The block party was a success! I led a team of 8 people who volunteered to help with the organizing and set-up. The biggest challenge was some division over the decision as to whether or not to have a bouncy castle. Some parents voiced their concerns for safety and did not want to be prevented from being free to connect with other residents on account of having to watch their kids. We brought it to the larger vote, took a poll, and heard some thoughts, concerns, suggestions, and discussion. Measures that were taken to ensure safety included getting TWO smaller bouncy castles instead of one large one, so that smaller children 5 and under could use one, and older children over 5 could use the other; we enforced the 8 child limit at a time and hired two neighbourhood teens to supervise and enforce the rules, such as the 8-child limit, no food or toys in the castle, no rough play. We had no issues with safety, and everyone was able to have a great time. There were multiple comments of appreciation for the open discussion; it was a great example of people being able to have open dialogue, open minds, and brainstorming some helpful solutions together.
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