As you have probably noticed by now, Mayor Nenshi recently launched the “3 Things for Calgary” campaign. Let’s face it, Calgary is the place that we call home, and for many of us, it is the where we were born and raised. With the mayor’s new campaign, we as Calgarians are being given the opportunity to make our city shine.
The goal of the campaign is for every Calgarian to do three things to improve their street, neighbourhood, and city. There truly are endless possibilities when it comes to ways that we can improve our city – they can be big projects or smaller initiatives; however, every little action counts.
Personally, one of the things that I want to do is start pick up games of hockey, soccer, football, or any other sport with the kids in my community. Something that I’ve noticed increasingly so is that whenever I head outside, there are fewer kids out and about. I know that when I was younger, I would go out to ride my bike almost everyday. I think by promoting the revival of having fun outside, I can improve my neighbourhood and by extension, the city itself.
Next up, I would really like to raise some awareness about the numerous Arts and Culture related festivals that occur in the city. Far too often, I talk to people and they complain about Calgary’s “lack of culture.” What a lot of people don’t realize, however, is that Calgary is actually rather vibrant in that regard – there are several events throughout the year, such as Lilac Fest, Sled Island, Afrikadey, Market Collective, and others. I think that just putting up posters around the block would raise a ton of awareness and let Calgarians appreciate their own city a lot more.
Lastly, I want to volunteer with various organizations throughout the city, as they really do brighten up Calgary. For example, I have already worked with Youth Central and Canadian Blood Services, but I would also like to get involved with organizations such as the Mustard Seed or Meals on Wheels. I think that by getting out in the community and volunteering can really raise self-appreciation, and it also lessens the burden on other volunteers, allowing them to help Calgary grow even more as a city.
As you can see, none of these are really big things; almost anyone could do at least one or two of the things I mentioned. That really is the beauty of Mayor Nenshi’s 3 Things for Calgary – it does not take a lot to make a difference in the city. We can all make a positive difference in our community, helping Calgary take those steps towards being a world class city.
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