Spotlight Festival in Kitchener, June 5 - 7

With 35 spOtlight activities, Kitchener covers everything from A (Artist studios) to Z (instrument petting zoo).

For more information on this diverse and FREE even, click here.

UW School of Pharmacy's Health and Healing Lecture Series

There are still some seats available for this week’s launch of the UW School of Pharmacy’s Health and Healing Lecture Series.  The inaugural lecture, being held Thursday, May 28 at 7:00pm, is titled Building a Healthier Future: Discovery and Innovation at the Health Sciences Campus.  Dr. Jake Thiessen will give an insider’s view of research going on at UW’s new downtown site.  For more details see http://www.pharmacy.uwaterloo.ca/pdfs/May28-2009-Public-Lecture-Building-a-Healthier-Future.pdf

Jane's Walk (continued)

This article continues the earlier Blog posting on the very successful MHBPNA Jane's Walk on May 2, 2009.

After George Lippert Park and the historic houses (and church) on Louisa, we looped around to the Mt. Hope cemetery and Wayne took us on a guided tour. I found this fascinating because I walk and bike through the cemetery all the time (often on the way to Central to purchase some of their fine produce or other wares). And I read some of the headstones, but with Wayne we walked through many areas where I hadn't wandered previously. He explained how we may not leave many marks while we are living, but a headstone is a permanent marker for all to see many years after we've gone.

Apparently there are no plots left to sell, but there are still a few interments for those that have been sold already. Originally there were two cemeteries, one Catholic and the other public, but over the years they were merged. When you walk through Mt. Hope you can see some of the different areas demarcated by different directions in which the headstones are facing. There will be an interview with Wayne (and more cemetery info) in the summer newsletter.

After the cemetery we walked over to Peltz avenue where Mark talked about different approaches to naturalizing front lawns. He also discussed how one of the initial attractions of 

Peltz was the prevalence of Norway Maples 

planted in rows along each boulevard. These trees look great, but are approaching their old age and are beginning to die out. Unfortunately, the city of Kitchener is not planning for the future by planting newer trees underneath the old ones. They are waiting for the tree to die, and then planting a new one with poor soil and little support. The young tree that Mark showed us had been planted there the previous year, but it looked in poor shape. Unfortunately, it seems like the city has money to purchase downtown properties, but very little to support tree planting and similar activities (we found out about the scarcity of resources at our earlier "eco restoration" meeting--see this blog posting). 

After Peltz avenue we walked down to the B.F. Goodrich Park where the walk officially ended. This park is on a hill very close to the intesection of Guelph Street and the railway tracks. Many people don't know that it is even there because you have to walk up a hill to find it. This was a possible site for eco-restoration and we've had a few suggestions for different types of plants that might add to the aesthetics of the area. Last fall, with all the construction along Guelph Street, a large retaining pond was created petween the park and the railway tracks. No warning was given about this pond, and no landscaping as been done, so this has been added to the agenda for the Neighbourhood Mobilization Alliance. We would like the city to property landscape it.

This walk came together very quicky after Mary suggested it at the eco-restoration meeting; several people volounteered and made it diverse and interesting from start to finish thereby demonstrating the vibrancy and good will that exists in the neighbourhood. I am looking forward to participating in next year's walk.

3rd Annual Duke Street Playground Potluck & Games Day

Saturday, May 16, 2009

The Potluck dinner was great!

Thanks to everyone for bringing food,

yourselves and your family.

Over 50 people (large, medium and small) attended

We are missing a hot pink plastic long handled salad spoon. If you know where it is, please email mhbpna@gmail.com

Everybody Welcome

Music, Games, Food

Games start at 4 pm, Soccer for kids

Bocce, Kubs and more

Potluck at 5 pm

Being food to share (please label for vegetarians and those with

allergies) as well as bring your own plates, cutlery and drinks,

blankets or chair.

Kids must attend with adult.

Rain Location: St. Marks Lutheran Church, 825 King Street W, Kitchener

5 - 8 pm cost $2 per family.

Neighbourhood Association Meeting, Wed May 13th, 6:30 pm

If you are interested in our neighbourhood, then please come to our next association meeting on Wednesday, May 13th.

This meeting will be held in the Breithaupt Centre, room 109 at 6:30 pm. Come along, meet your neighbours and find out what is happening around our area.

The agenda includes:

• Info from previous meeting re: insurance, leading to terms of reference discussion
  
• Staff roles
  
• Role of NA in programs at Breithaupt Centre, and decision making as required for Fall Leisure submission
  
• Appointment of Treasurers (Joan Lazarski and Helen Lippert) per bank requirements
  
• Craft Night/Craft Activity proposal - partnering with Extend-A-Family
  

Jane's Walk a great success!

We had more than 20 people attend this first Jane's walk in our neighbourhood. It was really a lot of fun to meet new people, and chat with folks we already know. There was so much good will, and in addition to the official guides, many others filled in details they knew about the area, which is what the walk is all about. The tour started at 10 am, Saturday May 2nd in Lippert park.

People came because of this blog, posters that were put up everywhere, advertising on the www.janeswalk.com under the Kitchener area, and that thing called "word of mouth".

Helen Lippert (with help from Ken) discussed the history of the area, and the Lippert furniture factory, and the naming of the park (it was originally called Huron Park because there was a Huron Street planned for that space). It has evolved from being hidden behind trees (and sometimes dangerous) to the nicely landscaped area it is now with a community garden and yearly picnic.

Mary then took over the walk and we saw a few heritage houses along Louisa street. These are houses that the city designates as such because of

unique architectural features. For example, this house has the window on the top left, unique wooden carving under eves, and rounded windows on the first and second floors.

Anyone can read this list of houses and features kept by the city. It is up to the individual homeowner to apply for "official" heritage status which has some benefits. We walked past other houses of interest, and also the Sacred Heart Church at Louisa and Moore. I've walked, ridden my bike, and driven past this church many times, but on Saturday we all took the opportunity to observe its fine brickwork, and commemorative plaques.

More of the Jane's Walk summary soon....