Welcome to the 61st edition of Neighbours helping Neighbours, a newsletter from the neighbourhoods team, with a focus on good news stories, community updates and local resources.
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Explore all things neighbourhoods online! |
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Looking to connect with neighbours? Check out the new neighbourhoods website for helpful resources, funding, and how-to guides!
This exciting new tool provides useful information to all Waterloo residents. Highlights include:
- Detailed information and guidance on holding events and gatherings
- An overview of grants available with examples of recent completed initiatives
- Ideas for how to get involved in neighbourhoods
- Information for new neighbours
- Ways to keep in touch
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Celebrating the Winter Olympics with neighbours |
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Neighbours in Wissler Old Abbey had some friendly competition between households during a recent Winter Olympics activity. Each weekend, several events were posted with suggestions on how to adapt to one's age and abilities and points were scored for participating! Events included biathlon, luge, bobsled, hockey shooting, speed skating races, figure skating programs, long distance events, and some indoor activities like make a flag of your country, a Zoom cooking class, food bank drive, Olympian acts of kindness, and cheer for a televised event. One neighbour even made a slideshow!
Neighbours had a lot of fun, got to get to know neighbours better, and embraced the spirit of the Olympics! Thanks to Catherine and volunteers for coming up with some very creative ideas for all ages and abilities.
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Find bookable spaces near you! |
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The neighbourhoods team is excited to share the new Gathering Spaces Asset Map tool. The online map showcases different spaces for neighbours to host meeting, events, and other connection opportunities across Waterloo neigbourhoods.
By using detailed filters and search features, neighbours will be able to find spaces that fit their unique needs. The direction feature will also allow neighbours to access walking, biking, transit, or driving instructions to the space.
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Cleanup Reminder: Celebrate Earth Day this April |
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Help keep Waterloo clean and green by spending just 20 minutes picking up litter that has accumulated in local parks and trails this winter, during the City’s annual spring cleanup (April 22-24).
Neighbourhood Associations, Homes Associations, Block Connectors and neighbourhood groups can coordinate neighbourhood-wide cleanups of nearby parks and trails by registering online no later than April 12. Supplies, garbage pickup and a graphic to include on your own promotions is provided. View the Earth Day Community Cleanup webpage for details.
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Vote to support the Lakeshore North Community Garden |
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To help fill the needs for neighbourhood garden interest, the Lakeshore North Community Garden volunteer team has applied to a contest for a chance to win one of 22 $5000 grants to expand and improve the garden. The Lakeshore North Community Garden is in the Lakeshore North neighbourhood's Pinebrook Park. Currently, they have 17 garden plots and a plot dedicated to food donation, which donated over 40lbs of fresh produce last year!
The contest is two parts, the first is a community vote. Voting is open until April 1 and you can vote on the Gardens For Good webpage. Any help spreading the word or voting would be more than appreciated by the garden volunteer team!
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Affordable Housing Strategy update |
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The City is developing an Affordable Housing Strategy to address the growing problem of housing affordability. The strategy will identify actions that the City can take to:
- increase market housing supply
- increase affordable housing supply
- retain existing affordable housing, and
- increase housing diversity (e.g. building and unit type, size, and tenure to suit a wide range of households).
A Discussion Paper describing a range of possible actions that could be included in the Strategy is now posted online for feedback and will be presented to council on April 4, 2022. To read the Discussion Paper, obtain more information, or provide comments on the project, please visit the Affordable Housing Strategy Engage Waterloo page.
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Is there someone doing awesome near you?
The City of Waterloo wants to recognize people who do something great, big or small, in their neighbourhood. Nominations will be accepted year-round and every nominee will receive a thank you package.
How can you get involved?
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Submit a quick and easy nomination to describe your kind neighbour’s contributions
- Help spread the word about this new program
- Be a caring and kind neighbour!
Spotted: Neighbourhood Kindness!
During the big January snowstorm of 2022, the snow was piled high and even higher after the snow plows came. Everyone on the street had their driveways blocked with hard, compacted snow - in some cases it was up to our thighs and three feet wide. There are many older residents and senior citizens living on our street and Gary came out with his snow blower early in the morning and cleared the driveways for all of us all the way up and down the street. He went above and beyond being "neighborly" today and I just want him to know how much we appreciate him!
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Subsidized trees available for Waterloo residents |
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Reep Green Solutions, in partnership with the City of Waterloo, is taking requests for subsidized trees this spring. The service includes an in-person consultation with an arborist in your yard, as well as delivery and full planting. Reep Green Solutions will identify the ideal places to plant trees and help you select the species best suited for your yard and personal preferences.
Evergreen trees (2-4 ft tall at the time of planting) are $160, and deciduous trees (6-8 ft tall) cost $230 including full service planting. Visit the backyard tree planting webpage for the available species and to request a consultation.
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City of Waterloo resources: |
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Source: Canadian Centre for Diversity & Inclusion
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Sign up for updates about arts and culture, recreation and active living, neighbourhood happenings, cycling, smart business, and other city news and stories.
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Waterloo Neighbourhoods is published throughout the year to keep residents informed about the good things happening in neighbourhoods across Waterloo. If you have any questions or comments, please call 519-747-8515 or email communications@waterloo.ca. If you’re reading Waterloo Neighbourhoods as a non-subscriber, visit our subscription page to sign up for future editions.
The City of Waterloo is committed to providing accessible formats and communications support for persons with disabilities. If another format would work better for you, please let us know by calling 519-747-8515 or by emailing us at communications@waterloo.ca.
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