Volunteer

After the party, get yourself a craft knife and a plastic bag and roam around the neighbourhood taking down all the street party posters.

Thanks, Jordana !

Before the party, pick up a pack of blank sticky name tags and a few markers. Throughout the afternoon and evening, roam around the party and gently encourage neighbours to write their name on a tag and stick it on. It's a simple thing that goes a long way toward helping people actually meet each other!

Thanks, Anna Camille Tucci patterson!

The week before the party, drive over to Long & McQuade (925 Bloor Street West) and pick up our two rental speakers and stands. The day-of, set them up near the north and south drink/snack tables. Greg will take care of getting them playing music. Take them down at the end of the night and return them to Long & McQuade the following week.

Thanks, Greg!

A few days before the party, find a simple crossword puzzle on the internet that is taller than it is wide (ideally around 10 squares wide by 30 squares tall). Print out two copies (one for you and one for your helper, the Giant Crossword Assistant). Make a big sign that says "Giant Crossword", with all the clues below it. Don't stress about a high quality sign - sharpie on an old Amazon box is just fine. The morning of the party, gather some street chalk, a couple measuring tapes or yard sticks, and your crossword print outs. Coordinate with your Assistant on a morning meeting time. Near #27, draw out the crossword squares (empty, of course) on the street. Try to take up the entire width of the street. The party starts at 3:00, so you've got until then to get it all drawn. Around 3:00 near #27, set up a bucket of street chalk, and your sign. Put everything away at the end of the night.

Thanks, Leo Elias!

Find a portable table and a cooler. Make a sign that says "Drink Table". Buy some disposable cups and some bags of ice. On the day of the party, before 3:00, set up your table, cups, sign, cooler and ice on the sidewalk near #30. At the end of the night, take everything away. Note: you're not responsible for supplying all the drinks - we'll be encouraging all the neighbours to contribute food and drink to the tables.

Thanks, Katherine Drolet!

Find a portable table. Buy some disposable napkins. Make a sign that says "Snack Table". On the day of the party, before 3:00, set up your table and sign on the sidewalk near #30. At the end of the night, take everything away. Note: you're not responsible for supplying all the snacks - we'll be encouraging all the neighbours to contribute food and drink to the tables.

Thanks, Aris/Dina!

Find a big garbage bin and a big garbage bag to put in it. Also, if your city recycling bin is relatively empty (recycling day will have just happened on the previous Wednesday), pull that out as well. On the day, set them out before 3:00, near the food/drink stations near #30. Keep an eye on them throughout the afternoon and evening. Remove them and dispose of the garbage at the end of the night.

Thanks, Tara Mahoney!

Set up and run a fun obstacle course outside #31 for kids using balls, buckets, hoops, pool noodles, etc between 3:00 and 5:00.

Thanks, Melissa!

Before 3:00, pick up the two bubble machines from Greg (416 272 6080). Note that one of them requires an extension cord, so make sure to bring one. Set up a table near #33 with the bubble machines, a generous supply of bubble liquid, and an assortment of bubble wands. Plug in and position the bubble machines so they blow bubbles over the play area. Top up the bubble liquid as needed throughout the afternoon. Pack everything up at the end of the night and return the machines to Greg.

Thanks, Caro!

Set up a fun, self-directed scavenger hunt game. Before the party, find or buy a package of 5 different colours of elastic bands and 5 small plastic containers. Fill each container with one colour of elastic band. Walk the length of the street and pick 5 hiding spots in the front yards along Muriel. Write 5 clever riddle clues — one for each hiding spot. Add instructions at the top (something like: "Use the riddles to find 5 different elastic bands hidden throughout the neighbourhood. Bring all 5 to the Scavenger Hunt table to claim your prize!"). Print off about 30 sheets. The prizes will be little wooden elastic band shooter toys — coordinate with the Elastic Band Shooter Maker volunteer to make sure they're ready before the party starts. Keep the prizes a surprise! On the day of the party, before 3:00, set up a table near #35 with a sign that says "Scavenger Hunt", a basket for the clue sheets, the clue sheets, and a paperweight. Hide the elastic band containers in their spots. Clean up the table and containers at the end of the day.

Thanks, Nicola!

Before the party, build 30 elastic band shooter toys to use as prizes for the scavenger hunt. Each one is simple to make: take a hand-sized piece of wood, nail a wooden clothespin to one end (this is the trigger), and nail a finishing nail near the other end (this is where the elastic band hooks). They don't need to be fancy — functional is fine. Once you've built them, coordinate with the Scavenger Hunt Designer to make sure the prizes are on hand before the party starts.

Thanks, Greg!

Reach out to Kari from #37 (416 668-4097), and coordinate a time to pick up her bouncy castle. Before 3:00 on the day of the party, set up the bouncy castle on the grass at 43. You'll need an extension cord. Take down the bouncy castle at the end of the night and return it to Kari.

Thanks, Sky Roy!

The basketball net belongs to Andrea (near Muriel and Selkirk), who's graciously given us permission to use it. It has wheels and some rocks on its base to keep it steady. Ask Greg for her contact details. Before 3:00, move the net to the play area near #43 and gather a few basketballs. Put everything back at the end of the night.

Thanks, Taylor Scollon!

A few days before the party, build a cardboard goalie to stand in front of a hockey net. Cut several holes of different sizes in the cardboard — label each hole with a point value (bigger holes = fewer points, smaller holes = more points). Make it sturdy enough to stand up on its own or prop it against the net. Before 3:00, get the hockey net from neighbour Andrea's backyard (ask Greg for contact details). Set it up with your cardboard goalie near #47, and gather a few hockey sticks and balls. Greg has some sticks and a ball you can borrow — coordinate with him in advance. Throughout the afternoon, invite passersby to take three shots on the net and tally their score. Keep it fun and encourage friendly competition. Pack everything up at the end of the night.

Thanks, Paul Tessier!

Find a portable table and a cooler. Make a sign that says "Drink Table". Buy some disposable cups and some bags of ice. On the day of the party, before 3:00, set up your table, cups, sign, cooler and ice on the sidewalk near #51. At the end of the night, take everything away. Note: you're not responsible for supplying all the drinks - we'll be encouraging all the neighbours to contribute food and drink to the tables.

Thanks, Richard Teixeira!

Find a portable table. Buy some disposable napkins. Make a sign that says "Snack Table". On the day of the party, before 3:00, set up your table and sign on the sidewalk near #51. At the end of the night, take everything away. Note: you're not responsible for supplying all the snacks - we'll be encouraging all the neighbours to contribute food and drink to the tables.

Thanks, Kayla!

Find a big garbage bin and a big garbage bag to put in it. Also, if your city recycling bin is relatively empty (recycling day will have just happened on the previous Wednesday), pull that out as well. On the day, set them out before 3:00, near the food/drink stations near #51. Keep an eye on them throughout the afternoon and evening. Remove them and dispose of the garbage at the end of the night.

Thanks, Maike!

Take two large orange cones from the front yard of #51. On the day, set them up before 3:00 at the south-west and south-east corners of Muriel / Selkirk. Put them back at the end of the night.

Thanks, Greg!

On Friday, June 19th, between 11am and 9pm, drive over to Left Field Brewery (36 Wagstaff) and pick up our pre-ordered 30L keg, ice and pump. Keep them at your place that night and then on party day, set the keg up at the drink station near 51. When the party is done, dismantle the keg and bring it back to Left Field within five days of the party.

Thanks, Greg!

Set up a fun radio-controlled car race track on the street near #28. Before 4:30, lay out a course using chalk, cones, or other markers. Between 4:30 and 5:00, coordinate races for anyone who wants to participate. At 5:00, pack everything away.

Thanks, Madani!

During the exotic animal show (starts at 5:00 near #52), help keep the crowd of kids seated, calm and somewhat quiet.

Thanks, Paul Rowland-Roides!

This job is for anyone who has a propane-powered BBQ and is willing to roll it over to the sidewalk outside #51. Before the party, fill up your propane tank. On the afternoon of the party, coordinate with the Hot Dog Purchaser (ask Greg who) to receive the hot dogs, buns, condiments and foil wrap. An hour or so before 5:30, fire up your grill and start cooking hotdogs. Cook as many as you can in advance, and wrap them in foil, so that you have a pile of hot dogs ready for people to grab at 5:30.

Thanks, Will!

Before the party day, go out and buy about 60-80 hot dogs, buns, condiments and foil wrap (something to wrap the hot dogs in after they are cooked - people will be grabbing them within an hour or so). Deliver these goods to the Hot Dog BBQer (ask Greg who this is).

Thanks, Will!

Before 5:30, set up a serving area near #51 with disposable plates and napkins (enough for about 75 people). When the pizza arrives at 5:30, open the boxes, cut any unsliced pieces, and help neighbours serve themselves. Keep the area tidy and the line moving. Bring tongs, scissors (for cutting stubborn slices apart), and plastic food-handling gloves if you have them.

Thanks, Wendy Oakden!

On the day of the party, check the chain pizza places for any BOGO coupons, and buy enough pizza for the early (cheese, pepperoni) and late (any varieties of deluxe) dinner times. Have them delivered to #51.

Thanks, Nicola!

Before the party starts, coordinate your setup with the residents of #39. Host a fun karaoke session from 5:45 to 7:30. Encourage neighbours of all ages and abilities to take the mic. Keep the energy up and the atmosphere welcoming!

Thanks, Marjane!

Throughout the afternoon, take lots of candid shots of people enjoying the party. At 6:15, head to the front porch of #46 with your camera, and take a group photo of everyone. There will be another person (the "Group Photo Wrangler") on the ground to herd everyone into position. Share your photos with me after the party is done - I'll post them on this website.

Thanks, Shirin!

Five or ten minutes before 6:15, start encouraging people to bunch together outside #46 for a group photo. At 6:15, work with the party photographer, who will be up on the balcony of #52, and get as many people as you can to pose for some group photos.

Thanks, Nicola!

Before 7:30, set up a serving area near #51 with disposable plates and napkins (enough for about 25 people). When the pizza arrives, open the boxes, cut any unsliced pieces, and help neighbours serve themselves. Keep the area tidy and the line moving. Bring tongs, scissors (for cutting stubborn slices apart), and plastic food-handling gloves if you have them.

Thanks, Hempel Family!