Oak Bay Community Association Starts at the Grass Roots

www.chezkirby.ca

Kumbaya and moi19 Jun 2008 10:51 pm
building community

I just got home from a great meeting. It was held in someone’s home, and so many people came that we were crammed in like sardines. There were probably thirty some people there to show that they were interested in starting a community association for Oak Bay!

Having grown up with my Dad as President of the Windermere Community Association forever, well for longer than he would have liked to do the job, and then my Mum and my sister still going strong there, the idea comes naturally to me. Of course I would participate!

There were a number of young women there, which was very encouraging to see. We live in an area that is often stereotyped as being only older folks, so it’s nice to see myself reflected in the group. I am not the token “young person” anymore!

Vicki Sanders, a Saanich Councillor, with a long history in community associations came to get us started. She gave us some ideas as to how to get started, and what our purpose might be as a community association. Everyone had a chance to speak to their reasons for coming to the meeting, and it was very interesting to hear what matters to my neighbours! Issues that they hope to address in Oak Bay are cycling and bike lanes, safety for children on bicycles, banning pesticides, community gardens, block watch and security, density and secondary suites, managing and maintenance of Uplands Park, and land use issues surrounding development, or sometimes the lack thereof in Oak Bay.

Many of the participants spoke to a more philosophical desire for a sense of community, of getting to know your neighbours, and feeling apart of something greater, some larger than just your house, your family. I couldn’t agree more!

Vicki Sanders suggested that we might include a social component, as well as deal with issues that concern us. We may find that we need to sprout off into two separate groups, one North and one South, but for now I think we’re going to stick together and get started.

So, if you live in Oak Bay, please watch for news of our first meeting, hopefully at one of the Recreation centres, which will hopefully be provided for free!

I am really looking forward to participating in the building of an Oak Bay Community Association. I know I’ve certainly been envious when I’ve attended Mum and Tot, FoodRoots Feasts, or other great events at Fairfield Community Place. And now, here we are making it happen in my community! I’m so excited to be apart of this kind of positive change! This is the only missing piece in my sense of belonging here, and now it’s coming together. I might stop hearing the call of the Kootenays now. Well, let’s face it, that won’t ever go away, but at least now I might be more satiated with visits.