SPECIAL EDITION 9
Waterloo is kind
Welcome to the 9th edition of Neighbours helping Neighbours, a weekly newsletter from the neighbourhoods team, with a focus on good news stories, important community updates and an ever growing list of support resources.

Kindness matters. Everyday. How we support each other through difficult times has a direct impact on the quality of life for everyone that calls Waterloo home.

If you have ideas for resources to share or shareable stories of kindness, please send them to: [email protected]

P.S. Was this email forwarded to you?  You can get your own !
You can join the HeartBeatsHate movement
Our friends at HeartBeatsHate, a pro-diversity, anti-bigotry and anti-racism movement, are offering lawn signs for neighbours wishing to support upholding kindness locally.

You can request yours by emailing: [email protected]
May is Museum month!
Community museums are information hubs and sources of life long learning and inspiration- here are some of our early museum memories! Check out the content from the City of Waterloo Museum on Facebook and Instagram .
At-home Garden Program
The City of Waterloo is offering an at-home garden opportunity to support resident health and well-being during this difficult time. This free program will provide neighbours with a recreational outlet to assist with spiritual, emotional, physical and cognitive health, provide low cost opportunity for access to food, and strengthen neighbourhood connections through sharing of garden tips, tricks, and ideas.
 
The program will begin accepting applications on Thursday, May 14 th at 8:30 a.m.
 
Applications will be accepted on a first-come-first-serve basis by ward. Each garden kit will be the same and will include soil, containers, assorted vegetables and herbs, and planting information. Substitutions are not available and kits must be picked up on a specified date and time. Unfortunately, not all applicants are guaranteed participation in the at-home garden opportunity, as supplies are limited. We look forward to supporting a positive at-home garden opportunity for a number of residents.
New Bedford Crossing painting project
An opportunity exists for students (K to 8) to be involved with a collaborative community art piece. The art is designed to engage our active school communities while educating everyone on safe and responsible trail use.

Participation in this ‘contest’ is open to anyone in the city of Waterloo but preference will be given to students attending ANY school in the Eastbridge Neighbourhood.

Ontario Opening Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves for day use only
The Ontario government is opening provincial parks and conservation reserves for limited day-use access. The first areas will open on Monday May 11, 2020, with the remaining areas opening on Friday May 15, 2020. At this time, recreational activities will be limited to walking, hiking, biking and bird watching. Day visitors will also be able to access all parks and conservation reserves for free until the end of the month. 


Through our Waterloo Windows Community Art Project seeking more submissions
The Arts & Culture team is collecting your drawings, photographs, stories, poems and thoughts of positivity. Submissions will be assembled into a community exhibit that will be shared on social media and eventually displayed in public.

Ideas include:
  • Signs, notes, and images of chalk drawings that neighbours have left workers on the frontlines
  • Messages of positivity, kindness, or stories of neighbourly acts
  • Drawings, paintings, photographs, or collages of time spent
  • Creative musings, poetry, sheet music or writing

We are asking for you to submit a photo of your work.
No outdoor fireworks on Victoria Day weekend, try virtual instead
Public fireworks displays are not be permitted anywhere in Waterloo Region for the May 16-18th long weekend. Fireworks cannot be set off in parks, sports fields, laneways, or on school board property. 

Please do not attempt to hold a private fireworks display. There is a provincial ban on group gatherings, and it will divert emergency resources if something goes wrong.


The City of Waterloo has partnered with other municipalities and snapd to host a virtual fireworks experience delivered through an augmented reality (AR) platform. On May 18, download the snapd HUB app and use the AR lens to view the fireworks from your backyard, balcony or wherever you find yourself. Fireworks begin at 8pm -- be sure to download the app before then. Let's enjoy something together, even while we are apart.
Coordinated COVID-19 Response Newsletter - May 8, 2020
These weekly newsletters keep everyone informed about
the coordinated response to the evolving COVID-19 situation. The Region, area municipalities and local community partners are meeting regularly to make sure pandemic response efforts
are coordinated and aligned.

Resources:
 Stay tuned for the next edition of Waterloo Neighbourhoods.
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