For decades, the residents of Poplar Drive in Altona have shared friendly waves and casual greetings.
They’ve seen neighbours come and go, and their children have grown up and gone to school together.
It’s a close-knit community where everyone looks out for one another. Yet, despite their camaraderie, they had never thrown a neighborhood party—until now.
On Sept. 24, everything changed. The residents set up tables and lawn chairs, lit the fire pit, and cranked up some tunes for a good, old-fashioned street party.
The masterminds behind this event were Vickie Friesen and Ray Loewen.
“We were just chatting outside on our front lawns one evening,” Vickie recalls. “Ray mentioned he’d been thinking about organizing a street party, and I told him we’d been thinking the same thing.”
In just ten minutes, they had a plan. They went door to door, handing out invitations.
“Everyone was all in,” Vickie says. “When I knocked on some doors, I realized I didn’t even know we lived on the same street! Many of these people have been here for years, but we never got the whole group together like this before.”
The event featured lawn games for the kids, and the town granted permission to block off the street. Everyone brought food to share, creating a potluck feast.
The party was a resounding success, leaving everyone eager for the next gathering. It was a night that turned neighbours into friends and a street into a community
“It was just awesome,” Vickie says. “It came together so easily and was so much fun. We all say, ‘We should get together,’ but people never get around to it. This was on neutral ground, so nobody felt awkward or worried about cleaning up their house. We got to taste other people’s baking. I would recommend other streets do this. You never know when you’ll need each other. It’s a great way to get to know who lives close by.”
Resident and fellow organizer Guy Mullen agrees.
“My neighbours are like family. We are all there for each other. Love is priceless and powerful.”
If your street wants to follow suit, contact the Town to see about officially blocking off access to your road for the party.
