New cultural evening strengthens the local community

Last week, the first cultural evening in Greve took place. Balder, one of the organizers, believes that it helps strengthen the local community.

The text was originally published by Ejendom Danmark. Author: Frederikke Schrøder

A new cultural evening strengthens the local community
For many, Friday night means movies and snacks on the couch, but last week in Greve, a slightly different kind of evening took place. The municipality's very first cultural evening offered plenty of activities for both young and old. One of the organizers was Balder, who owns and manages the two properties Strandby Høje and Strandby Huse, with over 300 rental apartments near Hundige station. Balder initiated the so-called Network Greve, aiming to strengthen and enhance the area.

"We got involved in the startup of Netværk Greve with the desire to activate all the stakeholders in the area, so together we could highlight the positive aspects of the region. Suddenly, we had a large network of interested parties with the same goal – to strengthen the community in Greve," explains Christina Holberg Fenger, Deputy Director at Balder.

One way to promote Greve as a great place to live is through initiatives like "Sammen om Greve - hele byens kulturaften." Balder offered activities such as a flea market, cupcake decorating, silent disco, and a tour of a penthouse apartment.

A place to meet
One of the evening’s highlights was the meeting of people, both new and longtime residents of Greve, who had the opportunity to rediscover the town. One of the residents who attended the cultural evening was Liselotte, who had a stand at Balder’s flea market and lives in Balder’s property, Strandby Huse. For Liselotte, there was a clear motivation for her participation.

"I just moved here from another of Balder’s properties, so I thought I should do something to meet other people. I heard about the cultural evening, and it was an initiative I really wanted to support. It’s a great way to get to know the town and the people around me," she says.

For Balder, the focus was precisely on creating a space where residents can meet across different groups.

"Many people want the opportunity to participate in events and have a place where they can meet their neighbors. Studies show that our quality of life is tied to not being lonely. At Balder, we want to help create a space where we can be social together, form connections, and build new relationships," says Christina Holberg Fenger.

Qualities in focus
In addition to helping create a space for relationships, there are other motivations behind launching initiatives like Sammen om Greve - hele byens kulturaften. One of them is to highlight the positive aspects of the town, which, according to Christina Holberg Fenger, has more to offer than many people realize.

“We had the opportunity to develop on two sites in Greve, right by Hundige Station, but we knew there was a challenge in that the area is perceived as segmented. This can cause concerns for some residents or potential newcomers. Our goal is to show that Greve has many qualities that make it an attractive place to live,” she explains.

According to Balder’s Deputy Director, it’s also important for long-term investments to engage in the local communities where a real estate company operates:

“We believe it’s important to get involved in the local communities we work in. We want to support our customers in feeling a connection to their homes and to us. On a practical level, it also helps us maintain the value of the investments we’ve made.”

Strengthening cooperation
The evening not only forged bonds among residents but also strengthened the relationship between Balder as a landlord and their tenants. While residents shopped at the flea market, toured the penthouse apartment, decorated cupcakes, and danced at the silent disco, there were also opportunities for conversations between Balder’s employees and the residents, which strengthened the cooperation and relationship between both parties.

“It does wonders for the relationship between us as landlords and our tenants when we meet at events. It eases communication and also creates the chance to address topics that might not come up otherwise. For example, we’ve been suggested to install more benches where residents can meet. That means we can respond to our residents' wishes and create a better product, bringing us closer to them,” explains Christina Holberg Fenger, concluding:

“Of course, we’ve gained a familiarity with the area, but on an evening like this, we also get to know the people behind it. This means that we can, in many ways, ensure we become an active player in the community rather than a passive real estate company that’s invested in the area, and that’s important to us.”