University of Guelph’s ‘Meet Your Neighbour’ Event Aims to Foster Connections Between Students and Local Residents
Students and residents living in the McElderry neighbourhood near the University of Guelph are being invited to attend a “Neighbourhood Meet and Greet” this weekend to take part in a few games, get to know one another and build personal connections.
Organized by the Off-Campus Living team of Student Experience, the event will be held at Rickson Park Saturday afternoon and feature lawn games, face painting, baked treats and more.
The aim is to provide long-time residents of the neighbourhood a relaxed and fun opportunity to meet some of the students living in the area during the school year and for students to get to know the people who call the area home.
“Getting on a first-name basis with your neighbours is so important to building understanding relationships based on mutual respect,” said June Baldwin, coordinator of neighbourhood relations and off-campus living.
“Many of our students are living far from home, so this event will give students a sense of belonging while introducing them to long-time Guelph community members.”
The Neighbourhood Meet and Greet will take place Saturday, Sept 16, from 1 to 3 p.m., with students living nearby or in the new Gordon Hall (the former Days Inn) invited to attend.
Representatives from several city services will be on hand along with bylaw officers and university staff who can offer information and answer questions.
Foster positive neighbourhood relations
“This is really just a great way to get students and neighbours meeting face-to-face and making connections,” said City of Guelph councillor Ken Yee Chew.
Chew and other city council members and staff plan to attend and are inviting neighbours through newsletters and social media channels.
The Off-Campus Living team is committed to working with students and neighbourhood residents to foster positive neighbourhood relations. Each September, they connect with students living in off-campus neighbourhoods to share information about life in Guelph, including safety and property standards information, tips on being a good neighbour and more to set them up on the “right foot forward.”
The event is just one way University students are helping to build community in Guelph. Also on Saturday, hundreds more students will fan out across the city to volunteer with local service organizations as part of Project Serve.
The annual event is an opportunity for students to take a break from studies and give a few hours of their time to local organizations such as the Guelph Food Bank, The Seed, and the Guelph Humane Society.
Like the Neighbourhood Meet and Greet, Project Serve helps to build connections between students and community members and gives students tools needed for being good neighbours and citizens.