Building a community voice
Advertisement
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/07/2021 (673 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Residents’ associations are an invaluable tool that help community members to accomplish goals and gain understanding about community priorities and concerns.
After seeing, and working alongside, so many dedicated and involved community members in the Windsor Park and Southdale neighbourhoods, I wanted to explore how we can establish residents’ associations in these areas.
I know many people in those communities are interested in coming together in a united voice that can create change. Many individuals have already brought residents together in a variety of ways to build community and raise funds for charity.
A residents’ association is a formal group of people who live in a neighbourhood and work together to improve their community. The activities of an association can include seeking grant funding for community development projects or organizing grassroots events.
The focus and purpose of associations varies between neighbourhoods and is entirely at the discretion of the board. Associations can focus on fun events, crime prevention or advocating for community infrastructure, among other activities.
Right now, we are working on the first steps of developing an association for these areas which is information sharing and generating interest. In particular, we are looking for people interested in forming boards which would establish the associations.
An information session was held on June 23 and we will be hosting another session on Aug. 11. The sessions are designed to share basic information including what a residents’ association is and how they are created and managed. The sessions also offer opportunities to hear from members of established associations and ask general questions.
The next information sessions will be held virtually via Zoom on Aug. 11 at 7 p.m. If you are interested in learning more about residents’ associations or volunteering, please attend or email me at mlaaudreygordon@gmail.com.
You can register for the webinar at bit.ly/SouthdaleRAinfo.
As efforts to establish associations move forward, residents can explore what is feasible for the size of the association coverage areas. The benefit of having a large community involved, is the opportunity for more volunteers to share the effort.
If you are passionate about your neighbourhood and have ideas on what you think a residents’ association could accomplish, this is a great opportunity to be a part of building your community through volunteerism. I look forward to working with residents on this initiative.
Audrey Gordon
Southdale constituency report
Audrey Gordon is the PC MLA for Southdale.