Updates Archives - Federation of Calgary Communities

1890 – 1929 The community association movement in Calgary dates to the Ratepayers Associations and School Associations of the late 1890s. Ratepayers Associations represented residential interests and advocated on key political issues, taxation and financial accountability. While they focused on the provision of basic services (ex. paved streets, lighting, garbage collection, etc.), they were ultimately responsible to the issues and concerns of their community. School Associations were more active in sports and recreation. 1908: Map of The City of Calgary 1922: Calgary City Hall 1908: The first groups begins to operate like today’s community associations The Bridgeland-Riverside Community Association “started as informal ‘get-togethers’ toorganize community recreational activities, such as hockey and soccer.” (Source: City of Calgary, History of Community Associations) 1912: Growing motivation to form first community associations Calgary Herald, April 30 1989 The City plan envisioning{ed] [a] patchworkof subburbs with recreational areas linked to schools[. This plan] provide[d] impetus for the first community associations. 1924: Societies Act of Alberta recognized community associations This act allowed community associations to incorporate as non-profit socieities further formalizing community associations. 1929: First organization to use the name “community association” The Parkhill Ratepayers and Community Association incorporated in 1929, which was eventually struck and replaced by the current Parkhill Stanley Park Community Association in 1955. 1930 – 1949 The first organization in Calgary to incorporate with the ”community association” name under the Societies Act was Elbow Park on January 18, 1930. By 1934, two others—Mount Royal and Scarboro—followed, marking the early adoption of the community association movement. Over time, these groups increasingly sought official status as incorporated non-profit societies under the Societies Act of Alberta. While their mandate was similar to Ratepayers Associations, they also provided sports and recreation opportunities and helped build a small-town feel in a growing urban centre. Ratepayers Associations started to adopt the community association name. 1936: Scarboro Community Rink 1930: First organization incorporates with only the “community association” name Elbow Park Community Association incorporates under the Societies Act on January 18, 1930. 1934: Early adoption of the community association movement More community associations incorporate, including Mount Royal Community Association and Scarboro Community Associations in 1934. 1945: The first listing of “community associations” appear in the Calgary Municipal Manuals 1946: Rapid community growth boosts growth of community associations As community interest became locally directed, and the population boomed after WWII, the community association movement gained institutional acceptance. 1950s Community associations became an integral feature of local communities, growing with Calgary’s population and suburban development. For almost a decade, the existing associations formed a federation for each city quadrant. They became fierce advocates for community interests in municipal government. As their advocacy efforts expanded, they saw the need to have a more formal unified voice in municipal affairs. 1958: West Calgary Community Association Membership Card 1950s: Rapid adoption of the community association movement. As communities expanded so did the number of community associations. Circa 1958: Community Associations form quadrant-based Federations May 13, 1958, Graham Smith wrote a letter to the mayor and the Board of Commissioners on behalf of the Federation of Calgary Communities south west area of the city requesting the city attend the meeting to extend branch library facilities in this area as soon as practicable. 1958: Community associations met to discuss a unified Federation Inspired by the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues (EFCL), which was founded in 1921, Graham Smith called a meeting to establish unified Federation. EFCL’s President, Charles Simmonds, attended the meeting. As support for a unitied Federation grew, some early community associations were so eager to join that some even submitted membership fees before our official launch in 1961. 1960s In 1961, 47 community associations came together to form and officially incorporate the Federation of Calgary Communities under the Societies Act. We were formed to unify the members’ voices on community issues, development and community well-being. Community associations joined us as a means of supporting community and civic participation. However, The City’s goal for our organization was to ensure “one voice for all community associations with regards to sporting activities,” and only provided funding to expand recreation and sporting activities, like soccer and softball. 1962: Our executive, President Bruce Coombs, Donald Mathewson, Hugh Morgensen and Bill Wearmouth 1961: The Federation of Calgary Communities incorporated under the Societies Act. Our first president was R.R. McDonald, and Federation membership only cost $5 per community association. 1962: We hosted non-partisan political forums in partnership with the Calgary Junior Chamber of Commerce We hosted a political forum in partnership with the Calgary Junior Chamber of Commerce (The Calgary Council of Home and School Association in 1966) to stimulate interest in Civic Election. We organized the event but adhered to our original constitution by acting as a neutral party. 1962: First Community Association Week We launched Community Association Week to encourage residents to join local associations. This initative would later transition into Community Association Awareness Month. Late 1960s: Because The City funded the Federation to organize minor sports, by the end of the 1960s, we faced challenges from the membership. They questioned whether we were acting as a unified voice on community issues, development and community well-being. Membership declined. 1970s We expanded our capacity to support members by hiring our first staff and opening our first office in 1971. Throughout the decade, we increased advocacy, education, and support for funding and policy work. We defined our core focus areas—recreation, public service, community organization, development, and communications. We also started providing more services, including printing, insurance and planning services. Throughout the decade, we faced financial instability. 1971: Federation’s Community-cations newsletter 1971: We publish our first community newsletter and hosted a 30 minute cable show 1976: Financial scandal The first three hired staff formed a company to ensure they are properly paid business expenses. A City audit determined that this was to the sole advantage of the President of the Federation. All three staff resigned from their positions. 1978: Minor Sport Seperated Due to disagreements over our role, the organization

2024 Elective: City Building Blocks

City Building Blocks Presentation

Holiday Party Ideas

By Lovely Cano Tis the season for Holiday Parties! As we begin planning our own Holiday Bash, we thought we’d share with you a few different ideas on how you can jazz up your community’s holiday festivities: Pajama Party: A Cozy and Comfortable Holiday Encourage everyone to wear their favorite cozy pajamas or holiday plaid attire. You can even set up a cozy hot chocolate and cookie bar, or play holiday movies for a relaxed, cozy vibe. Winter Wonderland White Out: A Snowy Celebration Ask everyone to dress in white, silver, and icy blue to create a snowy, wintery look, then decorate with snowflakes, icicles, and twinkling lights for an enchanting winter wonderland. Holiday Movie Characters: A Cinematic Holiday Encourage everyone to come dressed as characters from their favourite holiday movies (like the Grinch, Elf, Home Alone, or Frosty the Snowman). Bonus points for family costumes! You can then set up a classic holiday movie marathon. Other Activity Ideas: Lip Sync Battle: Christmas Carol Edition: Let individuals or families lip-sync or karaoke to holiday favorites like “Jingle Bells” or “Frosty the Snowman” and perform their version for the crowd. Candy Cane Hunt: the Easter Bunny isn’t the only one that likes to hide candy! Hide candy canes around the community hall or venue and give each participant a small bag to collect them. For a twist, hide different coloured candy canes and offer special prizes for finding certain colors or completing a set. Snowball Toss: Set up a target with different point values and provide soft, fake snowballs for players to throw. Each team can keep a score, and the one with the most points wins a prize. Human Christmas Tree Decorating: In pairs, one person dresses up the other like a Christmas tree using tinsel, ornaments, garlands, and a tree topper (like a star or Santa hat). This is a fun way to get silly, and you can even have a contest for the “Most Creative Tree” or “Funniest Tree.” Photo Booth and Memory Wall: Set up a festive photo booth with holiday props so families can take holiday pictures, and create a memory wall to display the photos and holiday messages. These are just a few ideas that our events committee brainstormed, but there are so many more possibilities! How will you create a memorable holiday party that brings joy and laughter to everyone? Share the Joy! Tag @FedYYC on your socials to share how your community is celebrating the season. Facebook Instagram

ActivateYYC Wins Prestigious Mayor’s Urban Design Award

ActivateYYC, a leading force in Calgary’s placemaking and tactical urbanism scene, has been honoured with a prestigious Mayor’s Urban Design Award (MUDA) for Community Initiatives. The MUDA awards celebrate the exceptional work of urban designers, architects, landscape architects, planners, and artists who elevate Calgary’s urban landscape. This award recognizes the program’s commitment to community engagement and its transformative ability to drive positive change through grassroots initiatives. “This award isn’t as much about us, as it is about the hundreds of community volunteers and neighbourhood leaders who have visions for small, modest projects, that have enabled huge impacts and neighbourhood change,” says Adam Schwartz, Community Activator, “ActivateYYC is thrilled to be recognized for being a great platform and inspiration for such projects, and will continue on this mission for years to come.” By empowering citizens to shape their neighborhoods, ActivateYYC has fostered a vibrant community of placemakers. Through microgrants and technical support, ActivateYYC has inspired numerous projects across Calgary neighbourhoods, from vibrant murals and painted pavement to pop-up parks and interactive installations. ActivateYYC’s success lies in its collaborative approach, involving residents, businesses, and local organizations to tailor projects to specific community needs and aspirations. Some projects you might recognize are: Under the Rainbow: A vibrant mural that revitalized a once-neglected underpass in Sunnyside. Flyover Park: A pioneering initiative that transformed an underutilized space into a popular community gathering place. Dark and Dingy Underpass: A community-led effort to brighten and beautify a dark and dreary underpass in Ramsay. Shawnee Evergreen Community Association Chair Project: A project that brought together neighbors to create a welcoming park space through the installation of colorful Adirondack chairs. Paint the Pavement: A program that empowers schools to create vibrant and safe pedestrian crossings. Beyond supporting community-led projects, ActivateYYC has also implemented its own placemaking initiatives, such as Placemaking Expos and the SweetLights project. To further strengthen the community of placemakers, ActivateYYC has launched a Placemaking Workshop, equipping participants with the tools and knowledge to implement their own low-cost public realm improvements. ActivateYYC’s belief in the power of community has sparked a movement of creativity, innovation and positive change. As Calgary continues to evolve, ActivateYYC will continue to help us shape a vibrant, equitable and sustainable future.

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