| HISTORY/BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: | The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) was founded by George Williams in London, England in 1844 as a response to difficult social conditions during the Industrial Revolution. The first YMCA in Canada was established in Montreal, Quebec in 1851. The YMCA gradually spread across Canada and was established in Edmonton, Alberta in 1907. Prior to its establishment in Edmonton the Edmonton Young Men’s Institute operated from September 1899. On December 21, 1903 members of the Edmonton Young Men’s Institute decided that a meeting should be called to consider establishing a YMCA in the city. A public meeting was arranged for January 4, 1904, which was attended by about 125 men who had come prepared to discuss the need for a YMCA. Three years later on March 17, 1907, the Young Men’s Christian Association of Edmonton was established by an act of the Alberta Legislature. A constitution and bylaws were prepared and submitted to a Board Meeting on Thursday, March 21, 1907. At the time the object of the society was the improvement of the spiritual, intellectual, social and physical conditions of young men. A year later the YMCA officially opened offering a swimming pool, gymnasium, running track, residence, employment bureau, meeting rooms, Bible classes and education classes. |