Our neighborhood plays a major part in achieving personal and home security. Families and individuals require not just a big and comfy house; they also need a decent, safe, and stable community. Fortunately, numerous local areas nowadays are putting more effort into revitalizing their neighborhoods and surroundings with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life of their residents.
But besides your local community and the businesses within, simple residents such as yourself can take part in improving your neighborhood for the better. Here’s how.
1. Create a local garden or plant a tree
If you’ve got a beautiful urban landscape in your area, why not fill it with more lush greenery or trees? If you are thinking of organizing a tree planting event, make sure to follow your community’s rules and get the necessary permits before you start digging. Or, a better project would be starting a local community garden in your neighborhood.
For a community garden, you’ll need a committee of like-minded people. Gather those with green thumbs or anyone who has a knack for gardening. You could also use the help of other local professionals in your neighborhood to contribute to the work. Common ones include landscapers, florists, carpenters, and even nutritionists.
2. Create cleanup events
Community cleanups are among the top essentials in keeping a safe and positive community. If you want to improve your local area, consider organizing your own cleanup event with your neighbors. You can also opt to work together with local environmental groups for day-long events.
For cleanup ideas or programs, you can organize simple trash and litter collection wherein everyone, even kids, can participate. You can also take on a bigger project by planning out regular pumping of septic tanks to ensure public, and home sewer systems won’t cause health and safety problems in your neighborhood. Or, you can arrange several beautification projects to upgrade areas in your community such as painting playground equipment or renovating the old park.
3. Get to know the lovely neighbors
Familiarizing yourself with the people around your block or area is not just for the benefits of having new friends; it’s for safety too. Make it a win-win situation for everyone, and tell them they can rely on you in case they need help or during emergencies. Some might reciprocate the offer; others might not.
Nevertheless, it’s worth taking time to make friends with your neighbors, as long as they’re fine with sharing their needs, of course. You can plan for physical activity you can do together or a simple weekend BBQ so you can get to know each other more.
4. Organize a block watch
Are you familiar with everyone in your block? What about the cars they drive? Knowing who’s who in your area is the key to preventing several crimes such as robbery, burglary, and illegal dumping of trash. If your local community does not have a neighborhood watch program, propose having one.
Find people who are interested in the idea and communicate with your local law enforcement for further guidance. Most local law enforcement groups would be glad to send one or two police officers who can help you plan the program and how to identify and report suspicious activities safely. It’s also important to schedule regular meetings for the block watch and discuss the neighborhood’s current safety or security concerns.
5. Develop community spaces
Transforming your dull public spaces into fun, vibrant spaces is an amazing way to improve your community. These could be plazas, streets, sidewalks, parks, public squares, or any other outdoor or indoor spaces available. The goal here isn’t to beautify a space but to create a place with a strong sense of community. It should be a comfortable setting for various activities and functions. You can build a creative play center for the kids, an inspirational and enticing public library, or an open-air theater in the park.
In making successful community spaces, you need partners or sponsors for support and get the project off the ground. These could be your community’s local businesses, schools, museums, institutions, and other organizations.
By doing your part in making a better neighborhood, you can create a sense of community pride and promote health and safety to the community. Consider our tips and commit to consistent participation in activities and projects in your local area. A place where your kids can play safely outside. A happy place where you can spend time gardening and socializing. A positive place where your family can live happily.
