Sunnyhill Voice May 2026

Sunnyside’s Evolution

Submitted by Bob Bott (Sunnyside resident since 1990, SHC since 2002, before that, six years in Hillhurst)

An article that Gerald Wheatley and I put together for the two Jane’s Walks in Sunnyside May 2.

SEE ARTICLE HERE

Board Update

Submitted by Buzz Viberg

Dear Sunnyhill Members, The June AGM is fast approaching and the Board will be losing Sean, who has served his two year term. Previous to our Board of eight, soon to be seven, Sean as Chair and now Director, has been integral in ensuring that sound Governance was sustained when the Board was meagre on members! We owe Sean a huge 'thank you', we will miss the energy, intelligence and wisdom you brought to the Board role. Wishing you every success in any new endeavours and a relaxing life moving forward!

The Board would like to encourage and welcome two new Board members at the June meeting. Ideally nine members on the Board would ensure continuity, collaboration and a great opportunity to learn the ropes while being in a supportive environment, where our present respectful, caring and responsible Board members would value your opinions and contributions.

Thank you for your consideration, Sunnyhill Board

Current board members: Anna Barrett (chair), Emma Thursby (vice chair), Jaime Muneoka (treasurer), Meagan Synnott (secretary), Sean Lindsay (outgoing), Rikia Novotny, Buzz Viberg, Rachel Rose

Electrical Panel Replacement

Submitted by Ximena Gonzalez

Electrical panel replacement coming later in May!

If you’ve taken a close look at the electrical panel in your home’s basement, you may have noticed that the breakers are a little bit loose, or that they trip often without rhyme or reason. Maybe your lights flicker more than they used to. The reason for this is that the panels are almost 50 years old, which is double the number of years as they typically last, so we’re long overdue to replace them. Because old electrical panels are a significant fire hazard, in our last general meeting members voted to get new ones, and the buildings committee is gearing up to begin replacing them by the end of May. The bulk of installations should take place in June. The process is pretty straightforward and takes about four hours in total. First, ENMAX turns down the power to your unit, so that the electrician can safely swap the old panel for a new one. After a City of Calgary inspector makes sure the new panel is safely installed, ENMAX turns the power back on. Food should keep fine in the fridge/freezer, as long as these appliances remain shut while the power is down. Sasha, the office coordinator, will send out the replacement calendar soon. If you aren’t home at the scheduled day/time, Sasha will let the technicians into your unit.

In the meantime, if you notice any of the following red flags, flip the breaker off and notify the office immediately: Smell of rotten eggs or fish, warm breakers

Spring News from Grounds!

Submitted by Debbie Willis

The bin is booked! Our spring dumpster will arrive on May 26th and stay for ten days. If you are getting rid of goods in usable condition, please put them beside the bin in case someone else finds your trash to be treasure. But please check back after a day or two to ensure that these goods go in the bin if they're not wanted by neighbours.

Please join us on for a Clean Up Your Yard and Common Spaces worker bee on June 7th at 10am. There will be weeding, pruning and mulching to do be done, and snacks to eaten!

We will be meeting with our arborist at the end of May. If you have any concerns about your trees, please email us with a description of the location and issues you hope will be addressed by May 22nd.

A reminder that our shed is here for you! Please make sure to put your name on the sign-out sheet in the shed if you're borrowing tools or other items that can be used multiple times. You do not need to sign out single-use items, like pest-control or paper yard bags.

If anyone would still like to sign the Water Not Coal petition regarding coal-mining in the Rocky Mountains, please reach out to Debbie Willis at debmwillis@gmail.com

Good Food Box Delivery

Submitted by Belle Auld

The next Good Food Box delivery date is May 28. To place an order, email Belle Auld (belleauld@gmail.com) or Marion Gauzer (mgauzer@yahoo.com) by noon on May 19.

Day of Protest

Submitted by Cindy Schnee

Neighbour Day Event

Submitted by Belle Auld

Neighbour Day 2026 is June 20, please see hsca.ca for more information.

Meet & Greet with Ward 7 Candidate July 19

Submitted by Bob Bott

Erin Waite, one of the more progressive-sounding Ward 7 councillor candidates, would like to have a “meet and greet” with interested Sunnyhill members. She said she’s available Monday evening, July 19, so I suggested we gather around 7:30 by the Little Library and chat for a while or walk over to the picnic tables. Please spread the word among the members.

Several other candidates sound like they might be supportive of our values and aspirations, and it would be good to get to know them before the October 18 municipal election. Here’s the current list of those running in Ward 7, in alphabetical order, with links to their websites:

Ward 7

Incumbent: Druh Farrell

Daria Bogdanov

Bogdanov is an executive council member of the Progressive Group for Independent Business, the right-wing advocacy group that created Take Back City Hall. She is the Take Back City Hall candidate for Ward 7. Originally from Russia, Bogdanov touts her extensive business background—including marketing for Samsung and sales for a medical equipment company.

Matt Lalonde

Lalonde has a master's degree in city planning from the University of Calgary, which he says gives him the ability to provide hands-on policy and design solutions for the city. Lalonde wants to provide incentives to encourage small businesses, to strike a balance between inner-city redevelopment and preserving community character, and to promote "freedom of choice" for transportation.

Heather McRae

McRae is running a campaign calling for more civility at city hall. Having previously done communications work for Cenovus and Encana, she currently works at Decide Campaigns, which is run by her husband, Stephen Carter. In 2013, McRae worked as the campaign manager for incumbent Druh Farrell.

Marilyn North Peigan

Peigan, a member of the Piikani Nation who was appointed to the Calgary Police Commission in 2017, announced her candidacy on the day of the Women’s Memorial March honouring missing and murdered Indigenous women. She says she wants to enhance diversity at the city and help establish a "sustainable approach" to municipal governance.

Erin Waite

Waite has worked the past decade as the director of Connections, a counselling and consulting organization for those with disabilities, and prior to that worked in corporate communications and investment relations at Principal. She wants to find new uses for empty downtown office buildings and partner with various stakeholders on downtown revitalization.

Derek Williams

Williams supports downtown revitalization, the Green Line and the new arena, and wants to expand the city's cost-cutting programs, such as SAVE, as well as affordable housing. He's also the founder of a business that sells designer medical scrubs, and the sales manager for a janitorial services contractor.

Terry Wong

Wong has served as the executive director of the Calgary Business Improvement Area and is currently the president of the Hounsfield Heights Briar Hill Community Association. He has also been critical of the Guidebook for Great Communities. Wong says council needs to do a better job balancing its municipal infrastructure projects and broader planning goals.

Hail Hydrant! But hang on to the water for a bit.

Submitted by Richard Harrison

Hi everyone,

The water is back in the pipes. Excellent. The work on the hydrant is done. However, I've been talking with the same worker today who gave us the heads up about the previous delay, and he points out that, given the problems with the spring in the hill, and the need for the water table to reestablish itself after the hole around the work is filled in, etc, there is still a chance that some mishap or leak might appear in the system.

So his advice is for everyone to keep the water that you have on hand for another day just in case there's another stoppage.

It's been great to see the communication coming through on other platforms, and some of that is in more detail than I need to share right now, but there are going to be some things that we as Co-op alone, and along with our neighbors, will want to be doing to see if we can help mitigate if not solve the water issues around Sunnyill Lane in particular at this point, and McHugh Bluff in general in the long term.

Thanks.

All the best,

Richard.

Before the Light Fades and More Snow Falls ...

Submitted by Richard Harrison

Hi everyone,

I've just heard from the crew working on the hydrant that it's possible they won't finish until tomorrow, and until the work can be completed, they can't turn the water back on, so we're probably looking at another night without running water.

I hope you're all well. See you by the water wagons.

All the best,

Richard.

Memorial Bench and Llamas on McHugh Bluff

Submitted by Brenda Willman

Goats are not the first domesticated livestock to visit our bluff.

Once upon a time (very early 1990s) a small herd of llamas appeared next to our garage on Saturday morning, with side packs loaded with small evergreen trees.  

These trees were planted beside the path and scattered along the bluff more or less between 5A Street and Centre Street.  Some of them did not make it, but many of them are now stately evergreens, providing shelter from wind and snow and rain to animals and people alike.

I recently bumped into an old friend whose parents were highly involved in the preservation of the bluff during the 1980s and 1990s.  In fact, my friend sent me a photo of “llama day” featuring his mom and dad, and a fellow from Alberta Forest Service who supervised the planting – along with 3 llamas wearing red packs – so I know this actually happened and wasn’t a dream.  I haven’t got their permission to show their faces, so I’ve crossed out their eyes, but I do have permission to submit a brief announcement in the Sunnyhill Coop Newsletter, and so I am.

He also told me that a memorial bench, honouring his mom and dad (the Paulings), has been installed on the lower path near 5th Street.  If you come across that bench be sure to give a silent thanks to those who came before us to save the bluff and all of its natural beauty.  

Since then many more asphalt paths have been installed, a house has been demolished (and there is absolutely no trace of its having stood except for a rogue lilac bush growing just to the east of the path near our dumpster) and some paths have been widened or re-paved, but the area largely remains a natural space.  We should do all we can to keep it that way. Momma and baby deer certainly appreciated (and might still) the venue this summer.

Goats, Goats, Goats!!!

Submitted by Cindy Schnee