Community

The Failure to Engage Meaningfully

True community engagement requires more than notifying a select few neighbours. It requires genuine dialogue, transparency, and respect for all affected residents—not just those who are sympathetic to the events.

Selective Communication

The current approach to community engagement is fundamentally flawed:

• Only a couple of neighbours are informed (presumably those who are supportive or immediate neighbours guaranteed to be affected)
• The broader community affected by noise, traffic, and disruption receives no notification
• There's no meaningful consultation about timing, scale, or mitigation measures
• Residents are presented with a fait accompli rather than being included in decision-making

"Ask for Forgiveness, Not Permission"

This approach is inconsiderate at best and actively hostile to community relations at worst. It demonstrates:

• Disrespect for neighbours' right to peaceful enjoyment of their property
• Unwillingness to engage in good-faith dialogue
• Prioritization of convenience over consideration
• Assumption that apologies after the fact are sufficient

The "We're Not Part of the Tribe" Problem

Some residents don't feel like they're part of the "tribe" organizing these events. While they may technically be welcome to attend, these gatherings aren't their scene. This creates a divide:

• Those "in the know" who are notified and included
• Those on the outside who bear the impacts without the community connection
• An implicit message that if you don't participate, your concerns don't matter

One resident wryly noted they weren't even offered a toke despite the obvious atmosphere—a small example of feeling excluded from a supposedly "community" event happening in their neighbourhood.

The Free PA Argument

The claim that providing "a free PA" to the community is a form of giving back falls flat:

• Most affected residents don't need or want a PA system
• This "benefit" primarily serves those already organizing or attending events
• It's essentially saying "we have equipment we want to use, so that counts as community service"
• If this is what organisers consider "giving back," it's the least they could do

What Real Community Engagement Looks Like

Genuine consultation with the community would include:

• Advance notice to all affected residents—not just immediate neighbours
• Open meetings where concerns can be raised and addressed
• Genuine willingness to modify plans based on community feedback
• Transparent communication about scale, timing, and mitigation measures
• Accountability mechanisms for addressing problems
• Recognition that not everyone shares the same lifestyle or priorities

Building Rather Than Eroding Community

True community is built on mutual respect, not on the assumption that some members' desires automatically take precedence over others' peace and quiet. When events repeatedly disrupt residents without their input or consent, it doesn't build community—it fragments it.

A genuine community approach would recognise that different people have different needs and preferences, and would seek to find solutions that work for everyone rather than imposing one group's vision on the whole neighbourhood.