Community league
Encyclopedia
A community league is an organization of community
residents who represent their community at large in communication with a municipal
government. Community leagues are organized to provide such services as providing recreation
al opportunities to the community, addressing municipal issues which address the community directly, and keeping community residents up-to-date on happenings within the community.
Community leagues often act in concert with local school
s, churches, political
organizations, and recreational organizations in keeping all members of the community informed of current issues and activities. A typical community league executive comprises a president, a vice-president, a secretary, a treasurer (these two roles are often carried out by the same person), a representative to the municipal council, and one or more members which represent other community organizations. Executive members are typically elected to serve one-year terms by members of the community at large.
Services the leagues provide include a newsletter
, and meeting and recreation space for the members of the community, typically a community hall, a skating rink
, a spray park, a playground
, and so on. As well, the league may be involved in political lobbying around city planning.
, Alberta
is noted as having strong system of community leagues. The concept was adopted from the United States where it was known as the Social center
or Center Club movement. Community organization goes back to the turn of the twentieth century, and the first community league in Edmonton, the 142 Street District Community League now the Crestwood
Community League was founded in 1917. By 1921 there were nine community leagues, which united to form the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues, which continues to the present. The federation has expanded its membership as the city has grown, and in 2006 had 150 member leagues. The city government provides grants to assist in the creation of new leagues.
Greater Sudbury, Ontario
instituted a similar system of community action networks in 2001, when the former towns and cities of the Regional Municipality of Sudbury were amalgamated into the current city government.
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
residents who represent their community at large in communication with a municipal
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
government. Community leagues are organized to provide such services as providing recreation
Recreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...
al opportunities to the community, addressing municipal issues which address the community directly, and keeping community residents up-to-date on happenings within the community.
Community leagues often act in concert with local school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
s, churches, political
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
organizations, and recreational organizations in keeping all members of the community informed of current issues and activities. A typical community league executive comprises a president, a vice-president, a secretary, a treasurer (these two roles are often carried out by the same person), a representative to the municipal council, and one or more members which represent other community organizations. Executive members are typically elected to serve one-year terms by members of the community at large.
Services the leagues provide include a newsletter
Newsletter
A newsletter is a regularly distributed publication generally about one main topic that is of interest to its subscribers. Newspapers and leaflets are types of newsletters. Additionally, newsletters delivered electronically via email have gained rapid acceptance for the same reasons email in...
, and meeting and recreation space for the members of the community, typically a community hall, a skating rink
Skating rink
A skating rink may refer to:* an ice rink used for ice skating* a roller rink used for roller skating...
, a spray park, a playground
Playground
A playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
, and so on. As well, the league may be involved in political lobbying around city planning.
Examples
EdmontonEdmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
is noted as having strong system of community leagues. The concept was adopted from the United States where it was known as the Social center
Social center
Social centers are community spaces. They are buildings which are used for a range of disparate activities, which can be linked only by virtue of being not-for-profit. They might be organizing centers for local activities or they might provide support networks for minority groups such as prisoners...
or Center Club movement. Community organization goes back to the turn of the twentieth century, and the first community league in Edmonton, the 142 Street District Community League now the Crestwood
Crestwood, Edmonton
Crestwood is a residential neighbourhood in west Edmonton, Alberta, Canada overlooking the North Saskatchewan River valley and nestled between two ravines.-Geography:...
Community League was founded in 1917. By 1921 there were nine community leagues, which united to form the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues, which continues to the present. The federation has expanded its membership as the city has grown, and in 2006 had 150 member leagues. The city government provides grants to assist in the creation of new leagues.
Greater Sudbury, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
instituted a similar system of community action networks in 2001, when the former towns and cities of the Regional Municipality of Sudbury were amalgamated into the current city government.