Children at Macaulay Village have stayed busy this summer with plenty of organized and organic activities and play opportunities. One of the largest events this summer saw upwards of 200 children, parents and community members gather at Macaulay Village Park July 25 for the fifth annual Reading Round Up.

The event, organized by Prince Edward Learning Centre, featured a free barbecue and play opportunity for local children. It’s a communal gathering connecting families with vital services.

Most of important of all, it connects Macaulay Village families with one another at a gathering that instills pride in their community.

Great Support

PELC Program Coordinator Jennifer Hunter noted Giant Tiger sponsored this year’s event, supplying food and children’s prize bags

More and more organizations and community partners are lining up to participate year-after-year and their presence expands the number of fun activities for families. In addition to a water curtain supplied by Prince Edward County Fire & Rescue, The Baxter Arts Centre, Department of Illumination and County Kids Read offered craft and game stations. The ROC, EarlyON, and Greater Than Youth Collective offered stations to speak about their organizations and programming.

Since the first Reading Round Up, Macaulay Village park has developed to offer a new play structure for children, a shade shelter great for picnics and community gatherings, as well as community garden beds. There have been multiple tree plantings including a micro forest filled with native species.

“Through the Park’s development, we’ve seen an increase in community partners using it including the Dept. of Illumination’s Art Kitchen every Monday,” Ms. Hunter explained, noting that the community has hosted a Winterfest celebration and that the Early ON playgroup offered sessions at the park last summer.

The park is also home for the Macaulay Village Neighbourhood group – a group of residents raising awareness and making changes around street lighting, housing issues, food security and safety concerns.

Little Libraries

This year, the event reconnected with its literary roots by unveiling a Little Free Library. Packed with youth novels, books and other lendable treasures, the library is a collaboration between County Kids Reads and the Macaulay Village Neighbourhood Group.

“We are honoured to support this project through the donation of a Little Free Library. County Kids Read are sponsoring the children’s book supply, making sure it’s filled and replenished with engaging books for young readers of all ages,” Ms. Dawes told the Gazette.

Studies show Little Free Libraries increase children’s access to books, which in turn develop stronger reading habits and improve literacy skills.

Books from the Children’s Little Library are already flying off the shelves – in the short couple of weeks the Library has been up, County Kids Read have restocked several times! 

“We thank the Macaulay Village Neighbourhood Group and other collaborators for partnering with us to help advance our purpose to secure every County kid’s right to enjoy the benefits – educational, social, and many more – of their very own books,” Ms. Dawes added.  

Looking Ahead

More recently, the Macaulay Village Neighbourhood Group gathered for Pizza in the Park August 19. The Group is looking for volunteers to assist with plant watering and preparing ground for a food forest containing apple trees and berry bushes.

Other discussion topics included a proposed night walk to see where street lights might be better positioned, London Avenue traffic calming Measures, and discussions with Base31 about the possibility of a community centre.

The group is also hosting a really, really free market on September 20 in the park 2-4 p.m..