Happy summer to all! The weather and water restrictions this season have created a variety of challenges for community landscaping. Special thanks to Pixie Gardens for keeping our flower planters looking great, and to ULS for their ongoing work to keep our community looking its best! During hot stretches, our truck watering program certainly helps the condition of foliage at the entrance and along the medians; please use caution when passing this large, slow-moving vehicle.
Landscaping and Mowing: The NDHA’s landscaping projects described in our July article (see our website for details) should be finished or nearing completion by the time you read this. We particularly appreciate the patience of those who had to contend with extra activity in the areas of new mulch application, but we hope you will agree it was worth it!
In the event of excessive rain, you may find that some of our green spaces are skipped by the mowing crews. This is intentional; if the ground becomes saturated or has drainage issues, ULS staff may opt to wait until the following week so that the area can dry up. ULS crews will not mow turf on slopes if it is determined that slippery conditions could pose a danger to the operator. We thank you for your patience.
In the case of dry/drought conditions, turf will become quite yellow and the soil powdery dry. ULS will skip mowing these areas some weeks or only trim/mow on an as needed basis. You will notice much less grass maintenance activity in this scenario, and when grass “slows down” its growth in August. Longer grass protects the roots from the sun and makes for healthier turf.
Weed Control Efforts: The NDHA (via ULS) can no longer use herbicide to control weeds on city-owned lands. This includes all boulevards and medians. The City of Calgary is now the sole provider of this service, which is provided only upon request and must be paid for from your fees. This is a city-wide directive and unfortunately, has significantly impacted ULS’s ability to keep weeds under control. Hand weeding the stone portion of the Xeriscaped medians is ineffective, labour intensive and slow. It is impossible to keep up in such a large area as Discovery Ridge.
The NDHA has opted to have the rocks in the medians sprayed; City staff will use a non-selective herbicide. All mulched shrubs beds in medians and parks will continue to be hand managed without herbicide. There will be a delay of up to three weeks between our spraying request (weeds must be noticeable first) and when city crews arrive to do the work; this is not ideal, but we have no choice. Your patience is appreciated; please reach out if you have any questions.
Chinch Bugs: Chinch bugs have become problematic in some West Calgary communities. If your grass looks dead or patchy despite being well-watered, you may have Chinch bugs. See our website (https://ndha.ca/2023/06/27/chinch-bugs/) for pest control advice from the City of Calgary. They won’t go away on their own.
Outstanding Fees: The 2024 NDHA fee of $325 was due on June 29th. We would like to thank our members who have paid their fee on time, and ask that those who have not, please remit immediately. If you are unsure of your payment status, please access your membership portal on our website. If you have questions or concerns, you may contact the NDHA Treasurer at [email protected] or our Membership Director at [email protected]. Please reference your property address.
Can you Help? The NDHA is currently managed by eight community volunteers. The work of these volunteers, your neighbours, saves the association more than $100,000 per year in professional management fees. That’s the equivalent of fees for over 300 homes! These savings are why we have the funds to invest in the landscape upgrades and maintenance that have made Discovery Ridge one of the most striking in the city.
Many new, young families have moved to Discovery in recent years. This is fantastic; it means that our community is alive and 24 years after being established, continues to be desired by those looking for a home in Calgary! Extraordinary! But it’s time to bring new faces into the NDHA Board. Make this community what you want it to be for the next 24 years! Please consider volunteering with us, so the torch can be passed. All skill sets welcome; current board members will help to transition the position of Secretary, Landscape Contractor Management, News Coordinator, and other roles! Contact us anytime by sending an email to [email protected] if you have questions or can join the team!
We are quite proud of how our community looks and hope you are as well. If you happen to notice an area that might need attention such a bed being missed or damage incurred due to storms or other factors, please let the NDHA know. We are always happy to hear from our members; please access our website at www.ndha.ca to send an email or call us at 403-237-9595.
Have a wonderful August! Safe travels to all!
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