December 2017 | David Claridge

BLACKSTONE HEIGHTS residents have reached a new level of communication with the rise of a passionate and dedicated local group.

The Blackstone Heights Community News Association was established around early October and already has a 13-member committee hard at work to identify what the area needs and how they can best give back to the community.

Secretary, Lyn Westlake, explained how they formed because they wanted to make Blackstone Heights a better place and to bring the community together.

“Some of us already knew each other, but we put on Facebook if other people wanted to join and the committee quickly grew,” she said.

“We then sent out a newsletter in a letterbox drop about who we were and what we were doing.”

For their first major event, the group has planned a Christmas fun and market day at Blackstone Park on Sunday the 10th December from 10:30am to 2:30pm.

There will be Zorb balls, mini jeeps, face painting, snake handlers, a balloon artist, craft stalls, kites, carboot sales, hot food, ice cream and a coffee van.

“It’s going to be a huge day for the family and it’s a good way for getting Blackstone Heights together,” Ms Westlake said.

The group plans to distribute quarterly newsletters, start a neighbourhood watch in the area, put a basketball area in the park and a noticeboard for the area with more plans in the works.