Above: Angel Winpenny from The Patio (with daughter Alania), HHNA’s Kristie Stark, Community Services Director Andy Wade, and HHNA’s Camille Speca sit at one of the new picnic tables at Academy Field.

The HHNA has been beautifying and bringing people together this year

If the COVID-19 pandemic took the wind out of the Hill & Harbour Neighborhood Association’s sails in early 2020, the group has strong winds at its back now, having completed a number of activities in 2021, with more to come.

Most recently, the HHNA was the catalyst behind getting four picnic tables for Academy Field – one they paid for, another donated by The Patio restaurant and two more purchased by the town.

The HHNA was able to raise the money for their table (three of the tables were $1,500 piece, the fourth – ADA compliant – was $1,800) during its hugely successful neighborhood yard sale in May. In addition to a number of residents setting up their own yard sales, the HHNA opened up Academy Field to vendors and the town parking lot to food trucks.

Also on their to-do list this year was a weed-and-trash strewn dirt triangle on Crompton Avenue at the top of the London Street underpass. Member James Gorham painted the metal barrier a bright silver, the town turned over the soil and on a sunny day in June, around 10 members of the group arrived with plants, shovels and zeal, to turn the overlooked spot into something lovely.

The HHNA held a block party in September, inviting the whole town. Probably fortunately, the whole town didn’t show up but a couple hundred people did. And for Halloween, the group is planning to add a little something extra on Spring Street:

The Crompton Avenue spot BEFORE in May.

Crompton Avenue DURING in June.

Crompton Avenue in October.

HHNA Block Party 2021