SPECIAL EDITION 22
Welcome to the 22nd edition of Neighbours helping Neighbours, a bi-weekly newsletter from the neighbourhoods team, with a focus on good news stories, important community updates and an ever growing list of support resources.

If you have ideas for resources to share or shareable stories of kindness, please send them to: neighbourhoods@waterloo.ca

P.S. Was this email forwarded to you? You can get your own!
Southwick Croydon reformat annual gathering
Neighbourhood organizers at Southwick & Croydon Place were keen to keep up their 26th annual neighbourhood gathering. With the help of a mini grant and some extra planning a bbq took place on September 12th. Although there were noticeable differences because of the pandemic, neighbours had a safe and happy experience.
Virtual Neighbourhood Summit 2020
The Neighbourhood Summit is going virtual this fall. A series of workshops and networking events for neighbours will be available from October 22nd to November 4th. More details will be released next week!
New provincial guidelines regarding COVID-19
As of October 2, the province of Ontario is pausing the concept of social circles and advising that people limit close contact only to people living in their own household and maintain two metres physical distancing from everyone else. People who live alone may consider having close contact with another household.

Ottawa, Peel, and Toronto are considered hot spots. The public is encouraged to choose carefully before visiting these areas.

Please visit the Province of Ontario website and the Region of Waterloo Public Health website for more information.
Messages from Waterloo Fire Rescue fire
Waterloo Fire Rescue is teaming up with Home Depot and Lowes Waterloo store locations to offer free virtual home fire safety presentations for children and adults.

The presentations will be occurring on Sat. Oct. 3rd at 10am for Home Depot and 1pm for Lowes. Please register via Public Education Officer: John.Percy@waterloo.ca

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Project Zero

Enbridge Gas and Waterloo Fire Rescue are working together to bring fire and carbon monoxide-related deaths down.

Waterloo Fire Rescue received 370+ combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms through Project Zero, a public education campaign. Stay tuned for distribution information.
Waterloo Region Police Services Community Survey
The Waterloo Regional Police Service conducts community surveys as part of its Strategic Business Planning process. Community members are invited to complete an online survey, which would help shape the 2021-2023 Strategic Business Plan.

This voluntary survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. All answers are kept strictly confidential and you will not be required to provide your name.

If you have any further feedback, please contact Amanda Franceschini in the Strategic Services Branch at amanda.franceschini@wrps.on.ca or 519-570-9777 ext. 8430.
Laurel Greenway Feasibility Study
The focus of this project is to develop concepts for improving three key areas of Waterloo:
  • Improving the experience along the Laurel Greenway
  • Exploring a shade structure for Waterloo Public Square
  • Creating a more vibrant and welcoming experience on Willis Way between Caroline and Regina Streets

The study boundaries are approximately from Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex, through uptown Waterloo and the public square and northeast to Weber Street.

Learn more about the study on Engage Waterloo
New Forwell Trail coming!
The City of Waterloo is building one of the last sections of the Waterloop Trail system - the Forwell Trail. The Forwell Trail will run adjacent to Forwell Creek through the former Waterloo Inn site, now called the Inn of Waterloo.

Please review the available maps in the document library to see how this trail linkage relates to other aspects of Waterloo's trail system.

Full project update available on Engage Waterloo
KW Little Free Diverse Libraries materials in Lincoln Heights!
The goal of the Kitchener-Waterloo Little Free Diverse Library project is to amplify the voices of Black, Indigenous and other writers of colour and to help educate, inspire and encourage and promote anti-racism across the region.

Books for this project are for folks of all ages, from babies to adults, and include both fiction and non-fiction. 

It's great to see a range of book titles popping up across Waterloo neighbourhoods.
Beechwood Villas enjoy Sunday Social
Beechwood Villas residents enjoyed live music with neighbours at a recent Sunday Social event. Lawn chairs and plenty of green space allowed neighbours to connect while still remaining physically distanced. The event received a mini grant to help with costs - ask us about COVID-19 safe ideas you have for your neighbourhood!
At home gardening tips from the Waterloo Horticultural Society
Waterloo Horticultural Society Brenda Stericker shares fertilizer basics. Soil provides plants with nutrients that are essential to make them grow. Fertilizers are used when the soil does not have sufficient nutrients. 

How do you choose a fertilizer? There are two important things to know:
  1. What do the three numbers on the label mean, like 5-7-4? This is referred to as the “NPK” ratio and represents the available nutrients by weight in the package. The first number is nitrogen (N), the second is phosphorus (P) and the third is potassium (K). For example, if a 100-pound bag of fertilizer has an N-P-K ratio of 5-7-4, it contains 5 pounds of nitrate, 7 pounds of phosphate (which contains phosphorus), 4 pounds of potash (which contains potassium) and 84 pounds of filler.
  2. Whether the fertilizer is organic or synthetic. Organic fertilizers are made naturally from mineral deposits and organic material, such as bone or plant meal or composted manure. They are not water soluble so they are usually applied in Fall to provide nutrients for the Spring growth. They also help to improve soil texture, stimulate soil life, or improve your soil's long-term fertility.

Synthetic fertilizers are manufactured raw materials. They are water-soluble and can be taken up by the plant almost immediately. They can give your plants a quick boost, but do not help to improve the soil. 

We hope you've enjoyed horticultural tips during the spring and summer months!
 Applications for Advisory Committees now open
Serving on a City of Waterloo committee of council or local board is one of the ways you can get involved and make a difference. Committees of council provide advice to council and staff on issues important to the public.

The city is looking for members that can assist council in strengthening Waterloo as a diverse and inclusive community.

Eligibility
Waterloo City Council invites members of the public from Waterloo to apply for council committees for our 2 year term ending in November 2022 that either:
  • live in Waterloo
  • own property
  • own a business
  • work in Waterloo
  • students enrolled at a post-secondary institution

Opportunities
The below listed committees and boards are recruiting for a two-year term. Certain committees are filling limited vacant positions, while the rest are recruiting a full committee for the 2020-2022 term.
  • Advisory Committee on Culture
  • Audit Committee (3 vacancies)
  • Appeals Tribunal (3 vacancies, residents of other municipalities may apply)
  • Committee of Adjustment (1 vacancy)
  • Community Grants Committee
  • Municipal Heritage Committee
  • Sign Variance Committee
  • Sustainability Advisory Committee
  • Town and Gown Committee
  • Waterloo Advisory Committee on Active Transportation
  • Waterloo Economic Development Advisory Committee
  • Waterloo Park Advisory Committee
  • Waterloo Public Library Board (1 vacancy)

How to apply
Your application can be submitted online. You can apply for multiple committees, but a separate application must be submitted for each one. Information about applying can be found on www.waterloo.ca/committees.

Applications will be open until 8:00 a.m. on Monday, October 19, 2020.

Any inquiries about committees should be emailed to committees@waterloo.ca or call Kevin Gerlach, Records and Freedom of Information Analyst at 519-747-8704.

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The Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAAC) is an Inter-municipal committee - information about applying for this committee is available from the City of Kitchener website

Help improve the accessibility of municipal programs, services and facilities in your community!

The Cities of Kitchener and Waterloo along with the Region of Waterloo, and the Townships of North Dumfries, Wellesley, Woolwich and Wilmot are now recruiting four volunteers for the Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAAC), each to fill a four-year term beginning January 2021.

Members could include; persons with disabilities, caregivers, agencies or members of the community interested in disability issues.

Members of GRAAC provide input and advice into accessibility planning for the seven participating municipalities.

Applications for membership accepted until Friday October 23, 2020.
Resources:

Recap resources from previous editions:
Stay tuned for the next edition of Waterloo Neighbourhoods.
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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.

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