NeighborWorks® Greater Manchester celebrated this year’s National NeighborWorks® Week, June 2-9, with a neighborhood enhancement effort in one of the Manchester’s most blighted areas.

The Sat., June 2, event began with a neighborhood clean up of the West Side neighborhood bordered by Main, Conant, Quincy and Parker streets. A team of approximately 30 volunteers scoured the neighborhood collecting numerous bags of trash and debris.

At the same time, a beautification crew went to work clearing trash and weeds and planting bushes on a small plot of city-owned land alongside the Parker Street bridge. This spot was adopted by NeighborWorks® Greater Manchester as part of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce’s Walkable Neighborhoods program.

Afterwards, neighborhood residents were treated to a free block party that was held on the Granite Street block situated between West and Barr streets.

Featuring live music, free food and fun, the block party provided an opportunity for residents to get to know each other better, a key to the cohesiveness of any neighborhood.

In addition to kids’ games and visits by a fire truck and police horses — not to mention a hot dog eating contest — neighborhood residents had the opportunity to make their own outdoor flower pots as a means of adding some color to their neighborhood, which has very little green space. It is hoped this aesthetic improvement will, in turn, help to foster neighborhood pride, itself a key to neighborhood health and vibrancy.

The event was planned by NeighborWorks® Greater Manchester’s Community Services Committee. Financial and in-kind support provided by NeighborWorks® America, St. Mary’s Bank, The Home Depot and Grace Haven Baptist Church.

 

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