Neighbourhoods Find Their Voice
In the second episode of A Little Bit Ritchie, we trace the history of the Community League Movement in Edmonton. This discussion involves a few of Edmonton’s early hardships. We touch on the Social Center Movement and two notable Edmontonians, Jessie F. Montgomery and George M. Hall. Then, the conversation moves to Edmonton’s first League—the Crestwood Community League. This discussion includes a brief segment on the Vacant Lot Gardening Movement. We quickly touch on the formation of the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues. Finally, we focus on the Ritchie Community League and some of its early endeavours and recreational activities, including Whist, Winter Carnivals, and Bingo.
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Show Notes
"Ritchie Queen Crowned," Edmonton Journal, 1959 Feb. 16, 25.
Norma MacLean crowned at a Ritchie Carnival by president George Tomlin
"Is Crowned Queen at Carnival," Edmonton Journal, 1937 Feb. 12, 13.
1937 Ritchie Carnival Queen Dorthy Skett after her coronation ceremony.
"Bingo," Edmonton Journal, 1962 Oct. 2, 23.
A newspaper clipping from the Edmonton Journal promoting Ritchie League Bingo.
"Assignment is Made for Edgerton Library," Janesville Daily Gazette, 1916 May 13, 4.
Recognition of Jessie Montgomery’s graduation from the University of Wisconsin library studies program.
"Low level bridge with train, Edmonton, Alberta.", 1915, (CU154767) by McDermid Studio. Courtesy of Libraries and Cultural Resources Digital Collections, University of Calgary.
A train filled with coal was parked on the Low Level Bridge to anchor the bridge during the 1915 flood.
The J.B. Allan House photographed by Afternoon Bloom for the Ritchie Community League’s Centennial Celebration on September 17, 2022.
"Vacant Lots for Gardens," The Edmonton Bulletin, 1927 Apr. 2, 16.
Caption: Advertisement for Vacant Lot garden opportunities.
BOOKS/ARTICLES
Ron Kuban dives into the beginnings of Edmonton's Community Leagues in “Edmonton Urban Villages.”
To learn more about the Edmonton Vacant Lots Garden Association, check out Kathryn Chase Merritt’s book, “Why Grow Here: Essays on Edmonton’s Gardening History.”
Check out Jan Olson's article about the history of community gardening in Edmonton.
The City of Edmonton produced a short documentary about the Great Flood of 1915 called “Look Out Edmonton.”
Take a look at Edward J. Ward’s book about the Social Center Movement.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Jessie Flemming Montgomery: In addition to her work at the University of Alberta, Jessie Montgomery was quite involved with the Edmonton arts community. She was a member of the Edmonton branch of the Canadian Handicrafts Guild, “[deticating] many decades…through administrative work, teaching craft classes… and even offering radio lectures on crafts broadcast by CKUA in the 1930s”(Goddard 2021). Interestingly, Ottewell was a co-founder of CKUA.
Vacant Lot Gardening: The Edmonton Journal notes that on the south side, residents were going to divide up larger sections of land to garden side-by-side with their neighbours, cultivating connections as well as provisions (Edmonton Journal, March 1917). To drum up more excitement and engagement for the movement, an “exhibition of moving pictures by the Pathescope, loaned by the University of Alberta” was shown at a vacant lot in Garneau (1917).
The EFCL, Public School Recreation Fees, and Edna Kells: In their first public address, the EFCL met with the City Hall Council Chamber to question the charges associated with school rentals (Edmonton Journal, 1921). Four years earlier, in 1917, an article was published in the Edmonton Journal with a similar sentiment by Editor Edna Kells. Kells was a reporter for the Edmonton Journal (City of Edmonton Archives 2018), and in 1915, she was promoted to Editor, where she remained until her retirement in 1929 (2018). Kells was one of the first women editors on the Canadian Prairies. In 1917, in her column, “A Number of Things,” Kells writes:
“How long will it be, I wonder, before we recognize the fact that it is not very good business to tie up large sums of money in school buildings to be used for something under eight hours each day, and at the same time suffer great inconvenience from lack of suitable halls to serve as social centres for the community? Almost every school in the city has a fine assembly hall, yet if a club or organization of any description desires a meeting place, it is only available upon the payment of a fee, which, while not large as compared to the daily cost of the war to the nation, is quite prohibitive when compared to the funds of the ordinary club” (Edmonton Journal, 1917).
Here, Kells comments that despite citizens’ taxes funding the school system, a fee barred organizations from using school facilities. Kells’s statements are representative of a larger desire among the Edmonton community for specifically delegated meeting places free from political or religious affiliation, and the EFCL’s address mirrored this sentiment. Kell’s article marks a distinct social acknowledgement of the call for delegated social meeting places.
First Board Members of the RCL: The following individuals made up the first RCL Board: Alongside J.B. Allan, R. McLure, Mrs. D. Harkness, S.D. Walker, Mrs. F. Hill as Vice Presidents; D. Connell as Secretary and A.A. Long in the position of Treasurer.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND RECONCILIATION RESOURCES
Reconciliation Committee: A Little Bit Ritchie is more than entertainment and celebration. It is also a mutual learning method. To foster this learning, the league has developed a Reconciliation Committee, which aims to work with the community to understand the history of the lands we call home. We hope to learn more about the rich indigenous history of the area and build stronger relationships with communities and residents present today. The committee hopes to explore what these lands mean to us and develop a deeper appreciation with bi-weekly meetings, which will create educational opportunities for the community through readings, discussions, and guest speakers.
If you’d like to get involved with the board, share stories or educational resources, or learn more, don’t hesitate to contact Seghan at civics@ritchie-league.com.
LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS
The podcast “Our Foods: Chatting about Métis food Sovereignty” from the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Native Studies explores many aspects of food sovereignty in the Métis community.
The University of Alberta offers a free online course about Indigenous history in Canada.
Turtle Island Safer Spaces works with local businesses to facilitate learning and proactive allyship for Indigenous youth.
Mâmawô ayâwin at Edmonton Public Library is a platform for gathering and learning, developed from Edmonton Public Library’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's calls to action.
CORRECTIONS
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NEXT TIME
In the next episode of A Little Bit Ritchie, we’ll look at the history and importance of Transportation in Edmonton. We’ll learn about the impact of the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Edmonton Yukon Railway.
CALL TO ACTION
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If you have a story you would like to share in a future episode of A Little Bit Ritchie, send us an email at community-planning@ritchie-league.com.
CREDITS
A Little Bit Ritchie is brought to you by the Ritchie Community League Centennial Celebration Committee. Erin Fraser and Seghan MacDonald chair the committee. Our primary researcher is Linnea Bell. Elyse Colville wrote this episode. A Little Bit Ritchie is produced by Castria Communications and Media Solutions and hosted by Lydia Neufeld. This project is supported by the Edmonton Heritage Council and the City of Edmonton. Thank you to Tierra Connor for creating our artwork, and a special thanks to Joanne for talking to us about Bingo. Our theme music is “Twin Ponds” by Hemlock.