Ideas and inspiration blog

From organizing street parties, to growing community gardens, building little libraries, and much more, the City of Kitchener’s LoveMyHood program reflects its commitment to empowering residents in shaping their own neighbourhoods - one resident-led project at a time.  

In the heart of the neighborhood, Windrush Park was once the site of an annual event that brought joy and connection to the Doon community. For years, children and parents eagerly anticipated this day filled with fun, games, and togetherness. Unfortunately, this cherished tradition ended in 2020, leaving a gap in the community's social life.  

Thomas Slee Park, a cherished green space in the Doon South neighbourhood, has just unveiled a new feature that promises to enhance the park experience for all its visitors. This summer, the park proudly introduced a sleek, new metal shade table, a refreshing upgrade that not only adds more seating, but also marked a significant milestone in a long-term park improvement project. 

In July 2024, a railing overlooking Schneider Creek was transformed into a vibrant canvas thanks to The Creek Collective. Led by neighborhood residents and Kitchener artists Jackie Bradshaw, Nadine Badran, and Geoff Martin, this mural project brought neighbors of all ages together to honor the creek’s past and help imagine the creek’s future.

With its longest stretch backing onto the Stanley Park Conservation Area, the Stanley Park Triangle is a quiet neighbourhood bordered by River Rd and Ottawa St. When residents, Darlene and Jay, think about their neighbourhood it has everything they want, access to transit, shopping and nature.  

The Carlyle Place cul-de-sac green space, referred to by residents as the circle, has long been a central gathering spot, first envisioned as a neighbourhood space over ten years ago. It’s where friends meet to chat, celebrate life achievements, host events, and enjoy the beauty of their shared green space. The addition of a new bench represents more than just a place to sit; it symbolizes a commitment to community and a shared vision for enhancing their neighbourhood. 

When we gather together to eat, we grow from being strangers to becoming friends. Neighbours in the Chandler Mowat neighbourhood experience this when they sit together at the Gathering at the Table Community Suppers. 

In the Chandler Mowat Neighbourhood, the Community Kitchen Outreach program brought together a group of dedicated residents who wanted to make a difference. 

Inspired by the overwhelming community support she witnessed on the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation in 2021, Sheena Merling, Bin-no-g Man-na-doe Quay – Spirit of the Children, formed a committee of Indigenous community members and allies with the goal of bringing a decorative Every Child Matters crosswalk to Victoria Park as part of a tribute to honour the children who were lost and those who still live with the generational trauma caused by residential schools.  

St Francis of Assisi Church's Laudo Si Environmental Team met in Forest Hill earlier this spring to discuss how they can use their horticultural skills and environmental passion to better the lives of their neighbours.