Over a decade of community gathering at the McKenzie Avenue Street Party

There’s an infectious feeling of neighbourhood pride shared by the residents of McKenzie Avenue. Every summer, for the past 11 years, a resident group consisting of nearly a dozen women carry on the tradition of organizing a street party for their neighbourhood, complete with a much-beloved balloon toss, a BBQ, and other games and activities.

“It is such a great way to be able to put names to the faces you see on a regular basis and provides an opening for conversation,” said Savannah, a resident from McKenzie Avenue. “It’s our favourite part of living where we do.”

In 2018, the women of McKenzie Avenue applied for the City of Kitchener’s Neighbourhood Matching Grant to enhance their annual event by incorporating a few new traditions, including a dog agility course, a face painter, and a costume contest.

“The support of the City of Kitchener and the LoveMyHood initiative and team allowed us to be able to try something new,” explained Savannah. “I think it helped us to think outside the box for some new ideas.”

Neighbourhood Matching Grants support resident-led projects that contribute to a sense of neighbourhood belonging and help build stronger relationships among residents. In partnership with Your Neighbourhood Credit Union and the Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation, the city, through its Love My Hood Neighbourhood Strategy, awarded a total of $85,000 in support of 15 different projects across Kitchener in 2018. This year, Love My Hood has introduced all-new seasonal deadlines for the Neighbourhood Matching Grant to provide greater access for residents to benefit. The city will now review applications four times a year - August, November, February and May.

Are you and your neighbours planning a street party to bring your neighbourhood together like the women of McKenzie Avenue? Connect with the LoveMyHood team to learn more about the Neighbourhood Matching Grant today!

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