Twelve years after the flood of 2013, and 20 years after the flood of 2005, Neighbour Day has continued to be a strong reminder of how Calgarians came together to support one another during those challenging times.

New for this year was a series of micro grants offered by the City of Calgary, to help community organizations hold even bigger and better celebrations.

Whether that meant applying so that a group could rent a bouncy castle for local children, create some community art, or even hold a neighbourhood potluck, those grants were in hot demand.

“The grant was fully subscribed. We funded 43 community events that will reach more than 20,000 Calgarians. That’s 20,000 opportunities to make people feel like they belong, and it’s 20,000 moments where neighbours feel like they’re part of community,” said Mayor Jyoti Gondek.

The micro grant program cost cap was $70,000 total.

Mayor Gondek said that as part of the celebrations, the city also approved 22 green space events and 55 different block parties.

“Neighbour Day started as one special Saturday in June once a year, but it’s become a vital part of Calgary’s everyday culture as well. It’s a cornerstone date that reminds us that Calgarians embrace community and they show up for each other every day,” the mayor said.

As for whether or not a weekend of forecast rain would affect the ability for communities to use their micro grants, she said that the City of Calgary would be working with groups on a contingency.

“We could can do a rain cheque, literally,” Mayor Gondek said.

“So, please make sure that you get in touch with the folks who provided you with the grant, and we’ll make sure that you’re able to get some other community stuff done at a time that’s a little less wet.”

With the Rotary International Convention happening in Calgary, Mayor Gondek said that there was a good chance some of those delegates would be attending local neighbour events on Saturday alongside their Calgary colleagues.

“Rotary is just such an incredible community. It is rooted in service. These are folks that are very dedicated to making sure that the world remains a just and equitable place for everyone. So with that many Rotarians in town, I think you’re going to see even more people at Neighbour Day events this weekend,” she said.

As for herself, she said that she would be working to visit at least 17 events throughout the day, handing out some cheekily named “Mayor Jyoti’s Bucket of Fun” plastic sand buckets, filled with candy, stickers, bubble blowers, and owing to the weather rain ponchos.

“I’ll be going to communities throughout the city. We’ll be hitting every quadrant. We’ll be going to all kinds of different things. Some of them are indoors, many of them are outdoors, and we’ll be bringing the fun with us everywhere we go,” the mayor said.

A list of Neighbour Day events are available at Calgary.ca.

Serious side to silly fun on Neighbour Day

Calgary Fire Department Deputy Chief of Operations Deb Bergeson said that as part of the Neighbour Day, fire crews would be supporting events and block parties.

“This year, we’ve received over 50 truck requests to attend Neighbour Day events. Given that these are working crews, they may be called away to incidents. However, we do our very best to attend each and every invitation received. Connecting with the community is part of our mission,” Bergeson said.

She said that reflecting on the floods, and the way that those events brought emergency responders closer to Calgarians, was something that the fire department thinks on during Neighbour Day.

“Not only did emergency responders serve above and beyond to make sure people were safe, Calgarians themselves did both kind and incredible things to support each other,” she said.

“This summer, we’re asking Calgarians to continue keeping each other safe by being mindful of our outdoor fire risk as well as water safety, especially on our rivers.

“We don’t just respond to emergencies. We work to grow and evolve with the city we serve. It’s important that we continue to support Neighbour Day and continue to engage and raise awareness with residents across the city.”

Calgarians are being asked to take precautions on the water, especially with rain that may increase speed and flow and corresponding danger.

“We’ve seen a rise in water rescues in recent years, including an above average number of fatalities last year, tubing or floating on rivers and lakes are the activities that lead to the most aquatic rescues in Calgary,” Bergeson said.

“Calgarians love their rivers and lakes, yet we know that where there’s water, there’s risk. Our rivers are wild places, so please use your life jackets, stay vigilant, select the appropriate watercraft and have a plan.”

Although Neighbour Day began with a flood, much work has been done to alleviate that risk.

“I am incredibly grateful that the city has come together with the province and in some cases, the federal government to put forward the amount of flood preparedness that we have,” said Ward 14 Councillor Peter Demong.