Happy New Year! The NDHA Board wishes all of you a happy and healthy 2026. We hope you had a wonderful holiday season with your family and friends. Now is the perfect season to get outside to enjoy some winter activities to burn off all that turkey and holiday cheer.
Our dedicated NDHA board volunteers were very busy over the past year, managing the annual landscaping, maintenance, and other operational obligations for the community. We are using the “off-season” to work on the annual budget and lay the groundwork for projects to be completed this coming spring and summer. We would really love to know if you have any thoughts on potential improvements to our landscaped green spaces so do not hesitate to reach out.
Ice Melt
Something that is on our minds at this time of year snow and ice cleaning on neighbourhood pathways. Our snow removal contractor ULS uses several strategies to help keep the pathways in the neighbourhood safe. This year, the City of Calgary is again allowing ULS to use of a product they refer to as “Pickle”. This product is 2 to 3% salt mixed into 6 to 7 mm crushed rock and provides better traction along with melting ice. This product is one tool in the ULS snow and ice toolkit to help ensure pedestrian safety – NDHA’s number one priority when it comes to snow clearing. Any ice melting product could have a negative impact if it is ingested by your pet. If they do not wear booties, you should always rinse and wipe off your pet’s feet after a walk on pathways or sidewalks. More detailed information about ice melting products can be found in the FAQ section of the website.
Discovery Dam Project
On November 20, an online public meeting took place where City representatives talked about the future of the pond just above Discovery Ridge Boulevard in the western part of our neighbourhood. Some weeks before, we had learned that the City is planning on removing the dam that was put in place in the 1950s due to safety concerns. These safety concerns were identified through two engineering studies the City commissioned. At this point, the City is not sharing these studies with Discovery Ridge residents, citing the technical nature of the information in them and the possibility of public misunderstandings. At the meeting, numerous Discovery Ridge residents asked questions and made comments about this project. These comments included criticism for the City in not engaging the community, for holding back of important information about the risks they perceive, and some passionate pleas to not remove this much-loved feature of our community. At the meeting the City did promise to communicate regularly with residents and has committed to working with the community on the path forward.
The NDHA does not have any responsibility for the pond itself. The pond and surrounding area are designated as a natural area. The NDHA cannot do any landscape management there. However, like you we are Discovery Ridge residents, and we do not want to see the pond go away unless there really is no other option. NDHA will help get as much information as possible into residents’ hands and will try to get an active consultation process going on the next steps. With that, you can make your opinion known to the City. We will also work with the city on whatever design is ultimately approved to ensure we can maintain the landscaped area to the standard that you expect for all landscaped green spaces in Discovery Ridge. We will all learn more about this initiative and hopefully have more opportunities to inform City decisions going forward.
Annual Fees
At our November Board Meeting, Directors reviewed a draft budget for 2026 and confirmed that the annual NDHA fee will stay at $325. Through careful scheduling of projects and closely managing our major contracts, we will continue to deliver the best landscaped neighbourhood green spaces in Calgary without increasing costs this year. Your annual NDHA fee is essential to provide the many landscaping services that the City will not. The carefully maintained public space, holiday light displays, and winter-long snow clearing on pathways are all paid for by your NDHA fees. These are what we think distinguishes Discovery Ridge as the most beautifully landscaped neighbourhood in our city. Our 2026 billing process begins in February. If you are unsure of your payment status, you can enquire via the website (www.ndha.ca).
We are always happy to hear input, feedback, and suggestions from our NDHA members. You can send us messages via our website at www.ndha.ca, email us at [email protected], or leave us a message at 403-237-9595. Let us know what you think and we will try to take action on it.
Click here to the Discovery Ridge Community News home page for the latest Discovery Ridge community updates.
