For private circulation onlyPublished by Emaar Community Management: contact us at communities@ecm.ae

COMMUNITY NEWSEmirates Hills — Issue 4 — 2014

Inside thisissue

02Landscaping updatesLearn more about the recent initiatives taken by us to enhance the overall aesthetics of the community.

04Monsters, candy & gamesCatch all the fun and excitement from the Halloween 2014 celebrations.

05Bugged by pests? Read how you can protect your family’s health and safety while controlling annoying pests.

06Planning a party?Be a considerate neighbour and follow your community rules while hosting a party at home.

New Year, new look for Lailak ParkLailak Park is all set to get a new look next year. The long awaited development officially began in November after appointment of a qualified landscaping contractor and consultant to monitor the project. The theme for the new park was conceptualised by a well-known consultant with experience and expertise in designing parks and kids’ play areas in the region. One of the key design requirements of the park was to ensure that it would appeal to all age groups of the community. The park will boast a unique design and we eagerly look forward to its opening in the second half of 2015.

*Concept image provided by Verdaus.

Season’s GreetingsHere’s wishing you and your family a joyous festive season anda fantastic New Year from all of us at ECM.

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A greener, cleaner view is what you can soon expect to see on Lailak Street. The tender was completed and a contractor was appointed for completion of landscaping and interlock work along the L sector. However, commencement of the planned improvement work was delayed due to requirements for a DEWA NOC. We expect the necessary NOCs for this area to be issued by January, therefore most likely work will commence in the first quarter of 2015. As a temporary improvement, we instructed our service provider to clean the area, lay irrigation polytubes and plant sesuvium groundcover cuttings to add greenery. Another team has been appointed to carry out civil maintenance such as rectification of damaged interlock and painting of walls and DEWA cabinets.

Lush landscaping at Lailak Street

The landscaping along many areas of Yasmeen Street was damaged during DEWA cabling works and proper reinstatement of the lawn is pending in some of these areas due to requirements for DEWA NOCs. Our service provider has completed rectification wherever possible without the NOC and all drawings, trial trenches and site inspections were completed. NOC issuance is expected by late December, at which point the grass will be replanted as quickly as possible to return the area to its original lush green condition.

DEWA-damaged rectification being done

Landscaping updates

We plan to extend the line of date palms along Yasmeen Street to match the existing design and boost aesthetics of this area. In addition the 36 palm trees, a line of shrubs will also be planted along the lake fence line. This project is also dependent on issuance of DEWA NOCs and our service provider is working to obtain the necessary NOC to begin excavation and planting.

Aesthetic upgrade for lakeside landscaping

Tendering is currently underway to appoint a qualified company to carry out enhancement of the W Sector fence line (bordering the RTA road, Al Khamila Street). Excavation will not be possible in this area due to the DEWA service corridor and limited space, therefore our plan to improve area aesthetics is to install a line of potted conocarpus lancifolious trees. These fast growing and dense trees will be trimmed and trained to form a hedge which will obstruct the view from the RTA road and add greenery to the area.

RTA fence facelift

Landscaping enhancement along the villa boundary walls (W8 through W30) has been delayed due to requirements for DEWA NOCs prior to any excavation. The appointed contractor has submitted all required drawings, completed trial trenches and has met the DEWA inspector at the site to review the job requirements. The NOCs are expected in December. Once the NOCs are issued, the appointed contractor will immediately begin the redevelopment work. This area is close to a major DEWA conduit, which is a sensitive area, due to which NOC issuance can take anywhere up to two to three months and in some cases, depending on site conditions/underground services and proximity to high tension cables, much longer.

Better landscaping for boundary walls

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Gushing fountains will soon be a familiar sight in the community. We have recently reviewed each fountain in Emirates Hills and carried out essential repair work. Several of the pumps had reached the end of their lifespan and have been replaced with new models to ensure smooth and consistent running of the fountains. Several of the crane water features were also replaced and all pieces were repainted glossy black to ensure the same standard. Tiling and mosaic repairs have also been carried out and additional refurbishment is planned for the first quarter of 2015 to keep all water features in tip top shape.

Let it flowSeveral specialist crews are on the ground in Emirates Hills to carry out quick and efficient repairs and ensure a fresh, clean appearance is maintained. The teams consist of painters, masons and general handymen who together have worked to improve aesthetics on Lailak Street, the Nisreen lake walls, the Corniche Street fence and other areas where maintenance was required. Additionally, a specialist contractor has been appointed to replace and/or reinstate worn or subsided interlocks. Their first task was rectification of the uneven pathways at Nisreen Park and they are moving throughout the community to ensure all pathways are in good condition and free of trip hazards.

Community clean-up in progress

Easier access. Better security.We are pleased to announce that the pilot project of the new Automated Access Control System (AACS) was successful and the system will go live in Emirates Hills by February 2015. The AACS will require that you have a registered access device in your vehicle to enter the community. A Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance system will also be installed with the AACS, to further enhance community safety and security.

After a review by Emaar Security Group (ESG) and our technical team, the same system is being installed across all villa communities. Each of The Emirates Hills gatehouses has been fitted with new entrance and exit barriers, and entry to the community will be automated through access cards, which will be provided to residents on submission of required details.

If you have not already applied for or received your new access cards, please contact us at communities@ecm.ae

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The landscaping improvement project along Al Asayel Street continues to progress. Our contractors are completing the installation of irrigation lines to prepare the site for plantation, which is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2015.

A greener view along Al Asayel Street

Well-maintained private landscaping improves the aesthetics of your home and the community. In an effort to maintain the general beauty of the community, please ensure compliance to the community rules regarding maintenance of private landscaping. Here are a few tips on how you can maintain your private landscaping:

• Keep all private landscaping neatly trimmed and properly maintained to ensure it does not encroach onto the common area or the neighboring lot.• Ensure a minimum distance of 1.5 meters when planting trees in your garden. Take appropriate measures to avoid roots and branches of the plants/trees in your garden from damaging the boundary wall.• Complete removal of Damas trees, including the root system, is strongly encouraged. Damas trees are not suitable for residential areas and cause significant damage.

Tips for taking care of private landscaping

Creepy crawlies, scary monsters, cute minions, cartoon characters and all things Halloween came alive in Arabian Ranches, Downtown Dubai, The Greens & Views, Emirates Living and Mistral, Umm Al Quwain on Friday, 31 October 2014 at the annual Halloween Event and Costume Contest.

Children had a field day with arts and crafts corners, haunted houses, beanbag theatres and dancing, while food stations served snacks and beverages. The climax of the evening was the Costume Contest, in which children who had been shortlisted participated for a chance to win a trophy in the Scariest, Funniest and the Most Creative Costume categories. This was followed by trick or treating, as enthusiastic groups went door to door to claim their candy. The feedback was very positive and we look forward to another fright night next year.

Halloween event

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If you’re having a pest control problem, this article will tell you how to take action to keep them out ofyour home. Start with three simple steps:

Bugged by pests? Take these steps.

Starve them!Pests will eat just about anything, so the best thing to do is to prevent easy access to food:

• Seal up boxes and bags of food. Cockroaches love cardboard boxes and can climb into them with ease.• Store open food such as cereal, flour or sugar in plastic bags or containers.• Clean up spills and leftover crumbs immediately. Pests love food left out in the open.• Don’t walk around the house while eating. Have meals and snacks at the table.• Clean dirty dishes right away. Pests want whatever is left of your meals.• Keep a tight lid on trash and empty it often. It may be trash to you, but pests see it as dinner. Place trash cans far away from a back door entrance.• Don’t leave pet food out overnight. Food can stir up pests’ appetites.

Dry them!Cockroaches can live up to one month without food, but will die without water in a week:

• Always drain dish water from a sink. Because cockroaches can swim, a sink full of water might become a party.• Wipe water and other spilt liquids off the counter as soon as you see it. Puddles are roach magnets.• Fix leaky faucets, radiators, dishwashers and washing machines.• Empty excess water in flower pots and plant stands. A drop of water can be all a roach needs to feel satisfied.

Keep them Out!By keeping cockroaches and rodents out of your home, you can prevent them from becoming a problem. Pests spend most of their lives hiding. They love cracks, and can squeeze in just about anywhere. If you’re careful though, they can’t move in on you. Follow these simple tips:

• Seal cracks and openings behind sinks, around pipes and windows.• Repair holes in door and window screens.• Clean up clutter, including stacks of newspapers, paper bags and cardboard boxes.• Set traps for rats and mice. If you use baits, make sure they are in a tamper-resistant bait station made of durable plastic or metal. Remember to place them in an area where children and pets cannot touch them.

Pest facts• Ants are the most common household invaders. They appear in large numbers, often nesting in wall voids and other areas of the home. The most effective way to control ants is to locate their nest and apply baits that the worker ants will take into the colony. If possible, seal the access point that the ants use to get into your home.

• The presence of spiders in your environment indicates that there are a variety of other insects present for the spider to feed on. They are often found in basements, crawl spaces, air vents and attics. Although most spider bites are not life threatening and no more painful than a bee sting, the venom of some species can cause a necrotic wound and systemic toxicity. Infection is also possible if bacteria is transmitted during the bite.

• With more than 3,500 known species, you’re likely to come in contact with a cockroach. They are commonly seen or heard scurrying about at night. If you see them during the day, it’s reasonable to assume that there’s so much pest pressure in the cracks and crevices where they hide that they are being forced out into the open.

• Given their incessant need to gnaw in order to wear down their teeth, rodents, such as rats and mice, can cause severe damage to your property. Rodents contaminate every surface they touch with their uncontrollable urination and defecation. Since they feed indiscriminately on debris, rodents come in contact with many diseases, including plague, salmonellosis, rabies, leptospirosis and trichinosis.

USEFUL NUMBERS

Dubai Civil DefenseAmbulance PoliceEmirates Hills Security HotlineCommunity Hotline (24hrs)

Dubai MunicipalityTaxi (RTA)DEWASecurity emailAl Ameen

Contact ECM at: 800 EMAAR | communities@ecm.ae

997 (Fire)998999800 EHILLS (800 344557)04 308 9555

800 900800 9090991emrillseccontrol@emrill.com800 4888

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ECM wins at the Arabia CSR awards

As a community manager, our corporate conscience helps us strive towards encouraging sustainability and environmental awareness among our residents, community staff, service providers and employees. And it is gratifying to know that our efforts are being acknowledged on a national level.

On 28 October 2014, ECM was awarded in the Medium-Size Enterprise category at the 7th Cycle of the Arabia CSR Awards. Handpicked from a pool of 155 registrants from 79 organisations across 25 industries and 12 countries in the MENA region, ECM stood out as a leading specialist in CSR and sustainability in the region.

The award is in recognition of our commitment to CSR through charity initiatives and community programmes such as Give and Gain Day; our sustained contribution to Smile Train; the annual Ramadan Charity Drive and the mass Iftar that served more than 97,000 community workers and service providers in 2014.

We thank you for supporting our community initiatives and can truly say we couldn’t have achieved this without you.

Celebrating? Be considerate.As we head toward the end of another year, it’s the perfect time to celebrate by entertaining family and friends at home. But while you’re doing so, please take your neighbours into consideration. You can start by informing your community manager if you are planning a big event. This way, we can assist you and your guests with access arrangements. Please email us in advance with details of your event to communities@ecm.ae We also request that you avoid being too loud and that you and your guests obey the community rules. If our security team should pay a courtesy visit to your villa during the event, please cooperate with their request, keeping in mind that this is for the benefit of all members of the community. We appreciate your cooperation and hope you have an enjoyable season of celebration.