We hope you have had a chance to feel the warmth and texture of your community’s winter displays during our long, deep nights of winter. Whether you were able to spend some time in our fabulous green spaces, or white spaces as the season dictates, with family or friends, or furry friends, had visitors comment on your community, or simply felt the relief of coming home driving through Citadel’s decorated streets after a hectic day, this is made possible by your ELM program.
For those new to Citadel, a big welcome! You are residing in a special community that has done tremendous work to bring a greatly enhanced level of groundskeeping and mowing, beautiful flowers, winter interest displays, and prompt litter control versus non-ELM communities. ELM, Enhanced Landscape Maintenance, is a City of Calgary and Citadel Community Association joint initiative that uses a small annual tax levy on your property tax of which 100% goes directly back to our community to provide this level of service, fun fact; it is the only part of your property tax that does.
We say a collective thank you to Shari Pitka who is Citadel’s outgoing ELM Coordinator as I step in to fill some big gardening boots. It is a pleasure to see such a well-run program. I will be continuing this momentum, listening to your preferences and concerns, and working with stakeholders to continue building trusting and amicable relationships to benefit all entities. I have been involved in city ELM programs for 21 years, advising on development of policy, running other Northwest ELM community programs, and have taken inspiration from Citadel over the decades!
As our plants are seemingly dormant in our cold winter days, roots below the surface are active, preparing for their summer theatrical time. And not unlike this, there is a lot of activity happening in winter with ELM programs too. Aside from the seedlings growing in tropical-like greenhouses and ink drying on contracts with vendors, there is much change anticipated on the horizon with all City-wide ELM programs and the way they are managed and administered. This is very good news. This has been a work-in-progress for a few years, primarily to understand the difficulties and instabilities inherent in the system. ELM has now been granted the stability, a pause if you will, to develop the future of the program. Everything from how new communities may begin to participate, how to demonstrate ongoing support of mature ELM communities, and how to maintain the spirit that community associations, volunteer entities, need to successfully deliver the program are all on the table for improvements or re-writes. I am excited to continue working with the wonderful City of Calgary partners and other ELM communities for this and for us!
Citadel will have the expertise and passion of Foothills Landscaping again for 2026 completing weekly mowing, tending to all our flowers, and taking ownership of problem situations. If you see anything that needs tending to, even in winter, please send me a note at [email protected].
Financially, Citadel continues to utilize the Special Tax Levy funds and the Grant Funds required to deliver the program efficiently and responsibly. As a matter of reporting, the community will be carrying over $55,965.10 from 2025 to 2026. This is generally in line with previous years and allows for funding of expenses due prior to the availability of the Tax Levy Funds in June such as the spring cleanup and flowers. A similar carry-over will be prudent into 2027 and is the result of funds received in a given year equalling the funds utilized in a given year, a program requirement.
We hope you will continue to enjoy the changing season and longer days ahead as we look forward to another spring overlooking the world-famous Canadian Rockies!
ELM
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