The Davis Bay Community Association began hosting monthly “Coffee & Conversation” get-togethers in May 2025. These gatherings came about because, as relative newcomers to this quaint neighbourhood-by-the-sea on the Sunshine Coast, we found that we were meeting and chatting with friendly neighbours on our daily walks. We quickly realized that these folks might like to come together as a group.
We approached the Community Association with our suggestion to launch an informal monthly morning gathering, and all Board members were enthusiastically in favour, and waived the rental fee. They each are busy with either young families or involved with other volunteer activities so they were happy for us to take on the project.
The first gathering was on Thursday, May 1 with a small group of 6 people attending. We persevered with spreading information by posting fliers on mailboxes, posts on the Association social media page, and an email reminder to all Association members. Each month attendance has increased to where we now have 20+ enthusiastic participants and the numbers continue to grow. Initially those attending were primarily from the immediate neighbourhood near the Association’s hall. Each month we have people attending from farther away, and information about the event is spreading by word of mouth as well.
One of the main goals of the Association is to increase membership in order to maintain and improve the culture and facilities. Current members are encouraged to tell a neighbour about the monthly Coffee & Conversation. As word spreads, we are hoping that Association memberships will also increase.
We do not have a formal agenda for our gatherings, but we have had conversations ranging from neighbourhood safety and crime prevention to emergency preparedness to simply catching up and learning each other’s history. We have some long-term residents who have shared their valuable knowledge of the vibrant history of Davis Bay.
We are incredibly thankful for the funds from the Neighbourhood Small Grants program. We will be continuing our monthly get-togethers well into 2026.
