City of waterloo neighbourhoods: strong and connected.

Bring your neighbourhood to life with colour and creativity!

Gather your neighbours, unleash your creative side and get ready for the 2025 Chalk Challenge. The Chalk Challenge will run from May 6 to May 31.

This year's Chalk Challenge is extra special because you can register for free chalk! Here's how:

Gather a group of neighbours to participate.
Register your group by May 2.
Pick up your chalk and let the creativity flow!
Post your chalk art on our Chalk Art Gallery and admire the talent of Waterloo

Chalk drawing of a blue and purple frog.

Get involved

Help grow ideas in your neighbourhood

Explore a new idea with your neighbours and apply to the Neighbourhood Fund!

In Dunvegan Park, a group of neighbours came together to build a community garden. As the vegetables took root, so did new neighbourly relationships!

If you want to do something similar, the upcoming deadlines for the Neighbourhood Fund are May 14 and October 22. Reply to this email to start growing your idea!

Outdoor garden with a scarecrow in the middle.

More ways to get involved

Nominate your neighbourhood park for artist-designed picnic tables! Nominations are due by May 12.
Volunteer with us as an event helper and be part of the team that runs City festivals and events!

🙂 Smile corner 🙂

A neighbour shared how they love to see all the dog walkers out enjoying the beautiful Spring weather.

Share with us something in your neighbourhood that makes you smile! Submit a photo and caption by emailing us.

Get inspired

Neighbourhood Iftar

The MacGregor Albert Neighbourhood Association planned a neighbourhood Iftar to celebrate Ramadan.

Along with breaking fast with food and tea, there was sharing about Ramadan stories and traditions.

This event was supported with $300 from our mini grant - apply today if you want to do something similar!

4 people sitting and eating food at a table.

More ways to get inspired

With the nice weather just around the corner, use the gathering spaces map to find a space to meet with friends and neighbours.
If you are thinking about planning a neighbourhood event this summer but don't know where to start, take a look at our planning a neighbourhood event guide!

Neighbourhood kindness

A neighbour wrote in and listed all the wonderful things their neighbour does...

"Rob takes care of his fellow neighbours. He is in touch with most of his neighbours and does their grass during the summer and their snow during the winter. Rob makes sure the pavement is clear for all the students walking by. He also rents to students in the area for an affordable rate. Having him as a neighbour is like winning the lottery!"

Have a great neighbour like Rob that you want to thank? Nominate them for our Neighbourhood Kindness program and we'll send them a thank-you package and enter them to win a $20 Uptown BIA gift card.

Nominate a kind neighbour

Get in the know

New museum exhibit

Between now and June 13, take the time to visit the City of Waterloo Museum for the Bi-Giwen: Coming Home - Truth-Telling from the Sixties Scoop exhibit. This impactful exhibit is presented in partnership with the Legacy of Hope Foundation, which brings to life the voices of 12 Indigenous Survivors who share their personal stories of loss, displacement and resilience during the Sixties Scoop.

Indoor art exhibit at the City of Waterloo musuem

More things to know!

Waterloo Region is rolling out new garbage carts for curbside collection next year.

May 3: Jane's Walk for barriers in the built environment accessibility tour

May 8: Multicultural Connections 2025 for embracing diversity, hosted by Immigration Waterloo Region.
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.

May Diversity Calendar

May 01: Beltane / May Eve / May Day

May 03: World Press Freedom Day

May 05: Dutch Heritage Day

May 05: South Asian Arrival Day

May 05: Red Dress Day

May 11: Mother’s Day

May 12: Vesak (Buddha Day)

May 15: International Day of Families

May 15: Global Accessibility Awareness Day

May 15: Moose Hide Campaign Day

May 15 (sundown) - May 16: Lag Ba’Omer

May 16: International Day of Living Together in Peace

May 17: International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia

May 19: National Patriots’ Day

May 19: Victoria Day

May 21: World Day for Cultural Diversity, for Dialogue and Development

May 22 (sundown) - May 23: Declaration of the Báb

May 24: Pansexual and Panromantic Visibility Day

May 25: Africa Day

May 27 (sundown) - May 28: Ascension of Baha'u'llah

May 28: Red Shirt Day of Action for AccessAbility and Inclusion

May 29: Feast of the Ascension

May 19 – May 25: Québec Intergenerational Week

May 27- June 01: Anti-Racism Awareness Week

May 25- May 31: National Access Ability Week

Asian Heritage Month (Canada)

Jewish Heritage Month (Canada)

National Speech and Hearing Month (Canada)

Vision Health Month (Canada)

Sexual Assault Awareness Month (Canada)

Dutch Heritage Month (Ontario)

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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