Bergen Springs E-states Spring 2017 Page 1

In This Issue…

Bylaws in a Nutshell 2

Don’t Feed the Wildlife! 3

Useful Links 4

From the Cutting Board 4

This is a First!

elcome to the first edition of Bergen Springs E-states! I hope you’ll

find something interesting or useful in the newsletter, whether it be

highlights from the bylaws, upcoming events, new recipes to try.

Hopefully a little something for everyone. Although this is an electronic

publication—even its title tries to make a little pun on that point—we’ve also

printed a few copies for those who may not have email. We plan to publish the

newsletter four times a year (March, June, September, December).

The first time I came to Bergen Springs a couple of years ago, I was struck by the

sheer beauty of the place. The real estate listing tried its best to boast about this

cute little cabin with a mountain view, but there’s nothing like seeing this place

first-hand to appreciate how truly special it is.

The thing I notice most about leaving the city whenever I come out here is the

strong sense of separation. The sights and sounds are different out here. The air

smells better. You see more birds, more wildlife. Far from city lights, the night sky

puts on a spectacular show here. Sometimes, especially on a weekday in the

winter, I step out of my truck and stand still for a moment to drink everything in.

The towering spruce dolloped with fresh snow. The snapping blue sky. The deer

and moose tracks crisscrossing the yard. The sweet sounds of silence. Somehow

nature can transport you far beyond the 100-kilometer drive it takes to get to our

special place.

—John Ostrander, Editor

W

Your Community Newsletter Spring 2017

Bergen Springs E-states Spring 2017 Page 2

Bylaws in a Nutshell

If you’re like most people, the thought of

reading fifty pages of legalese is enough to

make you quickly opt for some other task.

Any other task. Like cleaning the oven. Or checking the

height of effluent in your septic tank.

Well, in the spirit of the KISS principle (Keep It Simple,

Stupid!), I’m offering this little piece in plain English to

provide the gist of our bylaws.

********************* DISCLAIMER *********************

☞ THIS SUMMARY CANNOT PRESUME IN ANY WAY,

SHAPE, OR FORM, EXPLICITLY, IMPLICITLY, OR

OTHERWISE, TO STAND IN FOR OR IN ANY MANOR

WHATSOEVER SERVE AS ANY KIND OF SUBSTITUTE

FOR THE AFOREMENTIONED BYLAWS, WHICH IN

STARK CONTRAST TO THIS FEEBLE NUTSHELL, SO-

CALLED, ALONE HOLD FULL LEGAL VALIDITY AND,

IPSO FACTO, SHOULD BE THOUGHT OF FORTHWITH,

BY WAY OF ANALOGY, AS POTABLE WATER VIS-À-VIS

SEPTIC EFFLUENT. ;-)

**********************************************************

What the corporation must do

As a condo corporation, Bergen Springs Estates is

required by law to:

take care of the common property (such as the hall, the water wells, the play structure, etc.) for the benefit of all lot owners

have an insurance policy for the common property

collect condo fees from owners

pay for common-property expenses, such as road maintenance, garbage collection, and so on

keep all financial records

provide documents (such as our bylaws, estoppel certificates, etc.) to real estate agents, buyers, and others upon request.

What the corporation can do

The corporation has the power to:

buy or rent equipment or hire services (like tree removal) needed to maintain the common property

borrow money if need be

invest money

charge interest on owners’ accounts that are in arrears

fine owners for bylaw infractions.

NOTE: The corporation’s duties and powers are

performed and exercised by the board.

What is the role of the board?

The board represents you, the owner. We are owners

ourselves. We effectively run Bergen Springs Estates on

your behalf. We:

meet regularly to discuss issues that affect all owners and the park

study the bylaws and help ensure that all owners abide by them

review requests from owners for things like development projects

strive to apply the rules and regulations consistently.

Who can be on the Board?

Any owner, provided their account isn’t in arrears, can put their name forward for election to the board at each Annual General Meeting (AGM) in June. Board members are elected for a two-year term. The board must consist of at least 3, but not more than 7, members.

Annual General Meeting

June 10, 2017 @ 1:00 in the Condo Hall

Save the Date!

Bergen Springs E-states Spring 2017 Page 3

Some of the DOs and DON’Ts from Section 61

You, your family members, all occupants, and all guests must abide by the bylaws.

All existing cabins, decks, and sheds that were in place as of January 1, 2013 are considered “Grandfathered in”.

Before you do any “changes, construction, or alterations” (61.a.iii) on your lot, you must first get the board’s permission.

The municipality of Mountain View County has the ultimate authority to grant building permits.

You can have one permanent unit (e.g. cabin, RV) and one temporary unit (e.g. RV) on your lot at one time. The temporary unit must be licensed and mobile.

You can’t have a garage, but you can have a non-permanent canvas-and-frame carport (e.g. ShelterLogic ).

You can have a storage shed (up to 108sq.ft.).

You can have a wood shed (up to 80sq.ft.), but it must be open on one side.

You can have a firepit cover (up to 256sq.ft.), but the roof must be metal.

Your buildings must be at least two meters from your adjoining property line, four meters from the rear of your property, and five meters from the front of your property.

You have one year from the date you were issued a building permit to finish the building’s exterior.

You must have a septic tank that is pumped out as required.

You can’t have a septic field.

You can’t have a gray-water pit. Your gray water must drain into your septic tank.

You can’t make noise between 11:00PM and 8:00AM.

You must have your pets hand-leashed while on common property.

You must keep your pets under control at all times.

You must clean up after your—and your guest’s—pets.

You must always obey the 15KPH speed limit on all roadways.

You can drive ATVs on designated roadways, but not on open common property.

You must display your lot number on your ATV.

Kids aged 14 and under must wear helmets in ATVs.

You must keep your lot “in a good state of cleanliness and repair”.

You can’t damage or change the appearance (e.g. by cutting down trees) of the common property without the board’s permission.

You can’t string wire, rope, or cord between trees so as to form a fence or barrier.

You can’t build any fences or barriers to define the outer edge of your property without the board’s permission.

You can’t use firearms, air guns, bows & arrows, crossbows, slingshots, paintball guns, or fireworks anywhere in the park.

You must notify the board if you sell or lease your property.

Don’t Feed the Wildlife!

On a recent drive here, I spotted a large bird gliding in

the sky above the Cowboy Trail, somewhere near

Cremona. At first I thought it was a large hawk or

perhaps a vulture, given the impressive wingspan. But

as I got closer, the telltale white head and rear feathers

came into view. A bald eagle. A line from John Denver's

Rocky Mountain High immediately popped into my

head:

Ever wonder why you never see anything

like these directives in the bylaws?

Wave whenever you pass another driver on the road.

Stop and chat with your neighbor.

Offer to help when you see someone struggling with a heavy load.

Invite a passerby to join you at your campfire.

Whenever you refill your glass, ask if anyone else needs another drink.

:-)

Bergen Springs E-states Spring 2017 Page 4

“I know he’d be a poorer man if he never saw an eagle

fly.”

Seeing wildlife, especially when

unexpected, can be a thrilling

experience. As the crow flies—or

as the bears and cougars roam—

Bergen Springs Estates is only

about 60 klicks from the edge of

Banff National Park. And there’s

practically nothing but forested

foothills between here and

there. No wonder wildlife

wander in our neck of the woods.

Some people enjoy seeing deer or moose so much that

they’ll put food out to attract them.

Bad idea.

People have been known to put out salt licks, hay, or

oats in hopes the deer will visit. But attracting deer to

your property may attract predators. In the winter you

might think that grizzlies are hibernating, so they won’t

be around to prey upon the deer. True, but cougars

don’t hibernate. These cats hunt all year long. And they

can pose a serious risk to pets or children in the park.

Useful Links

Bergen Springs Estates: www.bergensprings.ca

Bergen farmer’s market: http://thebergenmarket.ca

Bear sightings: www.mountainviewbearsmart.com

Mountain View County: www.mountainviewcounty.com

Olds businesses: http://www.windsorgraphics.ca/cgi-

bin/tofolds/bizdir.cgi

Sundre businesses: http://sundre.com/business-

directory.html

From the Cutting Board

You know those thin, feeble pancakes they dish out at those free Stampede breakfasts? Well, you get what you pay for.

These thick, hearty pancakes aren’t anything like those wimpy whiteflour Stampede staples! These pancakes are packed with nutrients, including whole-wheat flour,

oatmeal, peanut butter, and blueberries. You’ll likely opt for a light lunch after enjoying these for breakfast.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour

½ cup quick oats

¼ cup hemp hearts (optional)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup add-ins (e.g. blueberries, chocolate chips, banana pieces)

2 eggs

¼ cup honey

½ teaspoon vanilla

2 cups milk

½ cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)

Steps

1. Beat the eggs, then beat in the honey, vanilla, and peanut butter. Mix in the milk.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, oats, hemp hearts, baking powder, and salt.

3. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry and stir just until the batter is smooth. Don’t overmix the batter.

4. Fold in the blueberries (or other add-in). 5. Drop about a ladle full of batter for each pancake

on a hot, greased griddle. Cook about 3 minutes on each side – this is a pretty heavy batter, so check the centre to make sure they’re done before you remove them from the griddle.

6. Enjoy!

If you ever want to contact the board with

questions or comments about anything at

Bergen Springs Estates, please feel free. You

can email us at:

boardmembers@bergensprings.ca

Or drop a note in the slot at the condo hall.