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CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – “It’s block party time”
ON THE MOVE Chair Sharon Buhr said the 19 non profit and governmental organizations that make up ON THE MOVE are encouraging everyone in Valley City and Barnes County to get to know your neighbors and have a block party.
Citizens are encouraged to get together with their surrounding neighbors and host a block party this summer or in the fall, either in their backyards or on the street. If a group wishes to have the street blocked off they can go to City Hall and sign a form to do so.
ON THE MOVE has partnered with the city of Valley City for about five years to encourage people to host block parties anytime they want throughout the summer and fall and encourage citizens to get to know those living around them.
Pat Hansen, representing South Central Adult Services an ON THE MOVE member, states “There are a lot of reasons to have a block party. It’s to have some fun. It’s to get to know your neighbors. It’s to get to know new people in town and then we feel safer, and it certainly is to help prevent crime in our city.” Hansen suggests that by getting to know the people on one’s block, neighbors become friendlier, happier, and feel better about being in the neighborhood. This promotes community and police partnership, awareness and cooperation to improve community living, and neighborhood safety, unity, and spirit.
Buhr said, “block parties help folks in their neighborhood know who each other is and to recognize when someone not part of the neighborhood appears, and assists the police department through joint crime drug prevention efforts in Valley City.” By increasing the positive aspects, Buhr hopes the block parties could reduce violence, drugs, and crime, lessening the burden on the police department.
Valley City Police Chief Phil Hatcher and Valley City Fire Chief Gary Retterath are very supportive of neighborhoods having block parties and are willing to come out to the block parties.
The neighborhood should invite them and they will come if available. Valley City Commissioners are also willing to attend block parties and hear what’s on the mind of neighborhoods.
