Hammond residents are banding together to start local projects and to get to know each other.

Hammond Neighbours is a new group in the historic neighbourhood whose members want to focus on heritage preservation, neighbourhood beautification, and developing the Hammond Community Centre.

"It's more social and project-based," said Leanne Koehn, who along with her husband has been organizing neighbourhood parties since moving into the house her grandfather built in the neighbourhood.

Hammond Neighbours will launch their group on Saturday, July 7 at the Hammond Community Centre from 2 to 6 p.m. [the same day Thrifty Foods sponsoring a free community swim at the Hammond outdoor pool].

At the event, there will be information about what the group wants to accomplish and boards where people can jot down concerns, ideas, and suggestions.

Koehn said it looks like their first project will be painting the "blockhouse" - the changing rooms - at the Hammond outdoor pool facility next to the community centre.

The changing rooms in their current state are rather "drab and uninviting" and Koehn hopes a painting project will brighten things up.

She also hopes the community centre, with its hall and meeting rooms, will be used more by the community.

Koehn recently attended a workshop by neighbourhood developer Jim Diers who talked about creating "bumping places" for people to meet in their neighbourhoods. At the workshop, Diers also talked about how to be proactive and about the influence groups can have on effecting change.

"If you make an effort, people will rise to meet you," Koehn said.

There are other groups active in the Hammond area, Koehn said, and she hopes Hammond Neighbours can align their efforts with these other groups.

For more information about Hammond Neighbours, email leannekoehn@telus.net or call 604-465-7455.

mrantanen@mrtimes.com