Neighbourhood Garage Sale; June 8, 2024 from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Gleneagles Neighbourhood Garage Sale; June 8, 2024 from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM Multiple homes throughout the entire Gleneagles Community will be participating. Email all questions to Jacquelyn [email protected]
Don’t know much about drought resistant landscaping alternatives? The GlenEagles Community Association, with input from two local horticulturalists and the Town of Cochrane, has several suggestions. Just click on the following files to learn more about drought resistant:
Held at The Links of GlenEagles on May 15, 2024
If you want to reduce your mowing to every few weeks and are fretting about watering it regularly to keep it green, a mix of grass and clover may be exactly what you need! Clover is a legume that belongs to the same family as peas and beans and mixes well with grass turfs. As a result, overseeding lawns with clover is becoming increasingly popular among homeowners for their lush, green appearance and low-maintenance requirements. Homeowners are also realizing its potential as a hassle-free, eco-friendly solution for landscaping.
Not only do clover lawns attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies, but they’re also drought-tolerant and have nitrogen-fixing abilities! This means you won’t need to use as much or possibly even any fertilizer to keep your clover lawn lush and green.
Download article in PDF format.
The Concrete Batch Plant Concerned Citizens Group received strong support from the residents who attended the Gleneagles Community Association 2023 AGM. At the meeting, over 50 more Gleneagles residents signed the Notice of Appeal, which was filed the next morning. The Provincial Government Land and Property Rights Tribunal responded immediately and notified the Town to turn over a long list of documents. Going forward, the Concerned Citizens are looking for volunteers to assist in preparation for the Hearing of the Appeal. Environmental, health and safety experts, as well as residents willing to help with media relations, petitions, letter writing campaigns, gravel pit monitoring and reporting, are required. They also need donations to pay for outside experts to present their findings to the Appeal Board hearing, as well as for legal expenses. Donations of any amount are welcome and can be made to the GoFundMe Account at https://gofund.me/0e97b271 or by emailing [email protected] if you would rather pay by cheque or by cash. For more information refer to the linked PDF file.
Adopt an Island Do you live near one of the islands in GlenEagles East? Are you tired of looking out your windows onto dried brown grass and dandelions? If so, […]
Xeriscaping is the practice of designing our boulevards, parks, and islands in such a way as to use as little water as possible. By using native plants, naturalized plants, trees, ground covers, and other features we can create environmentally friendly, attractive, efficient, and cost-effective outdoor space.
What’s Involved in Transitioning to Xeriscaping Landscaping?
Xeriscaping involves the use of multiple strategies to create environmentally friendly and climate appropriate landscapes that are aesthetically pleasing. These can include:
Use native & naturalized plants:
Plant trees to:
Use groundcovers to:
Foster sustainable water use by:
Reduce maintenance by:
The AGM will be held at the Links of GlenEagles on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, starting at 7:00 P.M. with doors opening at 6:30 for registration and to visit the information booths set up by our guest presenters. We hope that you will attend as we think that this will be both an informative and exciting meeting!
The AGM
While AGMs typically are a review of the past year, this year’s AGM will focus mostly on the path forward. We will introduce GECA’s Landscaping Strategy and 5-Year Plan that outlines the transition to more sustainable xeriscaping alternatives. Learn about how GECA plans to green with clover, eliminate irrigation, provide opportunities for community engagement, and manage our costs; and how you and your neighbours can Adopt an Island.
We will also have presentations from a concerned citizens group about the Concrete Batch Plant and from Jeromy Farkas, CEO of Glenbow Ranch who will share the potentially “catastrophic” consequences if the Province builds a reservoir at the Glenbow East Dam location.
All of our presenters will be available before and after the formal AGM to hear your concerns and to answer your questions. A social will follow where, in addition to our presenters, you can meet with your Board members and neighbours.
2023 Landscaping Initiatives
As a reminder, GECA maintains the boulevards at the entrances to Highway 1A, GlenEagles East and West, and The Landing. The ToC maintains the islands and parks in GlenEagles East and West and the condominiums each have their own landscaping committee. In 2023 GECA planted additional shrubs and trees on the GlenEagles East boulevard and approved a number of small landscaping projects. We also sent out a landscaping Request for Proposal (RFP) which we are required to do at least once every three years. We are pleased to announce that we have contracted both TJK and LUX Landscaping for the 2024 season.
2023 was a turning point with the Town of Cochrane. Trish Kluane, Manager, Parks and Open Spaces, committed to standardizing mowing and trimming operations, and training staff to meet these standards. Under her guidance the ToC also cleaned up the shrub and tree beds in Murphy Brothers Park, repaired the path where tree roots created safety issues, provided GECA with 20 cubic yards of premium mulch, and watered our newly planted trees to ensure establishment success. Their plans in 2024 are equally ambitious.
Website
GECA worked with a local web designer to build a site to promote GlenEagles and to provide timely relevant information. For example, you will be able to access a web form to apply for the Adopt an Island Program, get AGM updates, and read our newsletters. Want to know the dates of our community workshops? Or see pictures of micro-clover lawns? It’s all there. Check it out at www.geca.ca.
Finances
GECA is in a strong financial position and expects to be able to fund the transition to xeriscaping landscaping alternatives from our savings and existing fees.
Remember the May 15th AGM. We look forward to seeing you there!
Best Regards,
Margaret Blair, President
At their meeting on April 17th, 2024 the Cochrane Planning Commission approved the building permit application for a 2,500 square foot concrete batch plant to be built on the site of the existing gravel pit. The Town of Cochrane (ToC) posted a sign on the roundabout closest to the gravel pit that generated several emails to the Town’s Administration. As a result, the plant owners, Heidelberg Materials, made several changes to their initial plan.
However, there was no forum for in person discussions and it appears that many of our residents were unaware of the proposal until after the Planning Commission approved the permit. There are also many unanswered questions. One of our residents, Paul Trotter, is organizing a group to launch an appeals process. Please click on this link to see Paul’s latest email updates.
Paul and/or a member of the Appeals Team will be speaking at the Gleneagles Community Association’s AGM on Wednesday, May 15th, 2024. We also hope to have a representative from the Town of Cochrane to provide their perspective. An information booth will open prior to the meeting at 6:30 pm and will re-open at 8:30 pm after the AGM to listen to your concerns and to answer your questions.
The provincial government is considering flooding five parks, including Bearspaw and Haskayne Legacy Parks, and Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park, to build a new reservoir between Cochrane and Calgary. Glenbow Ranch believes that the “Glenbow East” dam would not only catastrophically impact our parks, but negatively affect our recreation opportunities, wildlife, environmental, and property values.
Jeromy Farkas, CEO Glenbow Ranch Park, will be presenting at the Gleneagles Annual General Meeting on May 15th, 2024 at the Links of Gleneagles starting at 7:00 pm. An information booth will open prior to the meeting at 6:30 pm and will re-open at 8:30 pm after the AGM to listen to your concerns and to answer your questions.
Prior to the AGM residents are encouraged to: