The Mennonite Central Committee is taking steps to make life better in the McIntyre neighbourhood.
The social agency, which owns two apartment buildings in the neighbourhood - the Pine Glen and Park Village - recently hired an activity coordinator, Andrew Ardell.
It also converted one of the apartments in the bottom floor of Park Village into a community resource centre, open to all members of the community not just those living in the building.
Speaking to city council this week, Ardell highlighted a handful of initiatives being pursued, beginning with an elementary after-school program.
"Lots of the kids in that area go to Quinson elementary, and so I've been helping out with the breakfast program in the mornings and then after school on Tuesdays they're all welcome to come over to the community resource centre," Ardell said.
"We help with homework and we do games and crafts and just kind of connect the kids in the neighbourhood. But we also encourage their parents and-or guardians to come with them and engage with activities with them in this space as a way of connecting families and just moving the families in the community."
On Thursday mornings, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., the centre hosts a drop-in with coffee and cookies. The aim is to help those living in McIntyre get to know one another, "because when you know your neighbour, you feel safe and comfortable."
A community garden at Park Village is also in the works.
Ardell said the garden's construction would be done by volunteers on a community day and those in the after school program would be responsible watering and maintenance. They would also conduct some science projects, such as keeping track of how high the plants will grow.
"And then at the end, we'll have this big harvest party the whole community is invited to," Ardell said. "We'll eat some of the food we have and we'll also give it out as we see needed."
Ardell described the neighbourhood as diverse and noted three of the families from Syria have settled there as have immigrants from Nigeria. But he acknowledged the mood of fear some continue to hold - one resident commented during an open house that he never goes to the store without carrying dog spray.
A Block Watch program has been established and Ardell said an effort will be taken to improve lighting at Gordon Bryant Park. Prince George RCMP have also stepped up its presence in the area, Ardell said.
Ardell said the apartment buildings were given to the MCC five years ago and are run as a business with the proceeds going to MCC, a non-profit organization.
