New Sarnia group plans more Mitton Village events

Many more community events are being eyed for Mitton Village in 2024.

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Mitton Village Neighborhood Connects plans monthly events in Sarnia neighborhood’s recently redone parkette.

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“We try our best to stick to the last Thursday of every month,” said the group’s Sara Jackson.

Jackson, who’s also on the Mitton Village community development advisory committee the city formed in 2018 to help motto strategies to revitalize an area dealing with business closings and vandalism, said the group formed this year aiming to create more activities to draw people to the community.

Its first event in June drew about 200 people and featured opportunities to connect with local organizations offering summer programs for kids, along with shirt painting, games, snacks and other attractions, she said.

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Another in July was a bike night featuring local cycling groups and Sarnia police, Jackson said.

Plans for 2024 include a tour around Mitton Village and encouraging porch parties, she said.

“Just to get people out, interacting with each other,” she said, adding other event details are still up in the air.

Plans are to post details on the Mitton Village Facebook group, she said, noting the five-member committee tries to meet “every two weeks to talk about ideas to plan the next event, and kind of go from there.”

The group also works closely with the Mitton Village Citizens’ Collective, which stages annual August block party events, and plans a Christmas tree lighting Dec. 16, at 6 p.m., Jackson said.

All events, she said, tend to happen in the parkette, created out of a former parking lot for about $500,000 in 2022. Most events are free or very low cost, she said.

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“Our focus is really just on building community,” Jackson said.

Attempted dates in 2024 include every month except October and December, since the last Thursdays fall too close to Halloween and Christmas, she said.

Mitton Village is a focus of a Sarnia community improvement planwith the city hiring an economic development co-ordinatorand seeking input recently about where improvements are needed in the village and downtown.

Jackson also recently asked the city to waive fees for the volunteer group to host its events in 2024.

Generally, Mitton Village has improved in the last five years, Jackson said.

“There’s more people around the streets, which is great, and more businesses,” she said. “Overall I think it’s going really well and I’m hopeful it will continue.”

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