Boyle McCauley News

Since 1979 • April-May 2024 • Circulation 5000

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NET Update: Reclaim the Lane

Back alleys gain new life with clean ups and murals

RPart of the McCauley neighbourhood is now cleaner and safer thanks to the collaborative effort between residents and agencies to keep an area of concern clean and crime free. If you head to the alley between 95 and 96 Street and 107 and 106 Avenue you’ll notice the results of a project between residents, the McCauley Neighbourhood Empowerment Team (NET), and the Mustard Seed.

Throughout the summer this group worked together to address major disorder happening in the alley. The Mustard Seed’s “Clean and Green Crew” regularly cleaned up needles, garbage, and weeds, while the residents monitored the alley, kept their own yards free of debris, and stayed connected to one another. Meanwhile, the Demo Crew, a group of youth who live and volunteer in the neighbourhood with The Mustard Seed for one week at a time during the summer, offered their services to the neighbours for larger projects such as painting murals and fences and major yard work. Two murals have been completed so far.

What started as a resident concern turned into a great example of what can happen when community stakeholders combine their resources and work together. Acknowledging this hard work is important – one resident has noticed a difference and shares, “I’m excited and thrilled to think that The Mustard Seed is trying to be a good neighbour and helping clean up the back because I think that is an image that we should all be concerned about, how good we are instead of how bad are we. So I am thrilled to think we are all participating in this.”

This group is set to meet at the end of the summer to share what was learned and to celebrate their success. The groups involved are hopeful this will be the beginning to an ongoing positive relationship between residents and The Mustard Seed.

You can do this in your area too! There are Revitalization grants available and support to help get you started. For more information contact McCauley NET at (780) 668-9467 or Jane Molstad at (780) 496-6887.

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