Each year, the BCA volunteers, along with our community sponsors, provide valuable contributions to our community. In addition to organizing regular activities such as Spring Cleanup, FunFair, Bike Rodeo, Cancer Chase, Santa’s Breakfast, Hockey Day, Discovery Café, Community Closets and Youth and Seniors events, they also take care of the winter rink maintenance, ensure our parks are kept clean and continue to advocate and work towards improving our neighbourhood. Following are just a sample of the activities that have been accomplished thanks to the hard work of our dedicated volunteers.
2024
- Return of the annual Hockey and Skate Family Day event.
2023
- Added a mural to the front wall of the Lois Kemp Arena
2022
- Completed digitization of 1967 to 2013 BANARs
- Establishment of the Climate Team
- Launch of the updated BCA website in March 2022
- Coordinated an emergency response to the 2022 Derecho Storm and resulting power outage, which included opening the hall as an emergency charging station, organizing a food drive, arranging for an emergency food bank opening that helped 34 families and coordinating the distribution of 45 $100 emergency food vouchers that were funded through private donations
- New Arena Mural
- Return of the annual Garage Sale, Spring Cleanup, Funfair, Cancer Chase and Santa’s Breakfast events
- Return of the Garden Tour after a long hiatus
- Added the Community Closet clothing exchange and Christmas Market events
- Added a new feature to the Garage Sale allowing residents to donate unsold items to charities
- Installation of a Monarch way station at Norman Johnston Alternate School
- Completed repairs to Blackburn Hamlet entrance signs
2021
- Completion of the Lois Kemp Arena expansion and modernization
- Installation of an L2 EV Charger at the Arena
- Opening of a new Splash Pad and picnic table installation
- Installation of a new Bike Repair station
- New Flower gardens at the Hamlet entrance signs and at the Four Corners Sculpture
- New Community Hall Mural
- Reintroduction of Youth activities
- Resolved the ongoing storage challenges with the purchase of 2 containers
- Created the Harold Diceman Park Interpretive Experience
2020
- Creation of a new annual event – the Grad Parade
- Reintroduction of the Neighbourhood Watch program
- Tree Team held CommuniTree Conference in October 2020
2019
- Creation of a semi-regular community pot luck event
- Establishment of the Tree Team
2018
- Four Corners Sculpture
2017
- Canada 150 Harvest Moon event in conjunction with East End associations and sponsors
- Additional benches installed in the Hamlet thanks to the Ottawa Older Adult Plan.
2015
- Introduction of the annual BCA Canada Day event
- Launch of the Senior’s Action Committee
- Cancer Chase became a BCA subcommittee
2001
- Installation of the East Entrance Sign
- Construction of an additional storage room on the Community Hall
- Installation of the patio at the rear of the Community Hall
1999
- Installation of the West and North Entrance Signs
- Opening of the Community Hall
1978
- The BCA was incorporated on March 17, 1978
1975
- Opening of Bearbrook Park, Outdoor Pool and Tennis Courts
1971
- The very first Fun Fair was a one evening event held at Glen Ogilvie School
- The BCA organized the first Blackburn Hamlet to Downtown commuter bus service.
And so much more!
Thanks to our volunteers and sponsors for making Blackburn Hamlet a great place to live!