Out and About
Olympic Heights residents were treated to a block party on Sept. 18 thanks to a collaborative effort by Nevada County, the Town of Truckee, and the Truckee Donner Public Utility District. With the goal of bringing services directly to citizens, not to mention hamburgers and hot dogs, the event was a great success.
Neighbors gathered and socialized, enjoyed a barbecue, learned about all kinds of programs offered by the participating agencies, and went home with lots of swag. CFL light bulbs and low-flow showerheads from the PUD and green and blue bags from Truckee’s Waste and Recycling Division were just a few of the goodies being handed out. A staff member from the Nevada County Department of Community Development was on hand to make personal visits to neighborhood homes and discuss the county’s Low Income Energy Assistance Program and help with weatherization strategies.
You may be wondering how Olympic Heights got so lucky? As a resident myself, I’d like to tell you that it’s because we are such a great group of people living in one of the best neighborhoods in Truckee. Though that may be true, at least subjectively, that’s not why our neighborhood was chosen. Olympic Heights met all the criteria the Truckee Donner PUD and the other organizers were looking for — it’s one of the most compact residential areas in town; it has a high number (more than 80 percent) of full-time residents; and the majority of homes are over 30 years old, making them perfect candidates for energy efficiency upgrades. So, Oly Heights got the honors this time. But the overwhelming success of the event and the copious good-will it seemed to generate will undoubtedly lead to more.
~ Beth Ingalls
