TL;DR
- Rockcliffe-Smythe hosted a block party to educate neighbours about flood protection.
- Organizers said the event was an easy way for community members to learn about the Rockcliffe Flood Mitigation Projects, including how they can protect themselves in the event of a flood.
- Learn how to throw your own block party protest by collaborating with community organizations, curating a fun vibe to entice neighbours to attend and making it easy for people to stay involved after the party’s over.
📸: Julia Lawrence/The Green Line.
When you think of how to handle flooding, your first thought isn’t usually to throw a party.
But for local residents in Rockcliffe-Smythe, that was precisely how they got their neighbours to show up and get informed about flood protection.
The west end neighbourhood is known to be one of our city’s most flood-prone neighbourhoods, according to the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA). It’s in the midst of a construction project by the City of Toronto and the TRCA, called the Rockcliffe Flood Mitigation Projects, which aims to help move water away faster, reduce sewer backups and produce infrastructure upgrades on sewer channels and bridges.
Construction kicked off in March of this year with tree removal in Smythe Park, two years after the Rockcliffe Riverine Flood Mitigation Project Municipal Class Environmental Assessment study was completed in 2023. Then, this fall, the Jane Street Bridge over Black Creek will be widened and replaced.
But after a public meeting last July, community members raised concerns over the proposed plan.
Black Creek Flood Coalition organizer Sarah McVie and other neighbours gathered 200 physical signatures and about 90 online, demanding that the City of Toronto create an emergency flood response plan. McVie said the city declined. The Green Line did not immediately receive a response for comment; we’ll update this story when we do.
In 2021, McVie had bought a detached home in Rockcliffe-Smythe, but soon discovered her basement flooded with sewage water whenever it rained. Not a fun housewarming gift.
“We’re finding the will and the strength to [protect] ourselves, even though we’re all living on the margins,” McVie explained. “We are living in a working-class situation here with minimal resources.”
“But what we can do is we can use our human resources, which is each other.”
McVie came up with the idea for a block party and partnered with the York South-Weston Community Hub to make it happen on April 25. Their goal? To raise awareness about the neighbourhood’s construction plans and to educate each other on what to do in the event of a flood.
Why throw a block party?
On April 25, the community came together for the block party, which featured music, food and games for children. The idea was that local residents could discuss how to save their homes during flooding — but in a fun environment before encountering any problems.
Community members saw “how-to” demonstrations on managing rainfall and major flooding events, as well as tips for reducing the risk of significant basement flooding. They also learned how to operate sump pumps, a device used to prevent flooding in basements or crawl spaces, and how to connect them to a generator in case power goes out during a storm.
McVie wanted to demystify questions such as, “How do you start a generator?” “What’s the difference between an electrical and a gas generator?” and “How do sump pumps work?”
Attendees also got to view a comparison between the city’s current construction plans and the proposed plans that the Black Creek Flood Coalition wants the city to pursue.
📸: Julia Lawrence/The Green Line.
York South-Weston Community Hub founder Chiara Padovani said the block party was a great way to get to know neighbours in a casual setting and strengthen those community relationships.
“You’ve got to practice these things before it happens in order to actually be able to respond effectively in an emergency,” Padovani said. “We thought a great way to do that is by bringing people together and having a little bit of fun learning about the things that we need to know in the event of the next flood.”
“It was really nice on a very practical skill-building and knowledge-building side, but also just in terms of community and meeting each other.”
📸: Julia Lawrence/The Green Line.
What are the benefits of hosting a block party?
For Rockcliffe-Smythe resident Brent Harper, the block party was “perfect timing to dive into more of the issues happening.” Harper found out about the event after a neighbour told him about it.
“I’m learning from the neighbours, what their thoughts are about [the construction project],” he said. “I’m getting to know it a little better.”
Luisa Martinez, a GreenForceTO project manager who provided resources at the block party, said it was a very welcoming event. She educated attendees on RainScapeTO’s rain gardens, which are a way to control rainwater through nature.
“A protest may be a little more imposing, whereas this is like, ‘Come in and let’s work together to resolve something,’” she said.
📸: Julia Lawrence/The Green Line.
How to throw a block party in your neighbourhood?
Here are some tips from McVie and Padovani’s block party on how to host your own — even “with very few resources at hand,” Padovani added.
- Ask a community member to DJ or play music to keep the vibes high.
- Put up tents in case it rains and to add shade.
- Have toys and prizes for children — if it is a kid-friendly block party.
- Bring food because being hangry never helped anyone. A simple BBQ setup will keep your neighbours happy and chatting.
- Check into whether you need a permit. You don’t need permits if you’re able to use people’s driveways and backyards for setup.
- If you aren’t able to use a driveway or backyard, you’ll need to register for a permit. Padovani recommended, at a minimum, giving a month’s notice for the permit to be approved. (Some permits may require more time, so always check the City of Toronto’s permit site).
- Ask volunteers to run stations, sign-ins and outreach for the event.
- Get in touch with your local BIA, community association or councillor to help fundraise for the block party’s costs.
- Advertise the event via social media and on flyers around your neighbourhood at least two weeks in advance.
- Set up a check-in station where you can collect signatures and emails for a petition, and keep your community up to date on progress for your cause.
- Send a media release to publications like The Green Line to share what’s happening in your neighbourhood and why they should cover the event.
- Street event permit: If you’re planning to temporarily close the street fully or partially to occupy a curblane, sidewalk or boulevard for a race, run, walk or festival, you must apply for a Street Closure Permit.
- Noise Exemption Permits: Noise exemption permits can be requested for events or activities that may be in violation of the Noise Bylaw.
- Special Events Permit Navigator: Apply for this if you need more assistance planning your block party. Use the navigator to build a customized list of the permits and approvals you need, who to contact, key deadlines and associated fees, if any.
- Street event permit: If you’re planning to temporarily close the street fully or partially to occupy a curblane, sidewalk or boulevard for a race, run, walk or festival, you must apply for a Street Closure Permit.
- Noise Exemption Permits: Noise exemption permits can be requested for events or activities that may be in violation of the Noise Bylaw.
- Special Events Permit Navigator: Apply for this if you need more assistance planning your block party. Use the navigator to build a customized list of the permits and approvals you need, who to contact, key deadlines and associated fees, if any.
Ever thrown a block party for a cause, and have more tips to share with us? Send an email to julia@thegreenline.to or DM us on Instagram at @tglhelps.
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