Longtime local resident Lindy McQueen is forming a new Edmonds community group to host local festivals and neighbourhood events.
"There's been such inactivity in the Edmonds area, I just had a burning desire to get something going," she told the NOW. "I met with several people in the community, and they agreed we needed to do something."
Edmonds already has a community group - the Edmonds Business and Community Association - but McQueen wanted to start something new.
"I just felt it wasn't where I wanted to go," she said. "They were heading more towards business."
McQueen said there was nothing wrong with having a business angle.
"We want businesses to join and come," she said. "I just don't want people to think we're more business than we are community."
McQueen used to be a member of the Edmonds Business and Community Association, but she left the group a few years ago when she said the organization took more of a "business turn." McQueen also said she has volunteer experience organizing community events.
Her new group has no name yet, but approximately 16 people showed up for an April 9 meeting to get the organization rolling. Their next meeting is set for Tuesday, May 28, and McQueen is now looking for new members to help the fledgling group.
Edmonds is known for its higher numbers of refugees and immigrants, and McQueen said she plans to reach out to include that demographic in the community group.
To get involved in the new group, email McQueen at [email protected]. The May 28 meeting will be at 6: 30 p.m. at the Edmonds Community School, at 7651 18th Ave. in the community room.
Meanwhile, the Edmonds Business and Community Association is still hoping to revive its organization. The registered non-profit elected a new executive on Friday, April 12, and Gary Bizzo, a local resident and well-known businessman, is now on part of the board. Bizzo said he's a little disappointed that a new group is forming instead of sticking with the association.
"We don't understand why the business community and the community at large can't work together," Bizzo said. "The problem was the Edmonds association, for all intents and purposes, almost died. A bunch of us came on and said let's revitalize it, but maybe she (McQueen) didn't think it could happen."
According to Bizzo, the original association is revitalized already.
"We've had the meeting, and people are pumped. We've even had the city (of Burnaby) there," he said. "It's a small enough community that two (groups) aren't going to work, that's for sure."
