City of waterloo neighbourhoods: strong and connected.

Hi again! We are sending out a revised version of this newsletter with updated dates in the diversity calendar.

Summer send-off!

Gather your neighbours together for an end-of-summer send-off party! Here are some fun ideas to help you say goodbye to summer.

Block party bash: Close off your street and celebrate with music and games.
Sunset potluck picnic: Bring your favourite dish, meet your neighbours at the park to share food and soak in the sunset together.
Neighbourhood talent show: Recruit your neighbourhood singers, dancers, joke-tellers, and magicians. Let your neighbours take the spotlight and help cheer each other on.
Summer scrapbook craft night: Bring your summer photos and souvenirs to spend an evening swapping stories and crafting a summer keepsake.

A band playing music under a tent outside and people watching.

Get involved

Save the date: Lumen 2025

Lumen a festival where light art and tech meet. Black background with multiple circles in different colour lights.

Start making plans with your neighbours to attend this year's Lumen Festival!

This magical festival lights up Waterloo with installations centred around light, art and technology.

Saturday, September 20, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.

More ways to get involved

Share your experiences and history with volunteering through the National Volunteer Action Strategy Survey.
Tamarack's community Climate transitions innovation fund applications are now open. Learn more about eligibility and apply by September 12.
Share your thoughts on the Albert McCormick Community Centre and WPL McCormick Renovation Project.

🙂 Smile corner 🙂

A neighbour shared how they love hanging out at the park and seeing all their neighbours enjoying the playground and trails.

Share with us what makes you smile! Submit a photo and a caption by replying to this email, and we might feature it in the Smile Corner of our next newsletter!

Get inspired

Movie, popsicles and connection

We're here to support neighbourhood connections!

We recently hosted a movie and popsicle night in Auburn Park. A beautiful summer evening where neighbours came together, shared stories, and cast their votes to help name their growing neighbourhood.

Discover if your neighbourhood has a name by exploring our neighbourhood map. If your neighbourhood doesn't have a name yet, learn more about our Neighbourhood Naming Project.

Outdoor movie set up and people sitting watching it.

More ways to get inspired

Do you have a neighbour who you would like to say thank you to in a fun way? Maybe they help cut the grass or always say hello. Nominate them through the Neighbourhood Kindness Program.
Explore all the funding opportunities we have for neighbourhood-led initiatives. Reach out to our team today to get started!

Get in the know

Fall youth arts programs

2 people sitting around a table with craft supplies in front of them.

Do you know a teen looking for a fun way to keep active and engaged this fall?

Classes include Drawing, Watercolours, Multimedia and Dance Mixx.

More things to know!

Teen and adult swim lessons are available at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex. Fall lessons begin the week of September 27. Registration opens September 9.

Come experience the exhibit A Distiller's Tale: The Art and Legacy of the Seagram Distillery at the City of Waterloo Museum. Step back in time with rare photos, artifacts, and spirited stories from one of Canada’s most iconic distilleries

Spectrum Waterloo Region's Rainbow Community Space offers a variety of programs and services.

Learn more about reporting Hate Incidents or Discrimination: involving Islamophobia, Racism, Anti-Immigrant Sentiment and religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity.

Waterloo Region has a long history of welcoming refugees and refugee claimants. Immigration Waterloo Region shares information on community support for refugees living in our region.

September Diversity Calendar

August 26- September 5: Onam

September 1: Labour Day

September 4 - September 5: Mawlid al-Nabī / Eid-Maulad-un-Nabi

September 5: International Day of Charity

September 7- September 13: Mennonite Heritage Week

September 7: Ukrainian Heritage Day

September 8: International Literacy Day

September 10: World Suicide Prevention Day

September 11: Ethiopian New Year / Enkutatash

September 14 - September 20: Mennonite Heritage Week

September 18: International Equal Pay Day

September 21: International Day of Peace

September 21- September 27- Gender Equality Week

September 22 (sundown) - September 24: Rosh Hashana

September 22- September 28: International Week of Deaf People

September 22- September 28: Gender Equality Week

September 22: Fall Equinox

September 22: Mabon / Harvest Home / Fall Equinox

September 22- October 2: Navratri / Navaratri

September 23: International Day of Sign Languages

September 23: Bi Visibility Day

September 25: Franco-Ontarian Day

September 30: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation / Orange Shirt Day

Acne Awareness Month (Canada)

Source: Canadian Centre for Diversity & Inclusion's Diversity Calendar

Waterloo Neighbourhoods is published throughout the year to keep residents informed about the good things happening in neighbourhoods across Waterloo. If you’re reading Waterloo Neighbourhoods as a non-subscriber, visit our subscription page to sign up for future editions.

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