A City of Urban Villages
User Story
Edmonton has been aptly named the “city of urban villages.” Whether you are in Mill Creek or Millwoods, the Highlands or Glenora, Edmonton has many unique alcoves of culture and community that make our city special. These communities have slowly evolved with the efforts of hundreds of volunteers who have built and refined the character of these neighbourhoods. My job as Marketing Director of the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues is to help tell the story of Edmonton’s 155 community leagues and to help recruit the next generation of Edmontonians into their local community league.
A community league is a non-profit that exists to serve the interests of the local neighbourhood. Some run sports programs, while others focus on planning and development. Some have built halls, rinks, playgrounds, tennis courts, and spray parks, while others have focused on the social infrastructure and have set up clubs and social groups. There is no template for what a community league has to be or do. They can do whatever they want. That ensures that every league can be responsive to the needs of their community.
Every day I’m astounded by the variety of neat events being hosted by volunteers around our city. Stop by your local community hall and who knows what you’ll find—dancers, art projects, block parties, and much more! If your hall isn’t buzzing with energy, why don’t you plan a crazy event for yourself? On the EFCL website we’ve created a resource guide designed to help even the biggest introvert plan a fun event.
Whatever you want to make happen in your community, your first stop should be your local community league.
For more information please visit www.efcl.org or email [email protected]
photo courtesy: Metro Edmonton
Where Next?
Michael Janz
Michael Janz is the Marketing Director of the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues and a Public School Board Trustee for Ward F. He is a former President of the University of Alberta Students' Union. He currently lives with his wife Brittany and his cat Waldo in Edmonton.
