The Next Meeting 

    Tuesday, December 5th at 7:30 p.m.
    Location: The Hall (upstairs) 

McKernan Community Christmas Party

    Saturday, September 9th from 4-7 p.m.

    Location: The Hall

McKernan
Christmas Party

Sat. Dec. 9, 4-7 p.m.

At the hall

Door prizes, potluck dinner (bring something yummy), games, crafts.

Ice skating on the rink, if weather allows.

League hears development concerns

Our first Housing Development Information session, at the November league meeting, brought many McKernanites out to air their concerns. Led by Housing Committee members Jane Arscott and Margaret Jarosch, the meeting gave an overview of the development permit process and outlined ways to find out what’s happening in the neighborhood. (A list of recent development permits is included in this issue of the Messenger, and will be a regular feature to help keep people informed.)

October’s 109 St. Corridor Study Open House was discussed, with people expressing concerns about proposed rezoning, height allowances, commercial development, traffic, and lack of smaller housing. “There’s no need for us to lower our standards,” said our housing committee, pointing out that the current Mature Neighborhood Overlay should be respected.

The League will be forwarding a letter to City Council on this issue, emphasizing our commitment to the Mature Neighborhood Overlay and the generous leeway it already allows for development. The City has not yet set a date for further public consultation on this issue.

Coming to a sidewalk near you: the Bylaws Officer!

Get out your snow shovels: it’s time to remove that white stuff from your sidewalk. Traffic Bylaw #5590 reminds us that “property owners are responsible for removing all snow and ice from City sidewalks adjacent to their property within 48 hours of the snow being deposited.”

Part of McKernan’s appeal is its “walkability.” We need to keep our sidewalks clear for pedestrians of all kinds including dog-walkers, joggers, seniors, students, parents with strollers, and people with mobility problems.

When the city Bylaws department receives a complaint about poor sidewalk conditions, an officer is  sent out to investigate. The officer usually checks out many houses around the house in question. That’s why several neighbors are sometimes issued notices at the same time.

Hints

•   Shovel your sidewalk down to the surface. Use sand or de-icer to remove ice and improve traction. (Failure to shovel rates an $85 fine)

•   Don’t string extension cords across sidewalks (Obstructing a sidewalk could mean a $110 fine)

•   Don’t shovel your public sidewalk onto the road, alley, or someone else’s property ($35 fine)

•   Don’t shovel your private sidewalk or driveway onto the road, alley, or someone else’s property ($110 fine)

Need help with snow removal?

If you are a senior and you need some help keeping your sidewalk clear, call one of these agencies:

SAGE (Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton)    423-5510 ext. 314

Seniors Caring About Seniors    465-0311

Lifestyle Helping Hands Seniors Association 450-2113

Reporting an infraction

If you have a concern about sidewalks that have not been cleaned or are icy, contact Bylaw Complaints at 496-3100. You must provide your name, address and telephone number along with the address where the suspected violation is and a description of the problem.

Roasting by the open fire (photo)

Neither the first big snow of winter, nor the prospect of scorched marshmallows, delayed the Hallowe’en Wiener Roast. A blazing fire made everything very cozy for the folks who braved the weather. And the things on sticks were great too.

The next community event is our Potluck Christmas Party (detail on this page). Bring some cheer and see you there!

Rink on-side

Ice man Peter Gray has been hard at work preparing the rinks for seasonal service. Much is weather-dependent, but he’s hoping he may have skating conditions by December. Stay tuned for rink hours, and remember you need your skate tags (FREE with your Community League Membership – a real bargain) to skate on the McKernan rinks.

Peter could use some assistance with daily rink maintenance. If you (an individual or group) are interested in lending a hand, please contact him at 434-0480. Any time commitment, no matter how small, would be appreciated.

Events in the community

Jeff Allen Gallery: Strathcona Place Senior Centre (10831 University Ave.) Mon. to Thurs. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Marvelous Mixed Media to Nov. 23: features Mary Sustrik who uses unusual combinations of painted backgrounds accented and enhanced with embroidery, beading,and various other art forms. Christmas Show and Sale from Nov. 28 to Jan. 4: features several of the artists who exhibited at the Jeff Allen Gallery throughout 2006. Come and enjoy some exceptional art, pick up a reasonably priced painting by the artist you admired in the past, maybe find a Christmas present or two. Meet the artists at the reception Dec. 13, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Free skating at Tipton Arena (10828-80 Ave.): Mondays, 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. Lace up your skates!

Creative Kids: Christmas Decorations and Gifts: Sat. Dec. 2, Lendrum Hall (11335-57 Ave.) Crafts for kids ages 6 to 12. $8. For times and to register, call 496-2966.

Minkha Sweater Sale Open House, Sat. Dec. 9, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Windsor Park Hall (11840-87 Ave.) Handknit pure alpaca designs, traditional and contemporary, from the Minkha Women’s Knitting Cooperative in Bolivia. Scarves, hats, vests, cardigans, pullovers, long vests and coats - now also available in Peruvian Pima cotton. Support a great cause and keep someone you love warm this winter.

Lendrum Pottery Group Christmas Sale, Lendrum  Hall (11335-57 Ave), Sat. Dec. 9, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pottery for all occasions and celebrations. Decorative and practical; oven, freezer and microwave safe.

Parkallen Playgroup, Parkallen Hall (6510 - 111 St.), Wednesdays 10 to 11:30 a.m. A chance to get out and meet other parents. Free.

Community briefs

We need a Treasurer! and a few more good people...

The McKernan Community League is looking for a few good people to fill vacancies in the community roster. We are seeking a Treasurer, Secretary and Programs Officer immediately, and a U of A Liaison starting in January. Most positions require a commitment of only three to four hours per month.  Meet new people! Get your voice heard! Contact the executive for information or drop by the next meeting.

Neighboring schools under review

Public meetings are being held as part of Edmonton Public Schools’ assessment of some of its school facilities. Meetings for the following nearby schools, which are under review this year, are:

Mill Creek/Ritchie              Nov. 30

Mount Pleasant                  Dec. 4

Lendrum                            Dec. 5

All meetings begin at 7 p.m. at the school. More information about the EPSB’s Annual Implementation Plan is available at www.epsb.ca.

Pharmacy under new management

Maurice Pharmacy owner Gene Barabash has retired, and new owner Mark Finlay has taken over this month. Mark has experience with small, independent pharmacies and says he hopes to “expand the range of services which we can provide while continuing to maintain the high quality of service Maurice Pharmacy is known for.”

Maurice Pharmacy has always been a strong supporter of the Community League, and Mark says he is excited about the prospect of becoming involved in the local community. McKernan welcomes Mark to the neighborhood, and wishes Gene a happy retirement.

League members get fitter

Current Community League members now get an admission discount to the City’s world-class sports and recreation facilities. Just present your valid McKernan Community League membership card at any one of the City of Edmonton’s sports and fitness facilities and receive a discount on annual passes or multi-admission passes.

Facilities in this area include Bonnie Doon (8648-81 St.), Kinsmen (9100 Walterdale Hill) and Confederation (11204-43 Ave.)  For a complete list of passes, facilities and other details, see www.edmonton.ca/wellness.

Bilinguals needed

Do you speak both French and English?  Do you know someone who does?  If so, you might be able to help one of our community residents complete her graduate work in Linguistics.  For more information, please visit www3.telus.net/JuliaExperiment or call 966-2123.

Licensed for business

The City of Edmonton reminds all owners of home-based businesses that licences must be renewed annually. Licence costs for a Major Home Based Business is $88; for a Minor Home Based Business is $41.

The penalty for not having a valid licence is $400. To renew or apply for a business licence go to www.edmonton.ca, under Permits & Licences > Licensing Information > Home Based Business. If you have a concern about a business operating without a valid licence, call 496-3100.

Christmas Sale and
Open House

Dec. 1, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Dec. 2-3, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Dec. 4-7, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Great selection of our new FLAME PROOF ware (you can use it on the stove top). Lots of special items made just for this event.

Spend over $100 and save 15%, spend over $200 and save 20% on regular price items.

Plus lots of sale items at discounts of 10% to 50%.

7609 115 St., Rear   437-5254                        info@pottery.ab.ca

Anyone for CPR?

Edmonton EMS is offering a free 1 hour Adult CPR class. This is NOT a certificate course, but it will cover the basics of what to do in an emergency, how to recognize a Cardiac Arrest and how to physically do CPR. We will come to your location and have all the needed supplies. Our goal is to get as many people in the city trained in CPR as possible.

Development Applications  in McKernan

(July 1 to November 6, 2006)

To help friends and neighbours keep track of what development to expect in the neighborhood, the housing committee will produce a list of development permits that have been applied for. These permit types include House Development, Accessory Building Development, Minor Development, Sign Development, Uncovered Deck Development and Home Occupation. Any development that occurs should have a permit. This month’s list covers permits that have been applied for in McKernan since July.

This information is available at the City of Edmonton website www.edmonton.ca > Permits and Licenses > Monthly Building Permit Summary. For more complete directions on navigating to the permits, see the Housing Page at the McKernan website: www3.telus.net/nocente/Housing.htm

For further information, or if you are concerned about a development, contact Jane Arscott, 433-1739; janea@athabascau.ca

Who Ya Gonna Call?

For contact phone numbers for all of your city departements, check the links on the Mesenger home page......

Mon. Wed. & Fri. - 6 to 8 a.m.
Wed.  - 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. 
Sat. 1 to 3  or  7 to 8:30 p.m. 

For lessons or additional information Call:  496-8756 

Parents: Need a sitter, well our community sitter registry has a few reliable, qualified sitters, so you can get a night out. If you need a sitter, please call Lori Janssen @ 437-5238. 

Sitters: I’d still like to hear from anyone interested in sitting.  If you would like to be added to the list, please call Lori @ 437-5238.

 W   A    N    T    E    D
Content for the Messenger:
•  Community interest articles
•  Upcoming Community events
•  Great athletic achievements
•  Historical stories and/or photos
•  Local "characters"
•  Opinions on local happenings

Rates:
Family -- $30
Single Parent Family -- $20
Single (with skate tag)  -- $15
Senior - or - U of A Student (no skating)  -- $5

Date: ______________

Members Names: __________________
Address: _________________________
Postal Code: __________
E-Mail:  ____________
Phone: ______________
Childern's Names:   Birth Date:   Sex: M/F
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________

Type of Membership: ________________
Amount Inclosed: ___________________
Number of Skate Tags Reqd. __________
Donations to the League: _____________
Willing to Volunteer?  ____ Yes   ____ No
In what capacity? __________________

Comments:
 
 
 

Clip and Mail to:
McKernan Membership Committee
c/o Mary Heacock
7231 - 112 St.
T6G 1J4
Edmonton, Alberta

Thank you for your continuing support. 
A strong communtiy depends on You!

Have you ever attended a function at McKernan Hall?                         Yes                        No

If so, what type of event was it? (check as many as necessary):

__   Meeting

__   Community League social event (e.g., Summer Fair or Winter Carnival, etc.)

__   Private booking (party, supper, etc.)

__   Attending a weekly class (e.g., yoga, other: please indicate) ______________________

__   Other: (please indicate) __________________________________________________

Did you find that the hall layout and amenities were suitable for that function?                   Yes                    No              Undecided

If no, why not? ________________________________________________

Would it be important to you to have more community-run events in the hall (e.g., general interest sessions, pot-luck suppers, baby-sitting classes, etc.,)?            Yes            No            Undecided

Do you think we should upgrade our kitchen facilities?                        

 Yes                        No                        Undecided

If so, why?_______________________________________________________

Are you part of a group that might be interested in renting out a meeting room in our Community Hall if we had a dedicated meeting room?                        Yes                        No

Do you think that having an out-of-school care program run out of the hall is a good thing for our community?            Yes            No

Why or why not?___________________________________________________

Most hall bookings are for evening events. Should we partner with McKernan School to let them use the hall for periodic activities during the day?             Yes            No            Undecided

What do you think the main role of a Community Hall should be?  Rank the options from 1 (most important) to 6 (least important).

__  Central place to hold Community League meetings and committee meetings

__  Facilitate activities that bring community members together

__  Provide reasonably-priced space for local groups/businesses to hold classes/events

__  Generate income for the Community League through rentals

__  Allow for quality day-care/out-of-school care to be offered in our community

__  Other: (please specify) ______________________________________