MANCHESTER, NH –Thanks to a Community Activation Grant the Ward 7 Safety Committee has planned a community block party for Oct. 1 from 12-3 p.m. at Hallsville School, 275 Jewett St.
The party is a way of bringing together children and families for a party after two years of social isolation, according to Safety Captain Debbie Miller. The event is free and open to the public, and will also feature music by Clyde Bisbee and the Wheelhouse Revelers, an appearance from Eddy the MPD pony, as well as members of city police and fire, plus games, face painting, a clown and much more.
The Ward 7 group was founded in 2005 by Miller in response to neighborhood crimes. The group meets regularly with the Manchester Police Department, Health Department and DPW at the Ward 7 Firehouse on Somerville Street. They organize and participate in scheduled park and street clean-ups by collaborating with city parks and recreation, which supplies equipment and materials.
Hallsville, built in 1891, and was decommissioned in June 2021. Hallsville is a unique institution, a small neighborhood school in an old and established Manchester neighborhood. Many of Hallsville’s students were second or third generation of their families. The Ward 7 Safety Committee Watch Party is a great way to have a fun day for children and families and to bid a fond farewell one more time to Hallsville School.
“Like a lot of other groups and businesses, we saw the city’s Community Event and Activation Grant program as a huge opportunity to bounce back after COVID and have one last celebration at Hallsville School. A big event like this seemed like a great way to remind people that we’re still out here trying to make things better in Ward 7,” says Miller.
The event will be held rain or shine. The only reason for cancellation will be a hurricane, and in that event we will reschedule in the spring.
