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NASHUA, N.H. — The Nashua nonprofit Involved to Impact hosted the 11th annual Tree Streets Block Party on Saturday, celebrating community connections and diversity in the downtown neighborhood.
Ash Street was closed to traffic, and tables from local groups and organizations lined the roadway. Two Nashua Fire Rescue engines and a public works truck were on hand for a touch-a-truck experience for children.
Ward 4 Alderman Tom Lopez served as emcee from the porch of the Police Athletic League building. Former state Sen. Melanie Levesque, now a candidate for Executive Council, kicked off the event with a short address to the neighborhood.
She focused on civic participation, saying, “I want to get a message across to everyone that we have these rights given to us by the Constitution, and those rights include the right to vote. Ninety million people did not vote in the last election. We can see the results of not participating. It's important that every one of us who can, learn about what the issues are, learn about the candidates that are running, and vote for the people that will help you thrive.”
State Rep. Linda Harriott-Gathright, speaking in her role as president of the Greater Nashua Area Branch of the NAACP, also greeted the crowd. The branch staffed one of the information tables and is hosting a special “Night at the Ballpark” Futures League All-Star Game on July 21, which she invited attendees to join.
Liz Hannum, the city’s director of economic development, staffed the city information table alongside Matt Sullivan, community development division director.
“This neighborhood, it's so packed in and yet people are still not meeting their neighbors very often,” Hannum said. “So, it's really nice to use the street as kind of a meeting place, a community space and for the residents to get to know all the things that are happening in the city and all the resources that are available. Plus, the touch-a-truck is always a winner.”
Lopez, one of the event’s organizers, described its importance.
“For me, it's important because the city needs to celebrate the Tree Streets instead of looking down on them or identifying them as a community that is undesirable,” he said. “This is where people live. This is where families live. There's a lot of diversity here and a lot of different people trying to live together here. It’s a model for the rest of the city.”
The Rev. Ray Ealy, minister at New Fellowship Baptist Church, which sits in the heart of the Ash Street neighborhood, said he was enjoying the event and the crowds of neighbors.
“I think it's a good day where the people of the neighborhood can feel that the city and the leaders support them,” he said. “Because we know that all this comes from people, and they donate to this, and people just have a good day. They get information. They get certain organizations to come and talk to them. They get entertainment, and it's just an enjoyable day for the neighborhood.
“So many times, people in neighborhoods like this, they don't get many days where it can just be a really good day. And that's how I see it. It's a really good day.”
