Hello Auburn Bay,
It is with a sad heart that I share the announcement that the 2020 Parade of Lights has officially been cancelled. The board had hoped that we would enter Phase 3 by this time, which would remove the restrictions for the number of attendees. Unfortunately, in talking with the various people in AHS, they can not say when that might happen and we felt it would be unfair to those who do all the work to prepare their floats and the events to wait until the final moment to cancel it. We do have something planned in its place that will allow us to have some controls over the activities and attendees. All I can say is that it will be a month-long celebration and we will be making the official announcement in the next week or so. Please make sure to follow us on Facebook or our website if you haven’t done so already.
The city has just announced that they are opening applications for Community Clean Ups for next year, and we are working with a couple of dates in May. Jodi Brilling did confirm that she is planning on the annual garage sale for May 1. Our informal clean up was a lot quieter than in years past, which we expected, but went well at the new site of Prince of Peace school. To help control the crowds in the parking lot, we will probably continue with an online booking system, so that we will know the number of people to expect. A huge thank you to A&W Auburn Station for donating food for our volunteers.
Our October 10 Food Truck Fundraiser was quiet, as the weather was a bit harsh. The same group will be out on October 25, featuring Perogy Boyz and numerous other trucks from the Community Food Truck Group. Unfortunately, I will be in Saskatchewan surprising my mom for her 90th birthday, so I will be missing out on their delicious food.
With rental restrictions in place, we have indefinitely postponed the in-person meeting to potentially the new year. We will be doing a special resolution at the meeting to cover online meetings and voting for the future. We will be sending out email notices once details are confirmed, so please make sure to sign up for our online newsletter on our website to get those notices.
The community has been pretty quiet, with the exception of a couple of break-and-enters, in which the individuals access the homes via the garage. The criminals are getting more brazen and seemingly desperate to steal anything that is not secured. Please remember to report any suspicious behaviour, as it may mean that the police can apprehend the culprits or at least let them know that people are watching them.
If you are having issues with a neighbour, please note that https://www.communitymediation.ca/ has a free service that you can utilize. We know it can be hard to have a conversation and they can help with the dialogue.
The delivery of the recent Community Kitchen Good Food Box orders were full of wonderful seasonal fruits and veggies. More updates on what comes in for the next edition and form, which can be found on our website, and I will update the photos.
Remember to check out the various social media groups that relate to almost every interest you might have, from Seniors to Gardeners to Good Food Box. We have been asking for feedback on various community projects. Please remember we need your input to help us understand what concerns or issues you feel we need to work on.
My favorite quote is “Volunteering is the price you are willing to pay, for the community you want to live in”. What does your community look like and have you paid the price to live there? Our next online meeting will be on October 7, 2020 and we look forward to having you there for your input.
Carla Obuck
Sports and Events Director, Auburn Bay Community Association (ABCA)
