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Community connections coming for Saanich’s North Quadra neighbourhood

Beckwith Park picnic/barbecue event May 15 sandwiched by smaller local gatherings
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The Best Coast Big Band performs previously at Beckwith Park in the North Quadra neighbourhood. The group is among the performers slated for the upcoming community picnic and barbecue May 15 in the park. (Courtesy of Trevor Barry)

Community comes in many forms, as Trevor Barry can attest.

The new president of the North Quadra Community Association (NQCA) is excited about getting back into the swing of things, participating in everything from association board meetings to the hugely popular musical gatherings at Beckwith Park in the heart of this busy suburban Saanich neighbourhood.

“Our board missed many meetings and had lighter agendas for a while, but what we all really missed was connecting with our neighbours at big events like Music in the Park,” he said.

The Tuesday night concerts featuring local entertainment – Barry plays sax with the band Boogie Hauser, among other musical endeavours – were cancelled the past two summers due to restrictions on gathering. But with those events and other community events back on for 2022, he looks forward to getting people together again.

“What I’m most excited about is seeing everyone’s face and seeing those people see each other for the first time in a while. It’s that serendipity of bumping into each other at those events just wasn’t happening.”

Sandwiched in between Mother’s Day weekend and the May long weekend, the NQCA is hosting a family barbecue/picnic event at Beckwith Park on Sunday, May 15. The day will feature live music at noon with the Best Coast Big Band and Zonnis Music at 2 p.m., free sessions for yoga and karate, a healthy living workshop, and possibly an appearance from members of the Lake Hill Lawn Bowling Club.

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A three-on-three basketball tournament at the park is also in the works and openings remain for teams, Barry said. The goal is to have enough entries to create three age group divisions, but regardless, the aim is to make it a fun event.

Lake Hill’s Ambassador Park is the place to be on the Saturday, with the scheduled Little League baseball on tap, live music to follow at 4 p.m. and Chef Dave’s Dugout concession open throughout.

Barry has already heard about a number of garage sales planned for Sunday morning and at least five block parties are slated for that evening, after the main event at Beckwith. Local businesses in the area of Quadra and McKenzie Avenue and northward up Quadra are also hosting a scavenger hunt.

All in all, it’s shaping up to be a great weekend for making those neighbourhood connections everyone’s been missing, he said.

To register a basketball team, register a local business tent or find more information, contact Barry at president@NorthQuadra.ca or head over to the community association website at northquadra.ca.


 

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