'Amazing people' live here: Uniacke Square holds annual beautification day
Every June, for more than a decade, the residents of Uniacke Square and the city of Halifax celebrate the neighbourhood by sprucing up the area and planting flowers.
The housing project, built in the mid-1960s for the displaced population of Africville, has struggled with a negative public image.
The Community Beautification Day helps to bridge the neighbourhood's feeling of isolation, said event co-ordinator Jacqueline Jenkins.
"It has kind of a secluded community feel to it. So, it's nice to just have everybody come out and have an event for us," she said.
At the same time everyone is welcome"
'I love it here'
Jenkins, who grew up in Uniacke Square and is the program co-ordinator at the neighbourhood's parent resource centre, said the celebration includes all residents of the city.
"I love it here. It kind of feels like home to me. I've got to know everybody so well, amazing people that live here," she said.
The rain held off Saturday while kids lined up to play in the fire truck brought to the event while their parents planted flowers and flipped burgers.
'A lot of negative connotations going on'
Setting aside a day to celebrate the community is the brainchild of Tyler Morton who also grew up in the area.
Morton's mission is to change people's minds about the community and focus on the positive.
"Even though we know there's positivity, we also know there's a lot of negative connotations going on from people outside of the community and from the media," he said.
"When something positive happens, it's not really seen."
Boosting community's profile
Morton stressed the importance for everyone to keep an open mind.
"HRM is always great. They do great partnerships and they're always helpful," he said.
But with local police, not so much.
"You have good and bad with everyone," he said.
Morton believes while attitudes toward Uniacke Square have come a long way, the need for the event is as important today as it was when the idea came to him 16 years ago.
In fact, he said he'd like to see more money set aside for events like this one, to help boost the community's profile.
