Watching his grinning eight-year-old daughter, Brianna, ride a pony at a Donovan Family Days event in Victory Park off of Frood Road Aug. 21, Todd St. Louis shares his thoughts on Sudbury's Donovan neighbourhood.
“Because it's a high-residential area, a lot of times people don't always come out,” he said. “A little function like this brings (out) the people who are usually sitting inside, watching TV.”
St. Louis said he used to live in the area, but recently moved to Azilda. He said he brought his daughter to the event so they could reconnect with some of their old neighbours.
“It's nice to see them,” he said.
Donovan Family Days was revived in 2009 after a 13-year absence.
The event, which runs Aug. 19-22, features family activities in Victory Park, including free food, wagon rides, a talent show, live music, pony rides, bike raffles, bike decorating, and a parade by Better Beginnings, Better Futures participants.
Other events, including the opening ceremonies, a card tournament, pig roast, dance, penny table and a church service, are being held at the nearby Moose Lodge.
“We took (the event) away from being beer fest and made it into a family event,” Peter Scott, chairman of Donovan Family Days, said. “Mostly everything is free or 25 cents. It's enough to cover our costs.”
Six-year-old Payton Delorey enjoys some cotton candy at the Donovan Family Days event in Victory Park Aug. 21. Photo by Heidi Ulrichsen
Lori Wall, chair of the Donovan/Elm West Community Action Network, who also helped to organize the event, said the Donovan is a good place to live.
“Whatever people have said in the past, I think you have to live here to know the people are very good,” she said.
“You're going to have crime in whatever neighbourhood you live in. Nobody is immune to it. The people here are very friendly, helpful and community oriented. We have a lot of new families moving into the area, taking over some of the older homes, and rebuilding them.”
Kathleen Street has recently received a “facelift,” Wall said, with new pavement, sidewalks, lighting, and banners advertising that the street is part of the Donovan area.
Although Kim Lepage, and her sons, Jordan and Conor, don't live in the Donovan area, she said she heard about the event, and decided they should attend.
“I thought it would be a fun day for them,” she said. “(This event) gets the community involved, and the city involved. Everybody gets to come out and have some fun.”
