Neighbour Day celebration connects community

By Justin Seward - Lethbridge Herald on June 20, 2023.

Herald photo by Justin Seward Greysyn Cook did balloon twister art for the kids at the Upper Victoria Park Neigbourhood Association's Neighbour Day.

The Upper Victoria Park Neighbourhood Association celebrated its annual Neighbour Day on Saturday.

Former Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi introduced Neighbour Day after the 2014 floods.

“He was very touched by how all the community members came together after the flood to help each other, and so he declared the third Saturday in June every year to be Neighbour Day,” said UVPNA chair Kathryn Domes.

“And so our former chair of our Neighbourhood Association – so I’m with the Upper Victoria Park Neighbourhood Association – and he decided to start this event and it’s been a huge success. It’s brought people out from all over.”

People gathered from all over the city to start the day at garage sales in the morning, followed by a street event with food trucks and various entertainment. All the musicians were from the neighbourhood.

“We’re really community focused,” said Domes. “Anything that helps to build community, that’s sort of our mandate. So it brings neighbours together. It’s a beautiful thing. People who don’t normally see each other very often connect at this event.”

When Domes moved back to the neighbourhood, within a week she knew everybody on her block.

“In this neighbourhood, people tend to come out of their houses and talk and help each other out,” she said.

“You know, water each other’s gardens when they’re away or bring them food when they’re sick. It’s a really beautiful thing how everybody kind of looks out for each other in this neighbourhood. And this event in particular, every year, I meet new people, and so when I see them again out and about walking around the neighbourhood I have some context and it just kind of encourages that communication and those friendships.”

This was the first year the event had an indigenous focus for the event.

“I’m really glad that we did that because more and more, I think people are realizing that it’s important to recognize that we are on Treaty 7 Territory and make connections so that we can really foster (a) relationship through diversity.”

A Blackfoot jingle dancer and grass dancer performed, and an elder did an opening Blackfoot prayer to begin the day.

The hope next year is to grow to multiple blocks.