Sentry Page Protection

Nature Corner

Submitted by Scottie Potter

Nesting Magpies

Black billed magpie nests may look a bit messy, but they’re actually carefully constructed, and can take up to seven weeks to complete. Both partners tend to the nest, with the female focusing on the internal structure while the male builds a large domed roof to protect against birds-of-prey. These nests are deceptively sturdy too, and are often used year after year.

April Good Food Box Order

Submitted by Marion Gauzer

The next Good Food Box delivery date is April 25. To place an order, please fill out and submit our online order form no later than noon on April 16. 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. 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: $4035-40lbs* of fruits and vegetables

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 April 25.

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.

Member Login
Welcome, (First Name)!
Forgot? Show
Log In
Enter Member Area
My Profile Not a member? Sign up. Log Out