Community Spirit

Yet again I find myself thinking about the spirit of community in my neighbourhood, or rather the lack thereof. And about trying to create a #betteryyc, a better stronger, more vibrant and connected community.

Even the president of our local community association, in their most recent newsletter, called for volunteers to "build up the spirit in the community". So I'm not alone in feeling that there is something missing.

There are obstacles, this is a highly diverse neighbourhood, with almost half the population belonging to 'visible minorities' ( not sure pointing such things out helps create unity - aren't we all supposed to be Calgarians?) and almost as many have English as a Second Language, which can make communication less simple than it might be in some instances. At least one third of the properties here are rental properties, leading to a high immigrant population and one which is by nature transient and ever changing. Further, over one third of households here live at or below the officially designated poverty line. None of this makes it easy to instill a spirit of community in a population that changes as often as this one does or has as many difficulties with basic day to day life.

We also, as a neighbourhood, have our own issues. Like everywhere else we have our share of crime, both reported and recorded, and unreported. Yes it's highly likely that anything that isn't nailed down will be stolen, most often by people passing through the neighbourhood and being opportunistic as opposed to by people who actually live here. More importantly, there is a fear of crime that is out of proportion to the actual incidence of crime and that fear is an instant killer to community spirit.

Crime map

People look at their neighbours and expect the worst, focusing too much on the differences between us and not seeing all the ways in which we are the same. We all live here, this is our neighbourhood, and only we can make it our home. They fear the panhandlers and homeless - though I've yet to have a problem with any of our "regular" ones. They fear the teenagers and wannabe gangsters who hang around the strip mall and try to intimidate people passing by. They avoid those of different cultures, or races or religions, seeking comfort with their own and not realizing that this is actually lessening the sense of community spirit, community safety and cohesion, not increasing it.

I don't believe that any of our issues are untackleable, or any of our obstacles insurmountable. No one of us alone can change things by themselves, but I believe that together we can accomplish great things simply by each doing our own small part. As @Zarquil said on Twitter, it's not about creating a #perfectyyc, it's about creating a #betteryyc.

Community, and a #betteryyc, begins with each of us making that first small move. With getting out there, using our local stores and local spaces, meeting and greeting people and getting to know our neighbours. It starts with finding out what there is and what's happening in our neighbourhood, using it, taking care of it and enjoying it. It's about seeing what is missing, what might enhance it and boost community spirit, and then looking into ways of making those things happen.

I'm lucky that our apartment complex (yes, I rent) has a green space where the children (and there are many) can and do play, and some of the mothers gather there too. The children have little trouble getting along regardless of racial, language or cultural barriers, the adults have a slightly harder time of it. I'm actually a minority amongst those mothers, not because I'm a witch, pretty sure that's a given, rather because I'm white and English is my first, and best, language. (My french is a little rusty.) It's an interesting experience to feel like an outsider in your own neighbourhood. I'm seriously thinking it's well past time we had some sort of community event in our complex, be it a yard sale, a fund raiser, a pot luck/BBQ or even a scavenger hunt for the kids. I know they'd enjoy it.

I do firmly believe that any attempt to create community and make a #betteryyc must include and engage the children - they are the future, our future, the city's future, and it's well known that they learn best by example. Telling them to be community minded does no good at all if we fail to walk the walk ourselves.

I would love to see people using our local park but other than the playground it's fenced off in two ball pitches now, that are almost never, if ever, used. (I'd also like not to be picking up broken glass every time I visit the playground but that's a whole other gripe.) Personally I would love to see a community garden here if there were a space for one anywhere. That would be a win on so many levels it'd be a huge boot for the neighbourhood. (At least, as a side note, I just found out we have a Good Food Box centre here now, which I shall have to check out in the next day or two.)

This is our neighbourhood, let's each take one step each day towards taking it back and making it ours again, a place we want to live, work and play, and a place we can be happy to raise our children. One step at a time towards a #betteryyc.

As the saying goes - "Be the change you want to see in the world."

P. S. Makes me want to go out and ask people What do you like about our neighbourhood? What don't you like? What would you like to see brought in or taken away?Might just do that.....