Spruce Ave’s league has new and returning board members

In October, Spruce Avenue Community League held its Annual General Meeting. Local residents may discover some new board members as well as some returning ones. Read the short biographies below to learn more.

President – Kate Boorman

Spruce Avenue has been Kate’s home since 2012 and she has been active with the league for the past six years. She is returning to the board after a year abroad and is excited to see familiar and new faces sharing their energy and innovation with our community. 

Past President – Verna Stainthorp

Verna moved into the community in 1967. With her husband Henry, they raised their three daughters and son in the area. In 1983, having outgrown their house, they rebuilt one of the first infills in Spruce Avenue.  Verna has been involved with the community league since 1973. She was also involved in the Girl Guides of Canada as a Brownie leader. The location of their meetings is now Workshop West Theatre. She has been on the community league board since 1994 as volunteer, secretary/treasurer, treasurer, and president. 

 Vice-President, Neighbourhood Development, Civics – Joshua Culling

Joshua is an urban planner working in a rural municipality adjacent to Edmonton. Josh lives in a semi-detached infill with his wife, son, and a Boston Terrier named Ricky.

Secretary & History Project – Wesley Andreas

Wesley relocated to Edmonton from Calgary specifically to get involved in the arts and community that the 118th Avenue area offers. With his husband, he has called Spruce Ave home since 2012. He became involved with the league in 2015 when he hosted the first Spruce Ave Jane’s Walk and co-founded the community history project.

Treasurer & Casino Chair – Angie Klein

Angie has lived in Spruce Avenue since her family’s arrival in Edmonton 18 years ago, and she has raised two children here. Angie has been on the board for many years, loves Spruce Avenue, and is looking forward to the changes that revitalization brings to our community.

Neighbourhood Watch – Cindy Leavitt

Cindy’s focus in this role is helping neighbours connect with each other, bringing awareness to safety issues, and advocating with community partners. 

 Memberships – Irene Mortensen

Irene moved into the community in 1984. Shortly after moving in, she became involved with the Spruce Avenue Community League as a volunteer, interim president, and membership chair.  Irene raised her three children in the area and supported them in their sports activities, particularly soccer.

Program Director – Ashley Ayume

Ashley comes from a small farming village in southern Saskatchewan, where everyone knows everyone. When she is not chasing her children around, she has a love of gardening, coffee chats, and baking. Ashley hopes to instill pride here in Spruce Avenue.

Communications Director – Sabino Spagnuolo

Sabino has lived in Spruce Avenue for just two years. He and his wife saw the neighbourhood as a great place to put down some roots and start a family.

Volunteer Coordinator – Rebekah Prine

Rebekah has been in the neighbourhood since 1997. She has been involved with the league for  five years and is a wizard in the hall’s concession. She is looking forward to the next great programs/projects for our neighbourhood to come.

Hall Director – Henry Stainthorp

Henry has been involved with the league since 1994. He has worked for many years installing hockey and curling ice and as a building manager for Edmonton Northlands. He devotes many hours to promoting skating at the outdoor rink, particularly for students attending the local schools in the area.

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Featured Image: Spruce Avenue, the heart of Edmonton