One of the most significant things that someone can do to help prevent crime in their neighbourhood is to get to know their neighbour. Neighbours who know one another look out for one another. When you know your neighbours, you know who and what belongs in the area. The goal of an ENW Block Party is to get to know those people living next door, across the street and a few houses away!
ENW is working with partners on a program that:
- Brings neighbours together to get to know one another
- Builds a sense of community & safety
- Helps create crime watch communities
ENW helps block party organizers:
- Access available resources for the block party
- Connect with other groups and organizations that provide free support and/or equipment (includes City of Edmonton & the Edmonton Police Service)
- By providing a gift bag with which includes prizes, activities for children & adults, crime prevention handouts and more (provided by ENW and program partners)
Program Requirements:
- The block party is being organized by a resident(s), living on the street where it will occur.
- Invitations are distributed to no more than 60 homes.
- If invitations exceed 60 homes, some give-away items may not be provided.
- If the event is a large community-based gathering, it does not meet the goal of an ENW Block Party and DOES NOT qualify. Please do not apply. If you would still like crime prevention handouts to distribute, please email admin@enwatch.ca
- Invitations must be hand-delivered along with the ENW crime prevention handout.
- If invitations are not hand-delivered, the event DOES NOT qualify for this program.
- All neighbours living in the party zone must be invited.
- The application must be submitted a minimum of 2 weeks prior to the block party date.
- Complete the online Block Party Application. ENW will communicate with only one (1) person per block party. If you have any problems with the new application from, please email admin@enwatch.ca
- ENW will send a confirmation email and further instructions. If you do not receive a confirmation email the same day, PLEASE check your junk mail for the confirmation.
- ENW will provide links and help you connect with available resources.
- ENW will email the Save-On Foods discount letter to you.
- Organizers deliver the invitations and crime prevention handouts.
- ENW will notify the following with the date & location of the block party:
- The Edmonton Police Service who may send a representative (if available).
- Your ENW Community Representative (or Community League)
- Your City Councillor and MLA if it was indicated in your application.
- Organizers pick up the ENW Block Party kit at the ENW Office (#4, 11630 Kingsway, Edmonton, Alberta T5G 0X4) based on the pick-up date scheduled when applying.
- ENW is not able to accept walk-ins for pick-up. Call to schedule a pick-up time!
- Pick-ups are Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday from 8am to 4pm. No Mondays, Fridays, holidays, evenings or weekends.
- Block Party Kit includes
- Gift Bag with giveaways from ENW, EPS, Edmonton’s Hello How Are You program, Save-On Foods and other program partners.
- Party ice-breaker activities & children’s activities
- Sign-in sheets
- A lawn sign to promote the event. Add your party details & decorate (post #ENWblockparty)
- Have a great Block Party!
- Organizer completes the online evaluation (within 4 weeks of the block party).
In cases where the crime prevention handout is not distributed with the invitations or the evaluation is not completed, the organizer and neighbourhood may be ineligible for future ENW Block Parties.
Additional Links:
- Hello How Are You : The City of Edmonton initiative that encourages Edmontonians to get connected to their communities to help prevent social isolation.
- City of Edmonton – Block Party Guide (pdf)
- City of Edmonton – Permit to Block a roadway (pdf)
- City of Edmonton information on Block Parties
Edmonton Neighbourhood Watch On Social Media