Detailed History

Part One - 1932 to 1980

( from: Volunteers - E.F.C.L. A History of the Largest Volunteer Organization in North America )

McKernan Community League is named after Sarah and Robert McKernan. They made a covered wagon trip west in 1877 and established a homestead on Blackmud Creek the following year. Their land was beside a lake that would bear the family name until it was drained after WWII. The couple's pioneer home stood where McKernan Elementary-Junior High School stands today and were the first rink an hall of McKernan league were built in the 1930's.

A community league started at McKernan in 1932. The first elected president was Professor W.H. Alexander. The Professor was reputed for his intellectual prowess and his liberal and Unitarian beliefs. In the early 1920's, he was the darling of the anti-prohibitioinists and represented them at public forums, some of which were held at community leagues. Professor Alexander was of the "moderation party"; he clashed with what he called the "prohibition propagandists," arguing that prohibition would surely make the population into "stool pigeons and other non-heroic elements."

Professor W.H. Alexander First President of McKernan 1932

The period just after the formation of McKernan Community League has been described by a long-time resident of the area, writer-actress Elsie Park Gowan. In a 1981 letter to the McKernan Messenger, she wrote:

In 1933, when my husband and I built this house, it was on the EDGE of town. There was no 114th Street south of us, but the University farm, with a field of wheat and a handsome barn. The famous Toonerville Trolley (the McKernan streetcar) rocked its way along 76th Avenue to its turn-around on what is now Saskatchewan Drive.

During those days, until the McKernan and Lendrum lakes were drained, the Toonerville Trolley line along the water was a popular run in both the summer and winter. For picnics and ball games, or a brisk game of shinny on the ice, the spot was hard to beat.

McKernan Community League operated a rink at 79th Avenue and 114th Street during the 1930's. By 1940, a small community hall had been added to serve for function such as whist drives and moccasin dances.

Annual summer an winter carnivals were held at the league too. On memorable summer carnival in 1946 was arranged by a local carnie, J.E. Elliot, who wet up his small circus of several rides and shows. The children of the community were particularly intrigued by an energetic pair of lion cubs. McKernan build a playground with the assistance of the Recreation Commission in 1949. The playground committee was made up of R. Arthurs, L. Cornelius, P Pepper, Mrs. W. Lyall and J.A.L. Smith. This playground received a substantial face-lift in 1979, due in good part to Richard Due who spearheaded the  project.

	McKernan Winter Carnival 1963

In the early 1950's, McKernan league found itself looking for an new site for its rink complex. It had to make way for the construction of the new McKernan School. A new site was acquired on 78th Avenue, between 113th and 114th Streets, were a rink was promptly established. A few year of fund-raising later, in June of 1954, the first sod on a new community hall was turned by Annie Turnbull, formerly Annie McKernan. Mayor Hawrelak gave a speech on the role of community leagues in developing the potential of the city's youth.

McKernan Lake made a brief re-apperance in August of '53

The new $35,000 hall was ready for christening in March of 1956. Celebration included a jamboree of the square dance club and open house for a week. All this gaiety was made possible by the work of avid volunteers a building bees -termed "nail and hammer parties" by the initiated. The construction gangs were organized by Building Chairperson Dick Sherwin.

There was hardly a dull moment at McKernan Community League during the 1940's and 1950's. Between hard time's dances, weekly films, card parties, the friendship, square dancing, figure skating and table tennis clubs, there was precious little time for sitting on chesterfields.

McKernan managed to find time for serious pursuits too. In 1946, the league pressed the e city to fulfill its promise of extended sewers. In 1949, McKernan brought the sorry state of the community's roads and sidewalks to the attention of city engineers. At the same time, a vocal protest was registered against the proposed rezoning of McKernan community. ti was reared that changes would endanger the neighbourhood's single-family residential character.

Civic action is still important to McKernan Community League. Starting in the late 1970's, neighbourhood developments began to be addressed on a regular basis by two committees of the league. The transportation committee was chaired by Joan Evans and the planing committee was made op of people like Elizabeth Kuiken, Lil Krogen and Patrick McGowan.

The latter committee operated under a mandate - "to keep new development compatible with the area and keep McKernan stable." This mandate was forged democratically, with the help of a neighbourhood survey in 1979. Of those who responded to the questionnaire, 92% wanted the community to preserve its single-family dwelling status.

McKernan Community League's planning committee successfully lobbied against a condominium development at the Development Appeal Board (DAB) in 1980. A member of the committee at the time, Hammi Fritz, explained the committee's shoot-from -the-hip method to the Edmonton Journal. "First we got together and discussed the project. Then, we asked the developer to show us his plan. It was terrible! It looked like a series of chicken coops. We decided to oppose it. We took it to the Development Appeal Board and they denied a permit. We want to keep our neighbourhood family oriented."

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Part Two - 1980 to 1995

(by: Gay Bisanz)

In the 1980's and 1990's, rapid urban growth in the Southwest Edmonton, aging housing and infrastructure, and rising land values were among the pressures that contributed to McKernan's current identity -- that of an established, centrally - located community undergoing renewal and known for its residents spirited effort to preserve and enhance the quality of neighbourhood life. This spirit represents continuity with the earliest days when residents of McKernan and Belgravia rallied in the 1930's to block moves by City Hall to eliminate the 76 Ave. trolley line, the Toonerville Trolley.

During the term of President, Margaret Durin, several improvements were made within the community. Wayne Tuck spear-headed a neighbourhood effort to renovated the playground in McKernan Park (76 Ave. & 112 St.). Margaret Durin was active in recruiting an after-care centre to occupy the League's basement, that would accommodate the changing needs of McKernan families.

Troubling times were ushered in, however, by the City plans to run the southern leg of the LRT down 114 Street though McKernan. Events reached a boiling point in a noisy meeting held at McKernan School, where many area resident spoke in favour of an underground LRT alignment. During this period, Margaret Durnin and Frank Weichman were active as McKernan representatives on a committee to establish an area redevelopment plan. The plan was to protect McKernan, Belgravia and Parkallen from undue development pressure that might be created by the coming of the LRT. They were also active in transportation planning with the city, including work on a proposal to handle the increase in auto traffic created by development in the Southwest through a renovated 4 lane 114 Street. Adoption of the plan by City Council seemed to promise a return to a period of less turmoil for residents of McKernan and neighbouring communities.

Turmoil renewed, however, during the term of Allen Ropchan when a new City Council abandoned the transportation proposal endorsed the Southwest Leagues and entertained a proposal to accommodate commuter traffic, by placing a massive transportation corridor though McKernan and Belgravia. The corridor included a six lane roadway and surface LRT right-of-way along 114 Street. This action by Council set in motion a series of events in Ward 5 reflective of a larger city-wide struggle unresolved in 1995, namely, the demand by outer neighbourhood for accommodation of the auto and the struggle of established neighbourhoods to maintain and enhance their health in the face of this demand. The proposal caused many McKernan residents, including many League members, to join the  114 Street Coalition, a grass-roots organization of Belgravia and McKernan resident determined to limit the proposed roadway to 4 lanes.  Opinion in McKernan surrounding this second element of the corridor was less unified with some residents favoring a "community friendly" surface LRT.

With strong sentiment in McKernan running against the proposed roadway, McKernan and Belgravia residents effectively used a hearing on the LRT alignment in March of 1990 as a platform to argue forcefully about the detrimental effects of 6 lanes of traffic on community life and public transit. This lobbying  resulted in a 4-lane plan for the road but with large intersections. Council also directed the administration to develop a functional plan for surface LRT at this time. The City asked the McKernan and Belgravia Leagues to provide the administration feedback on the functional planning process. The combined effect of cooperation and confrontation by community activists provided motivation for subsequent City-Community consultations and embodied a principle, namely, that citizens had a right to be consulted about civic planning process that affected their quality of life and that the integrity of established, central neighbourhoods was critical to the cities health. The operation of the 114 street Design Review Committee captured the spirit of cooperation between the two neighbourhoods and City Hall that existed at the end of this tumultuous period. At the suggestion of Belgravia resident Don Grimble, the committee, comprised of representatives of City departments and McKernan and Belgravia, hired Stanley King and Associates, a group of architects and artists to lead a comunity-wide design exercise that resulted in landscape plans for the new roadway.

During this same period, congestion on arterial roadways had resulted in commuter traffic pouring on to local roadways in McKernan, creating condition unsafe for children, seniors and cyclists. At community-wide workshops and a community league meeting in 1991, short-cutting traffic was identified as a major threat to community health.  A Traffic committee was recruited during this period that ensured that all areas of McKernan were represented. Members included President Ian MacPherson, Al Ropchan, Linnea Sorlie, Ed Heacock, Gay Bisanz, Bob McClymont, Jutta DeWitt, Wayne Tuck and Tony White. Working with the Transportation Department between 1991 and 1993, the Committee was able to develop an historical local traffic plan with the cooperation of residents in South Garneay and Parkallen. The Plan was approved by City Council in June of 1993.

Within the community, during Al Ropchan's term, renovations were begun on the League Hall and Gwen and Ollie Wilson ran an award-winning Neighbourhood Watch Program. President Ian MacPherson initiated further renovation of the Hall and the replacement of the hockey rink boards. At the suggestion of Jack Garainge, the parkland at the east end was enhanced and named for Elsie Park Gowan. Ms. Gowan was present at the dedication and with neighbourhood children at her feet she shared her memories of the McKernan area.

The final achievement related to neighbourhood improvement during this period involved adoption of the Belgravia, McKernan, Parkallen Community Development Plan in 1994, including reports on Housing , Circulation and Urban Landscape. In April of 1992, the Comity Development Planning Committee chaired by Brad Odsen of Belgravia, convinced Council to allow the three communities to engage in an innovative experiment in participatory planning using community-derived vision statement and the time of a staff member of Planning and Development. McKernan residents serving on the Committee included: Peter Rausch, Sally Mowat, Audrey Rogers and Margaret Jarosch. The latter two individual chaired the League's Housing Committee and defended the neighbourhood against inappropriate development during the period where transportation issues were dominant. The Community Plan was viewed as an unique opportunity by McKernan residents so plan in all areas, but housing was viewed as the area of greatest need.

The report on the Housing Task Force proved to be the most controversial. The Edmonton Homebuilders' Association decided that the precedent of established communities protecting features of neighbourhood character such as mature trees through the placing of restrictions on front drive garages was not in their best interest and lobbied against the plan. In three appearances before City Council, overlapping the terms of Presidents Wayne Rogers and Gay Bisanz, residents of the three communities, aided by other established communities, argued their case before Council and against representatives of the association, comprised largely of suburban builders. Council concurred with the need for some measures in established communities, by their approval of the plan (with a one-year trial period  for the Housing component), in 1994.

Within the McKernan neighbourhood during the late 80's and early 90's, community activity revolved around annual family dances held by the League and rising interest in basketball, gardening and park stewardship, and neighbourhood history. "Belmac" soccer, combining the talent of youth and coaches in McKernan and Belgravia, under the direction of residents like Dick Parsons, had been strong for many years. Indoor soccer started to become popular in the early 90's. Likewise, interest in basketball exploded this period in a League program developed by Terry and Judy Murphy. Interest in gardening and parks was reflected in establishment of the 112 Street Pocket Park in northeast McKernan by neighbours, prominent among them Linnea and Brian Sorlie, Arden and Tony White, and Marilyn Loagan. The first "plant-in" held in this park in the spring of 1995 fostered a sense of neighbourhood pride and participation. This park has since been recognized twice with awards. In addition, as part of efforts to implement the Community Development Plan, a major initiative to develop a long-term plan for stewardship of McKernan's three parks (McKernan Park, McKernan School Park, and Charles Simmons Park ) was underway in 1995. This culminated with Peter Rausch and his volunteer work parties constructing the new playground at McKernan School. An interest in the communities history was encouraged by several special "History Issues" of the McKernan Messenger and the first chair of the history committee, Agnieska Matejko.

And the  history continues...

As the League and its various committees battle the "elements" to preserve the vision of our community as spelled out in McKernan's Community Development Plan:

Housing: To generally maintain the low density residential character of the area while at the same time, providing opportunities for the sensitive integration of higher density infill redevelopment on a selective basis, for a wide range of housing needs.

Circulation: To enhance an urban lifestyle that promotes walking, cycling, and the use of public transit for residents and non-resident, and which minimized the use of the private auto.

Urban Landscape:  To preserve and enhance the village atmosphere within the neighbourhoods of Belgravia, McKernan and Parkallen, which collectively form one of the special and unique places in Edmonton.

Last update - March 2001