- Residents in Tooele are encouraged to organize block parties to meet their neighbors in the growing city.
- City administrators provide resources, including $100 worth of pizza, for hosts.
- Parties foster community bonds, especially among seniors, and encourage neighborhood watch efforts.
TOOELE — The U.S. Census Bureau can confirm what anyone in Tooele has long known: There are a lot of new people moving to town.
Sure, some of those new residents were recently born, and some folks moved back after leaving years ago, but when Tooele residents look down their streets, they see people they do not know — and they want to know them.
That is where their city government comes in.
"There are so many people moving in ... and we don't always get the opportunity to meet our new neighbors," said Holly Tippetts, Tooele's community engagement supervisor.
"So, we do general events for everyone to get out and get to know more about the city and that we're all neighbors," she continued. "The block parties are one example of that."
The city's Community Engagement Division recently organized a Neighborhood Block Party program, which allows city residents to host parties on their blocks as an opportunity to get to know their neighbors. Many of these parties are outdoors, but they can be held indoors during the colder months.
Roughly three years ago, Mayor Debbie Wynn called on her staff to create programs that would enable neighbors not only to engage with the city, but also with one another.
Between the 2010 and 2020 census counts, Tooele County as a whole grew by over 14,000 people, with many of those individuals moving to the county seat. Between 2020 and 2023, the population in Tooele increased by 2.62%, according to the Census Bureau.
Sandy Medina, community engagement programs coordinator, oversees the block party process. She promotes the parties not only as a way to meet neighbors in general, but also as a way to look out for everyone on the block, especially senior residents.
"Neighbors are more likely to check on their elderly neighbors ... and research shows knowing your neighbors, and holding neighborhood block parties lead to children showing more respect for their elders," Medina said. "We're all inclusive to all people ... and we try to cut out any hassle for the host."
To host a block party, an interested resident goes to the city's website and completes an online form. The hosts will receive $100 worth of pizza and information about city resources to place on a table for those interested.
The parties can be held at any point during the year, with Medina keeping the number of parties between 6 and 12 every three months.
Medina estimates that between 30 and 100 people have attended individual block parties, some even turning the event into a neighborhood potluck. Anything the city provides is free, including access to the community center, if needed.
Residents of different economic backgrounds are also encouraged to host a block party. As a free event, no one has to worry about cost or going into debt to meet your neighbors. The community engagement staff also creates invitations for the block party, which will be delivered to the host's home.
The city already provides "Welcome Bags" to new residents when they sign up for utilities, as well as what they call "Blessing baskets" for families during the holiday season. Meeting the residents where they are is what the community engagement division does with pride, officials said.
They have found that although the city is providing the foundation for the party — food and invitations, for example — this does not mean the neighborhood expects city employees to stay at the party.
City staff who used to attend the neighborhood block parties discovered that when they do not attend, neighbors bond more with each other. So, now the city employees provide what is needed for the party, encourage everyone to enjoy themselves and they leave.
The staff who work in the Community Engagement Division are aware that Tooele continues to grow, so they can expect more work ahead of them. As such, they do not expect the Neighborhood Block Party program to go away anytime soon.
"We're going to keep doing this as long as we can," Tippetts said. "Tooele will grow, and we will adapt. We just want people to take pride in their community and in the city."
If you are a Tooele resident and would like to host a Neighborhood Block Party, visit tooelecity.activityreg.com. Parties will not be held when the city hosts other community events, such as the Fourth of July celebration.
