A few of them untangled the Christmas baubles dangling from some branches, one stood the decorative black heron back up after it keeled over due to the wind, while the rest inspected little birdhouses and the sign erected in their honour.
It was 8:30 a.m. — the school run rush — and as the gang of five (there’s usually six) shuffled around their little roundabout, a procession of parents en route to nearby De Beck elementary honked their horns, waved and smiled, apparently in appreciation, at the invaders on the Dayton Avenue traffic island.
Warming to their transient audience, the group acknowledged the gratitude and recognition with hand gestures and polite nods of the head.
Individually, the trio of retired couples are highly motivated and community-spirited.
Collectively, their official title is the “Myron Court Gang,” who are frequently spotted hanging out in and around their cul-de-sac off Dayton Avenue, near Garden City and Blundell roads, and are not “known to police.”
In order to maintain the integrity of their gang, their modus operandi, if you will, was to adopt and beautify a roundabout about 100 yards from their 20-house cul-de-sac in a bold bid to reach out into the community at large.
The result, said one of the gang leaders, has been astounding.
“It’s amazing who we are connecting with, even though we often are not speaking the same language,” said Myron Court Gang co-founder Lynda Pasacreta, of spending time on the roundabout, which they took under their collective wings three years ago.
“People have been coming up to us with birdhouses, decorations, a decorative black heron, from an Asian couple, and an Asian family allows us to use their water to hydrate the plants in the summer.
“At first, a few people were concerned about stuff getting stolen, but the whole community is now invested in this little roundabout and every time we’re out here, people are walking past us smiling, saying thank you, often in their own language. Grandparents out walking their grandchildren give us the thumbs up, even though they may not speak English.”
Pasacreta said she had enough of looking at the roundabout, with garbage strewn over it and vehicles running over top of it.
So, she approached the City of Richmond, which erected a sign on the gang’s behalf and now supplies them with mulch and plants.
“It’s heart-warming; this is really happening in our little community and it would be great to know if it’s happening elsewhere in the city,” she added.
The Myron Court Gang — Pasacreta, her husband Dan, Sharon and Ron Meredith and Don and Wendy Taylor — have been welcoming new neighbours and new immigrants to their 1986-built cul-de-sac for going on 14 years.
Pasacreta said it’s not that difficult to foster a sense of community; it’s just about being “brave” and stepping outside now and again.
“We are a very friendly group and involve everyone. We have a walking group every Tuesday, sometimes ending up in a pub,” said Pasacreta, who retired in 2012 as president of the Better Business Bureau.
“We have pot-luck nights, Christmas parties and street parties in the summer.
“There are Jewish families, Taiwanese, Chinese, Muslim, Christian, we’re all here.
“Living in a cul-de-sac…has given us the gift of community spirit at it’s best.
“It does take effort to step outside and connect with your neighbours. Step out of your house and say, ‘Hi.’”
Got Community Spirit?
*If you organize neighbourly get togethers or events, let the News know about it by emailing [email protected] with the subject “Community Spirit.” Or call 604-249-3342. Who knows, your good example may spread to other communities and neighbourhoods across the city.
