Block party trailer program for dummies

A great book to help build neighbors!

Block Party

Trailer Programs

for
BEGINNERS

It’s so simple,
But does so
Much good

A Reference
for the

Rest of US!

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CONTENTS

Introduction.................................. 1
What is a block party program?. 6
Building a program.................... 11
How to pay for a program......... 12
The do’s and the don’ts ............. 14
Explore the possibilities ............. 27
Acknowledgments ...................... 29

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INTRODUCTION

“Day after day, ordinary people become heroes
through extraordinary and selfless actions to help
their neighbors.” - Sylvia Mathews Burwell

ABLOCK PARTY IS DEFINED AS – a party for all the
residents of a block or neighborhood, typically
held on a closed-off city street. There are many
reasons to have a block party.

Here is a list of some reasons why you want
residents in your community to have a block party.

1. To have fun—no excuse or reason needed to
celebrate!

2. To meet their neighbors. The more they know
who belongs to the neighborhood, the more likely
they are to identify strangers or suspicious people.

3. To increase the sense of belonging in their
neighborhood.

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4. To organize a city-sponsored group such as a
Neighborhood Organization, Neighborhood Crime
Watch, or Community Emergency Response Team
(CERT).

5. To make connections within the community.
When you know people, you can exchange skills or
resources, organize a book club, start a babysitting
co-op, or share carpooling duties to name a few.

6. To plan a campaign for traffic slowdown, to get
better lighting, or address other interests.

7. To “use” the street for one day, to roller blade,
play hockey or set up a kids “Jump House”.

8. To meet residents who have lived in the
neighborhood a long time to learn about its history.

9. To have a neighborhood clean-up day, play some
good music and barbecue when all of the work is
done.

10. To start a yearly neighborhood tradition of
getting together at least once a year!

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Whatever reason residents choose to have a block
party doesn’t matter. A block party helps create a
sense of community. Building a sense of
community among residents has many different
benefits. Among some of the benefits are;

 When disaster strikes, your neighbors will be
your first responders - FEMA

 People who interact socially with neighbors are
more likely to know about and join voluntary
organizations – CDC

 A sense of community may increase an
individual’s feeling of control over the
environment, and increases participation in the
community and voluntary organizations – CDC

 There is some evidence to support the view that
community engagement contributes to
reductions in fear of crime, possibly by
decreasing social distance between
neighborhood residents, increasing social
cohesion, increasing perceived informal social

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control, and increasing public confidence in the
police – Kerley and Benson, 2000
 People who report a strong sense of community
are more likely to report good physical and
mental health – Women’s Health Data, Canada

This book will talk about the block party trailer
program established in the City of Arvada and Frisco
Texas. The information provided is based on the
experiences in developing each of these programs.

There isn’t a lot involved in creating a program. The
most valuable chapter will be “Do’s and Don’ts.
This chapter will discuss a variety of specific issues
that were encountered in creating our program.

Why a trailer?

A trailer is its own storage container. You don’t
have to worry about loading and loading items to
take them off to the resident. Using a trailer allows
it to be moved by a variety of vehicles. It also
makes it a nice secure place to hold the items until

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they are used by the residents.
The majority of block parties occur on Saturday or
Sunday. We are able to deliver the trailer for a
Saturday on Friday afternoon when staff is
available. The residents use the trailer for their
event and pack it back up. If we have an event for
the next day, it is simple to go and move the trailer
to the next event. We pick the trailer up on
Monday for events that happened on Sunday.
It is a very convenient package for storing,
delivering and securing.

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CHAPTER ONE

What is a block party program?

WE’VE LEARNED ABOUT THE MANY REASONS
TO HAVE A BLOCK PARTY. Now we are going
to talk about what a block party program looks like.
In this book we are going to talk about a block party
trailer program. We want is to make it easy for our
residents to have one. We want to reduce the
excuses for not having a party.

First we have to define what a block party trailer
program is. A block party trailer program is simply a
means by which residents can easily get together
with their neighbors. It doesn’t matter how simple
or flashy the program is. The goal is to get a
program started.

If you think about the main reason that a resident
may have to not host a block party, it would

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probably be the difficulty of getting all the stuff
needed to host the party together. Things like
tables, chairs, ice chests, and so on. Well what is a
block party trailer? It is a trailer that has all those
things we just talked about.

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Here is a listing of the items we have in our trailer.

Item Quantity See photographs above
Trailer to include a graphic wrap 1
Trailer hitch lock to help prevent theft 1

Trailer wheel lock to help prevent theft 1

Wheel lug locks

Wheel chocks 2
Six foot folding tables 8

Folding picnic tables 4

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Metal folding chairs 32

Ice chests 4

Water coolers 3
Sound system 1

Large street closure barricades with “Block Party 2
in Progress”

Regulation street closure barricades 4

Collapsible corrugated garbage containers 3

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Football toss game 1
Ladder ball game 1 set
Beanbag toss game board 1 set

Volleyball net set 1
Potato sacks

Miscellaneous balls (football, soccer, volleyball) 3
Kids toss game 1
Horseshoe set 1

First aid kit 1
Fire extinguisher 1
Sidewalk chalk 1 box
Cleaning set (cleaner and towels) 1 set

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CHAPTER TWO

Building a program

SIZE DOESN’T MATTER WHEN IT COMES TO A
BLOCK PARTY TRAILER PROGRAM. What does
matter is that you have something for your
residents to use. It doesn’t matter if it is a small
flatbed trailer with two card tables and six chairs
with a couple of beat up old ice chests, or if it is
state of the art self-contained super trailer that
comes with its own butler. Residents will be glad
that they can use whatever you have to help them
throw their block party.

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CHAPTER THREE

How to pay for a program

OUR PROGRAM WAS A PARTNERSHIP. We
funded our program by reaching out to the
Chamber of Commerce. They conduct a leadership
class that has to have a community project. We
were able to present our idea for a block party
trailer to the leadership class. They liked it and took
it on as their class project. That included doing all
the fundraising to pay for it, buying all the items (to
include the trailer and the graphics), and then doing
the work to build out the inside. When they were
done they donated it to the city to run.

You might not have a Chamber of Commerce and a
leadership class, but I bet you have a Lions Club, a
Rotary Club, a Boy Scout Troop (or maybe someone
looking for an Eagle Scout project), or a faith based
organization that you can partner with.

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Your program doesn’t have to be elaborate. You
can start with all used and donated items. It
doesn’t matter what it looks like. It matters that
residents can borrow items that they need to host a
block party.
Other options to help pay for a block party trailer
would be to apply for a grant or to find a business
sponsor.
Ask the community for donations. Let them know
what you need and see if anyone is willing to give
you something extra that they may have.

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CHAPTER FOUR

The do’s and don’ts

THERE HAVE BEEN MANY LESSONS LEARNED
WITH OUR PROGRAM. Although we have built a
successful program, we are definitely not experts.
There have been many things we have learned
through experience that we will attempt to share
with you. You will have to experiment to see what
works for you.

How is the trailer going to get delivered? No
matter how well intentioned you program is, it
won’t be successful if residents can’t use it. There
are two options to get the trailer from your parking
lot to the neighborhood that wants to use it.

First – You can have the resident come and pick the
trailer up and then bring it back when they are
done. There are several challenges with this plan.

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Whoever runs your risk management will probably
have a heart attack if you tell them that residents
are going to be pulling your trailer around the city.
You better have good insurance. If you get past risk
management, which I highly doubt, then there are
more challenges to address. Does the resident have
a vehicle that can tow your trailer? Does the
resident know how to pull a trailer? If someone
else has the trailer booked, will the trailer be
returned in time to be picked up by the next
resident? Before you design a program where
residents are responsible for moving the trailer,
please think about all the things that could go
wrong.

Second – You can deliver the trailer to the resident.
This is what we currently do at the City of Arvada.
This plan satisfied our risk manager. It makes sure
that the trailer gets delivered and returned in one
piece. So that settles it, deliver the trailer yourself.
Not so fast. Remember that heaviest use of the

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block party trailer happens over the weekends or on
holidays. Do you have someone that works those
days? If you do, then great. Chances are that you
don’t have someone that works weekends or
holidays. I doubt that you want to pay overtime,
especially when you may have had to do some
begging just to get items to fill the trailer. You also
have to have a vehicle to tow the trailer. What
happens when that vehicle is in the shop for
preventative maintenance? You better have a
backup vehicle that you can use. Don’t let this
discourage you from starting a program. You just
have to think outside of the box. Is there someone
else in your organization that works those days? In
smaller towns or cities your local police officer
wears many hats. Maybe the officer on duty could
deliver it. If you have park rangers or park
maintenance staff that works weekends they may
help out. The object is to be open when looking for
options.

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At the current time, I get to be the one that moves
the block party trailer around. Even I go on
vacation or to conferences, so I have to find
someone for those days. I am working on an idea to
use volunteers to move the trailer. Find a couple of
responsible individuals that want to give back to the
community.

Online reservation system.

Everyone is pressed for time and the amount of it
that they can spend responding to residents request
for the trailer. We found an online equipment
rental software package that lets you have a limited
amount of items for free. It was perfect for us. We
embedded their calendar function into our website.
We direct residents to the website to find out when
the trailer is available and to sign up for use through
the website. We get an email when someone
reserves the trailer. We then book the reservation
into our Google calendar and put the reservation in
a book.

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One problem with a free reservation system is that
you don’t have the ability to add custom fields. I
would like ours to ask what time they plan to have
their party. We are able to get around this when
we send a confirmation email. We have a template
that we use to send an email about the reservation.
We ask for the time that they are having their party
at this time.

Thank you for reserving the Block Party Trailer. Reservation # WRSA-6D4JP

You are on the calendar for 4/12/2015 (Sunday).

What time are you planning to have your party? (from when to when). The online
request doesn't ask for that. I want to get that down for delivery and pick-up purposes.

Important Information

Don’t forget about the “Know Your Neighbor” grants that are available. Click here for
application. For more information you can call (720) 898-7435

If you are planning on closing your street for the party you need to get that cleared
through Traffic Engineering. We have a link to the form on our www.arvada.org/block-
party page. You can also contact Traffic Engineering at 720-898-7740 if you have
questions. The Block Party Trailer does have the required barricades in it to use
(however, you must have an approval from Traffic Engineering for it to be unlocked).

What is included in the Block Party Trailer?

8 – 6 foot folding tables
4 – Folding picnic tables
32 – Folding Chairs
4 – Ice Chests
3 – Igloo water coolers
1 – Portable sound system
Misc games (football toss, horse shoes, volleyball, and other miscellaneous items.)

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Once we get confirmation of the time of their party
we notify the police department so that they can
send an officer that works in the area by to say hi to
the residents. This has been well received by the
residents. We hope to include the fire department
in the notifications in the future.

We also send an email closer to the event with
additional information.

Hi,

Just following up to make sure everything is still on. I will be delivering the trailer the
Friday afternoon unless another event comes up. I will be parking the trailer as close to
the front of your house as possible, unless you let me know that there is a better place
for it.

The combination to the locks is 1795. (You have to push the lock in once you set the
combination)

Let me give you my cell phone number in case there are any last minute
emergencies. 972-832-0114

I show that your party is from 3-8. We have another party on Sunday, so I will be
picking it up on Sunday morning.

Thanks. Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

To require a deposit or not?

The question about whether you should charge a
deposit for the equipment will arise. We decided

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not to charge a deposit. It just complicates the
process. You have to hold on to a check or return
money. We didn’t want to be hassled with that.
We haven’t had any issues. In all the times that we
have loaned out the trailer, we haven’t had any
problems. The trailer is always returned with
everything packed up very nicely. One thing we did
to help us get things put back in the right place was
to take pictures of what it looks like to have the
item correctly put away and then to laminate that
and staple it where the items go. This lets the
people that are cleaning up after the party (which
are likely different than those that set up) know
exactly where everything goes.

We expect for things to get broken and worn out.
You can either replace the item or just go without it.

Count before and after.

We always do and inventory when the trailer is
delivered. It only takes a minute as everything has a
place and it is easy to see if everything is there. We

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do the same when we pick up the trailer to make
sure that nothing was forgotten. We often find
extra items in the trailer after an event that the
resident donated. Most commonly are games and
such.

If you do find something missing, ask the resident
where it might be.

Canopies

One of the first items you might think about putting
in the trailer was the simple 8 by 8 or 10 by 10
portable canopies. Our recommendation is DON’T.
They won’t last. People don’t know how to put
them up or take them down correctly and they will
only last about two events before they are ruined.
If the residents don’t tear them up then you will
have a gust of wind that comes and blows them off
and that will tear them up. They are an expense
that you don’t need.

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Trailer security

The trailer is delivered to the resident’s home most
of the time. They will keep an eye on it. We still
lock the tongue of the trailer with a lock that inserts
where the ball from the bumper would go. We also
have a simple wheel lock. This accomplished two
things. It helps prevent the trailer from getting
stolen and prevents the residents from moving the
trailer around.

If the trailer is going to be used someplace, other
than in front of the residents home, like a
neighborhood park. We will pick the trailer up after
the event. We don’t want to leave the trailer out
where it can’t be closely observed.

Trailer security

This was something that stumped us for a while. If
we used padlocks we would have to get the keys to
the residents. Many times the residents are not
home when we deliver the trailer. We decided to

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use simple padlocks where all the numbers are in a
row. We can then email the combination to the
resident. We are still using the same combination
from when we first started using the trailer.

Don’t forget the light

Since block parties can go late into the night, we
wanted to have some sort of light in the trailer. We
simply purchased a motion activated battery
powered light that we mounted inside by the door.
When they start loading the trailer the light goes on
so they can see to put items away. The heavy items
like the tables and chairs are easily accessed by the
back door.

What type of trailer works best?

We found that the best trailer is one that has a side
door where residents can access the front of the
trailer for small items. We have two doors that
open in the back. That puts the trailer at the right
height to load items. We would suggest a door that

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comes down like a ramp. It just gets in the way and
makes it harder to get stuff in and out of the trailer.
One important thing to do when getting a trailer is
to build the inside so that everything has a place.
This makes it more secure for the items. It makes it
easier for residents to put things back.

Should you provide barricades?
We decided to provide barricades in the trailer to
make everything the resident would need. We do
keep the barricades locked at the request of our
traffic engineering department. They want to make
sure the resident gets a street closure permit so
that there are not any traffic issues. If the resident
gets a street closure permit from our traffic
engineering department then we just unlock the
barricades when we deliver the trailer. It is only a
minor inconvenience.

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Website, Website, Website

Our website takes a big load from staff having to
answer questions. You can view ours at
www.arvada.org/block-party

Having a webpage allows us to provide information
about the program and what is included in the
trailer. We also have the calendar where they can
reserve the trailer. We also provide a link to traffic
engineering to get their street closure permit. We
have another link that links them to a program we
call “Know-your-neighbor” where they can apply for
a $100 reimbursable grant to help pay for items
used for their block party. We also have a link to a
document that talks about hosting a block party
along with links to block party invitation templates.

Ask them how things went

We have a template that we send to the resident
that hosted the party. Not everyone responds, but

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those that do provide valuable comments about
your program. We have even gotten some good
recommendations that we have incorporated into
the program.

Block Party Trailer
Evaluation Form
Please take a few minutes to let us know how your block party went.
Has your neighborhood had a block party or get together before this year?
Why did your neighborhood choose to have a block party?
Do you think your party was a success?
Can you estimate how many people attended your block party?
Can you estimate about how many houses from your neighborhood were
represented at the block party?
Were there neighbors attending that you didn't know before the party?
Was the Block Party Trailer helpful?
Do you have any suggestions for the Block Party Trailer to help us improve it?
Is there anything the City could do to help with future block parties?
We would also appreciate any pictures if you would like to share them.

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CHAPTER FIVE

Explore the possibilities

The block party trailer program had its skeptics in
the beginning. The overwhelming success of the
program has opened additional opportunities for
us. Here are some additional neighborhood
initiatives we have implemented based on the
success we have had.

Neighborhood movies – We have added a
neighborhood movies program where we loan out a
projector, a large inflatable movie screen, a sound
system and DVD player. Residents can borrow the
equipment to throw a movie party in their
backyard, driveway, or neighborhood park.

Tool bank – We have partnered with the Arvada
Food Bank to host a tool bank where residents can
borrow general landscaping tools.

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What can you bring to your community?
There are many programs in addition to those

that we have been able to implement. How about
trying to build a mobile tool bank where residents
can do community clean-ups or work projects.

There are many other possibilities. You are only
limited by your imagination, time, money and
talents.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We want to thank the Arvada Chamber of
Commerce and the 2013 Leadership Class. This
program wouldn’t be the success that it is without
their participation.

We would also like to thank the Leadership Team
at the City of Arvada who has supported us with this
program.

I would personally like to thank my classmate Kirk
Nagle who was out sweating with my as we built
the interior to the trailer.

If you would like to ask additional questions you
can contact us at:

[email protected] or (720) 898-7474

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