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Grounds Committee Notice: Ground Cover Trials at the Co-Op

Submitted by Debbie Willis

The Grounds Committee will be trialing four types of ground cover this year, to discover if there are alternatives to grass that will better serve our co-op. We currently water the grass and pay for mowing; we are hoping that, after our retrofit and new building are complete, we can replace the grass with ground-cover that will be less expensive to maintain, less water-intensive, and that will support pollinators and biodiversity.

After doing research into various lawn covers, we are planning to trial four varieties:

  • A type of short-growing and drought-resistant grass called Eco-Lawn; we will be over-seeding existing grass near the circle garden with this variety.

  • The Alternative Lawn Mix Wildflower Seeds, which form a low-growing, dense ground cover composed of fine fescues, flowers, and clover species, from West Coast Seeds. Suitable for Zone 3 climates like our own, we will over-seed some of the grass in the space behind the units on 3rd Street.

  • The Easy Care Envirolawn Cover Crop Seeds, a mix of low maintenance grasses and drought-tolerant flowers, from West Coast Seeds. As above, this mix is suitable for Zone 3 climates; we will over-seed some of the grass in the space behind the units on 3rd Street.

  • Wildflower seeds from Wildflower Farm. We will remove the existing grass from a small portion of the grassy areas behind the units on 3rd street, and plant wildflower seeds in that area to trial a true wildflower meadow. There will be several months of no growth, as we prepare the ground for planting in the fall.

Please contact Debbie at debmwillis@gmail.com if you have questions or concerns about these plans.

Get to Know Your Neighbour

Submitted by Paola Bacaro

Name: Paola

Unit: 22

Prettiest place you’ve ever been to: Tapotupotu Bay, North Island New Zealand.

Favourite thing to do on the weekend: Read the Globe and Mail Saturday edition.

Favourite late-night snack: Cereal (like Jordan's Morning Crisp Wild About Berries).

Something others may not know about you: I recently joined the Communications Committee and may be coming to interview you soon!

Nature Corner

by Scottie Potter

Urban Bobcats

Recent years have seen an influx of bobcat sightings in Calgary, including the areas around Sunnyhill. These athletic and adaptive cats are opportunistic predators, willing to hunt prey on the ground or in trees.

What to do if you encounter a bobcat? While they pose no danger to people, bobcats may see small pets as prey. Keeping cats indoors and small dogs leashed is a good way to avoid a bad bobcat encounter.

Bobcat on McHugh Bluff. Photo by Scottie Potter.

Nature Photo Submissions

L: Coyote and mallards at Prince’s Island Park. Photo by Teale Sargent. Submitted by Cindy Schnee.

R: Immature bald eagle and harassing magpies on McHugh Bluff. Submitted by Mia Rushton.

Co-Op Reminders: Budget General Meeting

When: March 24, 2024 3:00PM

Where: Calgary Curling Club

Included in the 2024 Sunnyhill Co-op Budget document is:

1) Background information outlining Sunnyhill’s financial position
2) Detailed budget compiled from committee requests.
3) Three separate budget scenarios that show the impact of what a 2%, 4% and a 6% increase in the Economic Housing Charge would have on Sunnyhill's net income and financial position. Please note the expenses are identical in each scenario on the detailed budget provided. The only change is the housing charge.

Please review in advance. There will be an opportunity at the meeting to address questions prior to the vote. We are only voting on the 2024 budget. Decisions made at the meeting will not bind Sunnyhill in future years.

Co-Op Reminders: Reading Group

When: Tuesday, March 5th at 6:30pm

Where: The Curling Club

We are still working our way through the Alberta Cooperatives Act. This week we will be learning about the Capital Structure of Cooperatives (whoop whoop). You don’t want to miss this one, it will be gripping! We promise a great time getting to know each other better over a few dry pages and a cold beer. The Cooperatives Act can be found here.

February Good Food Box Order

Submitted by Marion Gauzer

Have you heard about the Good Food Box but aren’t sure what it is?

Good Food Box is a Community Kitchen program that allows Calgarians to buy a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables at an affordable price. The contents vary from month to month depending on seasonal availability. Orders can be picked up at our Sunnyhill Co-op “depot” which is unit 2.

The next Good Food Box delivery date is February 29. To place an order, please fill out and submit our online order form no late than noon on February 20. If for any reason you can’t submit your order online (or you have any questions), please email me (mgauzer@yahoo.ca) with your order information.

You can pay for your Good Food Box:

  • with cash (in an envelope with your name on it) when you pick up your order OR

  • by sending an email transfer to Belle Auld (belleauld@gmail.com) before February 29.

Boxes come in three sizes (*weights are approximate):

Small Box: $30 15-20lbs* of fruits and vegetables

Medium Box: $35 25-30lbs* of fruits and vegetables

Large Box: $40 35-40lbs* of fruits and vegetables

Nature Corner

by Scottie Potter

The Great Backyard Bird Count February 16-19, 2024

Take part in this annual global event by taking 15 minutes each day to record the species and number of birds you see around you. Submitting them online through the eBird app helps scientists better understand and protect birds!

Muskrats: Wetland Gardeners

Missing the colour green this time of year? Visit the lagoon on Prince’s Island Park and you may see a muskrat munching on vibrant water plants they dredge up from the pond bottom.

These large members of the vole family are an important part of wetland communities, as their selective feeding fosters a wider diversity of plants, in turn attracting birds and insects.

Nature Corner

by Scottie Potter

Winter Waterfowl

The lagoon on the east side of Prince’s Island Park is an excellent spot for winter waterfowl watching. Although mallards and Canada geese are by far the most common waterfowl species you’ll see, many others overwinter in Calgary. It is always worth checking amongst the throngs of mallards and geese for other species, including wood ducks, common goldeneyes, and hooded mergansers.


Merlin: The Free Bird ID App

Needing help identifying a bird? The Merlin app can help! Not only does it have a step-by-step guide to narrow down a bird you’ve seen, it also uses your photos and audio recordings to identify a bird. Check it out here or in the app store of your choice!

Neighbour Shout-Outs

“I would like to give a shout out to my neighbour Kathleen. Kathleen was incredibly welcoming to my roommate Janet and myself when we moved in two years ago, and continues to always greet us with a smile. She generously allows us to use her driveway as ”visitor parking” whenever we have guests come over (which is often!), and gifts us with goodies on every holiday. The biggest and most amazing thing Kathleen has done recently was over this past flu season. Both Janet and I were sick for a few weeks in November with a bad flu. Kathleen offered to walk Phil (my 7 month old puggle). I had a hard time accepting that offer as I thought it far too much to ask. Kathleen insisted it was no trouble to her at all, and she walked Phil twice a day like clockwork for nearly two weeks! As a neighbour, Kathleen has made us feel like we are exactly where we should be, and it is home. Best wishes to you all!”

— Leslie Sweder, 748

First Good Food Box Order for 2024

Submitted by Marion Gauzer

The first Good Food Box delivery date for 2024 is February 1. To place an order, please fill out and submit our online order form no later than noon on January 23. If for any reason you can’t submit your order online, please email me (mgauzer@yahoo.ca) with your order information.

You can pay for your Good Food Box:

  • with cash (in an envelope with your name on it) when you pick up your order

  • or by sending an email transfer to Belle Auld (belleauld@gmail.com) before February 1.

Good Food Box is a Community Kitchen program that allows Calgarians to buy a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables at an affordable price. The contents vary from month to month depending on seasonal availability. Boxes come in three sizes (*weights are approximate):

  • Small Box: $30, 15-20lbs* of fruits and vegetables

  • Medium Box: $35, 25-30lbs* of fruits and vegetables

  • Large Box: $40, 35-40lbs* of fruits and vegetables

Post Christmas Thanks

Submitted by Brenda Williams

Post Christmas thanks:

to the secret Santa who made their very own delightful Christmas wrapping paper surrounding yummy chocolate hearts, and

to the secret Santa who brought me oranges and candy canes, and

to the secret Santa who brought me unique goodies from the UK;

and to the people who identified themselves with Christmas cards and other thoughtful items (Bean your handmade card was lovely)...

THANK YOU!!! It's wonderful to experience the absolute joy of giving and the pleasant surprise of receiving. I am sure that since Santa knows all, Santa will know I am grateful, but I thought I'd put it in writing just to be sure.

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