Happy municipal elections Nomination Day to all who celebrate! Okay, well that may literally only be me - but stay tuned for updates as we enter a municipal election year!
Waterloo Region already has some great libraries, but thanks to the KW Library of Things (KWLoT), our community is able to borrow items such as tents, tools, kitchen appliances, and much more.
Started as a school project by Devon Fernandes, the KWLoT partners with Extend-A-Family “promoting a sharing economy, providing paid and volunteer opportunities for people living with disabilities and leading a mission to be environmental stewards by keeping excess waste out of landfills.” Click to learn more about the Library of Things, including how to become a member.
Reception House has big plans to better support newcomers to Waterloo Region. They plan to build 35 units of transitional housing for government-assisted refugees who are often “placed in hotels and motels while they await more permanent housing and employment.”
According to Babur Mawladin, Reception House CEO, “the land is technically Kitchener’s land, but Reception House will build it and we’ll get it for the next 50 years.” The building will offer a mix of bedrooms, from one- to four-bedroom units. The Home Begins Here fundraising campaign is now open and hopes to raise $9 million, about half of the expected costs for this build. Government and community funding is expected to cover the other half of the project’s costs.
The Region of Waterloo will contribute ~$2 million to help build an estimated $8.1-million pedestrian bridge over the Conestogo River in Wallenstein. The bridge is considered a missing link on the Guelph to Goderich Rail Trail. The goal “is to create and maintain a continuous, safe, and fully inclusive G2G Rail Trail experience, spanning 132 km from Guelph, near the 401 corridor, to the shores of Lake Huron in Goderich.”
Thanks to many community donations, King Edward Public School will soon have new playground equipment. Thanks to all who raised funds and/or awareness of this much-needed community asset!
In case you haven’t heard, the Queen Street Commons is once again open for business! “First opened in 2006, The Queen Street Commons Café has a long history of being an affordable and inclusive meeting place, where people from all walks-of-life gather in common. At a time when public spaces are diminishing, and our feelings of isolation and loneliness are growing, the Commons is needed more than ever.”
I’ve been several times since the reopening and while the set-up is different, it’s still very much the place that many of us have come to love over the years. It’s definitely worth stopping by for a visit!
Cambridge will soon have an additional 24 affordable townhomes with Habitat for Humanity’s Shantz Hill project. “The Shantz Hill project has partnered with developer Activa on the construction side, while critical funding is provided through an impact investment from Waterloo Region Community Foundation”. The development, expected to be completed this year, will feature two-, three- and four-bedroom units.
“This is an opportunity for families to have strength, stability, and self-reliance,” Habitat Waterloo Region CEO Philip Mills said. “This is an opportunity for stability. For parents and kids to have a place to call home for as long as they want it.”
Researchers at the University of Waterloo have discovered a way to turn plastic pollution into acetic acid, the main ingredient of vinegar, using sunlight. “When exposed to sunlight, the material drives a series of chemical reactions that transform plastic polymers into acetic acid with high selectivity. The reaction takes place in water, making it particularly relevant for addressing plastic pollution in aquatic environments.”
Ever since I had the opportunity to work for the House of Friendship as a preschool teacher in the Sunnydale neighbourhood, Sunnydale has held a special place in my heart. Therefore, I was thrilled to read about then-newcomer Mujidat Yusuf-Ajao creating a neighbourhood sewing circle. The group, now named Basadi Sewing has since expanded and even has a website at basadisewing.ca. “The group offers mending and alterations, custom gifts and sewing classes, which include private lessons and workshops for visiting groups.”
Recently, the group received a $173,800 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, which supports the enterprise financially. “Clothes, bags and other items made by the members are for sale. There are 10 sewing machines at the agency. The 65 members earn $18 an hour from their skills and the next step is to turn those skills into well-paying, stable work.”
This one’s not local but I couldn’t resist sharing how community members are supporting each other under the threat of ICE arrests in the United States. Perhaps you have heard that whistles are being used as an alert system in response to ICE raids. The whistles serve two purposes: bring neighbours out to witness the abuses of ICE and to let those that are more at risk to know to stay in or to find shelter immediately.
“The more whistles out there, the more effective this system is, and so getting whistles to people has become a massive community effort. Across the country there are whistle packing parties happening in church basements and bars and nonprofit offices and pretty much anywhere else that can hold some people, some tables, and boxes of whistles, zines, and bags to put them all in.”
The author concludes, “Pulling together as communities is all we’ve got. Today, a half-million more whistles exist than did before because of one community of absolute weirdos decided to just start printing and never stopped. Those whistles have gone out to people who have then reached out to their own communities to get them into others’ hands. This is how it works, always, one community strengthens another, one after another, and on and on until real change happens.” Kudos to the entire whistle-making brigade!
The Sunshine Lounge is a new and innovative space at Sunnyside (retirement home) specially designed to serve younger adults with dementia. While the Young Onset Dementia Association (YODA) program has been running since 2014, they now have their own permanent space. The program “serves around 20-30 people under the age of 65 who are living with memory loss. Members meet weekly, where they enjoy activities based on their interests and hobbies. They socialize and connect with others who have similar experiences with dementia.”
Take a short video tour of the Sunshine Lounge.
Learn more about the Region of Waterloo’s YODA program.
Lots of great news from Indwell as they have been busy bringing affordable and supportive housing to Waterloo Region.
Indwell’s Heritage Flats, scheduled to open in 2027, will provide 45 fully furnished units, 32 will be studio apartments, with 13 being barrier-free apartments. The site will also offer “tenant amenity spaces and on-site supports for residents such as nurses, addiction and mental health services, and food security initiatives.” Rent is expected to be approximately $580/month.
“When we look at what Indwell is going to provide at the Heritage Flats site, which is really a supportive housing environment for people who are perhaps coming out of homelessness or hospitalization, it’s really going to provide them with what they need in order to be able to start moving forward,” Corey Kimpson, Cambridge councillor for Ward 3, said.
Meanwhile, in Kitchener, the recently opened Magnolia Apartments provides 41 new units of supportive housing. These homes “include barrier free units, tenant amenities such as laundry, bike storage, community gardens and space for gathering and programming. Additionally, tenants will benefit from on site health supports and services provided by the Indwell team.”
You can visit the Magnolia Apartments at Indwell’s upcoming Open House event on May 14th from 4-6pm. If you can’t attend in-person, watch the short video tour below.
I always love when folks use their own skills and passions to help others. That’s exactly what has happened with AutoCate. Stefanie Bruinsma, a University of Waterloo mechanical engineering grad and licensed auto mechanic, founded AutoCate.ca because “women across North America are ripped off for millions of dollars a year in unnecessary vehicle repairs.”
AutoCate.ca teaches its members about “vehicle ownership, repairs and maintenance. Members sign onto the platform from garages and oil-change shops for second opinions, or maybe when a warning light comes on.”
In addition to online support, Bruinsma has now opened a shop/studio/classroom space in a North Waterloo business park where repairs can be done or demonstrated for workshop participants. “We want to be the big sister that you call,” said Bruinsma.
Toronto’s Dunn House is building on the success of its first 51-unit supportive housing project, with a funding announcement for a second Dunn House building. The next phase will include 54 supportive housing units and prioritize seniors. It will be built using modular construction.
“Preliminary data on Dunn House showed a decline in both emergency room visits and in-patient stays for its residents within the first year of its operations. As of the fall, Dunn House was forecasting more than $2 million in savings for the health-care system in one year, including a predicted annual cost avoidance of more than $400,000 in ER visits, as well savings of more than $1.65 million in hospital bed days.”
Congratulations to local historian Peggy Plet and Kitchener’s The Working Centre which have been recognized for their efforts in preserving and sharing local history.
Plet received the award for her work in sharing the stories of Waterloo Region’s early Black settlers. “It is important that stories like the Queen’s Bush Settlement, as well as the residents in our community, are told because without them our story is not complete,” Plet said. You can book the Black Presence in Berlin walking tour led by Peggy Plet via Stroll Walking Tours.
The Working Centre was awarded for their work “transforming a former 100-year-old factory on Victoria Street into transitional housing and a new community kitchen.”
Crow Shield Lodge now owns their first property (in Guelph) as Thresholds Homes and Supports returned the land to Indigenous stewardship. The property’s natural spaces will allow Crow Shield Lodge to “expand its mission to offer a place of belonging for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, with a focus on caring for the land and committing to building a future founded on unity, equality and shared responsibility.”
“As individuals and as an organization, our team is committed to reconciliation, and this was an opportunity to demonstrate that commitment by putting land back into the hands of Indigenous people who are the original stewards,” said Eric Philip, CEO of Thresholds.
Kitchener has recently launched a new environmental restoration program: the Kitchener Nature Stewards. “Volunteers will gain hands-on field experience with ecological stewardship and restoration. The initial work will focus on identifying and managing invasive plant species.” Volunteers must be at least 14 and commit to volunteering for at least 5 hours. Click to learn more about volunteering.
The kids are alright!
Cycle WR wrote a response to the Ontario government’s Bill 60 which places new restrictions on a municipality’s authority to reduce “motor vehicle lanes” in favor of active transportation infrastructure.
Local University of Waterloo alumni have developed a global medical breakthrough that uses a tiny camera to significantly improve patient outcomes in total joint replacement surgeries.
Canstruction, the Food Bank’s annual fundraiser, raised the equivalent of 89,655 meals. Check out some of the creative entries here.
Thanks in part to a new medical priority dispatch system, emergency ambulance availability in Waterloo Region has improved dramatically in the last year. As well, ambulance off-load times at local hospitals have continued to decline and are better than they’ve ever been.
With recently securing its first building permit, things are moving along for BUILD NOW’s University Ave East development which will bring more affordable and attainable housing to Waterloo.
The House of Friendship has recently opened a new transitional housing program with 12 beds “to help people as they move beyond addiction and into recovery.”
GO trains will soon head to and from Stratford! Starting July 6th, weekday service offers a morning trip from Stratford Station to Union Station and a return trip in the afternoon. Weekends offer a morning trip from Union to Stratford and a return trip in the evening.
Fergus’ 10-year old Anabia Bilal became the first in North America to receive Nucleus Nexa cochlear implants – the world’s first “smart” implant, allowing users to store individualized hearing settings.
Did you know? Inter Arts Matrix offers rental opportunities for performances, rehearsals, exhibitions, and more, all in a beautiful gallery near downtown Kitchener.
Okay, this one isn’t local at all, but it’s still pretty cool! See how one artist uses a frozen Alberta lake as his canvas (video).
It’s Jane’s Walks weekend starting today! There are all sorts of great walks happening this weekend, including: Preston: The Railway Hub, Do Neighbourhoods Need Sidewalks?, and Fun & Games in Berlin/Kitchener! I hear that last one should be quite enjoyable - or so says my spouse - who also just happens to be leading that walk ;)
Are there any walks that catch your eye this year? If so, comment below!
Out-Spok’n ride-a-thon in support of affordable housing with Beyond Housing is happening June 13th. Ride or donate to help raise funds for affordable housing in our community!
The Region of Waterloo invites qualified artists to submit an Expression of Interest for a landmark art installation at the future Kitchener Central Transit Hub (apply by Friday, May 15, 2026).
If you’re looking for more Waterloo Region-specific events and updates, consider subscribing to the Grand River Buzz newsletter.
May 9th is Waste Discovery Day: a free, fun, and family-friendly drop-in event that “features family-fun attractions including guided bus tours of the Waterloo landfill, a falconer meet and greet, face painting, mint planting, children’s games, and a look at some of the equipment used in waste management.”
World Press Freedom Day (May 3rd) states that “by fostering access to reliable information, accountability, dialogue, and trust, press freedom and independent journalism are key to peace, economic recovery, sustainable development, and human rights.” Those values seem especially important these days.
That’s why I’m part of a panel on May 5th at the Princess Theatre as part of the third Journalism Film Festival presented by Ink-stained Wretches, this year in partnership with Midtown Radio and the Waterloo Region Community Foundation. The evening kicks off with a panel discussion exploring the topic of local media as social infrastructure, followed by a screening of the critically acclaimed 2015 drama Spotlight. I’d love to see you there!
Thanks for reading!
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