Hello Ward 12,
Neighbour Day, as I see it, is directly connected to, and a celebration of, our commonly held values as Calgarians. We pride ourselves on being a big city that maintains a small-town relational feel with all the associated benefits. It’s good to be reminded of the inspiring way Calgarians came together after the floods of 2013.
As we all adjust back to pre-pandemic routines it is extremely important that we continue to place a high value on the neighbouring relationship. We typically prioritize connection with friends and family the rest of the year on holidays like Thanksgiving—well Neighbour Day should be the Thanksgiving for your block, your floor, or your corner of Calgary. What the Thanksgiving meal does for families the block party can do for you and your neighbours. The connections it catalyzes knit us together as a community.
I firmly believe that one good Neighbour Day celebration a year can permanently alter the future of your small part of our great City.
As we grapple with systemic issues as a society like mental health and addiction, I am encouraged that academics and practitioners alike continue to point to the incredible importance of community. Systems absolutely need to change but let’s not overlook the small acts available to each of us. Connecting your neighbours stands to build genuine communities of care. For example, a single relational connection on your block could provide the support necessary to keep someone a mental health break.
I know there are countless community builders across our City building connections around them every day. Thank you to every one of you for actively making our community a better place.
I strongly urge you to set aside Neighbour Day (or another day for the same purpose) to connect the people around you with a block party. The benefits are myriad and the impacts may go well beyond what you are able to imagine while preserving the small-town feel of Calgary.
This year, Neighbour Day is being held on Saturday, June 17 and will celebrate ten years since the floods. To commemorate this exciting time, we want to encourage Ward 12 residents to host their own block parties! To do this, we are hosting a Block Party Primer information session at the Seton YMCA on how to get a permit to shut down the street, how to engage your neighbours, and everything a person needs to know on planning a block party in our city. Come for a visit to check out all the fun, including a Market that's happening at the YMCA that day! Follow our Facebook Event for reminders and updates.
Please reach out anytime via email at ward12@calgary.ca, call the office at
403-268-1698 or follow us on social media for regular updates:
www.facebook.com/Spencerfor12
www.instagram.com/Spencerfor12
www.twitter.com/Spencerfor12
Sincerely,
Cllr. Evan Spencer
www.evanspencer.ca
www.calgary.ca/ward12
