Submitted by Richard Harrison ob behalf of the Board
Dear friends and neighbors,
It's been a while since I wrote you, though we've been meeting quite often, so I feel like we haven't been completely out of touch. Still, it's good to pause every so often and think together the way a letter lets us do. Likewise, it's good to pause and share a feast of thanks themselves.
That's what I want to do now, 3 months in to the first year of this Board's work.
The Spaceship has Landed: First, thanks to everyone who participated in any of the ways open to us to figure out what we the building we were going to build should be. That has been a big and complex decision, not without dissent, not without its drawbacks and sacrifices. But in the end, we made a collective decision, one that will become one more step in the Co-op's survival. Not just that. In the maintenance of a thriving housing co-operative in the centre of Calgary
Co-op Meaning: Thanks to Herta and Kevin who joined me a few weeks ago at the SACHA AGM. I came away from that meeting with a renewed sense of how important co-ops are as options for housing in the future. And how unknown. I'm looking forward to working with both SACHA and my fellow Co-op'ers in helping to craft a renewed narrative to describe and promote Co-op life. Thanks to those on the Board, the Buildings Committee, Grounds, P&D, and all the other members who have already contributed to this project. Just as the co-operative movement is, the project is ongoing. I welcome any thoughts on this that you might want to send me.
Thanksgiving Dinner: Anyone looking for an example of what Co-ops mean need only look to Yvonne's invitation to all to join her for a Thanksgiving dinner. Yvonne, we all know this isn't the only time you have extended your time and efforts -- and food -- on our behalf just because that's what it means to you to be here. Thank-you for always keeping all of us as close as a plate away.
The Yards are Fully Pruned: Thanks to the Grounds Committee and all the volunteers who pulled, sawed, chopped, pruned, and carried (I'm thinking of you, small army of the next generation of Co-op kids who I hear at play every day outside my window) all that needed to be pulled etc from our shrubs and trees and yards at the beginning of this month. It was, quite literally, thousands of pounds of work, and it was great to do it together. Thanks for the refreshments, too, Zahurel and Belle.
Bridge Under Troubled Walkers: Congratulations and thanks to the Grounds Committee again on the completion of the access bridge behind unit 746. It's a beautiful piece of carpentry and I love it as a sign of a good thing done and good things to come.
Guests, Speakers, and Writers of Letters: Thanks to those of you who have written or spoken to the Board about the matters that concern you in response to my earlier request for your priorities in the coming year. Some things have been done now, as you can see; others are still in the works.
Yardworx: Thanks again to the current and past Grounds Committees for their work on the recommendation of Yardworx as our new grounds maintenance team. We are looking forward to a busy season with them, and we'll review the decision at the end of their current contract.
I'm realizing this list is long, it's not complete, and I haven't got to the big news of the week: So let me say this. While I haven't yet formalized the relationship between the Board and the Committees in the form of some kind of round-table discussion, over these past few months it has been a great pleasure to have spoken with -- in voice and letters -- the Grounds, Buildings, Member Selection, P&D, and Social Committees and our Privacy Officer to ensure that people know what is going on in areas of overlap, solve problems as they've arisen, and both make and see plans come to fruition to support the Co-op as a progressive, beautiful (I'm thinking of you, mural of honeybee and clover) and inclusive place. Recently, I read an essay by Vancouver writer Jessica Barrett. In it she said that a home isn't just a place you want, it's a place that wants you. I like that. I know we are not all in that place with this place all the time. Maybe no one ever is with where they live. There is more work to do. But I believe that if we keep that idea front and center, and do the work that it asks of us, we will be a place where the people in it want to be.
And second-lastly, I want to thank and express my admiration to Andrea in the office and the members of the Board for all the work that they are doing on the Co-op's behalf.
And now, We've Got Big News, and I'm going to turn this over to the people who brought it to us: Take it away!
(Thanks Richard) Planning and Development is very happy to announce that Sunnyhill has been awarded $112,765 from The Federation of Canadian Municipalities Green Municipal Fund. Talk about harvest season! These funds are for the work we began in the spring. We will share details at an upcoming GM. Deep gratitude to the membership for your trust, thoughtful participation, and enthusiasm. (P &D Committee)
Happy Thanksgiving, Sunnyhill!
The Board meets this week. I'll have more to tell you soon.
All the best,
Richard.