Community League Legacy

What does your Community League and your neighbourhood mean to you? Do you or someone else in your neighbourhood know the history of your Community League? These are all important stories to tell, to share and to be proud of.

Preserving the community league history is a very important part of this project.

The following video was inspired by the initial 100th anniversary project concept visioning back in 2013 and delves into the history of the Community League movement in Edmonton.

Major research project completed

Thanks to the Edmonton Heritage Council and the Alberta Government, the EFCL was able to complete a major research project into the history of the EFCL and community leagues, as part of the 100th Anniversary Project.

Some Highlights in Our History

March 3, 1917

Edmonton’s First Community League
Community League: Crestwood Community League

1920

Edmonton had nine established community leagues
Community League: 142nd Street (Crestwood-1917), Bonnie Doon (1919), South Side (1918), Westmount (1919), Riverdale (1920), West Edmonton (1920), Forest Heights (1920), Bennett School (1920)

January 24, 1921

Original nine community leagues united to create EFCL

April/May 1926

“Clean up, Plant up, Paint up” Campaign by 14 Community Leagues and the Edmonton Bulletin

March, 1934

EFCL opposes new city streetcar fares on the grounds that it discriminated against the poor.

1952

First EFCL Talent Show, which is now the Edmonton Youth Talent Show, produced by Terwillegar Riverbend Advisory Council (TRAC) under the direction of the Riverbend, Brookview and The Ridge community leagues.

1963

There are now 82 leagues representing communities in Edmonton

Community Leagues are an important part of Edmonton’s history

The EFCL encourages leagues to start gathering their historical pictures, stories and memorabilia. The City of Edmonton Archives will assist leagues to sort and store, so your community league history is captured, safe and accessible to all the individuals or organizations who want to learn and be inspired by your humble and remarkable past!

Several Community Leagues have already donated and EFCL will be working with the archive to access special league memories in anticipation of the 100 year celebrations to come.