<![CDATA[Bonnie Doon Community League - Blog]]>Thu, 09 Jul 2026 06:53:03 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[2026 Our Neighbourhood in Bloom]]>Sat, 04 Jul 2026 03:14:56 GMThttps://www.bonniedoon.ca/blog/2026-our-neighbourhood-in-bloomUntil last year the Front Yards in Bloom program (you know: the little yellow signs) was run by the City of Edmonton.

Last year the City pulled out due to budget constraints. At that point your Bonnie Doon Community League stepped up on short notice and devised our own Bonnie Doon in Bloom program (the little purple signs!).

This year, the Edmonton Horticultural Society has taken over, with 40 community leagues participating in their renewed and simplified system. With the EHS program, Our Neighbourhood in Bloom is a collaborative pilot project for 2026. This pilot aims to keep the tradition of garden recognition thriving in Edmonton — one front yard at a time.

What types of gardens can be recognized?

It is up to us to recognize the yards we value, whether it is a front yard, side or a balcony. Maybe someone’s chain link fence gives you a glimpse into the most stunning side yard you’ve ever seen! Maybe your apartment’s courtyard is so well kept for all residents to enjoy, or a business’s patio is always bursting with plant life. It’s truly up to us to decide what we want to celebrate in Bonnie Doon!
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What We’re Celebrating: Garden criteria

Unlike Front Yards in Bloom, this isn’t a competition; all of the spaces and gardeners that make our neighbourhood bloom are to be celebrated! We want to recognize effort, creativity, and community impact. Whether it’s that vibrant yard you admire on your daily walk or a neighbour always thoughtfully tending to their small but mighty collection of plants, we want to recognize their contributions.

Garden Recognition Ideas

● Add Beauty & Creativity: Is there something unique, creative, or beautiful?
● Show Dedication: Let’s recognize a gardener’s significant effort and care, no matter the outcome.
● Well-cared for (or Wildly Beautiful): Both manicured spaces and those with a charming, wild appeal are valued.
● Yards: in bloom, with only shade plants, native species & edible yards are some examples.
● Feature Unique Elements: Include small-scale urban farms, pollinator-friendly habitats, interesting decorations, or diverse plant varieties, colors, textures, and heights. Some of the garden is non-turf plants (e.g., pots, containers, standing beds, trees, shrubs, grasses).
● Making an Impact: Is it a place that makes you think WOW! Nice use of space! or This garden is humming with bees!

Please let me know if you would like to help out with the 'planting' of signs on front/side yards in Bonnie Doon! Send me an email: karenlizdoucet@gmail.com.

Happy gardening!
Karen
]]><![CDATA[2026 Folk Fest Parking]]>Fri, 03 Jul 2026 03:00:05 GMThttps://www.bonniedoon.ca/blog/2026-folk-fest-parkingIf you live in north Bonnie Doon, you’re likely accustomed to city restrictions on parking during Folk Fest. Most homes that are located north of 92 Ave and west of 91 Street will be affected. The map below shows the precise picture.

If you live in the effected area, you’ll need a permit to park on the street during the festival, which runs August 6 to 9. If you bring government picture ID to Bonnie Doon Hall, 9240 93 Street at the following times, we can give you a couple of parking permits:
  • July 25 2:00 to 4:00 PM
  • July 30, 7:00 to  9:00 PM
  • August 5, 7:00 to 9:00 PM
If you have questions about this, please send them to Scott at secretary@bonniedoon.ca.
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]]><![CDATA[2026 Green Shack]]>Thu, 18 Jun 2026 16:02:32 GMThttps://www.bonniedoon.ca/blog/2026-green-shackThe city's Green Shack program is returning to Bonnie Doon!

This free, drop-in program offers a variety of crafts, games, sports, and free play, targeting ages 6 to 12 (but all children accompanied by an adult are welcome to attend).

  • Bonnie Doon Park, 9240 93 Street
  • Monday to Friday
  • 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
  • June 29 to August 21

Important details are on the city's Green Shacks page, including closure info.

For more information you can email greenshack@edmonton.ca or call 311.
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]]><![CDATA[2026 Bike Month]]>Thu, 28 May 2026 18:32:52 GMThttps://www.bonniedoon.ca/blog/2026-bike-monthWe start Saturday afternoon, May 30 at Bonnie Doon Rink where you can get your bike tuned (by donation)! Kids can also learn tips for safe bicycling and adults can discuss the city's bicycle infrastructure with Councillor Salvador. More… Picture

Then comes Bike Month when Bonnie Doon competes with other community leagues to see who bikes further. We track how far you bicycle two ways:
  • If you use the Strava app, join Bonnie Doon Bikes More and we'll get your distances from Strava.
  • Otherwise, simply keep track of how many kilometers you bike during the week and email that number to Jan, bike@bonniedoon.ca (email each Sunday to be included in the totals we announce for that week).

We know it's good for us. We know it's fun. Let's get biking!

But wait, there's more! Join EFCL’s Bike Month Scavenger Hunt. EFCL has picked 60 locations throughout Edmonton to where you can bike, take a selfie there and share it (via Instagram or emailing the photo). Enjoy our city and win prizes. More… (find Scavenger Hunt Spots on that page for the 60 locations)
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]]><![CDATA[Second Annual Bonnie Doon Bike Day]]>Mon, 04 May 2026 20:52:54 GMThttps://www.bonniedoon.ca/blog/second-annual-bonnie-doon-bike-dayWith the arrival of sunshine and warm weather many of us are taking our bikes for a spin more often. So join us for fun at the Second Annual Bonnie Doon Bike Day!

  • When: Saturday May 30th, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
  • Where: Bonnie Doon Hall, 9240 92 Street
  • Cost: Tune ups by donation

We will be doing basic bike tune ups by donation. All contributions will fund the purchase of an outdoor bike repair stand at our hall.

This year we’ve added to the activities by inviting a few of our friends!
  • Pedalheads will teach the kids how to bike safely and confidently.
  • Learn how you can join Bike Bus Edmonton to cycle our kids to school. 
  • Advocate to make our streets safer to walk, roll, and cycle with Paths for the People.
  • Ward Métis councilor Ashley Salvador will talk about how the city is making commuting by bike safer.

Pedalheads is a learn-to-ride and bike program for kids, helping riders of all levels build confidence and skills, including getting kids off training wheels. They offer a range of classes in Edmonton and the surrounding area, from beginner riding to road riding and trail riding. Their programs focus on developing safe, independent riders in a fun and supportive environment. At Bike Day they will have an interactive booth where attendees can learn about proper helmet fit for bike safety, ask questions, and pick up some fun giveaways.

Bike Bus Edmonton is a fun, safe way for kids and adults to ride to school together—like a school bus, but on bikes! They are a community-driven non-profit bringing this exciting idea to local schools, changing how we move around the city.

Paths for People is a volunteer-run nonprofit working to make Edmonton a friendlier place to walk, roll and cycle. Through advocacy and community building they strive to build a multi-modal city where people can use active transportation safely and conveniently year round. Stop by their table to say hi and learn how you can help create a more accessible and vibrant city!]]><![CDATA[Local EPL news for May, 2026]]>Sun, 03 May 2026 04:43:41 GMThttps://www.bonniedoon.ca/blog/local-epl-news-for-may-2026Wendy Gronnestad-Damur at the Idylwylde/Bonnie Doon branch shared this with us…

Renovations: the children’s area and program room are now open again, but that means that it ‘s time for the adult/teen area renovations. We have all of our children’s materials back, but a very limited selection of adult materials and no teen materials for the next month or so. The fish won’t be back for at least another month or so as their new tank isn’t ready yet.

Some May program highlights –
  • Together We Grow (intergenerational storytime): families with children aged 0-3 can register through the EPL website and have a place guaranteed, or can drop in if there is still room. It will be held at SEESA on Mondays and Fridays at 10. For the Friday series only, seniors can register through SEESA (free!). Together We Grow is also held at Saint Thomas Health Centre on Wednesdays at 10 until May 13.
  • Crochet workshop on May 13 at 7 (ages 16+)
  • Storytelling workshop on May 28 at 7: Timing for Full Impact
  • Computer Skills classes starting on May 22. (registration required) This is a series of 6 modules that you can register for individually.
  • Cricut 101: Certification on May 26 at 7 – learn to use Cricut to design  space so that you can use EPL’s Cricut machines for paper and vinyl cutting.
  • Rowdy Robots  on May 29 at 11 (ages 9-12). Have fun during an EPSB PD day.
  • The  Stanley A. Milner library downtown is hosting Helping Kids When Things Feel Hard: Community Information Fair & Symposium on May 9.
]]><![CDATA[Prioritize Whyte Ave's first Jane's Walk]]>Mon, 27 Apr 2026 21:54:57 GMThttps://www.bonniedoon.ca/blog/prioritize-whyte-aves-first-janes-walkPrioritize Whyte Ave encourages City Council to invest in the public spaces along Whyte Avenue and to improve transit access along the corridor. They wrote to us recently…

Come join us for a Jane's Walk along Whyte Ave on Saturday May 2 from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m., it will be our first event! 

Jane’s Walk is an annual festival of free citizen-led walking conversations inspired by Jane Jacobs. Prioritize Whyte Ave is hosting a walk focused on the future of Whyte Ave, where we will discuss the connection between businesses, transit, and public spaces. This walk involves a bus connection, so please bring transit fare. It will also be a one-way walk, so prepare to park your car or bike at the starting point at 106 St and Whyte Ave.

Register here - limited space on the tour - 🚍 🚶🧑‍🦽

Other reminders/ideas]]><![CDATA[Please help fund Rink, Hall, Yoga, Family Movie Night, etc]]>Tue, 27 Jan 2026 17:32:16 GMThttps://www.bonniedoon.ca/blog/2026-casino-volunteersWe need just one more volunteer to earn the $70,000 needed to operate our league facilities and programs for the next 18 months. We need a General Manager for our second day. Little known fact: It's the easiest role to fill! Our casino consultant guides you through each step in your work.

  • Where: Starlight Casino, 8882 170 Street NW.
  • When: Tuesday, June 23, 10:15 AM to 6:30 PM

If you have any questions, write to info@bonniedoon.ca or to sign up, click the big ol' button and scroll down to the only shift that isn't full:
See shifts
Some things to know:
  • You get a free meal from the casino restaurant
  • We’ll pay your taxi or Uber expense.
  • We’ll pay your babysitting expense
  • Soft drinks and snacks are provided

The work is straight forward. Here’s a description of each job. Thank you for supporting the Bonnie Doon Community League! 😊
]]><![CDATA[Limited rink rental]]>Mon, 29 Dec 2025 19:33:25 GMThttps://www.bonniedoon.ca/blog/limited-rink-rentalThrough the end of 2025, BDCL has rejected requests to rent our rink. During that time, when skaters arrived at our rink they could expect to use it (with the usual exceptions involving snow storms and warm temperatures).

However, ever increasing operating costs have prompted us to rent out the rink. Tuesday evenings from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm, starting January 6, 2026, an EFHL U11 female hockey team will have exclusive use of the BDCL rink.
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Information about our rink is here.]]><![CDATA[Community Ice Rink Workshop]]>Sun, 05 Oct 2025 17:30:22 GMThttps://www.bonniedoon.ca/blog/community-ice-rink-workshopHere is information The City of Edmonton shared with BDCL…

​Receive training and tips from an experienced community ice maker. Learn how to make great ice and do 
routine maintenance of outdoor rinks. 

When: Wednesday, October 29, 2025. From 6:00 - 8:30 pm
Where: Beverly Height Community Rink and Sport Building at 10906 40 Street

BDCL can send up to two people to the workshop. To register, email Mark at social@bonniedoon.ca before October 26. Dress for the weather, as part of the training will be outdoors. No food or beverages will be provided.]]>