Published on May 17, 2023
Building Community with Block Parties
St. Albert has always prided itself on a strong sense of community, building deep relationships with neighbours, and keeping our blocks comfortable and safe.
Brittany Brown Wyllie moved to Lacombe Park nine years ago, bringing alongside her a childhood value of knowing one’s neighbours. Pre-pandemic, Brittany organized Block Parties to get to know her neighbours better than saying the occasional “hello” when passing by someone.
As a Good Neighbour and a Block Party organizer, Brittany values the benefits of neighbourhood events. Block Parties are a way for Brittany to know her neighbours more intimately than simply knowing the names of the two families next door. As a parent of three, she cites knowing which families have kids and knowing and trusting their parents has provided an added sense of security for her family.
“I like knowing who’s around. I like knowing who my kids are with and I can be an adult that other parents can trust,” she says.
She recalls times when she and her neighbours would ask and borrow ingredients for baking – made much easier by personally knowing the people around her and forming true friendships with them. Having friendly, reliable neighbours has led to a considerably less stressful environment, saving trips to the grocery store or helping to complete tasks that otherwise would not be possible.
Brittany was one of many residents who sought to reconnect with their neighbours with the end of lockdowns in 2022, hosting a Block Party with great success. Brittany shared that her party had good turnout, with the City’s Block Party resources being enjoyed by the young residents at Langley Park. “The tug-of-war rope was popular, as were the face paint kits. We even ended up with some of the kids painting the faces of parents!” The Langley Park Block Party was even visited by the Roaming Rec Crew, who were appreciated by both the children and the adults. “The kids loved having older youth lead them in games, and it was nice for the parents to eat their hamburgers uninterrupted,” shared Brittany.
One thing that Brittany noticed during the Block Party last year was the families present at Langley Park who didn’t live on Brittany’s street. “I felt bad that they weren’t invited, and we were holding a party behind their houses, so this year, we’ll be expanding our invitations to have the families whose homes back onto Langley Park join us.” She also noticed new families moving into the neighbourhood, believing that a Block Party will be an excellent way to introduce neighbours and foster lasting connections. The first weekend of June is when Brittany and her neighbours have opted to host the Block Party. “We can get everyone to see each other and make contact at the beginning of summer. They can learn about each other to get conversations started and build relationships over the rest of summer, rather than having them say ‘Hey, I haven’t seen you since August... Enjoy your winter!’”
Going door-to-door to deliver invitations was a great way for her to meet with neighbours she otherwise would not have met, gathering contact information to keep in touch. This year, Brittany’s neighbours once again jumped at the opportunity to help her with delivering invitations, renting a barbeque, picking up equipment and flipping burgers!
As a busy person, she very much appreciates her neighbours’ care, stating, “It’s nice to know I don’t have to do it on my own.” Many in the community are eager to go out and create or reignite relationships that may have faded over the very difficult past few years.
Block Parties and Play Streets are excellent ways to connect with the people around you. Saturday, August 26 also marks the Fourth Annual Good Neighbour Day. Take some time to celebrate the day with neighbours like Brittany, who make our community a friendlier and more compassionate place to live.
Learn more about hosting a Block Party or Play Street in your neighbourhood.
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Last edited: May 18, 2023