Our community centre has a name! Boyle Renaissance Plaza was chosen by members of the partnership that will be running it in a tangible way: Boyle Street Community League, the City of Edmonton, and the YMCA. As previously noted in this space, this exciting building is part of Boyle Renaissance, Phase I. The site will also house the Melcor YMCA Welcome Village, an affordable housing development.

The name, Boyle Renaissance Plaza, reflects the ongoing development – the rebirth – of our community. Our plaza, once fully landscaped, is intended to be a venue for numerous community events ranging from arts and culture to sports and leisure that reflect and celebrate our diversity.

Thanks to the City of Edmonton’s One Percent for Art program, our Plaza will be further enhanced with a public art piece. Created by Edmonton Artist Jordan Tomnuk, the piece is a community table. Organic, practical, and beautiful, the community table is intended to provide a comfortable gathering place for all. In describing the piece, Jordan writes, “I hope this piece inspires more human interaction and face to face communication.”

What else is happening on Boyle Street? We are jazzed about the Dirt City Dream City transitory art exhibit to take place throughout the community in July. On May 5, the community gathered at an open house event at the ARTery. It was an amazing opportunity to touch base with this vibrant group of emerging visual and literary artists to hear about their ideas and the art they will create in response to this area.

One of the artists, Tiffany Shaw-Collinge, has conceptualized a community garden, planned for the site of the former Mount Royal Hotel (just by the Double Greeting Wonton House). She will not only approach several community organizations to bring her vision to reality, but will also have plots available for community members. Thanks to support from Mary Anne Debrinski, Director of Urban Renewal at the City of Edmonton, this public art project will provide a green oasis in Boyle. For more information on this Community Garden project, please contact Timothy Anderson at tja.bscl@gmail.com or call the BSCL line at (780) 422-5857.

We’re pleased to announce that once again, the Community League will present the City of Edmonton Summer Green Shack Program. Kids of all ages can come down to the Mother Teresa playground during July and August to participate in games, crafts, cultural activities, and make new friends. The program is available free of charge, and last summer was documented as one of the busiest in Edmonton!

Rent this space! We are now booking for September 1. If you require space for a condo board meeting, party, wedding, workshop, project… anything…please give us a call at (780) 422-5857.