Regency Heights II

Updated: May 28, 2025

Major Events

The complex is hosting the annual multi-unit garage sale on Saturday, June 7 this year, to coincide with the Sherwood Park community wide garage sale, in which a number of neighbourhoods will be doing the same. The garage sale runs from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. All residents are invited to set up a table and sell their no-longer-prized possessions. There will be lots of traffic around the complex, so please alert any potential visitors that parking may be difficult.

This year, the annual spring BBQ will be held a week later, on Saturday, June 14 from 4:00pm onwards. Each unit was given a form to indicate what they would like to eat. Please return that to the unit 15 mailbox as soon as you can. Food is provided by a County of Strathcona grant. The event will take place behind units 18 and 19. Please bring chairs, drinks and your own cutlery. This year, the focus will be fire safety. We hope to have an expert from the Strathcona County fire department provide tips and advice.

Summer Projects

Many units are waiting for replacement of defective windows. The company that manufactures the sealed glass units is now defunct, as is the company that installed the windows. Thus, we will no longer be able to get replacement windows under warranty. The Board has asked for quotes from new window installation companies to replace the defective windows. The cost will be covered by the reserve fund. The Board will be reviewing the quotes in the June meeting and choosing a vendor. It will take several months for the chosen vendor to manufacture the glass. The goal is to have identified defective windows replaced by the winter.

The Board is also looking to book replacement of certain cracked concrete sections in various units this summer. Walkabouts with vendors are scheduled this week. Quotes will be reviewed in the June Board meeting. Once the costs are known, the Board will choose a vendor and will schedule the work. The list of repairs will be issued at that time.

Rodent Issues

The large amounts of snow this winter allowed mice and voles free rein to migrate around the neighbourhood. The Board looked for holes leading to nesting areas in the spring walkabout. Residents are advised to keep the areas under their decks clean of debris that might serve as a nesting area. Because the complex is situated next to an open field to the south and backyards to the east, mice and voles will continue to immigrate. The cost of having exterminators come in on a regular basis is prohibitive. Setting traps is the best way to mitigate an infestation. Rodent poison is not advised given that there are a lot of pets in the complex. The Board will be plugging holes that have been identified with a steel wool material that prevents mice and voles from making their nests in those areas.

Polybutylene Piping Replacement

When the complex was constructed in 1993, poly-B water pipes were still allowed (that ended in 1997). Some owners have already had their units re-piped with "pex," the most common replacement. Owners who have not yet done so should give this serious consideration. Some insurance companies are starting to ask if poly-B is in the premises, and charging a surcharge or exempting water damage from coverage. Here is a pdf document from BFL explaining the issue:

Lithium Ion Battery Fires on the Rise

Check out this web page: Calgary FIre Department Launches Lithium Ion Battery Safety Campaign. With more and more devices and tools using lithium ion batteries, it is important to learn about how to maintain them. This web page contains some scary pictures and good advice!

If You are Away for a While...

If you are away from your unit for longer than two days, make sure to have someone check on your unit every two or three days while you are gone in case the furnace stops running. A dead furnace can lead to frozen water pipes which can cause major damage to the unit. Having a checker is a general insurance requirement. Everyone should provide Ayre & Oxford with one or more emergency contacts. If a neighbour or passer-by notices a problem in your unit, Ayre & Oxford can get a hold of the emergency contact to expedite a response, if you are unavailable.

Assure Your Insurance

One question that comes up from time to time is the amount current deductible that owners/residents should build into their personal home owner's insurance on their units. Owners/residents should submit the BFL Certificate of Insurance for 2024/25 to their personal insurance companies to ensure they get the right coverage. Some insurance companies want a copy of the Corporation's bylaws. Both documents are available on the Condo Cafe. Because the current BFL coverage carries a $50,000 deductible for water, sewer and flood damage, owners/residents should make sure that their home owner unit insurance covers that amount. 

Store It. Don't Pour It...

This is a reminder to residents to avoid pouring grease and fat down the kitchen sink. It can clog up your unit's plumbing and it can build up in the sewer. In the first case, the unit owner is on the hook for the cost of cleaning the line. The Corporation is responsible for the cost of flushing blockages in the sewer, but this can affect multiple units. Store it (and put it in the compost or garbage) - don't pour it (down the sink)!

Care With Smoking

It is unfortunately common for smokers to toss their cigarette butts in planters, starting major fires. Many planters have peat moss in them. Here is an article from the Canadian Condominium Institute on the dangers of cigarette butts in planters: Peat Moss - Ancient Fuel, Modern Menace.

Rules of the Roadway

The entire roadway in the complex is a fire lane, meaning it must be clear for fire trucks, ambulances and other emergency vehicles. Parking is not allowed on the roadway at any time. Owners need to inform visitors of the rule. We have ample visitor parking for guests. Keeping the roadway clear ensures that we don't violate the complex's insurance policy.

This is an opportune time to remind residents that visitor parking is for visitors, not residents. As well, the roadway is not a speedway. Please slow down. The few seconds you save going 10 kms per hour too fast is not worth the cost of an injury to visiting children and pedestrians who might be on the roadway when you are driving.