The Reid Residents' Association has celebrated its 80th birthday in style.
Members of the association and other residents of Reid put on their best 1940s-style garb for a party at the Mercure Canberra on Thursday night.
The association was formed as the Reid Progress Association on August 14, 1944.
On Thursday, Chief Minister Andrew Barr cut the birthday cake as the residents marked 80 years of celebrating Reid, maintaining its heritage and encouraging a sense of community.
Current association president Marianne Albury-Colless said its 80 years representing residents and their concerns was a great achievement.
"I think it's pretty extraordinary, to be honest," she said.
"I just think it says a lot about the spirit of coming together and enjoying each other's company and getting things done.
"Sometimes, we are disappointed when things don't get done or are delayed, but we keep going."
The first meeting of the Reid Progress Association was held in the Reid Methodist Church Hall (now the Korean Uniting Church) on August 14, 1944, when World War Two was still raging.
Its purpose was to "foster an appreciation of the present Reid environment and encourage its preservation, taking into account the interest and welfare of the community" and to "support and implement agreed action on Reid community projects and interests".
One of the speakers at that original meeting eight decades ago - Dr Butler - also saw the association's role as extending beyond the borders of Reid.
"We should ask ourselves what we can give to Canberra as well as what we can get in Reid," he said, according to minutes still held by the association.
Mrs Albury-Colless told Thursday's celebrations that "some things have, of course, changed over the decades yet still the spirit is there and, so too, we can find generosity and compassion".
She listed some of the association's achievements over the years.
"Saving Glebe Park from tuning into a Tivoli Garden, working to have the Reid Conservation Area listed on the register of the National Estate, Margaret Swieringa and then further work with John Tucker to have the Reid Housing Precinct included in the ACT Heritage Register.
"And of course, John's continued work with the National Trust (ACT) on the Reid Open House and Gardens events, some 15 in all.
"I would like also thank our dedicated painters of the pebble sign posts and Margaret Avard, who has spent many, many hours archiving the thousands of records of the Reid Residents' Association from both the Judith Clark, and John Tucker collections."
Wishing to stay true to its apolitical roots, the association invited all the current MLAs representing Kurrajong, which takes in Reid.
That included Mr Barr and Opposition leader Elizabeth Lee (who was an apology). Greens leader Shane Rattenbury and deputy leader Rebecca Vassarotti also attended, as did Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith.
And everyone toasted to at least another 80 years of the association. At least.
