Community league

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 recreational opportunities to the community, addressing municipal issues which address the community directly, and keeping community residents up-to-date on happenings within the community. The league may also make recommendations to the municipal government on neighbourhood issues, but does not have direct legislative power of its own.

Community leagues often act in concert with local schools, 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. Depending on the model in place, executive members may be elected either generally by members of the community at large, or internally within the league's pool of active volunteers and members.

Services the leagues provide include a newsletter, and meeting and recreation space for the members of the community, typically a community hall, an ice skating rink, a playground, and so on. As well, the league may be involved in political lobbying around city planning.

Edmonton, 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 2013 had 157 member leagues. Edmonton's city government provides grants to assist in the creation of new leagues.

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