April 2023 newsletter

Calgary is at its greatest risk for flooding from May 15 to July 15. Calgarians are encouraged to sign up for The City's flood readiness e-newsletter for the latest news on river conditions, tips for flood preparedness and updates on flood resilience projects during high river flow season. 

The City is hosting public engagement sessions on flood preparedness for communities at higher risk for flooding. Residents will have the chance to provide feedback on The City's river valley policies and regulations. 

There will be a session in Bowness on Monday, May 1 from 6:30 to 8 PM at the Bowness Community Association South Hall. More details are coming soon!

As announced last year, The City is extending the wheeling lanes on Silver Springs Blvd NW between Silvergrove Dr and Nose Hill Dr NW as part of the Neighbourhood Streets pilot project. The extended pilot will also include additional traffic calming measures throughout the community and widened sidewalks around Spring Hill Village. Construction is expected to begin later this month and completed by the fall of 2023, weather permitting. 

Traffic safety is a top priority for Councillor Sharp. So far, the pilot project has shown a dramatic reduction in vehicle speeding without increasing overall travel times. The Ward 1 Office is meeting with the Calgary Police Service to review speed data in Silver Springs and the overall safety benefits of this pilot project. 

The existing wheeling lanes and new extension will remain a pilot project until 2024, at which time The City will evaluate their performance and review feedback from the community. 

The latest on the project, including construction updates, is available at calgary.ca/silverspringsstreets. You can contact the project team directly with any questions or concerns at neighbourhoodstreets@calgary.ca.

There has been some confusion regarding the upcoming introduction of new fees to the residential parking permit program. 

There are no changes to the streets where permits are required at this time. If you do not currently need a permit to park on the street, you will not need one as a result of these changes.

Calgary.ca has a map that shows which neighbourhoods have areas that require street permits. Not all streets within the zones require permits, however. Permtis may only be needed on a few blocks within those zones, often close to LRT stations or other areas with a high demand for parking. We have asked the Calgary Parking to clarify this on the map.

You can verify whether a permit is required on your street by referring to the posted signage or by contacting the Calgary Parking at 403-537-7000. 

The new fees, set at cost-recovery levels for standard permits, will ensure the long-term sustainability of the permit program. Residents benefit from more certainty on the availability of parking and from routine camera enforcement not conducted elsewhere in the city.

Green Cart collection returns to a weekly schedule the week of April 24. This seasonal adjustment ensures efficient collection of food and yard waste during the warmer months, April to October. There are no changes to your regular pickup days. Learn more and sign up for free pickup reminders at calgary.ca/greencart.

The City offers free compost for yards and gardens. To ensure safe and efficient pickup, appointments are required and available beginning April 10. Appointments are available at the Shepard or Spyhill landfills from April 24 through June 10.

Calgarians can drop off yard waste at City landfills for free from April 14 through May 28. This is a great way to dispose of extra material quickly, or to get rid of yard waste that's too big for your Green Cart.

Calgary Transit has listened to community feedback and is increasing the number of non-reserved park and ride stalls available at CTrain stations. Commuters can park in any available stall without reserved parking signage. 

Calgary Transit is extending the pilot to allow bikes on CTrains during all service hours until December 31, 2023. The extension will help Calgary Transit understand how the pilot is affected by increasing ridership levels. 

The City and Calgary Police continue to take steps to improve Transit safety. The City has increased the number of contracted security guards, increased overnight patrols, and is delivering more proactive peace officer enforcement. 

In addition, Calgary Transit is making several environmental design upgrades including improved lighting at stations along the 7 Ave corridor, implementing a rapid response team for vandalism, and increasing cleaning.

A reminder that you can discreetly report safety concerns on Transit by texting 74100 to connect with a Transit dispatcher.

Beginning this weekend, Calgary Transit will offer a new weekend group day pass. The pass will allow unlimited travel on a weekend day for groups of up to five people including two adults. 

The pass will cost $15 and will be available every weekend through the My Fare app, the Transit trip planning app, or at ticket vending machines.