It's been 14 years, but Toronto's great blackout of 2003 continues to be remembered for stories of everyday heroes, neighbours leaving their homes to meet and greet, and kids without the distraction of televisions, playing games in the streets.

Now, a Toronto man is hoping to recapture that feeling.

Pete Bombaci is the man behind the Generator Project, which urges everyone to unplug and connect with the people around them, with weekend events, twice a year, in the fall and the spring.

"We all deep down have a need to connect with others and that day that's what people did," said Bombaci.

"Whether it be cell phones, computers, on demand TV—all the different things add up to take little things away from our lives," he said.

The project first came to life last fall with more than 57 registered events. Bombaci recalls hosting a BBQ for neighbours on his street.

"There was one lady on the is street who said, 'I've lived on this street for 18 years, and in 18 years I haven't met as many people as I've met today,'" he recalled.

Generating connections

Christine Staley, her husband and their two children had a similar experience when they participated in the spring session of the movement.

They invited their neighbours on Baird Court in Mississauga to a pancake breakfast and a game of road hockey.

This game of neighborhood road hockey was planned by Christine Staley, her husband Gregory Ross and their children in the spring, as part of the Generator Weekend event. (Submitted by Gregory Ross)

"For most of them, I've never spoken to them—I didn't know their names. The majority of the neighbours this was the first time we were meeting them," Staley said.

The event proved a success, with about 100 people coming out. Staley says it has changed things on their street.

Her husband, Gregory Ross, said, "It then led to weeks months and still to this day where you're not just waving or saying hello. Now it's a conversation about, 'How are your children in university? Or how's it going in Canada?"

This year's session of the Generator Weekend got underway Friday and continues until the end of Sunday. As of Thursday, 150 events were set up in Canada, with participants in five other countries as well. People are invited to register their events on line and invite others to join.

Staley and Ross have planned two events this time around.

The family is hosting a pot luck dinner with a bocce ball tournament near Huntsville for their cottage community on Saturday.

Then on Friday, October 13 at 6 p.m. they will have a BBQ, a corn roast and another game of road hockey for their neighbours in Mississauga.

Bombaci will be attending his neighbour's pancake breakfast in the Eglington Avenue and Chaplin Crescent area Saturday Oct 6.

"One of the single largest indicators of happiness in our lives is face to face interaction," said Bombaci.

The father to a three-year-old son, Bombaci is hopeful that the Generator Project will continue to grow and promote health connection habits between people.

"That will be a great legacy to leave for my little guy."