Nanaimo’s neighbourhoods are bubbling over with Neighbourhood Heroes most of whom we never hear about. Let me tell you why I say that.

A week or so ago Marina McLeod told me how two dozen or so of her neighbours in the Divers Lake area, led by Misty Duifhuis, erected children’s play equipment in just one day. Another overnight success story …after Misty and her committee spent more than a year working behind the scenes that is.

Somehow I was given a wrong number for Misty. When I called, I reached Kevin Hardy and learned that, led by his wife Mareile, their neighours in the Sechelt/Icarus area have been working over the past nine years to improve their park.

There must be forty thousand different phone numbers in this city. What are the odds against being given a wrong number and reaching another group of neighbours who are also working together to improve their community?

When Kevin and Mareila moved to Nanaimo nine years ago and bought their home, they lived right beside the park which was nothing but a field of orange dirt, dirt that kept being tracked and blown into their house. Mareila says she was highly motivated to see the park improved.

The next spring she began communicating with her neighbours to determine their interest and to begin a fundraising campaign. In those years the city matched funds raised by the community for a park. That included matching funds for volunteer hours and corporate donations.

After a considerable number of proposals sent to the city, community letters being distributed and hundreds of volunteer hours the park was levelled and sprinklers and playground equipment was installed.

I’m sure no one will be surprised to hear that a number of Nanaimo businesses lent their support, too many to name Mareila says, but two companies stand out. Sharecost Rentals and Sales donated all of the sprinkler equipment and Port David Landscaping donated the work of two men for two days to install it.

Last spring another step was taken when $4,000 worth of Rhododendrons and “Burning Bush” plants were planted. Much or even most of this work was done by teens and preteens and, although Kevin and Mareile tried to get some media attention to acknowledge these kids for their hard work, it didn’t happen. So now, strictly by accident (or are such things accidents?), they are finally getting the acknowledgement they deserve.

Misty’s story is similar to Mareile’s although the city’s policies have changed somewhat over the years. The support offered is still very good but somewhat different.

When Misty moved back into the Divers Lake area where she grew up, she found the same old playground equipment that was there when she was a child, equipment that wasn’t appropriate especially for small children. So like Mareila, she distributed information letters to her neighbours, arranged a meeting at the park, determined that there was strong interest, wrote a number of proposals to the city, arranges to have the park levelled – a donation from Neighbourhood Heroes, Cathy and Steve Williams of Pacifica Concepts -- had a baby and finally, with the help of a couple of dozen neighbours, worked to install new play equipment a couple of weekends ago. All that happened in just over a year.

If your neighbourhood is interested in building or improving your local park, I understand the person to contact is Richard Harding at the city (754-4251).

P.S. Congratulations to Neighbourhood Hero Bill Pineo and his wife Pam who celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary last Saturday.