I am writing this letter in response to an event on Butterfield Cr. last Saturday evening, June 7. We have hosted block parties in past years with much success but not in recent events.
One of my neighbours had obtained a permit to close down the road for a block party (or at least under the premise of a block party). I have looked into this and indeed have found that there are permits available under this premise but what happened was not an event to bring the community together.
There were signs posted as a block party, some of the neighbours received an invite but not others. Some people attended the event under the assumption it was a block party as that is what signs had indicated. They later discovered this was a private event for my neighbour to invite only their friends, many who don't live on Butterfield. I was invited by neighbours to come and I was encouraged to get food and I was rudely approached by this neighbour who demanded I leave, as it was a private event for her friends only.
I kindly introduced myself again and told her I lived down the street. She responded she didn't care and was very aggressive. I mentioned that the signs clearly advertise the event as a block party and I know the permit is for block parties to encourage community.
She responded by saying she can do whatever she wants because of the permit. This is dividing our little community and it's terribly sad. If you’re going to host a private event do so on your own property. You can't expect to shut down the road for your own purposes.
I have lived on this crescent for over 35 years and am an original resident of our crescent. To my knowledge I haven't done anything to warrant this treatment. I want to encourage community and friendship between neighbours. I am debating hosting my own block party for the entire neighbourhood including this neighbour and all those excluded and divided by events of that evening.
This kind of behaviour is a cancer in our community. I am going to urge the city to no longer issue this individual a permit in the future as this happened last year as well. We had several individuals who were unable to access the crescent due to the road closure and we had to witness trailers and construction vehicles attempting to turn around. I'm hoping this individual will have a change of heart and treat everyone fairly and with respect and will not think a block party permit is theirs to plan their own event. So Butterfield, let's come together as a community and get to know their neighbours because you may find out you like them.
A. Rodger, St. Albert
