Glenwood Community League, Edmonton, Alberta Canada

CBR, (then Community Development Office of the Caritas Health Group) in Edmonton, Alberta conducted a pilot project in community capacity building, surveying, and asset mapping, with the Glenwood Community League in the Summer and Fall of 1994.

Since then CBR has continued to work with the Glenwood Community League as a resource and the community league has become more connected and involved with west end community initiatives and is an active partner in the new west end community and business initiative the Jasper Place Gateway Foundation.

The Glenwood community came together to build on their strengths and capitalize on their assets by building stronger relationships between the businesses and citizens. As a first step, a group of dedicated citizens and businesses worked together to develop the Glenwood Guide of Businesses and Services. This guide provides a listing of all businesses and services and encourages citizens to shop locally through discounts and incentives. The guide is enhanced with a collection of historical anecdotes, environmental and cooking tips, as well local community landmarks drawn by a local artist/business owner. "Glen Woody" became the Glenwood mascot. This project was funded through Health & Environment Canada's Community Animation Project. The group has developed a Neighbourhood Environmental Audit and has even found some Junior High "Garbologists".

Now they have planned and built a new Family Park which is multi-seasonal, multi-generational, and multi-user, with new playground equipment, seating and other wonderful improvements.

Glenwood is an active member of the Jasper Place Gateway Foundation, a group spearheading positive change in the Jasper Place area of Edmonton.

Please note: We now use the words Community Capacity Building and Asset Mapping©, and the Steps To Capacity Success© because communities told us the words Capacity Study were not friendly and did not express the flexibility and creativity of Community Building work.