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Street Parties & Block Parties

 

Ever wanted to meet other people in your street but didn't know how? Port Phillip Community Group (PPCG) can help you with simple ideas and guidelines to get started.

The PPCG can help you with road closures, public liability insurance and suggest creative ideas to make your event a success. They also have a BBQ they can lend to you for free.

To enquire about the process or register your Street Party, contact Anthea Teakle from Port Phillip Community Group on 9525 8746 (Mon Tues or Fri) or leave a message on 9534 0777.

Due to the large volumes of street parties we are having this year (well done CoPP residents) please note the following:

1. Becoming a Street Party Coordinator will require an extra form - a police check. The police check takes a week or two to process, but will ensure you will be covered under the liability insurance and will only be required for your initial party. Please contact Anthea who will email you the form to complete online. Please also include 100 points ID verified by Pharmacist, Police or JP before sending the forms to Anhea.

2. First Time Street Party Coordinators will need 75% of the signatures in the street for the road closure of those directly affected by the closure. Neighbours are more than happy to let you have a road closure once they know it's for the street party. If you can get this through to us as soon as possible, it will speed up the process immensely.

We thank you for taking the time to make your streets friendlier, safer and our neighbourhoods such lovely places to live.

If you live in an apartment block, why not get to know your neighbours too? According to the City of Port Phillip Housing Strategy 2007, apartments are the main housing type - making up almost 60% of all households in the municipality.

Block parties can involve two or three neighbours, or the whole apartment block. Just invite a couple of neighbours to help out in organsing it, decide on the place and time and HEY PRESTO you have yourself a party!

Why should I get involved?

Because getting to know people in your street makes our streets friendlier and safer. We all know about the benefits of close friends and family, but the relationships we have with our neighbours and the friendliness allows for trust which can be just as important to our wellbeing.  We've asked residents how street parties have changed their street and this is what they said:

"People greet each other in the street now and stop to have a chat, they ask when the next one is – there's a real community feeling"

"There's a very close knit relationship between neighbours. We all look out for each other and help out in times of need eg child minding/borrowing cars"

"People really look forward to it and start organising a couple of months prior if we are doing it again. We are now in our fourth year"

"These days most of us know each other and our children by sight and name. I think that’s a big plus"

Check out all the street parties that have occured since 2004 - get your street on the map!

It's easy

Many residents would like to do something to make their streets and neighbourhoods friendlier, but feel swamped by the demands of work and families, and do not know where to start. This project will help inspire ideas and give people the tools they need to initiate their own simple events in their street or local area.

It's healthy

Research indicates that people who are better connected to others are more likely to live longer, feel safer, recover from illnesses quicker and suffer less from conditions such as heart disease, depression, and even the common cold. Communities with high levels of social connectedness also tend to have lower crime rates, partly because neighbours look out for each other. (For research sources, check out the Street Party Kit, above.)

Even if people have good social or family networks outside of their immediate area, the quality of their local neighbourhood can still have a healthy or unhealthy affect on their well-being.

I already have my own friends, why do I need to 'meet my street'?

Street Parties are not necessarily about making best friends (although you might!), it's about knowing who your neighbours are, greeting them by name, sharing an occasional chat or a cup of tea and having someone  (or being someone) close by to call on in an emergency.

Streets for Living

Why not have a walking tour of your street? Has anyone famous lived on your street? What do you like most about your home? Secrets of the neighbourhood?

Streets for Living program challenges the common assumption that streets are for cars and that those cars have automatic priority in all streets. It encourages residents to reclaim streets as living open spaces, by walking and riding in them. There is a clear connection between reducing car dependence and increasing community interaction on our streets. Try new ideas to bring your street to life!

More information

Contact Us or use eServices to ask us a question, request information or give us feedback online. Ask for the Community & Health Development team.