70 leagues attend EFCL AGM - elections and 100th Anniversary are highlights

More than 70  community leagues attended the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues (EFCL) Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Monday, April 30.

It was great to see Rosslyn, Belvedere, Delwood, Killarney, Evansdale, Kilkenny, Steele Heights community leagues from our district (B). 

EFCL Elections

And thanks to Shawna Walsh, president of Evansdale for nominating me for my third term as district representative. This will be my final term since The EFCL has term limits of six years. A total of 12 district representatives are elected across the city and they form the Board of Directors of the EFCL. At the first meeting of the new board each year the board selects it's executive committee. Numerous board members retired this year including: Rob Agostinis, Veronica Vinge, Donna Woodford, Alf White and Ken Shapka.

New to the board are Shaffeek Ali (Millwoods), Barry Davis (Terrwilliger), Sandra Mueller (Castledowns), Manon Aubry (downtown). Re-elected or still on the board are: Christine Bremner, David Gibbens, Al Innes, and Lindsay Smith. The first board meeting is the second Thursday of the month.

EFCL Planning Committee Elections

A total of six people were elected or re-elected to the EFCL Planning Committee and we are most pleased to say that the Planning committee is also nearly full. Our planning representative in District B is Ron Favell, the president of Killarney Community League. This means he attends the planning committee meetings and these are the folks that make recommendations to the board and membership on city-wide planning issues. The committee has done some amazing work over the last year and the EFCL is rapidly earning respect on planning issues because of it.

A. Susan Bennett -Wrisdon

B. Ron Favell

C. Kathy Murrie

D. vacant

E. Jamie Post

F. Ian O'Donnell

G. Cora Shaw

H. vacant

I. Elaine Solez

J. Lori Jeffery-Heaney

K. Deepali Medhekar

L. Imy Bhatty

EFCL 100th Anniversary Project

The EFCL 100th Anniversary attracted the largest discussion of the evening and it seems there is an appetite for Edmonton's community leagues to unite and build a Community League Plaza in Hawrelak Park to celebrate the concept of community leagues and the 100th Anniversary of the EFCL. The motion was to ask each community league in Edmonton to contribute $400 per year for five years as seed money ($310,000) to raise more money from the different levels of government and privately, to build a community  league project in Hawrelak Park. Phase one of the project is a community league plaza adjacent to the lake that will name all of the community leagues in Edmonton and through interpretive signage celebrate the many contributions of community leagues to the City of Edmonton (soccer, hockey, playgrounds, rinks and other recreation facilities and much more). Phase two will feature a walking trail along the naturalized stream and the third phase a water park feature for kids, just like communities do in so many parks across the City.

The vast majority of the 70 leagues in attendance at the AGM approved this initiative and support in the amount of $400 per year for five years. Only three opposed and three abstained. The motion adds $400 to the EFCL fees for each league over five years and removes the fee once the five years are complete. This does not happen very often, that all of the leagues in Edmonton work together on a project and it seemed pretty clear that the members of the EFCL thought this was a good idea.

April 2012 EFCL Board Package

April EFCL Board Package Highlights

Download the EFCL April 2012 Board Package

EFCL Elections on April 30

My position is up for election this year so we require a quorum of our District B Community Leagues to attend the April 30 EFCL AGM so we can ensure we elect our District B Representative.


I am letting my name stand again this time. If elected this would be my final two-year term since we have term limits at the EFCL. A good thing! 


So whether you support me or not, please come out to the AGM. Dinner is at 5:30 pm and the meeting starts at 6:30 pm. Please RSVP so we can ensure there is enough food.

• EFCL AGM 
• Monday, April 30 
• 5:30 pm dinner
• 6:30 pm AGM at Beacon Heights Community League
• 12037 43 St  Edmonton, AB

I am letting my name stand again this time. If elected this would be my final two-year term since we have term limits at the EFCL. A good thing!

Highlights from the board package:

3.1 Senior's Liaison Position - a few folks from community leagues and one from the City are making a presention to make the case for community leagues to consider including a Senior's Liaison Positon on their boards.  In my mind any new idea that help community leagues adapt to changes in their communities and garner more interest in community leagues is a good idea. And this demographic is certainly growing for the foreseeable future.


5.1 Elevate Report - In our report to the Task Force on Community Sustainabilty the EFCL recommended a permanent multi-jurisdictional Mature Neighbourhoods Sustainability Agency be established with the mandate to sustain healthy, vibrant mature neighbourhoods. This decision item asks the board to write a letter urging four levels of government get together in an innovative partnership. We also suggested create an agency to oversee collaborative community sustainability work in Edmonton. One thing we have learned in the last year or so is when the different levels of government communicate and cooperate and when there is some community involvement to keep them honest - good things can happen.


5.2 Neighbourhood Park Consultations - This is a holdover from our meeting last month when we ran out of time. The City is looking at all sorts of new and some innovative ways of getting better parks sooner in new neighbourhoods. The recommendation to the board of the EFCL is to support this and push for: 1. Consultation, 2. Public Involvement, 3. Resources, 4. Remove a Municipal Govt. Act exemption that allows rezoning of surplus school sites without a hearing, 5. That the CITY require a normal public engagement notification process for planning and development decisions on surplus school sites. See the board package for much more on this. 


5.3 Homeword Trust Plan for Housing and Supports - After a meeting with the Homeword Trust folks four EFCL representatives concluded this plan is not in conflict with the EFCL's position and interests on the distribution of non-marketing housing. A letter is proposed to Homeward Trust that generally supports their plan and repeats our interest in "being at the table" with the non market housing providers. 


9.1 AGM Agenda - For a sneak peak at the AGM agenda look at page 14 in the April Board Package. 
Highlights:

• Under 40 Social Evenings to being younger folks into Communty Leagues
• Living Local Arts and Heritage Program renewed for 2012!
• Appeal of SOCAN Tariff #21 
• EFCL bylaw changes - nothing too exciting
• EFCL 100th Anniversary project - A motion is coming to the floor to ask each league for $400 per year for five years to contribute to the EFCL 100th Anniversary project to acknowledge, celebrate and promote community leagues at a major feature in Hawrelak Park
• Elections will be held in Districts: A, (B) C, D, E< F, G, H, K and L (B should be listed here - this list is suspect and will be checked at the board meeting).
• Reports on Cell Towers, SOCAN, Portable Signs and more.

9.2 EFCL 100th Anniversary Project - Motion to contribute $400/league/year for  5 years
As leagues have seen in a letter the EFCL is proposing a major Community League Feature in Hawrelak Park that would highlight the achievements of communities and even feature the names of all 155 community leagues on patio bricks or in a display. The project is estimated to cost up to $2 million dollars. The EFCL is proposing to create the project in three phases. 

Links to the digital documents of the proposed 100^th Anniversary project.   - 

Download Concept Drawing          

Download Project Overview Presentation - 4 MB pdf

The board decided to propose to the membership (155 community leagues) that each league contribute $400 per year for five years to seed this project. The EFCL would then take that money and add in some EFCL money and use it to raise funds from all levels of government.
Community Leagues will have a chance to vote on this proposal on Monday, April 30 at the EFCL AGM scheduled for 6:30 pm at Beacon Heights Community League. If the motion passes all leagues will be asked to kick in $400 for each of five years to get the program started.
Check out the program description in the board package! It's a pretty exciting project and it would be the first major City feature that promotes and celebrates the work of community leagues. It's our 91 Anniversary this year!

That's about it. There is more, much more in the board package. Use the download link at the top of this blog.


If you have any comments, feedback or input please fire an email off to me or call anytime.


David Dodge president( a t )efcl.org
President and District B Representative
EFCL

March EFCL Board Package

March EFCL Board Package Highlights

Download the EFCL March 2012 Board Package


We Need You! Help elect our District B Representative on April 30


Elections are this April at the EFCL AGM and my position is up for election this year. Whether you support me or not please come out so we have quorum for our district and let's make sure we elect a District B Representative.

• EFCL AGM 
• Monday, April 30 
• 6:30 pm at Beacon Heights Community League
• 12037 43 St  Edmonton, AB

The EFCL Board was hosted the Edmonton Public School Board at a
meeting on February 27.  Photo Rob Agostinis.

3.1 Building Parks When Neighbourhoods are Developed
We had a presentation by Bob Priebe, Director of Parks Planning for the City of Edmonton. The City is working on getting park amenities built sooner in neighbourhoods. Priebe explained they have formed a task force or working group and they are looking how parks are presently funded, who pays and how the process could be improved. They are looking at legal tools as well as processes that might be used to facilitate developers funding an constructing parks. This is obviously something many communities would be very interested in. The EFCL Board was generally supportive and asked questions about equity, long term maintenance costs.
Developers are interested in was of creatively funding parks sooner since it may enhance the appeal of a neighbourhood.


5.2 The EFCL 100th Anniversary Project - Will Leagues Contribute?
As leagues will see in a letter coming out soon the EFCL is proposing a major Community League Feature in Hawrelak Park that would highlight the achievements of communities and even feature the names of all 155 community leagues on patio bricks. The project is estimated to cost up to $2 million dollars - latest figures. The EFCL is proposing to create the project in three phases. 
When we have drawings I will post them here. The board decided to propose to the membership (155 community leagues) that each league contribute $400 per year for five years to seed this project. The EFCL would then take that money and add in some EFCL money and use it to raise funds from all levels of government.
Community Leagues will have a chance to vote on this proposal on Monday, April 30 at the EFCL AGM scheduled for 6:30 pm at Beacon Heights Community League. If the motion passes all leagues will be asked to kick in $400 for each of five years to get the program started.
Check out the program description in the board package! It's a pretty exciting project and it would be the first major City feature that promotes and celebrates the work of community leagues. It's our 91 Anniversary this year!


5.3 EFCL to Meet with  City Councillors about: Solar & Energy Conservation, EFCL 100th Anniversary and rink roof projects.


5.6 New Neighbourhood Design Committee
The board decided to put our staff planner Bev Zubot's name forward to sit on the new Design Team for New Neighbourhood Design Guidelines. It is very cool that the EFCL was invited to participate and of course we in the community league movement have a lot to say about the design of new neighbourhoods! You will hear much more about this as we learn more.


5.7 Neighbourhood Parks Consulations
See Bev's report on parks planning issues as they relate to

• Parks with vacant surplus school sites
• Mature neighbourhoods with closed schools
• New neighbourhoods

7.4 Final Meeting with Outreach Workers

Shahriyar prepared a very nice summary of the views of our cultural outreach workers that helps us with our cultural inclusion project. We have made tremendous strides with this work, particularly in communities such as Duggan. If are you interested in getting more engaged with more cultures this report is worth a scan. Please have a peak starting on page 31 of the board package. There is much more to do.

7.5 Community Planning Advisor's Report (Bev Zubot)

See Bev's report for information on:

• Family Housing
• Park Zone Ammendments
• EFCL's Cell Tower Meeting (done)
• Edmonton Winter City Strategy

7.6 Communications Report (Valerie Pachal)

Check out Valerie's report for information on new network support at the EFCL, website improvements and a new look for membership materials.

7.7 Executive Director's Report (Allan Bolstad)

Highlights from Allan's report include:

• League strife chews up resources - there are many leagues in need of assistance right now
• Education Minister supports shared space
• Public School Board hosts EFCL Board
• Status of Renters in EFCL Building
• Rink Roof investigations continue
• EFCL asks EPCOR to support its solar program

Have a wonderful March,

David Dodge

EFCL President and District B Representative

Family Day at Delwood and Evansdale

Hi everyone, I hope you enjoyed a beautiful Family Day weekend in your community. I dropped in on the open house event in Delwood and at my own Community League, Evansdale.

Here are some photos the open house at Delwood. They had food, soccer registration, skating, tobogganing, and face painting. The local MLA Tony Vandermeer dropped in to hand off a cheque for $22,000 to help with renovations underway at Delwood Community League.




Over at Evansdale Community League they had hay rides, a petting zoo, food, and free skating for the day! It was a busy day there too. Here are some photos:



I hope your Family Day was fantastic.
David Dodge
president@efcl.org

Feburary EFCL Board Package

February EFCL Board Package Highlights

Download the EFCL February 2012 Board Package

3.1 Good Neighbour Awards
 Do you know somebody who has helped your neighbourhood become a vibrant and connected neighbourhood? This is your chance to nominate them for a Good Neightbour Award from the City of Edmonton. There were 150 nominations in 2011. Someone from each of Edmonton's 13 City wards be be recognized.


7.4 Multiplex Review Committee
The EFCL Mutilplex Review Committee consisting of three board members, three members of Community Leagues and Allan, our executive director met with Rob Smyth and Roger Jevne about the City's upcoming plans for multiplexes and to discuss the role community league facilities play in Edmonton's planning and funding of new recreation facilities.
If you weren't already aware the Commonwealth Community Recreation Centre is set to open very soon!
In addition work is underway on the new Claireview District Park and Community Recreation Centre will feature a new pool, fitness centre, gym, library, ECS High School Completion Centre and renovated arenas.
There is some information here at the City's website.
You can read our report in the February Board package. Essentially we discussed four key things with the City folks:


Integrated planning of future recreation facilities to ensure we take into consideration all of the existing community facilities (120 halls, 120 rinks, tennis courts, and the Soccer Centres operated by the Soccer Association). We would like to see all of the rinks and halls on all of the City maps to ensure we consider the best investment possible in optimizing all recreation facilities in the City. For example it might make sense to upgrade a series of Community Rinks by adding covers on them to create more local recreation and event opportunities. A new master planning process is getting underway next year. We made our suggestions and asked to be involved.


Sports Policy - when a sports policy is developed that emphasizes the participation of all citizens we may want to participate.


Aging Rink Facilties - there was a fear that as new facilities are built that the City would simply close aging facilities in some areas of the city leaving them without recreation facilities at all. Community Leagues will definately want to be involved in the discussion of what is happening in areas where facilities may be closing such as Tipton, George Hughes or Donnan. This discussion is important as the City sorts out what to do with the aging facilities after it builds the new facility in Bonnie Doon. One idea being tossed around is mini-multiplexes. What if we take Scona Pool, George Hughes Arena and the EFCL office and combine them all into a small recreation complex that continues to serve the area. Another idea might include putting covers on community rinks where it seems to make sense. These are just ideas however. We will need to get inolved in these processes to ensure creative ideas come out the other end!


Community Usage of City Facilities - The City is making significant efforts to involve the local communities in the new Commonwealth Recreation Centre. But in some cases it would seem to make sense to combine operations. For example, consider Oak Hills on the southside. They have a community site in the field outside the Terwilliger Recreation Centre. Rather than build a $1.0-$1.5 million hall facility adjacent to the massive recreation centre why not make room for them inside. Imagine posting information about volunteering in the local league on a bulletin board in a recreation centre frequented by thousands of people a week. It could be good for both the local community league and the city. Hmmmm, this is just a crazy idea at this point, but it does seem to make some sense. We would like to see more strategic use of facilities that makes better use of buildings and integrates community leagues with local citizens.


Overall the process of meeting and discussing the recreation centres was well worthwhile. Watch for opportunities to weigh on these issues in the near and distant future.


7.8.4 Pool Allocation and Bookings Consultation with the CIty
We held the fifth meeting of the this committee on January 31 and there is generally some satisfaction with the new models that Community Leagues can use to book swim times for their leagues. 
The one thing we mentioned loud and clear was that we would like to see the 20% discount for Wellness Passes reinstated. The discount was cut to 10% in the City budget. A lot of leagues say their members think the discount is important and reason to join Community Leagues. The benefits of these discounts go beyond the number of wellness passes sold. Please write your favorite City Councillor and let them know if you think the 20% discount should be reinstated.
Also we learned through the committee that community leagues (and others) can make bulk purchases of admissions to City facilities and save up to 40% on the fees. This discount rate cuts in when you purchase 1260 admissions. This may be an option for a group of leagues to consider, or possibly the EFCL.


Community League Signs
As most Community Leagues are probably aware you can rent signs to promote your events up to 8 times a year. Each rental can go up for a maximum of two weeks. Leagues like doing this to promote big events or sports registrations. The City increased the number of signs you can rent from 2 to 8, but the Transportation Department reduced the the number of sites you can put the signs quite significantly.
We are going to meet with folks from the City to discuss this. Some community leagues were left with no sites for signs in their community, which doesn't really work.


That's it for now. Please contact me anytime.
David Dodge
president@efcl.org

January 2012 EFCL Board Package

The Fire and Ice sculture was a dramatic installation at
Ice on Whyte this year. The event was held at Strathcona
Community League in Old Strathcona. A very cool event!
Photo David Dodge (click photo to enlarge)

January EFCL Board Package Highlights

Download the EFCL January 2012 Board Package

I have already reported on the the highlights of the January board package in my January 3 blog entry! The bigs news was that the Community League Infrastructure Program funding was increased to $3 million for 2012 - deadline for 2012 applications in March 1. We also received confirmation that the entire $1.5 million made available in 2011 was awarded to Community League projects around the city. We also heard that 153 of 154 community leagues have signed or are in the process of signing the Tripartite Agreement.  Each of these has or will receive the 2011 operating grant that increased 40% last year.

Community League Capital Funding Up $1.5 million

Happy New Year Community Leagues!


Community League Capital Funding Up $1.5 million


Ok, the good news first! We were successful in getting another $1.5 million in funding earmarked for the Community League Infrastructure program for 2012! 


This means $3 million will be available as matching funds to fix up old community league facilities (halls, rinks, basketball courts etc.) and to build new facilities as well in 2012! Edmonton City Council recognized the need for this funding and voted unanimously to support the new allocation of funds. If you submitted applications in 2011, but did not get funds be sure to re-apply this year. Please also try to find out why your application in 2011 was turned down. Was it because your project did not meet the criteria for the funds or was it simply because there wasn't enough money? Ask your community recreation coordinator to help you figure this out and then re-apply.