By Carrie Debrone
Kitchener Citizen
More than 11,000 people in Kitchener took part in community events this past year, and for some of them the fond memories all came rushing back on October 23.
The fun, the laughter and the pride that people from more than 50 Kitchener neighbourhoods experienced last summer as they took part in garage sales, street parties, tree plantings, park clean-ups and flash mobs was recalled at the 18th annual Festival of Neighbourhoods Finale held at Kitchener city hall.
During the finale, people were asked to create a scrapbook page, which explained and captured the spirit of their neighbourhood event.
The creation of the scrapbook pages is an annual activity at the finale, and the new pages are added each year to the festival’s records of the day.
“Once again this year we’ve learned so much about our community, its creativity and diversity, and the wealth of tremendous people who do so much on behalf of our neighbours.”
“Our organizing committee and festival volunteers gain enormous energy and commitment from these citizens. What they do by bringing their neighbourhoods together in small, informal ways has such a hugely positive effect on our quality of life, our health, and on the future of our community,” said festival organizing committee member John MacDonald.
The Olde Berlin Towne Neighbourhood Association in the Civic Centre captured the highlight of the day, winning the annual draw for a $10,000 Capital Improvement Grant from the City of Kitchener.
The Olde Berlin Towne Neighbourhood Association is located in the area bound by Weber, Victoria, Frederick and Lancaster Streets.
An area rich with cultural and historical significance, most of its properties are located within the new Heritage Conservation District that was designated under the Ontario Heritage Act and endorsed by the City of Kitchener in October 2007. The designation is intended to protect, manage and enhance the area as the community evolves and changes over time. The neighbourhood also contains Hibner Park (named after a former mayor), Kitchener’s second oldest city park.
The grant allows the winning neighbourhood to make an improvement that will improve the quality of life in their area. Past winning projects have included park and trail improvements, lighting and safety improvements, and the Doon ‘Skatium’ portable skateboard park.
Past President of the Olde Berlin Towne Neighbourhood Association, Donna Kuehl, accepted the award on behalf of the association.
“I’m not sure what we will do with the grant. We haven’t really talked about it. I guess we just thought we would never win. We’ll have to have a meeting about it,” Kuehl said happily, adding that the association has in the past discussed the addition of distinctive street signs indicating it is designated as a heritage district, or perhaps flag poles to decorate the main entrances to the neighbourhood.
This year’s Festival of Neighbourhoods award winners are:
The Ward Challenge: won by Kitchener Councillor Dan Glenn-Graham. It is given to the councillor who represents the ward with the most registered events.
The Newcomer Award: (sponsored by the Kitchener Safe & Healthy Advisory Committee) for a first time registrant with the Festival, went to the Duke Street Commons, for its weekly potluck. The potluck has been held each Wednesday for almost five years.
The Pillar Award: (sponsored by Cooperators Insurance and presented by Julia White) for a neighbourhood registering an event for five or more consecutive years, went to the Mount-Hope Breithaupt Park Community.
The Arts & Culture Award: (sponsored by CityWorks owners of the Courtyard at Bonnie Stuart) for gatherings with significant cultural or arts components, and the Safer Neighbourhood Award (sponsored by the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council), were both given to The Henry Sturm Community in recognition of its Henry Sturm Community Festival, held in memory of John Ferriera. The event, held this past Mother’s Day, included a tree planting in honour of John, and clean-up of the Henry Sturm Green on the Iron Horse Trail, along with music and activities to bring the neighbourhood together and strengthen ties among its citizens.
The Green Neighbourhood Award: (sponsored by Enermodal Engineering) recognizing neigh-bourhoods that have events with a significant component of care for our environment or issues of sustainability, went to Lakeside Park, for its neighbourhood clean-up event.
The Youth Award: (sponsored by the Waterloo Regional Police Service) went to the Topper Woods neighbourhood. Its events included a strong component of youth organization and leadership.
The Inclusion Award: (was judged and presented by Paula Saunders of the Independent Living Centre of Waterloo Region, the award sponsor) is given to a neighbourhood showing special effort to be inclusive of diversity, ability, culture, age or economic level of capacity or identity with its neighbourhood gathering. The Laurentian West neighbourhood was this year’s recipient, for the care and effort taken to welcome everyone as participants in its neighbourhood Flash Mob event for The Laurentian Long Term Care facility.
Any neighbourhood event held between October 2011 and September 2012 will be eligible for an award at next year’s Festival of Neighbourhoods Finale. To register an event email entries@festivalofneighbourhoods.ca or find out more information on the festival visit www.kitchener.ca/FON or call 519-579-1096.
Kitchener Citizen
More than 11,000 people in Kitchener took part in community events this past year, and for some of them the fond memories all came rushing back on October 23.
The fun, the laughter and the pride that people from more than 50 Kitchener neighbourhoods experienced last summer as they took part in garage sales, street parties, tree plantings, park clean-ups and flash mobs was recalled at the 18th annual Festival of Neighbourhoods Finale held at Kitchener city hall.
During the finale, people were asked to create a scrapbook page, which explained and captured the spirit of their neighbourhood event.
The creation of the scrapbook pages is an annual activity at the finale, and the new pages are added each year to the festival’s records of the day.
“Once again this year we’ve learned so much about our community, its creativity and diversity, and the wealth of tremendous people who do so much on behalf of our neighbours.”
“Our organizing committee and festival volunteers gain enormous energy and commitment from these citizens. What they do by bringing their neighbourhoods together in small, informal ways has such a hugely positive effect on our quality of life, our health, and on the future of our community,” said festival organizing committee member John MacDonald.
The Olde Berlin Towne Neighbourhood Association in the Civic Centre captured the highlight of the day, winning the annual draw for a $10,000 Capital Improvement Grant from the City of Kitchener.
The Olde Berlin Towne Neighbourhood Association is located in the area bound by Weber, Victoria, Frederick and Lancaster Streets.
An area rich with cultural and historical significance, most of its properties are located within the new Heritage Conservation District that was designated under the Ontario Heritage Act and endorsed by the City of Kitchener in October 2007. The designation is intended to protect, manage and enhance the area as the community evolves and changes over time. The neighbourhood also contains Hibner Park (named after a former mayor), Kitchener’s second oldest city park.
The grant allows the winning neighbourhood to make an improvement that will improve the quality of life in their area. Past winning projects have included park and trail improvements, lighting and safety improvements, and the Doon ‘Skatium’ portable skateboard park.
Past President of the Olde Berlin Towne Neighbourhood Association, Donna Kuehl, accepted the award on behalf of the association.
“I’m not sure what we will do with the grant. We haven’t really talked about it. I guess we just thought we would never win. We’ll have to have a meeting about it,” Kuehl said happily, adding that the association has in the past discussed the addition of distinctive street signs indicating it is designated as a heritage district, or perhaps flag poles to decorate the main entrances to the neighbourhood.
This year’s Festival of Neighbourhoods award winners are:
The Ward Challenge: won by Kitchener Councillor Dan Glenn-Graham. It is given to the councillor who represents the ward with the most registered events.
The Newcomer Award: (sponsored by the Kitchener Safe & Healthy Advisory Committee) for a first time registrant with the Festival, went to the Duke Street Commons, for its weekly potluck. The potluck has been held each Wednesday for almost five years.
The Pillar Award: (sponsored by Cooperators Insurance and presented by Julia White) for a neighbourhood registering an event for five or more consecutive years, went to the Mount-Hope Breithaupt Park Community.
The Arts & Culture Award: (sponsored by CityWorks owners of the Courtyard at Bonnie Stuart) for gatherings with significant cultural or arts components, and the Safer Neighbourhood Award (sponsored by the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council), were both given to The Henry Sturm Community in recognition of its Henry Sturm Community Festival, held in memory of John Ferriera. The event, held this past Mother’s Day, included a tree planting in honour of John, and clean-up of the Henry Sturm Green on the Iron Horse Trail, along with music and activities to bring the neighbourhood together and strengthen ties among its citizens.
The Green Neighbourhood Award: (sponsored by Enermodal Engineering) recognizing neigh-bourhoods that have events with a significant component of care for our environment or issues of sustainability, went to Lakeside Park, for its neighbourhood clean-up event.
The Youth Award: (sponsored by the Waterloo Regional Police Service) went to the Topper Woods neighbourhood. Its events included a strong component of youth organization and leadership.
The Inclusion Award: (was judged and presented by Paula Saunders of the Independent Living Centre of Waterloo Region, the award sponsor) is given to a neighbourhood showing special effort to be inclusive of diversity, ability, culture, age or economic level of capacity or identity with its neighbourhood gathering. The Laurentian West neighbourhood was this year’s recipient, for the care and effort taken to welcome everyone as participants in its neighbourhood Flash Mob event for The Laurentian Long Term Care facility.
Any neighbourhood event held between October 2011 and September 2012 will be eligible for an award at next year’s Festival of Neighbourhoods Finale. To register an event email entries@festivalofneighbourhoods.ca or find out more information on the festival visit www.kitchener.ca/FON or call 519-579-1096.
18th FESTIVAL OF NEIGHBOURHOODS AWARDS
Olde Berlin Towne Neighbourhood wins a $10,000 Kitchener grant
Olde Berlin Towne Neighbourhood wins a $10,000 Kitchener grant
Olde Berlin Towne Neighbourhood Association Past President Donna Kuehl (left) celebrates her group’s win with Councillor Kelly Galloway who drew the name of the winning group.
Aimee Polevoy spoke about the Henry Sturm Community Festival that won the Arts & Culture Award and the Safer Neighbourhood Award. The event was held in memory of John Ferreira who was killed on the nearby Iron Horse Trail on New Years Eve 2010.
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