Seven Community Leagues selected for EFCL Solar and Energy Conservation Program

Draw held today for leagues involved in solar program

Today the  Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues (EFCL) selected the seven lucky community leagues who will get to participate in a new and innovative Solar and Energy Conservation Program.

The successful leagues are: Rossdale, Riverdale, West Jasper Sherwood, Ritchie, Alberta Avenue, North Glenora and Meadowlark.

Warren Saurer of the Solar Energy Society
being interviewed by CTV at the launch
of the EFCL Solar and Energy Conservation
Program in June. Photo David Dodge

Each of 15 community leagues filled out an application and submitted a cheque for $6000 to qualify to get in the draw for the program. Successful leagues get package that includes a small 1.2 kW solar system, a comprehensive energy and carbon audit and an LED monitor system to report energy production and to program community league programs inside the hall.

The EFCL was only able to raise enough money for seven leagues to participate in the program so a draw had to be held to select the qualifying leagues. 

Being president of the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues didn't matter today in this random draw since my own community league (Evansdale) was not successful in the draw to participate. Neither was McLeod, also from District B of the EFCL, the district I represent.

To summarize we had enough money (from our own funds, a $30,000 grant from the City and from leagues themselves) to involve seven community leagues in our Community League Solar and Energy Conservation Program.


Video of the draw held at the EFCL offices: July 4, 2012

The program was discussed over the last year or so, but it was just officially announced about one month ago and 15 leagues sent cheques for $6000 (ore more) to the EFCL to qualify for the draw that happened today. That is very rapid turn-around for leagues to not only display interest in a program but commit their hard-earned cash as well. We actually heard there are other leagues that would have joined the draw if they had more time.

Today in a draw witnessed by numerous community leagues, two city staffers and the EFCL staff seven leagues were chosen as successful candidates for the program.

The cheques will be returned to the leagues who were not successful. Based on this level of interest the EFCL may try to raised additional money to allow more leagues to participate in this innovative renewable and energy conservation program.

As president of the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues I am thrilled at the level of interest and excitement in this program, but naturally I am disappointed that my own community league (Evansdale) was not successful in the draw. I have asked the energy conservation audit folks and the solar folks for independent quotes should we decide to participate in solar or energy conservation on our own. There is a remote possibility that the EFCL will try to raise more money to involve the other leagues who demonstrated serious interest in joining the program.

David Dodge

District B Rep and President EFCL

June 2012 EFCL Board Package

June EFCL Board Package

Download the EFCL June 2012 Board Package

The solar program includes
five modules, a
eomprehensive energy audit
 and an LED monitor.

5.3 Solar and Energy Conservation Program
As you have probably heard by now about 18 community leagues showed up at the information session for the Solar and Energy Conservation program. In addition I know McLeod passed a motion to apply and I heard Northmount and a few other District Leagues may be interested in this program. See my blog post on the Solar and Energy Conservation program for more information or visit the EFCL website page on the program. You have until July 1 to fill out an application and send that with a cheque for $6000 to the EFCL to qualify for this $22,000 program. If more than 7 leagues apply there will be a draw.


5.4 Community Swim Fees
A motion is before the EFCL board to support the City's plan to not adjust fees for community swims in the middle of the season if a community league drops out of the program or joins the program mid-season. If a league leaves rates will not go up for the leagues still involved and if a league joins the rates will not go down. Rates will only be adjusted once each year depending on how many leagues are involved. This makes sense to me. And it does not affect us in District B that much.


5.5 Make it mandatory for leagues to provide contact information
The EFCL serves as a central contact point for community leagues when people can't find out who to talk to about their area. And the EFCL needs to communicate with leagues to let them know about programs, and all sorts of things that are of interest to leagues. But sometimes it's like pulling teeth the get basic contact information for the leagues. The board is considering an option to require leagues provide contact information as part of their membership payment process each year. It's good for the leagues if we can send people to them and provide them with ongoing information so this seems logical to me - some folks may balk, but I am not sure why since it's in the league's interests to make it possible for folks to contact them. Let me know what you think.


5.6 Associate Memberships
A proposal is coming to the board to ask the EFCL Governance Committee to recommend a strategy for leagues to have people sit on their boards from outside their boundaries. Note we are not deciding on a policy yet, but we are providing guidance to the Governance Committee to look into this. Note I have great personal reservations about policies that make it easy for leagues to attract board members, soccer players or any other folks from outside their boundaries since this almost always causes friction and bad-blood between leagues. It can hurt a league that is already hurting by cannibalizing their volunteers. I am not even sure why Associate Memberships are even required in most cases. Frankly there is little leagues can do to prevent somebody (a soccer coach for example) from volunteering in another community, but most leagues try to respect membership boundaries. In my league you must live in the boundaries to be a member of our league. If a coach wants to coach for Lago Lindo from Kilkenny they should still buy a membership in Kilkenny, shouldn't they? These are the sorts of issues that can really cause problems. THOUGHTS?


5.7 Summer Operations at Community Leagues
The EFCL is simply urging Community Leagues to consider staying as active as they can in the summer months where there are high demands for activities and programs. You can reach many people in the summer!


5:10 City Growth Strategy

The EFCL Planning Committee has recently reviewed the City’s 6th draft of the Growth Coordination Strategy and believes there is much more work to be done before it should go to Council for consideration. Please see the board package for the recommendations and discussion of this topic.


5:11 Neighbourhood-friendly Social Housing

The recommendation coming to the board suggests the EFCL participate in a working group to develop guidelines for neighbourhood-friendly social housing projects. It also recommends the EFCL apply for a research grant to develop some Good Neighbour Guidelines. See board package for details. The recommendations here make sense to me.


7.6 Community Development Officer's Report - Shahriyar Khan
You can read Shahriyar's report on 40 km speed limits, Jackson Heights traffic concerns, Cultural Inclusion Program, Crime Prevention and the Gym User Committee meetings.
However I would mostly like to draw your attention to a comprehensive report that Shahriyar has written on our Cultural Integration Program thus far. The report is being presented to the board for later discussion at our July meeting.


Online Membership Cards

And lastly I purchased my own Community League Membership for 2012-13 online to test out the new system and I did indeed receive a membership card via email from the EFCL, so the new system is working.


That's it. If you have any comments, suggestions and issue you would like me to take to the EFCL please let me know.


David Dodge
EFCL President and District B Representative