Free City of Edmonton Youth Programs start this week!

This week both the Green Shack and the Youth Hub will begin their summer schedule!

The Green Shack program is a summer tradition in Edmonton and has been running for over 30 years! Join our enthusiastic program leader as a variety of free programs are offered to children aged 6-12 years. Our community is very fortunate this year to have two Green Shacks for children to attend. Starting on July 2 there will be a Green Shack at Lorelei Park (16220 - 103 St.) weekday mornings from 10:00am - 1:30pm, and a second Green Shack at Beaumaris Park (10210 - 155 Ave.) weekday afternoons from 2:30pm - 6:00pm.

For youth ages 13-17 the Youth Hub is a place to check out art, sports, or just hang out. Starting on July 2, head over to the "Orange Shack" by Mary Butterworth Junior High (16315 109 St.) Tuesdays and Fridays from 12:30pm - 8:00pm. Also, be sure to check out one of the many city-wide youth events being held over the summer. Check out the City of Edmonton Youth Drop In site for more information. Follow the fun on Twitter: @yegyouth or on Facebook: Yeg Youth.

For more information about free City of Edmonton programs, check out our Programs page, or visit the City of Edmonton Drop In Community Programs page.

Drop In Basketball and Ball Hockey

Come to the Rink Shack (16220 103 Street) this summer for drop in basketball and ball hockey!

Skill, drills, and game play!

Drop in basketball will be on Tuesdays starting on July 14 until August 18 and drop in ball hockey will be on Thursdays starting on July 16 until August 20. 

Both basketball and ball hockey will run two sessions: 6:00pm - 7:00pm will be for the younger kids (ages 6-8) and 7:00pm - 8:30pm will be for older kids (ages 9-13).

Castle Downs Farmers' Market back outside!

The Castle Downs Farmers' Market is back outside for the summer! Come by on Wednesdays from 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm in the parking lot of the Castle Downs Recreation Centre. Explore great local produce and products and get to know your community vendors and neighbours. Visit the Castle Downs Farmers' Market website for more information.

LBCL Financial Coordinator stepping down

After 13 years of dedicated service to Lorelei Beaumaris Community League, Belinda Lalonde is stepping down as our Financial Coordinator and Facilities Director. The Board wish to thank Belinda for everything she's done for us during her time here as Financial Coordinator. We also wish to acknowledge the many years of volunteer service Belinda has given as a member of the Board in several roles including Facilities Coordinator. We wish Belinda all the best as she explores future opportunities!

TD Summer Reading Club at EPL

Looking for a fun way to keep your children reading over the summer? Check out the TD Summer Reading Club at the Edmonton Public Library. Kids can earn badges, enter to win amazing prizes, and attend free programs all summer long. Check out the EPL Programs page for a full listing of SRC programs at the Castle Downs Branch and all branches throughout the city.

The Summer Reading Club runs from June 27 to August 22, but online registration is already open. Visit the TD Summer Reading Club site and start tracking your reading today!

Front Yards in Bloom 2015

Do you know someone in the Lorelei Beaumaris area with an outstanding front yard? Do you have a neighbour that turns you green with envy with their green thumb? Why not nominate them for Front Yards in Bloom 2015?

Front Yards in Bloom started in 1999, with 150 nominations in its first year. It is now the largest program of its kind in Canada. Last year, the City received over 3,400 nominations. This year, the goal is to receive 3,700 nominations. Nominations can be submitted Wednesday, May 20th – Tuesday, June 30th.

There are four categories for nomination:

1. General: Appealing front yards that make people smile as they pass by! These yards can include a variety of colours, textures, plants, and garden features.
2. Natural: Yards with a “natural” aesthetic, using native plants and limiting pesticides and herbicides.
3. Edible: Yards incorporating edible fruits, flowers, and plants into the landscape design.
4. Public Spaces (*new*): Yards with landscaping features and aesthetic appeal in front of a public building (including schools, businesses/offices, multi-unit residences, churches, and community league halls).

If you wish to nominate a front yard (and its owner), or for more information, visit the City of Edmonton Yards in Bloom 2015 page.

Root for Trees

Edmonton needs more trees! We want you to help us plant more trees to double the size of our urban forest. 

Root for Trees is an enhanced tree planting initiative which intends to increase tree planting within the city through continued partnerships with corporations, individual residents and community groups. The annual target of this initiative is to plant an additional 16,000 trees annually on public and private land.

Every year in June, Tree Fest invites you to come plant trees to a live bluegrass band and register for the kids tree-athlon, the only race of its kind in Edmonton!

This year the Root for Trees Festival is being held in Beaumaris Park (100 Street and 155 Avenue), Saturday, June 13 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Have fun in nature and plant trees with us at a free family event! Root for Trees Fest is an annual event which highlights the City of Edmonton Root for Trees Initiative – a program that makes it easier for you to plant trees in our city.

Activities include the annual Tree-athalon, musical guests Doug Hoyer and Jesse and the Dandelions, tree planting, and community displays.

For more information, please visit the City of Edmonton Root for Trees site or phone 3-1-1.