Now that we’re suddenly in a snowy deepfreeze, we thought it would be great to look back at warmer sunnier times earlier in the year. Summer is always a busy time at Calgary Housing. Much of the community development work happens over these few months, as the weather is favourable and people have more time to help with projects. Many properties are busy with programming over the summer, this story focuses on the work to build community at one property in Northeast Calgary.
The residents of Calgary Housing’s Temple property have transformed their outdoor living spaces over the summer. The property is now bursting with colour and residents are making use of newly installed gathering spaces. Once-gray concrete is now adorned with planters that recently overflowed with flowers, while dry patches of dirt were replaced by green grass. Gathering spaces, both practical and beautiful, were installed, giving neighbors places to meet.
The changes at Temple did not happen all at once. Throughout the summer new projects popped up and were completed. And residents had a number of ways to be involved, from storing materials in their yards to jumping in and helping build the fixtures.
Things began after residents said they were tired of staring at the cracked and worn paint on the parking lot fence. A group got together and repainted the fence. Inspired by the results, they expanded the project, painting more fences and brainstorming other improvements.
Susanna is the Housing Support Specialist at Temple. She is a thoughtful leader that empowers residents to be and do their best. Dropping by a planning meeting, Susanna checks in with the residents on how a grant application is going and asks for updates, offering help and support where needed, but focusing on helping the residents do it themselves rather than by doing it herself. She loves residents navigate the grant system and organize the projects as they come up.
WINS has been another great partner in the planning process at Temple. They have a community hub at the property where the residents meet and work on their planning. WINS team members also helped as volunteers on the projects and provided water and snacks to residents on hot summer days.
Longtime residents like Lisa and Aaron worked hard to make the changes happen, and new residents like Mohamed, brought a fresh perspective to the projects.
Lisa has lived with Calgary Housing for close to 30 years and shares that, prior to this summer, people would often gather on her lawn because she has a table and chairs. One of the summer projects was installing picnic tables and benches with flower boxes. These new picnic tables offer parents a better vantage point of where their kids are playing and riding their bikes.
Aaron has lived with Calgary Housing for over 20 years and was an active volunteer over the summer. He lives at Temple with his daughter and their cat. He enjoys living with Calgary Housing because it’s quiet. When he hears kids playing outside it reminds him of his childhood in Cardston. In his job, he works on HVAC systems and much of the construction at Temple this past summer was his handywork. He shared his tools with his neighbours and was quick to help with the bigger projects like building the flower boxes.
The construction of the flower box benches was one of the highlights of the summer. These sturdy benches provide a place for families to watch their kids play and provide space for more greenery and flowers at the property. “The more plants the better” Aaron says.
Mohamed has lived at Temple for about a year. His involvement started after he called The City and asked them to fix the park by his house. His calls didn’t lead anywhere so he decided to start doing work himself. He tracked down some sod and chopped up protruding tree roots in the park. He hopes those changes will create a safer space for the kids to play and have a nicer lawn.
Mohamed was an active help throughout the summer “whenever they needed me, I was out there” he says. “My neighbours are very friendly” he adds. He likes the community as well, as it is close to his children’s school and there are many multicultural stores where he can find foods from back home.
When he asks what makes a good neighbour, he shares “someone who is friendly, nice, quiet, listens to me, and is there to help. Friendly with kids is good too. Aaron is a good neighbour!” The two became good friends throughout the summer, painting fences together, building flower boxes, and helping kids fix their bikes. Maybe mending fences makes great neighbours too!
Midway through the summer Lisa shared that what kept her going is when the little kids see her and the others working and then start asking questions. She’s passionate about improving the property not just for herself, but for her neighbours as well.
This summer there was also a strong emphasis on creating spaces for children to play. Youth En Route provided children with free bikes and safety gear like helmets and did basic bike safety training. WINS helped organize the event, and, with Susanna, helped families sign up for the free bikes ahead of time.
Toward the end of the summer, residents decorated tires to create vibrant flower planters (which will be used next year, as the water restrictions made planting new flower tricky). They also created colourful sidewalk games using spray paint and stencils.
As the summer ended, residents gathered to celebrate their hard work. Calgary Housing staff grilled burgers, WINS provided snacks, and everyone took a well-deserved break to admire the results. The property now features vibrant fences, colorful planters, green grass, picnic tables, and lively sidewalk games. Kids zipped around on their new bikes, and the community became closer than ever.
Looking forward to next summer, the residents of Temple are excited to enjoy the fruits of their labour and continue making their property a beautiful place to call home and to continue building a thriving community of neighbours supporting neighbours.
