12-08-2025
Edmonton community leagues plead for $30M for hall repairs with ¼ of them in ‘poor' shape
An Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues banner in an unidentified hall.
With Edmonton's community league halls aging, volunteers who run them say they need $30 million in urgent safety upgrades.
Of the 97 halls the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues (EFCL) has assessed over the last two years, a quarter are considered to be in poor condition, while more than half are in fair shape.
The EFCL says issues include locked or poorly maintained emergency exits, inadequate emergency lighting, non-functioning alarm systems and some structural issues...
'To be clear, these are a risk to occupant safety, to human life,' Shaun Good, the EFCL's infrastructure and amenities advisor, told Edmonton city council's community and public services committee on Monday.
'They are not nice-to-have upgrades. They are the minimum to ensure that people, including children and seniors and people with disabilities, can use and exit safely during an emergency situation.'
The $30-million ask is something Coun. Erin Rutherford said she's not willing to endorse given other priorities.
'$30 million is not something – I can't speak for my colleagues – that I would in any way support,' Rutherford, who represents Ward Anirniq in the city's northwest, said in response on Monday.
'We're not even meeting life maintenance renewal on city-owned facilities.'
Community leagues can apply for city funding for infrastructure upgrades.
Councillors are asking the leagues to prioritize renovations with city staff for a report due back at council next spring.
