Ideas
The following list is based on one generated by a particular thread of emails on the “Walkable Communities” mailing list, hosted by the folks at www.walkable.org.
The author of an (at the time) upcoming book, “101 Ways to Make your Community Great”, had posted some of these…. and then asked list-members to contribute other ideas.:
Ideas for Improving your Neighborhood!
1. Buy a bench and place it (best to bolt it down) in front of your house, inviting people to sit a spell.
2. Plant a tree for shade or better: in the planter strip for your entire block.
3. Build a trail connector (connect two walking trails together).
4. Adopt a median, section of trail, curb extension or other public place.
5. Add a drinking fountain to a trail.
6. Trim trees and shrubs that obstruct public right of ways along sidewalks and other popular walking routes.
7. Get a group together to paint an older person’s house.
8. Fix an urban trail.
9. Use an ugly vacant lot for a community garden. Share any excess vegetables with the less fortunate.
10. Start a community lending library / book exchange.
11. Start a community equipment sharing program: lawn mowers, pressure washers, leaf blowers and other items which not everyone can afford by themselves, but are necessary to keep the neighborhood looking great.
12. Start a community cooking exchange or pot luck program.
13. Create colorful and vibrant yard signs with messages such as “We love our neighborhood”, “Please drive slowly”, or “Drivers please watch for our Children.” Post these signs in your yard and in the yards of your fellow neighbors.
14. Invite neighbors in to visit your garden (share plants) or see your new bathroom. It’s a great motivator to keep your neighborhood well maintained and lovely.
15. During periods of high rainfall, we rake leaves out of the gutter areas and unclog drains.
16. Tell each other when we’re leaving on vacation and take care of each others pets, newspaper, plants, etc.
17. Walk around the neighborhood a few times a week – learn the names of your neighbors (including children and dogs).
18. Take turns mowing the lawn of someone who cannot.
19. Play street-hockey, basketball, or kickball with the neighborhood kids.
20. Welcome new neighbors by stopping by for a visit; bring a small house-warming or “welcome to the neighborhood” gift!
21. Identify elderly neighbors whose safety you may need to keep an eye on. Team up with other neighbors to do so.
Which of these ideas do you like?
What ideas do you have?