Buffalo Lake Community Society. — 1917, 1946-1999. — 17.5 cm of textual records. — 2 photographs.
Agency History
The Buffalo Lakes Community Society was started in 1946 to take over management of the community hall. The first Buffalo Lakes Hall was built in 1918 with the local chapter of the United Farmers of Alberta in charge of care and upkeep. Following the UFA, the Bear Lakes Athletic Association was in charge of the hall until the formation of the Community Club in 1946.
In the 1950s a second hall was built on the south-west corner of S.E. 4-74-7-W6. The Buffalo Lakes Community had a very active group of volunteers and because of that they were able to organize many events such as dances, bazaars and picnics. Members included Bill Student, Pete Pol, Alex Christensen, Graham McFarlane, Margaret Eady, Mrs. Rolfstad, Danny Sommerville, George Yates, Helen Student, Pete Ganzeveld, A. Donnison, Bob Smith and Donald Hoggarth.
In 1989 the Buffalo Lakes Community Society began to raise funds, mostly from businesses, to install indoor plumbing and sewage into the hall. Later that year, they were successful in receiving a grant from the Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation. In 2010, the Buffalo Lake Community Hall was sold to a private owner due to lack of use.
Custodial History
The records were donated by Paul Gerow after a meeting held by the Buffalo Lakes Community Society in November 2009. At their meeting it was voted that the records be donated to the Archives. An accrual was added July 30, 2013 by club member Liz Gerow.
Scope and Content
The fonds consists of records relating to the management of the Buffalo Lakes Community Society from 1946-1999. The fonds is divided into six series based on type and content: Minutes, Financial Records, Annual Returns, Insurance & Legal Records, Correspondence, and Photographs.
Most of the records were not arranged upon arrival and an order by date and record type has been established by the archivist.
Notes
Title based on the content of the fonds
Table of Contents
| Series 536.01 | Minutes |
| Series 536.02 | Financial Records |
| Series 536.03 | Annual Returns |
| Series 536.04 | Insurance & Legal Records |
| Series 536.05 | Correspondence |
| Series 536.06 | Photographs |
| Series 536.01 | Minutes. — 1947-2009. — 3 cm of textual records.
The series consists of a black notebook containing memberhship lists and minutes for meetings held from 1947-2009 but is missing the years 1963-1975 and a second book contains minutes for 1963, 1965, 1967, 1975. Included in the minute book are ledger entries for the years 1967, 1968 and 1970-1975. |
| Series 536.02 | Financial Records. — 1946-2011. — 9 cm of textual records.
The series consists of records relating to the financial running of the Buffalo Lakes Community Society and the running of the Community Hall. There is a ledger for 1946-1980 and 1981-2008, two receipt books for 1963-1974, and a bank book for 1947-1966. The second ledger also contains financial information for the Ladies Club (1994-1995). |
| Series 536.03 | Annual Returns. — 1956-1996, 1999-2009. — 3 cm of textual records.
The series consists of annual returns filed by the Society between the years 1946-2009, with some missing. |
| Series 536.04 | Insurance & Legal Records. — 1956-1994. — 5 cm of textual records.
The series consists of the insurance policies that the Society purchased, as well as an inspector’s report, an insurance claim after the hall had been damaged during a hail and wind storm ,a grant agreement between the Buffalo Lakes Community Society and the County of Grande Prairie for Alberta’s 75th Anniversary in 1980; an itemized statement of expenses listing hall upgrades for the Anniversary grant; information on a seal that was ordered for the Society; information on the acquisition of land from the Buffalo Lakes Curling Association; lease agreements for Lot 1, Block 1, Plan 4325 HW (SW 4-74-7-W6) for $1.00 and the subsequent purchase of that lot for the same amount; and a map that shows the location of the community hall and the easement, as well the location of properties owned by William Student, Donald Sommerville, and H. F. Gummer. There is also a Right-Of-Way Agreement from the Northwest Utilities Company. |
| Series 536.05 | Correspondence. — 1989-1995. — 1 cm of textual records.
The series consists of copies of letters sent by the Society requesting funds for improvements to the Hall, a donation letter from the Bear Creek Rural Gas Co-op, letters regarding the Recreation grant in 1989, three thank you cards for kindness rendered, and two copies of news clippings from the Society thanking businesses for donations to the hall. |
| Series 536.06 | Photographs. — 1917-1953. — 2 photographs.
The series consists of two photographs: a color photo of the 1953 4-H club, and a black and white photo of a U.F.A. convention in Edmonton, Alberta in 1917. |