Nick Defiesta Photo
Exchange Street celebrated the start of summer with music, food and a fire hydrant — the first time Freddy Torres, who has lived on the block for over half a decade, could remember neighbors coming together in such a way.
The road was closed to traffic between Ferry and East Pearl streets for the first annual Exchange Street block party, the result of a project organized by Exchange Street resident Tywanna Johnson’s as part of her participation in a program called the New Haven Parent Leadership Training Institute.
Intended to celebrate the neighborhood and launch the start of neighborhood block watch and beautification programs, the gathering drew dozens to the rear of Fair Haven School. Children danced in front of a DJ and rode bikes through water spraying from a fire extinguisher.
“I’ve been here five years, and I’ve never seen anything like it,” Torres said. “Although I think we might have started to early. … All the kids are cooked from the sun.”
Officer Mike Fumiatti was on hand.
Everybody in the neighborhood cooked a dish for a block potluck, he added. Kids had a blast playing on an inflatable castle set up for the day.
Also responsible for organizing the event was aldermanic candidate Thomas Burwell, who lives two doors down from Johnson on the block. He called the celebration a “symbol” that the block is “coming back from depression.” The event aimed to stitch the community together by helping neighbors to meet each other.
The block party was also a chance for some political face time. Mayor John DeStefano Jr. popped in, making a call to open the fire hydrant in the process. Most of the Democratic mayoral candidates showed up, too.
Candidate Carolina speaks with organizer Johnson.
After Burwell introduced mayoral hopeful Henry Fernandez to the crowd, Fernandez, who lives around the corner, asked for his neighbors’ votes.
Mayoral candidate Kermit Carolina declined to be introduced on the microphone, explaining that he preferred to talk to block party-goers one-on-one to hear their concerns.
Johnson proclaimed the block party a success.
“Growing up, I knew everybody on my street; I don’t know half the people here,” she said. “I wanted people to come out, meet and greet neighbors.”
