By Mike Kinney
Richmond residents enjoyed neighborhood block parties across the city Tuesday in celebration of the 40th year of National Night Out.
The event, celebrated in communities across the U.S., aims to strengthen police-community bonds to create safer cities.
The kick-off party for NNO started in the Belding-Woods neighborhood at Belding-Garcia Park behind Cesar Chavez Elementary School at 15th and Coalinga. The kick off was hosted by Rosa Vargas and there were pony rides, kid activities and live music.
The Standard stopped by the Belding-Garcia Park block party, as well as those in Coronado, North and East and at Hilltop Community Church. Block parties were organized by local neighborhood councils, neighborhood crime watch groups or by people in their neighborhood.
NNO block parties enable “the community and our local Richmond Police Department to closely interact with one another,” said Atchinson Neighborhood Council President John Monks:
“It helps to build bonds of trust and understanding,” Monks said. “And it is the perfect way to say thank you to the RPD for all of their community service to Richmond.”
Other locations of NNO parties included Parchester Village, Hilltop Community Church, Hilltop Green, Greenbrier, May Valley, Clinton Ave., North and East, Berhard, Nevin Plaza Atchinson Village, Bible Way MBC, Point Richmond, Shasta Street, Coronado, Crescent Park, Pullman Point Apartment and Bayland 50.
