste generation to 156 kg compared to the European average of 475 kg
and led to the city being named the European Green Capital in 2016.
Ljubljana’s
policies and achievements in this area have been touted as factors in
attracting tourists, migrants, and investment. People want to visit and live in
clean cities and communities. We share this desire and want
Bridgeland-Riverside to be viewed as a clean and green neighbourhood. The
BRCA’s Beautification Committee has this goal as part of its mandate and is
always looking for volunteers to assist with its various activities.
By the time this
issue of the newsletter is distributed, we will have held our annual Community
Clean-Up. This event results in the collection and removal of significant
volumes of litter and recycled material from the community. The BRCA benefits
from the efforts of the volunteers who organize this event and from the
willingness of the many residents who show up and comb the neighbourhood to
remove litter from our streets, lanes, and parks. I am always heartened to see
the number of children who join in the clean-up with their parents. While the
Community Clean-Up is a one-day event, we encourage residents to follow
responsible recycling and waste management practices every day of the year.
This issue of the
newsletter includes the most recent update provided by the City on the
construction of the Bridgeland Main Street project. If you want to keep up to
date on this project, you can visit calgary.ca/BridgelandMainStreet.
BRCA’s Annual
General Meeting will take place in June. More details will be provided on our
website and through our social media.
Click here to the Bridgeland/Riverside Community News home page for the latest Bridgeland/Riverside community updates.
