‘A lot of joy’: North End hosts massive block party

North End Block Party North End residents celebrated the summer with their annual Block Party.

Hundreds of North Enders packed the streets Thursday for a massive block party in celebration of their neighbourhood.

The event hosted by Inner City Youth Alive (ICYA) was aimed at highlighting the positive aspects of the area and the families who call it home.

“The North End gets a bad rap oftentimes, but there’s a lot of joy, there’s a lot of community, there’s a lot of love and respect that happens here,” said Mallory Pledger, ICYA’s director of programming.

Aberdeen Avenue from Salter to Powers streets was closed to traffic to make room for games, face painting, a petting zoo, dunk tanks, snack carts, a barbecue and entertainment.

The event is one of the largest block parties in the neighbourhood for North End kids and families.

“I think it's important to highlight for our community members, to remember that they’ve got a really great and vibrant community here, and that should be celebrated,” Pledger said.