History

In the 1970’s the City of Edmonton’s vast housing development of Millwoods started to fill up and attention turned to other areas. In early 1980’s Lehndorff Land Development was given the go ahead to develop the Larkspur subdivision east of 34 St and south of the Whitemud Freeway.

The first area development was at that intersection and was given the name Fountain Lake. The name derived from a drainage pond installed at 43 Ave and 33 Street where a fountain was installed that operates during summer daylight hours.

In 1987 the Fountain Lake Community League was formed, with Doug Moeckl as President. By the end of 1987 the Fountain Lake Community League had been accepted as part of the Millwoods Presidents Council. The first Community League sponsored events appear to have been a Winter Carnival on February 28, 1988 followed by a Canada Day celebration on July 1, 1988. The fledgling community League was well supported – on September 20, 1988 the membership director reported 119 members out of 170 occupied homes.

At its inception the Fountain Pen provided news to the residents of the new community. Facilities for the new Community league were sparse or non-existent. There was a vast open area (Larkspur Park) at the intersection of 43 Ave and 30 Street that was intended to provide space for three schools and a community hall. It wasn’t until 1993 that the Edmonton Public school board opened Velma E. Baker Elementary School on the site - finally the community had a focus.

In 2003 The Edmonton Catholic School Board opened the Father Michael Troy Junior High School in the Wild Rose neighbourhood and the community had another venue available for activities.

Development came quickly south of Fountain Lake as the Meadowbrook area was developed. In a few years Larkspur Station was developed to the east of Fountain Lake. Then smaller, named neighbourhoods quickly developed throughout the area bounded by 17 St, and 34 St and 34 Ave and the Whitemud Freeway.

To recognize this development beyond the original area the name of the community league was changed to The Meadows Community League in 1995. In 2004 the boundaries of TMCL were expanded south to encompass the quickly developing Silverberry area.

Community Amenities

The first community amenity was a children’s play ground put in at the Larkspur Park at 30 St and 43 Ave with swings and slides. At about the same time a small playground development was put in at 36A Ave and 29 St. In 1999 a Tot-Lot was constructed in the Larkspur Station areas for very young children. In 2001 the small playground at 36A Ave and 29 St was upgraded into Kittlitz Park with a small playing field, swings and facilities for skate boarders etc.

Developer/Community Co-operation

In 2001 Dundee Developments (which had purchased Lehndorff) entered into an agreement with TMCL to provide stable assistance to the community league and avoid frequent requests to Dundee to individual projects as they came along. Dundee undertook to pay $100 to the community league for each new single family house being constructed in the Meadows or Silverberry. In turn the community league provided one year’s free membership to the home purchaser. By the time the programme came into effect the Meadows area was almost fully developed but this money will provide significant cash to the playground being established in Silverberry.