There’s nothing better than a grilled meal. Grilling is fun for parties or for a simple hot dog dinner. As you use the grills, keep in mind that you are sharing them with everyone in the entire community. We want you to use them, but you also want to be considerate of how your actions impact others.

1. Bring Your Own Gear: Tote everything that you’ll need for the grill to the grill site. Bring your platters, grill brushes, spatulas, foils, and matches. Do your best to think of everything that you’ll need beforehand instead of bumming off of your neighbors. People don’t mind sharing something here and there, but you shouldn’t expect it. The complex will supply a few tools, but you shouldn’t rely on them. Bring your own gear, and you’ll always have a great grill out.
2. Don’t Hog The Grills: There are several grills for the entire community to use. Be considerate of your neighbor and use one grill at a time. Even if you are cooking multiple things, don’t use multiple grills. Plan out your meal to cook everything at the correct time and temperature by using one grill.
3. Leave Some Counter Space: Similarly, don’t use up all of the counterspace. You can have a plate and a few tools out that you’ll need. Try to keep the things you aren’t using at that moment tucked away in a bag away from the grill site. That way more people can use the counter space, and the bag isn’t a tripping hazard.
4. Mind Your Smoke: As the grill gets nice and hot, it can smoke. It’s great for flavor, but not great for nearby neighbors. If you notice your grill wafting smoke at folks, do your best to cover the grill or turn the heat down some. It’s difficult for your neighbor to cook if they can’t see the grill from your smoke.
5. Not The Party Spot: When people are hungry, they want to eat it as soon as it’s ready. It can be tempting to hang out with the grillmaster while they are whipping up dinner. The only problem is that it crowds out space for other neighbors to grill. Keep the party away from the grill site. Have one or two friends keeping the griller company, and to transport the hot meal over to the main party site.
6. Leave It Cleaner Than How You Found It: Lastly, but most importantly, don’t leave a mess. After grilling, try to scrape your grill clean, wipe down the countertops, and throw away any trash. Even if the mess wasn’t yours, do your neighborly part, and clean up the area. Make it a pleasant place for the next guest to come and cook.

Show respect to your neighbors by taking care of the grills that are for everyone’s use. Keep your area clean, and share the space. That way everyone can continue to enjoy the grills. It’s a great time to spark up a conversation with your nearby neighbor to get to know your community better!