This spring & summer ENW wants to help neighbours become more connected.
With the busy lives that we all lead it is hard to find the time to do something new. It’s also difficult or uncomfortable to introduce yourself to a stranger, even if that stranger lives next door to you. Whether you have been in your neighbourhood for only a few months or many years, introductions are tricky for some of us. What do I say? How do I start? What if after I say hello there’s silence in the conversation? Oh no, awkward silence. Sometimes those thoughts make us unsure of how to start and often it stops us from trying.
One of the most significant things that you can do to help prevent crime in your neighbourhood or on your street is to get to know your neighbour. Neighbours who know one another look out for one another. When you know your neighbours, you know who and what belongs in and around the area. With familiarity you can find comfort in knowing that you can knock on a door to tell your neighbour they have left their garage door open. You can pick up the bike their child forgot on the public sidewalk and place it safely in the yard. If you go away on vacation it can put your mind at ease that your home is safe because you have a neighbour to keep an eye on your property. I often tell my neighbours that we are going away and let them know they shouldn’t see any activity at our house. And, if they see a moving van, call the police.
The best way to approach a neighbour is to have a reason.
And the best way to get familiar is to spend time with them. But how do you do that when fewer and fewer neighbours know each other? What’s the ice-breaker? The answer is to have a BLOCK PARTY! Block parties can be arranged for your street, for a couple of streets, your neighbourhood or your entire community league. And ENW wants to help you facilitate planning one.
ENW has a Block Party Program starting the first week in June that will run until Labour Day weekend. There are limited bookings available. You may ask, why do you need our help? What’s in it for ENW? What’s in it for your neighbourhood? Those are simple answers. We provide you with access to a Block Party kit that will walk you through how to hold a block party. We can help with getting a permit if you need to block the road, or by providing connections to businesses that offer discounts and possibly donations for an ENW Block Party (e.g. food supplies, etc.) We can provide you with road barricades, signage and even the invitations. In return ENW asks that when you deliver the invites in your area, you distribute crime prevention information. That information will inform residents of some simple things they can do for themselves to protect themselves and their property. It’s a win-win for everyone involved, it’s a benefit for the entire community and it helps to make your street and neighbourhood a hard target for crime.
Consider organizing an ENW Block Party in your neighbourhood!
Details will be available on May 1st on our website www.enwatch.ca under Programs.
Until next time…
Debbie Sellers, ENW
Edmonton Neighbourhood Watch On Social Media