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| THE EMPIRE PARK NEIGHBOURHOOD: |
| Neighbourhood Demographics* Empire Park is a small neighbourhood of just over 2,200 households located in southwest Edmonton. The neighbourhood extends from the Whitemud Freeway to 51 Avenue between 111 Street and Calgary Trail South. Approximately 95% of the housing units in Empire Park are high-rise, low rise and row housing rental accommodations. The 5% of housing stock titled for home ownership is a combination of single family dwellings, semidetached dwellings and condo units. Non-residential property includes the McKee Elementary School, L.Y. Cairns Vocational School, and two small parks (Empire Park west of 106 Street and Dr. Francis Crang Park east of 106 Street). Commercial property includes a major shopping mall (Southgate Centre located between 108A street and 111 Street); three strip malls along 51 Avenue, and some freestanding restaurants and undeveloped commercial property along Calgary Trail South. Empire Park is a low-income high-needs community, characterized by a higher than average (compared to other neighbourhoods in the City of Edmonton) proportion of low-income families, single-parent families, female-led single-parent families, seniors (especially older & less mobile seniors), and recent immigrants among its residents (See attached statistics compiled from last City census). A significant number of tenants are short-term residents. Access to programs and services offered outside the community is limited by the need for transportation to and from these programs, especially as public transportation costs increase, since many residents do not own or have access to private vehicles. Empire Park S.W. Community League The Empire Park S.W. Community League is a non-profit corporation registered under the Societies Act of Alberta. We operate with an elected volunteer Board charged with the responsibility of running the affairs of the society, governed by our bylaws and by the will of the general membership as expressed at meetings of the society. We have no paid employees other than those hired through STEP and SCP grant programs employing students to provide summer playground programs, which are administered and partially funded by the City. Our facilities (a small community hall and an outdoor rink) are located on the Empire Park grounds at 4804 - 107 Street, under a licensing agreement with the City of Edmonton and the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues. Empire Park Community League members raise funds to finance the maintenance, improvement and operation of the facilities. Through the efforts of a small but growing core of dedicated volunteers in partnership with a number of community agencies, we attempt to provide affordable, accessible alternatives to help meet the social and recreational needs of as many residents as possible within the local community. Facilities and programs are funded from casino proceeds, applicable grant programs, donations, small fundraising ventures and membership and registration fees. We offer various alternatives to help make our membership and registration fees affordable for economically disadvantaged individuals and families. Community League Programs & Events Our efforts in the past include: *Built the community hall and outdoor skating rink, largely with volunteer labour & fundraising, & maintained & renovated community facilities. *Built playgrounds at Empire Park & Dr. Francis Crang Park with volunteer labour & fundraising and played a major role redeveloping Empire Park with a new playground at McKee School. *Provided minor sports programs, including hockey (when minor hockey was still played on outdoor rinks), softball and soccer, as well as social events and recreational classes for all ages. *Participated in traffic, planning & other municipal (City) decisions on behalf of the community. *To protect the community from shortcut traffic from Calgary Trail when Southgate was built. *To ensure quality of life in development east of 104A St (residential density, green space, etc.). *To create Dr, Francis Crang Park (instead of a huge parking lot) when London Drugs was built. *To ensure that the Edmonton Transportation Master Plan, the Community Services Integrated Strategy, the new City Land Use Bylaw, & many other City initiatives considered community needs. WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY (a brief overview): *Managing/maintaining community facilities * Publishing the Empire Park Community News, delivered free of charge throughout Empire Park. *Providing minor sports opportunities for children and youth (community league membership is required for soccer, softball, hockey, basketball & more). *Providing classes, programs & activities for a variety of age groups. Classes include: art, soccer, touch football, track & field, drama, babysitting, shinny hockey, beginner & power skating (also offered as summer day camps). We also cooperate with other community leagues to offer a larger selection of programs in communities near Empire Park. *Providing low-income financial assistance for program registration to enhance local options & opportunities *Employing summer playground staff at Empire Park (the City does not pay for this anymore). *Providing free (WeCan Food Co-op, Confederation Park Little League, McKee School) & low-cost (Elite Education, Sahaja Yoga Meditation) use of our facilities as well as member rentals & low-income assistance for program registrations to enhance local community options & opportunities. *Ensuring a community voice in planning decisions (e.g., 104A Street), transportation issues (SLRT), and more. *Annual minor soccer tournament (second weekend in May�in partnership with Duggan Community League . *Planting & maintaining community flower beds in Empire Park *Family Winter Fun Day, Canada Day Block Party, and a fall Member Fun Day *Family swim program for members (at a nearby City pool) *Outdoor ice rink family skate and shinny programs (with free use of winter sports equipment, including skates donated by Sport Central, for those who need it) *Supervision of community work under the Alternative Measures Program for youth in conflict with the law *Publish and deliver a monthly community newsletter (ten times a year, circulation 2300), including public service information and free or low-cost advertising for a variety of agencies and organizations *Planning for the rejuvenation of Dr. Francis Crang Park. Empire Park Partnerships We also cooperate with other organizations and agencies which are active in our neighbourhood: - provide office and equipment storage space for the Confederation Park Little League from April to October each year (in return for help maintaining the grounds & facilities) - provide access to our hall and rink for McKee Elementary School recreation and physical education programs and emergency evacuation needs - arrange access to our hall and rink for McKee After School Care recreation programs - provide space for community mediation - provide space for a Block Parent area meeting - provide free supervised summer playground program for children in the neighbourhood (in partnership with the City of Edmonton, using STEP & SCP wage grants) - involve local property managers in a project to purchase community equipment and provide community programs (1999) - work with McKee School to develop a joint park redevelopment project for the Empire Park site (completed summer 2001) - provide low cost space for the Elite Education Centre (offering low cost tutoring on weekends for children, with special attention to the needs of new immigrants) - provide low cost space for the SEAHI meetings (a non-profit association promoting the use of English order sign language for hearing impaired children) Empire Park Community League -- Proactive Associations - Member of the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues� promoting local volunteer efforts to improve options available in local communities - Member of the Edmonton Sport Council� promoting the importance of a strong sports community in establishing healthy, active life styles for all - Member of the Central Area Council of Community Leagues� sharing information and support on issues common to member communities, including transportation, land use, and environmental issues - Partnership with the City of Edmonton, through our Community Recreation Coordinator, to improve programming & services to residents of Empire Park - Sponsor of the 142nd Empire Park Cubs & Scouts - Collection point for items sought by other groups: The Lion�s Club (drink can tabs � program provides uninsured medical supplies for diabetic children in need) - Sport Central (used Sports equipment & cash donations) Empire Park Community League � Past Sponsors - Sponsorship of two soccer teams by Zellers Canada Ltd. - Bank of Montreal Employee Grant to purchase ball uniforms & equipment - Active support from various local businesses through donations of cash & goods for various events/projects Empire Park Community League�Planning/Development Notes - Rink renovation - a new rink will be available for winter 2007/2008. - Planning for the rejuvenation of Dr. Francis Crang Park. - Programs currently being investigated/developed to meet needs of community residents: Social evenings for young teens Family social evenings Adult social evenings Home Alone Safety (for latch-key kids) Community computer access (internet, classes, etc.) |
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| *Demographic information supplied by the City of Edmonton Planning & Development Department via Statistics Canada Federal Census and/or 1999 Civic Census. |