It’s been a long and winding road. Some might say we took the scenic route but regardless of the road we took to get here, we have officially arrived.

The Boyle Street Plaza officially became the new home of the Boyle Street Community League (and the YMCA) in late November and programming is set to begin on Monday, December 3, 2012. This, of course, is very exciting not only for the league but also for our neighbours. The vision for the plaza is to become a hub of culture, art, and family where people from all walks of life feel welcome and have an opportunity to contribute to building a healthy and vibrant community.

With the holiday season approaching, it is fitting that we should be preparing to open our doors to our wonderful community in Boyle Street and Edmonton as a whole. The plaza is a symbol of hope and a new path for the future of Boyle Street. We have an opportunity to do something different, to take an innovative approach to building community from the inside out. This building can be a way of looking at old problems with fresh eyes, a space for creativity and humanity, for physical and emotional well-being, for people to come together with a common goal of rebuilding and nurturing our diverse neighbourhood. The Boyle Street Plaza belongs to all of us. It is our responsibility to care for it and to breathe life into it in a way that will shine so brightly that we can truly stand in the heart of our fair city as a beacon of hope, a model of change and innovation, and an honourable example of what it means to be a community.

This building can be a way of looking at old problems with fresh eyes, a space for creativity and humanity, for physical and emotional well-being, for people to come together with a common goal of rebuilding and nurturing our diverse neighbourhood.

December will be a chance for us to get acquainted with our new home and for our community members to visit the plaza and try out some of our programming. Consider the month of December a “soft open” and after we ring in the New Year, we will be running in full form. There is an opportunity to come check out the space and to take part in free programming on Wednesday, December 12 from 4-6 p.m. when local radio station, Lite 95.7, will be broadcasting on location as a part of their “12 Days of Christmas” event. Be sure to come by for a cup of tea, some Christmas goodies, and a chance to participate in what is sure to be a bustling space. See you then and see you soon.

Happy Holidays from the Boyle Street Community League.

Melissa is the Program and Membership Administrator for the BSCL.