Sturgeon County has tightened up its supports for block parties to encourage new ways for residents to build community together.
County council approved a new community grant program last March 10 that replaces its old one for block parties. The program was to be called Cultivate Sturgeon County, but Scott Rodda, the county’s manager of family and community support services, said he is working on a different name as that one is too similar to the City of St. Albert’s “Cultivate Life” brand.
Sturgeon County started a program in 2018 that offered residents up to $1,000 to hold block parties, Rodda told council. About 35 such grants went out in the last two years, mostly to Div. 1 and 2 residents, with most applying for the full $1,000.
Rodda said the grant appeared to be more of a hand-out than a hand-up, as people were throwing parties simply to get the grant. The grant was also out of step with the $0 to $500 in support most of the county’s neighbours provide for block parties.
Instead, Rodda said the county would now offer a $200 “community connection” grant for any local activity designed to build community, which could be block parties, swap meets or community cleanups. They would also have a $1,500 “community pride” grant aimed at bigger neighbourhood initiatives, such as little free libraries, tool libraries or community gardens.
Rodda said the county would also organize at least one community event in each division each year, which would likely tie community cleanups with issues of local interest, such as crime prevention.
