CHAPEL HILL – Thursday evening at the Hargraves Community Center, you’re invited to come out for the Good Neighbor Initiative’s annual Neighborhood Night Out and Block Party, an event designed to build connections between UNC students and Chapel Hill residents, particularly in neighborhoods near campus.

“We plan all year long for this program,” says Aaron Bachenheimer, UNC’s director of fraternity/sorority life and community involvement.

It’s a free event, co-sponsored by the Town of Chapel Hill, UNC-Chapel Hill, the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership, Empowerment, Inc., and LUX Chapel Hill (formerly Bicycle Apartments). Buns and Ben & Jerry’s will provide food; there’ll also be music, games, kids’ activities and prizes–plus information about local and community resources.

“It’s just a great event,” says Bachenheimer. “Get there early, because (at 5:00) we actually do a fun little community pride walk…(and) folks who participate get a free t-shirt and get first place in the food line.”

The Block Party is one of the biggest projects of the year for the Good Neighbor Initiative, which works all year long to promote strong relationships between longtime Chapel Hill residents and students living off-campus–especially in neighborhoods like Northside and Pine Knolls, where the influx of students has sparked some tension.

“We visit students and non-student residents and talk about what it’s like to live in a neighborhood, what community involvement and good neighborliness means, (and) some of the rights and responsibilities of living off-campus,” Bachenheimer says. “(And the Block Party) is a really important event, in terms of helping to set the tone of what it means to have a positive community relationship.”

Bachenheimer says the initiative has been successful, though there’s still work yet to be done. “These events make a difference,” he says. “They help inspire both the year-round residents and the students to reach out to one another, to get to know one another–which ultimately helps build relationships and improve the quality of life in the neighborhood.”

The Neighborhood Night Out and Block Party runs from 5-9 pm Thursday at the Hargraves Community Center, located at 216 N. Roberson Street. Bachenheimer says it usually draws several hundred attendees every year.

Related Stories
‹
UNC Initiative Works to Create 'Sense of Harmony' Between Students, Permanent Residents
UNC students began the fall semester Wednesday. While many changes are expected with COVID-19 protocols, one thing that hasn’t changed is the Good Neighbor Initiative which is entering its 18th year.
Be A "Good Neighbor" At Hargraves Thursday
Thursday's block party is part of the annual "Good Neighbor Initiative."
Ignorant Of Town Policy, Student Renters Fined, Evicted
Enforcement of a town housing ordinance is reportedly resulting in landlords fining or evicting student tenants.
Parker, Teague Dorms Set for Replacement in UNC's Housing Renewal; BOT Approves Initial Funds
As UNC revamps its on-campus housing to build more units and update residence halls, Parker and Teague are set to be town down for a new dorm.
UNC Chancellor Interview: Monitoring Executive Orders, Expanding Enrollment, Balancing Academics and Athletics
UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts joined 97.9 The Hill's Aaron Keck on Thursday, Jan. 30 for a wide-ranging interview checking in as the university's spring semester got started.
Chapel Hill Police Department Preparing for Start of UNC Fall Semester
As the summer winds down, Chapel Hill is preparing for the beginning of the school year and all the increased activity that comes with it. Football Saturdays and students returning to campus brings opportunity for law enforcement to come into contact with the public, and police chief Chris Blue says one of the ways the […]
UNC's Neighborhood Night Out Seeks to Connect Students and Community
UNC’s annual Neighborhood Night Out takes place tonight at the Hargraves Community Center, located on Chapel Hill’s Northside, a neighborhood which has seen a large amount of comingling between Chapel Hill residents and UNC students. The event is part of the larger Good Neighbor Initiative, which UNC’s director of fraternity and sorority life and community […]
Good Neighbor Initiative Readies for Year No. 13
The University of North Carolina and Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership have collaborated again to create The Good Neighbor Initiative for the 13th year in a row. The Good Neighbor Initiative is an event filled with volunteers who go door to door in select neighborhoods to educate those residents on rules and regulations in their area. […]
UNC to Tear Down Odum Village Apartments
Built in the 1960’s, Odum Village is comprised of 36 apartment buildings that hold nearly 500 students on the southern end of UNC’s campus. The UNC General Administration required that all residences halls have sprinkler systems installed by 2015, which Odum does not have. Odum Village was granted a one year extension but now the […]
UNC, Town Council Discuss Student Housing
UNC officials and members of the town council discussed the issue of student housing Monday. Council members expressed concern over the upcoming closure of Odum Village Apartments, a student housing complex that can hold nearly 500 residents. UNC representative Anna Wu said if they wanted to keep Odum Village open, the university would have to […]
›