Fall is here! For many people, September marks the beginning of a new year, with children returning to school, a weather change, and many programs for all ages starting up. For the Ranchlands Community Association, this is no different.
The September board meeting on Wednesday, September 4 will include a special meeting to approve amendments to our bylaws to be able to expand the number of directors, along with some housekeeping. Please attend at 6:15 pm to pass this. We would love to be able to have these in our bylaws before our Annual General Meeting in November. We need 20 members to attend to pass the proposed changes. Light refreshments will be served. Memberships can be purchased on our website at https://ranchlandscommunity.com/.
Over the summer, our board members invested time in one regular meeting, along with three additional get togethers. We worked through our opportunities to offer programs that will sustain our community and offer value to our neighbours. As we looked at all the ideas, we vetted them through some filters to ensure that each idea is a financially viable proposition, has the commitment of a leader to oversee the logistics and volunteers, identified that the risks are manageable, and most importantly that the proposal meets our mission of “Enriching the lives of our residents by developing and maintaining a vibrant community through programming, services, and events.”
Board meetings include in-person reports from our Alderman’s office, the Calgary Police Service, our Neighbourhood Partnership Coordinator, and periodically from our MLA and MP. Our August meeting had a very encouraging report from our CPS officer – in the month of July, our crime rate was very low, reflecting that we are a safe community. We also had a very encouraging report from our Alderman’s office regarding bylaw complaints. The most encouraging for me was that there were only seven reported watering violations. This speaks to our community spirit – regardless of what we agree with or not, we have recognized the importance of being part of city-wide solutions. And finally, the support we have from our neighbourhood partnership keeps us strong and viable, with grant recommendations, advice on best practices, and how to set up for success in our planning.
As you are reading this, it is likely that we are back into a stage four water restriction. I know I personally feel the weight of this, again, and see the weariness in people. To keep us on the optimistic side, we are hosting a contest! Please submit your creative (or ordinary) ways that you have been able to conserve water, keep flowers, gardens, and lawns healthy, keep your home in good repair, or help a neighbour. You can submit to [email protected] and the board will choose winners at our October board meeting.
Thank you for continuing to support our community, our Ranchlands Food Pantry program, and provide ideas and input to keep us strong.
Kathy Ervin
President, Ranchlands Community
Click here to the Ranchlands Community News home page for the latest Ranchlands community updates.