There are a handful of annual neighborhood wide events including a spring garage sale, a summer barbeque, a fall block party. But not much more. A lot of people who live here are really committed to staying here because it's so pleasant. Close the the river, centrally located, not a lot of hassles. There are more than a few who first lived in a small rental property and as they grew older and accumulated more assets, purchased a house.
Ages range from newborns to retirees.
A lot of people who own property there are only physically there in the evenings and weekends because they have to spend the rest of their time at jobs that pay them enough to make mortgage and tax payments. It's all they can do to get to an association meeting once a month or attend the barbecue. They'd have to be really committed to the vision of creating community to give up valuable family and free time in order to do it, and frankly, most of them aren't. There is land that could be converted to garden space, but that would require negotiations with the city and with the private party that owns the many open lots. Negotiating with the city can be a major hassle.