Victoria Downtown Residents Association

06/26/2026

Tonight's Notes of Pride concert has been postponed to next week due to the rain.

06/21/2026

Loneliness isn't just a personal feeling; it's a global public health issue.

Harvard's Shorenstein Center brought together experts from the U.K. and U.S. to examine how loneliness became a public health priority and what’s driving change.

📖 Read the Harvard Gazette piece: news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2026/06/how-loneliness-became-major-public-health-issue/

U.K., U.S. experts trace rise in awareness through research, political involvement, pandemic

06/20/2026

📬 Can community mailboxes become community hubs? The Greater Victoria Placemaking Network suggests mailboxes can become mini neighbourhood hubs, with a bench for chatting, a bulletin board, a Little Free Library, or a built-in checkerboard.

➡️ Read the full story and find out how you can help: https://victoriaplacemaking.ca/2026/placemaking/can-a-mailbox-bring-a-neighbourhood-together

Hello CRD Neighbours and Placemakers! Have you heard about the changes Canada Post is making regarding door-to-door mail delivery services? The Crown corporation plans to eliminate all household delivery as part of larger restructuring efforts to save money and stay financially viable. Canada Post i...

06/19/2026

Our 6th annual Blossom Your Pride event is coming up on July 11th at the Yates Street Community Garden and we are raising funds to help cover some of the costs. We have almost reached the halfway point of our $500 goal. Please consider making a donation today to help us get all the way there! https://victoriadra.getcommunal.com/donate/159

06/19/2026

Have you done something to build connection in your community? A coffee morning, a block party, a check-in with a neighbour, a building group chat: whatever it is, big or small, we want to hear about it!

✍️ Share your story through our quick story submission form. No story is too small, and yours might inspire someone else to take their own first step.

➡️ Share your action: survey.alchemer-ca.com/s3/50601475/Connection-in-Action-Story-Submission-Form

06/18/2026

What does taking action to build neighbourhood connection actually look like?

At the Connection in Action kickoff workshop, people shared dozens of practical, low-barrier ideas, from saying hello on the street and welcoming someone new to the block, to starting a weekly coffee drop-in and hosting a block party.

📝 Here are their best ideas all in one post, so you can find something that fits your time and interests: resilientneighbourhoods.ca/2026/06/real-ideas-for-building-connection-what-connectors-are-doing-for-loneliness-awareness-week/

Small moments, big impact: inspiration from the Capital Region community.

06/17/2026

Loneliness Awareness Week (June 15–21) is here, and there are events happening across the Capital Region! 🎉

From community meals and picnic pop-ups to board game socials and guided walks, there’s something for everyone.

➡️ See the full lineup and find an event near you: resilientneighbourhoods.ca/connectioninaction

06/11/2026

Some of the most powerful people in any community don't have a title or a budget. They're connectors: the neighbours who bring people together, make introductions, and help everyone feel like they belong.

The good news? Anyone can be one.

🤝 Marmalade Trust's How to Be a Connector guide shares practical tips for creating safe, inclusive spaces and helping people get involved so everyone feels they belong: marmaladetrust.org/be-a-connector

Marmalade founder, Amy Perrin, talks about the power of being a ‘connector’ and how we can all play our part in creating a sense of belonging in our relationships, workplaces, communities and the wider world.

06/11/2026

🗓️ Loneliness Awareness Week (June 15–21) is next week!

⭐️ Across the Capital Region, events are happening all week long, from walking groups and speed-friending to picnics and ice cream socials. Whatever you're up for, there's a way to join in and connect with the people around you.

➡️ Check out the calendar to find an event near you to attend: resilientneighbourhoods.ca/connectioninaction