The Woodbrook Community Council wants to revive the area’s limping community soul, and it hopes to do so through a series of events aimed at children and families.

The council held one of the first events it hopes to achieve this with on April 10 – Easter Monday.

It held an Easter bonnet parade, craft market and Easter egg hunt at Siegert Square, Rosalino Street, Woodbrook.

This is just one of many to come for the council, its chairperson Ashelle Waddell said.

The council was formed in 2020 and has ten people.

[caption id="attachment_1010359" align="alignnone" width="663"] Siblings Ariana Hughes, 10, left, and Sariah Felix, 7, display their costumes The New Era in Easter at the Easter bonnet parade and craft market at Siegert Square, Woodbrook. - AYANNA KINSALE[/caption]

“Woodbrook is generally known for the party atmosphere, Carnival activities, and this is just one of the positive activities we want to reintroduce to the community because we want to remind people who live here, as well as those outside that people still live here,” Waddell said.

A 2011 census said Woodbrook’s population was 3,382 and there is little doubt that that has grown over the last 12 years.

[caption id="attachment_1010357" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Natalie Howe of Dé-Colle-Té displays her necklaces at the Easter bonnet parade and craft market at Siegert Square, Woodbrook on Monday. - AYANNA KINSALE[/caption]

Waddell said the council had planned an itinerary of community-based activities in 2020 but it was paused because of the covid19 pandemic.

However, the council plans to move ahead with these this year, and to host events once a quarter.

These events will be community-oriented and “fun for everyone,” she said.

She said there was “an overwhelming response” from residents to Monday’s events when it was posted to the council’s Facebook page and issued via e-mailed.

“Everyone just loved the fact that there is something different in the neighbourhood and it is not wine and jam,” Waddell said.

Some of the area’s residents were seen sitting on benches awaiting the 1 pm start of the Easter parade.

“The fact is Woodbrook was never a Diamond Vale, Diego Martin, it was never 100 per cent residents. It was always a mix but over the years the balance became skewed, and it is more business now, and rules and regulations don’t happen anymore.

[caption id="attachment_1010356" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Madena Donald-Baird of Ashley’s Only 1 Bags shows her bags at the Easter bonnet parade and craft market at Siegert Square, Woodbrook. - AYANNA KINSALE[/caption]

“But we are building relationships because a lot of businesses in the community have sponsored this event, including some of the bars. We have to build that relationship with them because that is the only way we are going to be able to co-exist,” she said.

Waddell said people did not live in Woodbrook to get peace and quiet, but instead came because they liked the “little action” they got.

She said the council was working with the area’s busines