If you missed the Winter Event Workshop on January 28, you can still read the event planning material and winter activity suggestions online in our resource guide or download the pdf.  Click through for lots of good sound advice.

Join us on Saturday, February 11, 2012 1:00 pm at Capilano Community League Rink Room, 10810 – 54 Street.   Register :  info@efcl.org  There will be presentations by the builders and the EFCL, and an opportunity for general discussion.  All leagues welcome.

Are you hosting an event on February 2^nd, 4^th, 6^th, 21^st, or 27^th? We would like to work with you and the Edmonton Oil Kings to co-promote your winter activity and take your event to the next level!

EFCL is booking a center spread in the examiner promoting our Outdoor Rinks and enjoying the many fine events Leagues have to offer this winter.  We are in desperate need of Event Listings to give this promotion a little bit of festivity ~ Register your rink opening times and your winter events of any kind (not just rink events).

Visit our RINKS page  to see what's up so far!

We have seen a number of leagues start a successful Skate Loaner Program at their rinks and it has definitely improved the usage.  Essentially, a skate storage area is created where skates are stored by size. Kids come and sign out the skates.  That simple and we can get you the skates!

  Grandview Heights Rink ignites true community spirit among rink volunteers . . .“I just love coming down here with my buddies,” said Chatwin. “You just call them up and they’re all here within minutes and everyone wants to skate.”  Read more to see the full story.

EFCL is helping Edmonton outdoor enthusiasts find where they can have winter fun

Find 116 Community Rinks, Learn to Skate programs, Winter Carnivals, Pancake Breakfasts, and Christmas parties

A joint committee of the EFCL and Edmonton Community Leagues has been struck to review the city’s development strategy for constructing major recreation facilities.  ~photo courtesy of Rob Agostinis

City of Edmonton is beginning the allocation process for ice time in the 2012-2013 winter in City indoor arenas and swimming pool time for outdoor pools in summer 2012 and indoor pools in winter 2012-2013

The Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues is reviewing a plan put forward by a consortium of companies to place a roof over an outdoor skating rink.

One of the centre’s hardest working visionaries is Dr. Robert Agostinis. The president of Terwillegar Riverbend Advisory Council (TRAC) and EFCL District H director described the opening of the $160 million facility as, “Amazing.”  

 The City of Edmonton is now accepting bookings for Indoor Skating next Sept 4, 2011 to April 2, 2012.

On January 29, over 20 leagues were represented and showed up at Crestwood Community Hall to get information, share ideas, and help EFCL summarize its needs.  In short, how to promote your rinks, increase attendance, improve management, and what to look for in a rink attendant were addressed.  Please read more on rink management . . .

Hockey Edmonton expressed good will over the past many years and have tried with many different methods to salvage the ability to sell Community League Memberships.

• Terwillegar Community Recreation Centre Takes Bookings
• Common Community League Swim Program Investigated
• South West Community Leagues Split Swim Costs
   

The meeting on Monday June 21 at the EFCL office opened up dialogue between hockey registrars and membership directors, and as a result everyone’s concerns and suggestions were heard. 

 The City of Edmonton has been asked to create a discount package for leagues that want to cover the admission fee for their members at any indoor pool, during public swim times.

As with all new processes communication and details need sorting out.  This update addresses concerns we have heard from leagues to date.

The Edmonton Minor Hockey Association and Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues came up with a new system to facilitate the sales of Community League memberships during hockey registration.  The objective is to eliminate all the work that the registrars have had to do for these many years and ease the strain for their volunteers.  They still support the community leagues and want to ask for a membership as part of their process.  So together we developed a new streamlined system.  

Connections 2010 --Shaping the Future of Where We Live. Together.  The City of Edmonton, led by the Office of Great Neighbourhoods, is hosting three Connections 2010 events in April 2010 to inform Edmontonians of the many current and upcoming City projects, programs and services happening in their neighbourhoods and build stronger connections between residents and City staff.

 A local rugby group, the Rockers, is starting a pilot project to generate interest in the sport of Rugby. They are coordinating meetings with the boards of Leagues that neighbour their clubhouse,

 If your community league is struggling with how to replace an aging outdoor rink, you might want to take a few pages from Alex Clarke’s play book.

Approximately one dozen community league representatives met on March 4 to review available ice slots and book their community ice for 2010.

The City has brought all the facility booking staff into one Facility Booking Unit. This includes staff that book the major facility groupings in and around our Multi-Purpose Recreation Centers (Arenas, Pools, Fieldhouses/Flexi-halls, Gymnasiums, and Sportsfields) together with the staff who manage the rentals/bookings in our Attractions (ex. Fort Edmonton, Muttart Conservatory, Valley Zoo)

Picture a mix between The Amazing Race, Corporate Challenge, City Chase and a GIANT scavenger hunt all rolled into one-- with a focus on building our neighbourhoods and communities.

One of the City’s key projects in 2010 is the new southwest recreation centre, which will advance City Council’s goal of Edmonton becoming one of Canada’s most livable cities. The centre will be a place where people of all ages and abilities can gather to learn, exercise, relax, meet and have fun. Here’s an update on the project:

To address the issue of funding, on June 22, Community Leagues, Tennis Alberta, Tennis Edmonton gathered at EFCL Central Office for a meeting to seek City’s, Provincial and or Federal funding to refurbish our community courts.

Since the late 1980s, the City has been making 90 minutes per week of public skating in City arenas available to community leagues at the regular rental rates. The city is asking for booking and registration. If you were not aware the details on how to apply are in this article.

It is being proposed the Sunday afternoon Community League Swim at Grand Trunk  be moved to O'Leary Leisure Centre during Grand Trunk's shut down

Hockey Moms & Dads turned hockey registrars have remained loyal to the concept of Community by still requiring a community league membership to participate in EMHA hockey. Joining the bandwagon this year is the Knights of Columbus who procured over $10,000 in membership sales.