On July 11, Cold Lake's Kinder Park buzzed with excitement and laughter as residents gathered for the "Building Engaged and Empowered Communities" block party event. Hosted by Cold Lake and District FCSS, along with their community partners, this free drop-in program ran from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., inviting families and neighbors to enjoy an evening of connection and fun.
Leanne Draper, a staff member with Cold Lake and District FCSS in volunteer services, emphasized the event's primary goal. "Our main objective of hosting these neighbourhood block parties is to bring the community, and the neighbours together," Draper said. "We live such isolated lives, so this is a way for us to get together in a really casual, fun environment, talk to each other, meet each other, realize whose kids belong to whom, and just get together in a really fun way. It's a way to build community, one neighbourhood at a time."
Draper highlighted the benefits of such gatherings, noting that they lead to more connected and safer communities. "You know your neighbour, you know somebody's watching out for you," she added.
The FCSS program supports residents in hosting their own neighbourhood block parties by providing free equipment, including tables, games, and a commercial popcorn machine. Additionally, hosts can apply for a $150 rebate to cover expenses like food and supplies, making it almost free to organize a community event.
"We've had some pretty good success with them. Both the public, where they host their own, and these ones, the series that we host. We usually go to two different parks, one north, one south, and we usually have pretty good turnout. We're very happy with them, and with the public uptake of neighbourhood block parties, it's been good,” Draper shared.
Attendees of the event enjoyed a variety of activities, including Lawn Jenga, Connect Four, Snakes and Ladders, lawn checkers, and bubbles, while the beautiful playground at Kinder Park provided an additional attraction for the children. The excitement was heightened by a door prize draw, offering a glow or light-up bean bag toss game, perfect for future neighbourhood parties. Additionally, the event featured food such as hotdogs, watermelon, ice cream, and popcorn, adding to the festive atmosphere.
"My goal for these parties is neighbours knowing neighbours, neighbours feeling comfortable talking to each other, being able to lean on each other in times of need, in times of crisis, and just being able to resolve any of their issues before they escalate. Because when we know each other, it's easier to deal with problems," Draper concluded.
For those interested in hosting a neighbourhood block party, Draper encourages reaching out to Cold Lake and District FCSS at 780-594-4495 or visiting the City of Cold Lake's website at www.coldlake.com for more information. "We're always happy to help," she added.
