The first community I experienced was my hometown community of North Sydney, Nova Scotia. A small industrial town in Cape Breton with a population of 6000, North Sydney is known mainly because it is where you will find the ferry to Newfoundland.
Community was a very big part of my family, my grandfather particularly was always involved in community events. There is one event that stands out in my mind that brought our community together – old people and young people alike. Inter-generational activities and engagement is so important. Interactions between old and young did not need to be facilitated in North Sydney – these were organic and regular occurrences because of close relationships with grandparents and other community elders and also because of generation after generation living on the island.
The event that brought everyone in the community out was called Bartown Festival – a week in July that included events like parades, dancing, fireworks and other activities to celebrate the culture and history of the town. North Sydney is still a busy seaport however much of the industry that kept it moving has since vanished, including coal mines and steel plants. Still, Bartown festival has remained and continues to grow each year as members of the community spend countless hours volunteering to make sure this important event continues to thrive despite changing times.
Are there any events in your community that bring people together? If you can’t think of any, this might be a great time to start your own initiative with members of your community to connect people and create a reason to celebrate!
The wealth in well-being 