Summer is so close! Hawkwood’s LEAF program is ready to provide colour and texture once again in our 88 planters and 12 flower beds. The displays that accompanied us through winter will say their last goodbyes as we eagerly await frost-free nights. After the spring cleanup, our 62 greenspaces will again receive weekly mowing weather pending.
LEAF will be irrigating eligible parks as well as providing year-round quick response times for litter control and 3-1-1 concerns.
Hawkwood is one of 13 Calgary Non-Resident Association communities who are fortunate to have voted in an Enhanced Landscape Maintenance Program (ELM), affectionately known as LEAF (Landscape Enhancement Appreciation Fund), and it is this program that provides for all of these careful enhancements. Since its inception in 2004, Hawkwood’s Community Association was a pioneering force in this Calgary program. 21 years ago, Hawkwood was showing its age and as the City of Calgary needed to scale back mowing and care of Calgary Parks, the Hawkwood Community Association saw an opportunity to have 100% of a portion of Hawkwood resident tax money be put directly back into Hawkwood to fix the situation. Originally intended as means to breathe new life into ageing communities, the program is growing roots in new communities as their residents and prospective homebuyers want the same care and attention Hawkwood enjoys. Hawkwood continues to maintain our LEAF Special Tax Levy contribution fees among the lowest 10% in all these communities.
What LEAF Provides:
• Weekly mowing for 62 green spaces with the ability to focus on areas of increased need.
• Median watering during droughts.
• Spring and fall cleanup, and post-windstorm cleanup.
• 12 entrance flower beds and park shrub beds.
• 88 flower planters.
• Winter features in all 88 planters.
• Irrigation in eligible parks (0.2Ha to 0.7HA) subject to City of Calgary allowances.
• Direct and immediate control on what needs attention in our green spaces.
• Volunteer directed by Hawkwood residents who want to make a difference in the community.
• Stable funding – 100% of applicable tax dollars go directly to Hawkwood.
LEAF News
Irrigation of City of Calgary eligible parks between 0.2Ha and 0.7Ha in size will occur in June, July, and August, pending water restrictions. These irrigation zones are equipped with smart controllers and permit use during certain types of scaled down delivery rates. If water restrictions are declared, irrigation is scaled back depending on the restriction level declared, Levels One through Four. This is done by reducing the time allowed to water each zone. Flower planters fall within the hand watering restrictions.
This year’s flowers will be a mix of annuals intended to reduce water consumption, exhibit improved hail bounce-back, wind and cold temperature tolerance, and control plant material costs. However, some previous year’s pollinator perennials are also expected to make another showing this year!
Our winter planter features were almost exclusively sourced from within Calgary as removed trees destined for the landfill were intercepted and beautifully recycled!
LEAF has also been an advocate with Urban Forestry’s tree planting program along medians. Without LEAF, replanting, watering, and the high survival rate would not have occurred as it has.
As street sweeping season is upon us, please adhere to the parking restrictions in place. The work to be done relies on everyone’s compliance. Gravel left behind underneath parked cars presents a hazard to cyclists and children and reduces the capacity of our storm sewers. The LEAF program provides median and parks cleaning in coordination with the street cleaning.
Soon we will be graced with green fields likely sprinkled with dandelions. Dandelions are not considered noxious weeds and therefore new restrictions will inhibit carrying out any chemical control in Calgary Parks. Dandelion season is typically short-lived but does coincide with the lush greens we typically enjoy in June. On the positive side, dandelions are a natural soil aerator with their deep and soft roots and will benefit our parks in our expected drought year.
Whatever our summer in Hawkwood has in mind for 2025, we hope you can regularly take some time to explore and relax in your community, enjoy the floral displays of colour, and experience our well-kept parks. We live in a beautiful community with a fantastic outdoor recreation facility that provides many fun and leisure activities for everyone to experience. Calgary is a world-class city to live in with a spectacular mountain backdrop and is in a province and country that provides peace, opportunities, and freedom.
LEAF
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