Surprise Block Party Trailer

Promoting community pride and connectivity is a great goal for all of us, and we have a wonderful tool in the Surprise Block Party Trailer. 

The Block Party trailer is about more than just a good time (though that is important too!) The importance of this resource lies within its capability as a catalyst for friendships, relationships, tradition, safety, and security.  All of us have an interest in seeing these important qualities develop in our community. 

Last week I had the pleasure of attending a Neighborhood Block Watch meeting in the Copper Canyon subdivision.  Within this community they have 70 residents serving the role as Block Watch Captains.  This is an unbelievable number of participants, eclipsed only by Sun City Grand within the City of Surprise.  This effort was kicked off by a Block Party that community leaders and “go-getters” put together last year. You can find out more about it when I feature Copper Canyon’s Block Watch efforts on my “Council Conversation” program now airing on Surprise 11.
 
Our community finds itself in an interesting transitional phase following the housing “boom.”  We continue to grow (159 permits issued last month), yet simultaneously we see foreclosed and abandoned properties at an all-time high. Although all of us have probably rented at various points in our lives, too many rental properties in one neighborhood sometimes works to disconnect the community.  We are living in a community that is continuing to evolve, now more than ever we need to promote our hometown pride.

Hometown pride is not just about the residents, but includes the business community as well.  Businesses are as much a part of this community family as the residents.   Through sponsorship, advertising, and active participation, businesses have the capability of taking Neighborhood Block Watch and Block Party Trailer events to an entirely different level. 

I’m putting a challenge out to my district.  If we can reach 50% active participation in Neighborhood Block Watch!  That’s equivalent to every other street.  Remember block watch is not just about safety.  Fellowship, friendship, and community pride: coming together and understanding that there are folks out there, even in your own neighborhood, with common interests and concerns.  Developing relationships through this program will last a lifetime.  The return on this dismisses any concerns on the time and effort involved to get it going.

Impossible?  Not in the least. Just ask the residents in Copper Canyon.