Neighborhoods Day returns to Clearwater on Saturday, March 26, 2022. The day marks a city-wide series of neighborhood block parties which celebrate community spirit.
City of Clearwater staff and elected officials will tour the city and visit neighborhood block parties for the first time since 2019.
“We are so excited to be bringing back Neighborhoods Day in Clearwater. This is a great way for people to come together to celebrate what makes their neighborhoods special, get to know city staff and visit with elected officials,” said Clearwater City Manager Jon Jennings.
In order for a neighborhood to have received a grant, neighborhoods had to provide a site plan or map with each application. The plans had to include details regarding the location of all operational equipment, such as tents, barricades, port-o-lets, cooking areas, and inflatable amusements such as bounce houses. Site plans were also required to show any locations where alcohol would be served. No site plans were required if the event would be taking place exclusively on private property. Helpful tips on planning a block party could be found at myclearwater.com/neighborhoodsday.
While 30 of the city’s neighborhoods will be hosting events, most will be for residents who live within the confines of that neighborhood. The first party begins at 8 a.m. and the last one ends at 7 p.m.
The Morningside neighborhood, for instance, created an event on Facebook announcing it will host a pool party at the Morningside Rec Center with free admission to the rec center pool, deck games and contests, a DJ, inflatable slide and bounce house and food and drink. Neighbors are asked to bring a favorite drink to share.
The newly renovated Belmont Park, located in the Lake Belleview Neighborhood at 1535 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave, will reopen as well on Neighborhoods Day from noon to 2:30 p.m.
“This is the culmination of many neighborhood meetings; of listening to what the Lake Belleview community needed and wanted to see in their area,” said Parks & Recreation Director Jim Halios.
The park has a new drainage and irrigation system, fencing, sidewalks, landscaping, a grass play field and trees. People can look forward to using a new basketball court, picnic tables, benches and barbecue grills.
The Lake Belleview Neighborhood Association will host a cookout with hamburgers and hotdogs and have a bounce house, DJ, basketball shooting contest and arts and crafts.
The park dedication ceremony will take place at 12:30 p.m. Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard, Parks & Recreation Director Jim Halios, Police Chief Dan Slaughter, neighborhood advocate and CEO of the Community Service Foundation, Ed Thiebe and Lake Belleview Neighborhood Association President Dagmar Ortiz will speak at the ceremony. There will be a commemorative tree planting and interactive banner activity following the ceremony. The project was funded in part by the city’s Community Development Block Grant Program.
If you are interested in organizing your immediate area into an official neighborhood, you can find more information on the City of Clearwater’s Neighborhoods page at https://www.myclearwater.com/government/neighborhood-services.
The City of Clearwater’s Neighborhoods Division aims to empower residents and neighborhood associations to build community and create flourishing, connected neighborhoods. This division provides resources to residents looking to form a neighborhood association, facilitates and attends neighborhood meetings, organizes important community building events (like Neighborhoods Day), and refers residents to resources for resolving neighborhood issues.
The Clearwater Neighborhoods Coalition is also a valuable tool for any neighborhood that wants to find out more about the city. The CNC holds a monthly meeting on Zoom (for now) with interesting speakers such as Jon Jennings, the City Manager, and Joelle Castelli, the city’s Communications Director. The organization also plans to hold city-wide events to bring neighborhoods together for fun events. For more information, visit www.clearwaterneighborhoods.org.
Photo Gallery of past Clearwater Neighborhoods Days:
Information and photos courtesy of the City of Clearwater
