ELM (Enhanced Landscape Maintenance)
Commencing Spring 2023, the Mahogany Homeowners Association (MHOA) entered into a landscape maintenance agreement to perform enhanced landscaping on city-owned* medians, boulevards, and traffic circles within Mahogany. The MHOA will manage approximately 18,300m2 (4.6 acres) of median/boulevards, this increase as the community continues to develop.
About ELM (Enhanced Landscape Maintenance)
Why Participate in ELM?
A participating ELM community, through their stewardship, ensures the following are completed:
- Mowing and trimming of grass areas
- Litter control (loose littler clean-up, not garbage can clean-up)
- Curb sweeping
- Tree well and shrub bed maintenance
- Installation of seasonal florwers and planters
- Watering and irrigation
The Enhanced Landscape Maintenance Program allows communities, like Mahogany, to collect and use community generated funds to add additional landscaping and maintenance to parks, green spaces, boulevards, or pathways in their neighbourhood – beyond the standard provided by the City of Calgary.
Items that are not covered under the ELM Program
- Infrastructure enhancement or maintenance (e.g. community entrance signage, pathways, transit buildings/shelters, playgrounds)
- Any private land enhancements – including tree planting (only public lands and assets may benefit from this funding)
- Tree care and planting
- Weed control and pesticide applications
- Pest management
- Pathway maintenance (sidewalks, commercial, regional pathways, etc.)
- Areas that fall within the 20M88 Bylaw
Mahogany Community Landscaping Map (as of April 2024)
- Green Areas = City of Calgary or School Board Responsibility
- Blue Areas = Hopewell Responsibility
- Yellow Areas = MHOA Responsibility (Private MHOA)
- Purple Areas = MHOA Responsibility (under the ELM agreement)
MHOA Rehabilitation Plan for ELM Medians & Boulevards
In collaboration with turf specialists and with the approval of the City of Calgary, the Mahogany Homeowners Association has developed a remediation plan for the 2023 season. This plan provides us with a blueprint to follow, though it’s important to be aware that it may be subject to adjustments based on variables such as soil test findings, weather conditions, and product availability.
Frquently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
Yes, the City of Calgary does provide a small operating grant to contribute to the cost of the ELM project.
No, the MHOA is not permitted to apply herbicides/pesticides to city owned property. The MHOA can submit a request to the city to be considered for weed control applications at the cost of the MHOA. Please see www.calgary.ca for more information with regards to integrated pest control management.
MHOA turf management practices will include the following:
- Topdressing
- Overseeding
- Fertilizing
- Aeration
- Soil amendment practices
- Soil testing
No, The MHOA is not permitted to prune/replace or treat dead or diseased trees that are owned by the City of Calgary. Please visit www.calgary.ca to find out more or report a tree concern.
Calgarians who discover dead cats, dogs, coyotes, raccoons and other wildlife on city streets or public property are encouraged to report them online www.calgary.ca
No, The City of Calgary is responsible for collecting waste from community garbage cans. If you notice a garbage can that needs emptying please contact 311.
Due to Calgary’s harsh winters and the amount of salt used for ice control, this greatly impacts the health of the turf on both the medians and boulevards. Under ELM, the MHOA will put a remediation plan in place to mitigate/repair and maintain these damaged areas.
Please note this is an ongoing project and will likely take a number of years to get it to the maintenance standard the MHOA strives for.
The MHOA will initially focus on rehabilitating medians, boulevards, traffic circles and shrub beds.
In 2018, The MHOA negotiated with the City Of Calgary to install dog waste stations and to manage and replace the dog waste bags around the wetlands area. If you find waste bags need replacing, please contact the MHOA at 403 453 1221 ext. 1
The MHOA is not permitted to apply any herbicides or pesticides to City owned assets.
Foxtails are a native species and are, unfortunately, not classified as a noxious weed by the province. There are places in the city where there are more foxtails than in other areas.
Parks & Open Spaces are currently trialing a pilot project in the south to help manage this plant, and are working with other internal services to create a plan to address foxtail in certain parks based on 311 data on trouble spots.
Please visits www.calgary.ca for more information
The MHOA welcome feedback.
All questions can be directed to
ELM@mahoganyhoa.com
