- The first Calgary community associations were formed in 1920
- The Federation of Calgary Communities was officially incorporated on August 10th, 1961 under the Societies Act of Alberta
The history of community associations and the City of Calgary is a relatively young one, as is the Federation itself. The earliest community associations were formed during the 1920's to provide Calgarians with formal recreational programs and facilities such as outdoor skating rinks. The first official incorporation of a community association took place in 1930 [Elbow Park] and two more [Mount Royal and Scarboro] were registered prior to World War II. Post-war Calgary saw a dramatic population increase, and the number of community associations grew accordingly. These grassroots groups attempted to fill the needs of an expanding demographic by offering recreational and social opportunities.
During the 1950's, communities faced common concerns. One unified voice was seen as necessary to coordinate and liaise with community services. The Federation of Calgary Communities was an initiative of forty-seven community associations. This new large umbrella gave the associations a way combined, to increasing their effectiveness, while remaining autonomous. The Federation of Calgary Communities was able to develop and utilize its collective resources to respond to a variety of needs of the community associations.
Present-day Calgary is the "Volunteer City", with its residents active in a multitude of efforts which enhance our city, our lifestyles and our surroundings. Of these, community associations form the city’s largest volunteer group. Annually, community association volunteers donated over 22 million dollars in volunteer service. These dedicated volunteers come from a widespread base with over one-quarter of the City’s population supporting their community association through paid membership.
The Federation of Calgary Communities is an organization committed to the provision of effective, efficient services which enhance the ability of community associations to provide necessary services. While officially incorporated in 1961 under the Societies Act, the Federation has actually worked for over fifty years in the coordination of services required by community associations. As financial and social times have changed, so too have these services, reflecting the ever-changing demands of communities. There are currently 134 registered community associations in Calgary, created from the 183 community districts, with an annual average of 94% being Federation of Calgary Communities members.
The Federation of Calgary Communities is one of the few organizations in Canada to enable the partnering of public and private sectors with community-based organizations, to deliver services that increasingly make a difference in the lives of residents. With fiscal restraints increasingly impacting Calgarians, so is the Federation of Calgary Communities facing ever-greater challenges in meeting the changing needs of its members. In a time of volunteer resources being stretched to include the provision of even basic services, the Federation of Calgary Communities looks forward to playing a greater facilitative and collaborative role in community life.
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