Community Volunteers

Dimitris Ilias-LJI Journalist

On June 15th, dedicated teams of volunteers gathered on Jarry, Ball, and St Roch streets to participate in a significant community clean-up effort. This initiative, aimed at maintaining the cleanliness and beauty of Park Extension, was organized by the Bureau d’information de Park-Extension (BIPÉ).

The clean-up brigade was a remarkable display of community spirit, as residents of all ages came together with a common goal: to make Park Ex a cleaner and more pleasant place to live. Volunteers donned gloves and armed themselves with trash bags, systematically scouring the streets and public areas for litter. Their hard work resulted in a visibly cleaner and more inviting neighborhood, addressing long-standing cleanliness issues that have plagued Park Extension for years. Among those present was Mary Deros, Municipal Councilor for Park Extension demonstrating her support and commitment to the community.

Park Extension has struggled with cleanliness problems, including a persistent rat infestation, making initiatives like this clean-up essential for improving the living conditions and overall environment of the neighborhood. The visible results of the June 15th clean-up underscore the importance of such efforts in combating these issues and fostering a healthier community.

The roots of this initiative trace back to May 2020, when a dedicated committee was formed to better inform Park Extension residents about local resources. This committee, known as the Comité répertoire de Park-Extension, was composed of various partners in the neighborhood, including Rose Ndjel from Afrique au Féminin, Catherine Roy from Bibliothèque de Parc-Extension, Ghislaine Paiement from École Barclay and École Barthélemy-Vimont, Véronique Billette from CIUSSS du Centre-Ouest-de l’île de Montréal, and Amina M’haia and later Qurat Ain from Table de quartier de Parc-Extension. Together, they embarked on a mission to gather and organize information about the different resources available in the neighborhood. Their diligent efforts culminated in the creation of the first directory of Park-Extension resources. The Comité’s hard work ensured that this valuable information was classified and categorized to make it more accessible to all residents.

The Bureau d’information de Park-Extension (BIPÉ) emerged from the Park-Extension Social and Community Development Plan (2021-2026). BIPÉ’s primary objective is to connect residents with local resources, celebrate the neighborhood’s cultural diversity, and provide professional development opportunities. Building on the initial efforts of the Park-Extension Roundtable, which contributed to the development of the Resource Directory, BIPÉ has enhanced the accessibility of this information. An online database, featuring additional services such as interpretation and volunteering opportunities, now complements the directory. Moreover, BIPÉ humanizes the directory’s use by offering a multilingual in-person reference service, ensuring that residents can easily navigate and utilize the available resources.

A Unified Effort

The recent clean-up event organized by BIPÉ is a testament to the power of community collaboration and the dedication of Park Extension residents. By working together, the volunteers have not only improved the physical environment but also strengthened the sense of community in Park Ex.