Katie Berghofer for Ward 8

Here’s a great free family activity kit! Pick yours up starting Sunday.

Update: snow delay moved the start to April 14! Residential street sweeping starts Monday, April 12. Ward 8 neighborhoods are 12-18 on the list.... Please watch for signs in your neighbourhood and remove vehicles, curb ramps and any other obstructions from the road. For more info: https://www.strathcona.ca//ne/news/2021/4/8/streetsweep21/

Strathcona County is looking for community members to sit on their Accessibility Advisory Committee and the Social Framework Grant Committee Please apply and/share the link with anyone you believe would be interested.

STEP 2 of Alberta’s Path Forward: Starting today: 1) Indoor Fitness: adults low intensity individual and group now permitted (all must wear a mask). Examples: Pilates, yoga, indoor rock climbing. - high intensity not permitted in group or solo. If working 1:1 with a trainer, trainer must wear a mask.... - no drop in fitness, sign in required. - swimming not permitted at this time. 2) Libraries 15% fire code capacity permitted (not including their staff). Changes for hotels, banquet halls, retail, and children’s sports are delayed, may change before STEP 3 begins. Over 30% of cases are still being linked to at home infection and indoor gatherings! - no indoor gatherings permitted. In total, 457 cases of new variants have been discovered in AB. This is a key factor as to why not all regulations were permitted. To date, 235,000 doses of vaccines have been delivered, 88,000 individuals have received 2 doses. 123,000 of the 75+ year olds, have booked their shots! https://www.alberta.ca/enhanced-public-health-measures.aspx

NEW! County providing earlier funding opportunities for arts, culture and heritage organizations affected by COVID-19 restrictions. The earlier funding assistan...ce as part of the County’s Arts Culture and Heritage Community investment program. Application deadline for earlier grant funding, of up to $5,000 per applicant, is April 16, 2021. Many types of arts and culture activity expenses can be funded and the full details, including information on how to apply, are available at https://bit.ly/3djoiAO Funds must be used prior to June 1, 2021. Note: Regular grant funding applications for the County’s Arts Culture and Heritage Community investment programs are still available at the regular application dates: May 8 and November 30. bit.ly/3cyw0aW

1209 of our 1866 AB covid deaths are residents 80+ years of age. 2505 of the 5835 hospitilzations have been from those 70+ years of age. This phase of the vaccine rollout is the most important. You can help your eligible family members make their appointments!... All Albertans born in 1946 or earlier are eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine. You do not need to wait for your 75th birthday. ID is required to prove age. To make appointments for your first and second doses: - Book online - Call 811, or - Contact a participating pharmacy in Calgary, Edmonton or Red Deer Seniors living in congregate care settings do not need to book an appointment. AHS will contact residents in these facilities directly. Need a ride? Isolated seniors and those with mobility challenges can call 211 for help finding a ride to an appointment.

90 km/he winds possible beginning tonight, lasting all day Monday, for Sherwood Park and the rest of Strathcona County. Check your properties today for anything that is not secured properly. https://ecalertme.weather.gc.ca/warning-latest_en.php

Spring program registration starts next week for indoor, outdoor and virtual programs! Monday, March 22 at 7 a.m. - Register for visual arts, performing arts,... preschool, sports, group fitness and outdoor pursuits. Tuesday, March 23 at 7 a.m. - Register for modified swimming programs including individual / household lessons and parented learn to swim classes. Learn more about the modified spring swimming programs offered here: https://www.strathcona.ca//recreation-pr/aquatic-programs/ Get ready for registration and find all program info including course descriptions, dates, times and locations: https://reconline.strathcona.ca//publ/category/browse/PROG Registration on now - outdoor and virtual Spring Break programs https://reconline.strathcona.ca//b/PROGSPECIALX920SPRNGBRK All programs have been created to meet the provincial guidelines in place to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in our community. Please be sure to read and understand the new guidelines in place for each program.

This afternoon we unveiled the new name of the rink inside the Sherwood Park Arena. Randy Rosen has committed himself as a community builder through endless giving of himself in our local hockey community. The letters council received were moving. He is a pillar in our community. Unmute.

Just minutes east of Sherwood Park, right here in Strathcona County, brave volunteers are playing in the World’s Longest (most likely coldest) Hockey Game! I headed out with my family to cheer on a the athletes and support the cause. It was great to watch live hockey.... https://worldslongestgame.ca

New Spray Deck planned for Ward 8 and changes to STEP 1 recreation re-launch. https://app.robly.com/archive

Millennium Place Wellness Centre is re-opening February 16, for registered trainers and their clients for 1:1 training. See news release for additional information. https://www.strathcona.ca//2021/2/11/covid-update-feb11-21/

Do you have it takes to Crack the Kindness Code? During February, look for fun code cracking activities around Strathcona County. Learn more on how to Crack the Code to Kindness and free workshops to mark #SCchooseKind. https://www.strathcona.ca//well-being-and-men/choose-kind/

February is a month to reflect on kindness. In my most recent article, I focussed on how kindness helps build community. Standing up to bullying isn’t just a lesson for our children. Pink Shirt Day is February 24.... https://www.sherwoodparknews.com//kindness-builds-community

Plows are coming! Snow route parking ban declared: - With approximately 20 cm of accumulated snow on collector roads, we will be declaring a snow route parking ban effective Monday, November 9 at 12 noon. - A snow route parking ban applies to all collector roads (priority 3) marked with permanent signs that state snow route when declared. ... - It may take us up to five days to clear the snow on these roads. - Vehicles left on collector roads may receive a $250 ticket and tow. - Vehicles are typically towed to the nearest residential street. - Residents may park on the street once the snow has been windrowed and removed. See more

Stressed about parenting, the pandemic or just need to talk? Call Strathcona County Family and Community Services at 780-464-4044 or visit https://bit.ly/3kmGb3V.

You may recognize someone!

The Poppy Campaign starts today. Show your respect virtually by creating your personalized poppy, by following the link. The image of the poppy is protected, please show it respect and donate funds to support veterans.... They made sacrifices for the freedoms we enjoy today. https://dev-mypoppydev.pantheonsite.io/index.php

Face Covering Bylaw Update: Last night council extended the date of the bylaw to March 31, 2021. Council or Administration could always bring the bylaw back to council prior to this date, if there are changes in COVID where it is necessary.... There is no clause that has us remove our face coverings if the case count decreases. Please keep up the great work in reducing our case counts and keep following all AHS guidelines. With colds on the rise here’s a symptom refresher, taken from AHS: *If you have any of these core symptoms, you are LEGALLY required to isolate for at least 10 days from the start of your symptoms or until they are gone, whichever is longer: -Fever -Cough (new cough or worsening chronic cough) -Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing (new or worsening) -Runny nose -Sore throat *If you have any of these other symptoms, you should stay home and limit contact with others until your symptoms are gone: -Chills -Painful swallowing -Stuffy nose -Headache -Muscle or joint aches -Feeling unwell, fatigue or severe exhaustion -Gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or unexplained loss of appetite) -Loss of sense of smell or taste -Conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye

Today’s challenge for Strathcona County’s Waste Reduction Week is a Waste Free Lunch. I’m working from home today, so here’s a picture of my son’s lunch. https://www.strathcona.ca//reduce-yo/waste-reduction-week/

Large item pick-up for Ward 8 is Tuesday, October 13. Don’t forget to put a label on the items, so the right ones get picked up. *Move hockey nets and other items away from the end of your driveway, so others don’t think they are up for grabs! ... https://www.strathcona.ca//waste-collec/large-item-pickup/