The Community Edition: May 2019

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 8 • MAY 2019

IF STREETS COULD TALK

QUEEN STREET SOUTH PAGES 8-9

ERB AND CULTURE IN UPTOWN

STRUT YOUR STUFF IN HEELS

OTIS THE SWAN IS THE NEW BACHELOR

PAGE 4

PAGE 7

PAGE 16

MAY 2019 // @THECOMMUNITYED

2

IN THIS

ISSUE

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 8

MAY 2019

THIS ISSUE OF TCE WAS FUELED BY THE ALL THE CHEESE AT CARE’S BABY SHOWER.

FEATURE

8-9 IF STREETS COULD TALK: QUEEN ST. S

EDITOR’S PICK

13 BREAKING DOWN THE GENDER DIVIDE IN KITCHENS

INSIDE

3 4 4 6 6 7 10 10 11 11 12 12 13 14 16

IN BRIEF ERB AND CULTURE INVADES UPTOWN NIGHTLIFE NEW EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM AT L.O.T A TIME FOR GREATNESS IN KW DANCING (AND SELLING) AT ROXXANNE’S GRAB YOUR HEELS AND STRU IT! WITH BRETT RED EYE DONUTS ARE THINKING WITH THEIR STOMACHS SEXPLANATIONS: CLEARING UP MENOPAUSE KWA PET FOOD BANK LENDS A HELPING HAND TCE POETRY GETTING SHIT DONE AT WORKHAUS HYPERLOCAL TRAVEL: STRATFORD EASY BEING GREEN: IN YOUR GARDEN HARU NOON // EVENT LISTINGS KITCHENER’S HOTTEST BACHELOR OFF THE MARKET

COVER BY NICK STANLEY

Volume 7, Issue 8 Next issue: June, 2019 75 University Ave. W Waterloo, ON N2L 3C5 519-884-0710 x3564

All advertising inquiries should be directed to Care Lucas at 519-884-0710 x3560 care.lucas@wlusp.com

THE COMMUNITY EDITION TEAM

WLUSP ADMINISTRATION

Editor in Chief Beth Bowles beth@communityedition.ca

President Aaron Hagey

Publisher Lakyn Barton lakyn.barton@wlusp.com Social Media Coordinator Brit Kovacs Social Media Coordinator Ramona Leitao Web Manager Care Lucas

Executive Director Lakyn Barton Advertising Manager Care Lucas Directors Rosalind Horne Emily Crump Arshy Mann Alyssa Di Sabatino Kashyap Patel

CONTRIBUTORS Jenna Aquino Brad Bauer Nick Benninger Stacey Danckert Jesse Derry Melissa Embury Aaron Haget Bashar Lulu Jabbour Rachael MacIntosh Juanita Metzger Kaitlyn Severin Matt Smith Cara Vandermey Racheal Walser

Photo Editor Nick Stanley Photo Editor Paige Bush General Inquiries info@communityedition.ca

TWITTER @THECOMMUNITYED INSTAGRAM @COMMUNITYEDITION

The Community Edition is an alternative monthly intended to engage and inform the community.

Started in 2012, the Community Edition is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications, Waterloo, a corporation without share capital. WLUSP is governed by its board of directors.

Opinions expressed within the Community Edition are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, the Community Edition, WLUSP, WLU or Centra Web. All content appearing in the Community Edition bears the copyright expressly of their creator(s) and may not be used without written consent.

The Community Edition is a member of the Ontario Press Council, which is an independent ethical organization established to deal with editorial concerns.

For additional information or to file a complaint, contact info@ontpress.com or call 416-340-1981.

Preamble to the Community Edition Constitution The Community Edition will keep faith with its readers by presenting news and expressions of opinions comprehensively, accurately and fairly. The Community Edition believes in a balanced and impartial presentation of all relevant facts in a news report, and of all substantial opinions in a

matter of controversy.

The staff of the Community Edition shall uphold all commonly held ethical conventions of journalism. When an error of omission or of commission has occurred, that error shall be acknowledged promptly.

When statements are made that are critical of an individual, or an organization, we shall give those affected the opportunity to reply at the earliest time possible. Ethical journalism requires impartiality, and consequently conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest will be avoided by all staff. The only limits of any newspaper are those of the world around it, and so the Community Edition will attempt to cover its world with a special focus on the community of Waterloo Region.

Ultimately, the Community Edition will be bound by neither philosophy nor geography in its mandate.

The Community Edition has an obligation to foster freedom of the press and freedom of speech. This obligation is best fulfilled when debate and dissent are encouraged, both in the internal workings of the paper, and through the Community Edition’s contact with the community. The Community Edition will always attempt to do what is right, with fear of neither repercussions, nor retaliation. The purpose of community press is to act as an agent of social awareness, and so shall conduct the affairs of our magazine.

MAY 2019 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

3

IN BRIEF

In this month’s If Streets Could Talk, we went to Queen St. S. Read more on page 8.

NICK STANLEY PHOTO

NEWS

ARTS

URBAN

RACIST GRAFFITI IN KITCHENER

ORIGINAL DALI AUCTIONED OFF

SCHNEIDERS PROPERTY NAME

Police are investigating after racist graffiti was found spray painted on 15 cement trucks in Kitchener on Sunday April 28. Waterloo Regional Police say they believe there are three suspects involved.

The incident took place around 2 p.m. on Forwell Road and damage is estimated to be around $20,000.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police. People suck.

An original Salvador Dali etching sold for $500 during a live auction at the Button Factory Arts fundraiser on April 26. The piece is believed to be a limited edition though its number can not be verified and was provided by an annonymous donor. Dali’s signature reads backwards, but can be clearly seen in a reflection of a mirror.

The builder working on the former site of the Schneider’s plant on Courtland Avenue has launched a contest to help pick a new name for the future property development on site. Auburn Developments will offer cash prizes worth $13,000 with the grand prize of $10,000 for anyone who comes up with a good name.

The name Otis is already taken.

WLU DEAN OF STUDENTS PASSES

STEEL RAILS IS TURNING 10

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR TOYOTA

Our community at WLU is grieving the loss of our beloved Dean of Students Leanne Holland Brown, who passed away suddenly after a tragic traffic accident on April 24. Holland Brown is being remembered as an incredibly caring person who always went above and beyond her duties to look after those in the WLU community. Her friends here at TCE will miss her.

Tickets for Steel Rails 2019 will be on sale May 9 at noon. This year we are going off the rails on June 22 to a secret location to celebrate our 10th birthday.

It’s a Saturday, so you can stay up past your bedtime! We won’t reveal much but we promise a night you will never forget. Grab your tickets early to the best party of the year.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Toyota in Cambridge to announce that the new Lexus NX and NX Hybrid will begin production at the local TMMC manufacturing plant in 2022.

Trudeau said the Lexus NX is part of Toyota’s $1.4 billion upgrade at the Woodstock and Cambridge plants, insuring jobs at TMMC are secure.

115 WATER STREET PROJECT

INTERLIBRARY SERVICE STOPS

NEW HAMBURG CROSSWALK

The Working Centre announced a new project in combination with St. John’s Clinic, Sanguen, and House of Friendship at 115 Water. The space will focus on providing places of rest in addition to providing access to harm reduction supports, primary health care and a relationship-based approach to mental health and addiction supports.

Due to provincial budget cuts to the Southern Ontario Library Services (SOLS), interlibrary loan services has been suspended. Interlibrary loan services allowed people to borrow materials from libraries across the province. Within the region, library card holders can still borrow within the five regional locations.

Construction of a new crosswalk at New Hamburg’s Huron and Mill intersection has been put on hold until May by the Region’s planning and works committee.

The crosswalk would remove nine parking spots for sight lines and the parking loss has brought forward concerns from local businesses. Alternative crosswalk locations are being researched.

MAY 2019 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

4

BRINGING NEW LIFE TO A VACANT SPACE

THE SPACE THAT USED TO HOUSE BETA HAS BEEN EMPTY FOR TWO YEARS. ALL OF THAT IS ABOUT TO CHANGE WITH ERB AND CULTURE

BETH BOWLES EDITOR IN CHIEF Two years ago, Beta, one of Waterloo’s most infamous EDM nightclubs, closed its doors forever. Since then, the building, which began construction in 1930, appeared to slowly decay. The once uptown staple sat empty and neglected; the old movie-theatre style marquee was taken down.

But this summer, the doors will be dusted off, opening for the first time since March 2017.

Local rapper Tyson May has signed a lease agreement for the building and will be opening a new nightclub, cleverly called Erb and Culture within the upcoming months.

May, who is also the director of operations for Meltwich Food Co., as well as a franchisee of the Waterloo and London Meltwich locations, is looking to tap a new market he believes has yet to be touched in uptown Waterloo.

“Erb and Culture started a whole long time ago. I think the void out here started Erb and Culture. I like

to respond to markets; I don’t just do things out of what I want to do,” May said.

“I go to a lot of pubs, I go to a lot of bars, but I don’t go to something that would be as close to heart as what I want to create, here.”

He hopes to bring a space to KW’s hip hop and urban art community — while complicating perceptions of high and low culture.

“This place can be conceptualized by saying: if you could put graffiti in a picture frame and then put it in a museum, this would be the medium to broker that. We really want to bring an emphasis to the urban culture type of art that I think doesn’t get enough light shone on it, unfortunately, due to some negative stigmas,” May said.

Beta was known for bringing in prominent DJ’s — as well as the fullbody frisks one would endure before entering, but May says enough time has passed for any reputations (positive or negative) to wear off. He actually never went to Beta when it was open, arguably allowing him to open Erb and Culture with a clean slate.

“In a city that sheds its skin every four or five years, I don’t worry [about previous reputations],’ May said.

He was more so drawn to the building because the infrastructure was already in favour of opening a nightclub, and the length of the lease was attractive.

“This place allowed us to slide in strategically for a number of years that isn’t too long, neither too short, for us to do what we hope,” he said.

The building is also very old, and therefore has lived several different lives.

“I think the building attests to that longevity, and [also] that switch of use over time. I think it really characterizes itself well for our use,” May said.

In a student-dominated community, and as a first-time club owner, May also hopes to execute his vision while ensuring guests are safe. Uptown Waterloo at night can attract violence and crime, and May is aware of this.

“Preventative maintenance is important,” he said.

“Primarily, what we’re going to use, as both a marketing effort and a guarantee of consistency in safety is guest tracking software and hardware — you’re going to swipe your ID when you walk in, even if you look 65.”

Erb and Culture’s focus is to play the best music: both hip hop and

Beta closed in March 2017 and has been vacant since. The marquee is no more.

VICTORIA PANACCI FILE PHOTO chart topping, while also providing a space for musicians to perform. As a rapper himself, this is important to May. But, urban art doesn’t stop at rap music.

“We plan to use the club as a catalyst for urban arts in the artist, from photography, to tattoos, to hair fading. There’s a lot of things that really aren’t available here in such a world class city that need to be, so we’ll try to broker the medium between a lot of those, and on top of that, throw some pretty wild parties,” May said.

The goal isn’t just nightlife. He hopes to use the space during the day for urban art shows, as well as a Sunday hip hop brunch.

The timeline for Erb and Culture’s opening is still vague, and rightfully so in a building as old, and therefore unpredictable, as 24 King St. N. — but May is aiming for a June open.

“I do want to create a respectful business, but that’s also the part I want to share with people,” he said.

“That is our goal: to provide a new medium of connectivity for urban artists and their market.”

LIBRARY OF THINGS LAUNCHES NEW PROGRAM

THE SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM AIMS TO OFFER WORKPLACE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES

RACHAEL MACINTOSH CONTRIBUTOR The KW Library of Things opened in February 2018 to let members avoid having to buy and store rarely used home appliances. The library has always been an effective tool for sustainability and waste reduction, but it is now taking on another initiative.

A 2011 study by Statistics Canada found that the employment rate for Canadians with disabilities was 49 per cent, leaving more than half of Canadians with disabilities without a job. The KW Library of Things is working on a solution to this problem with their new Supported Employment Program.

The program is a practicum that hires those who have faced barriers to employment for a four-month period to help them gain experience, skills and income. The program has been made possible by a Trillium Grant created to support community development.

The library offers patrons home appliances from chocolate fountains to sheet sanders. Membership costs $40 a year and allows full access to the catalogue. The library is a project of Extend-A-Family, an organization that seeks to improve the lives of people with disabilities and the community at large through efforts to increase inclusion and belonging.

“The way we would describe our broader community development work is built on something

called ‘asset based development,’ the notion that everything the community needs is here within the community. We just have to help each other figure out how to share appropriately and contribute our gifts and skills to our neighbors in mutually beneficial ways,” says Extend-A-Family’s Executive Director Al Mills.

The practicum librarians assist and register patrons, run workshops and maintain the tools and appliances the library offers. Each librarian also has their own personal project. One woman who wants to supplement her accounting diploma with work experience is gaining experience through handling some of the library’s finances. Another librarian is organizing a Jane’s Walk, a citizenled tour through the city.

“Some of the barriers people face could be based on stereotypes or assumptions that it’ll be a [large] investment [or] that it’ll be a lot of hard work to have this person [on staff]. Maybe the thought process is ‘Well maybe it’s kind of charitable in nature that I’m offering employment to this person’ and that’s not accurate. The folks that are participating through this practicum have something to offer of real value,” said Mills.

Library of Things Coordinator Beth Weisberg added that this program fulfills Extend-a-Family’s philosophy of belonging and inclusion.

“It’s a chance to be in the community and doing things, not just being passive or being given a small task, something token to doit’s real work,” said Weisberg.

The library is open Tuesday afternoons and Saturday mornings.

The Library of Things is located on 91 Moore Ave. inside the Extend-A-Family building.

BRAD BAUER PHOTO

MAY 2019 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

STEEL RAILS IS TURNING TEN.

YOU AREN’T GOING TO WANT TO MISS THIS PARTY.

TICKETS GO ON SALE MAY 9

COMMUNITEDITION.CA/STEELRAILS

OUR SPONSORS MAKE THIS ALL POSSIBLE. WANT TO JOIN THIS LIST? STEELRAILS@COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

5

MAY 2019 // @THECOMMUNITYED

6

SELF-PUBLISHING

AND SELF-PROMOTING

WITH KARLIS WILDE

RAMONA LEITAO SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR When Kitchener-Waterloo based author Karlis Wilde finished writing his novel, A Time for Greatness, he knew it needed to be published as soon as possible.

“I think there is a really timely nature to this story that I’m telling in this book and it is very much of the moment in terms of journalism, in terms of politics,” Wilde said.

A Time for Greatness is a fictional thriller that confronts today’s political climate, history and conspiracy theories. It depicts the personal journey of a young journalist discovering the truth behind the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the history of American democracy.

“This book came out of a phase where I was reading a lot of thriller novels and big paperback best-sellers like Lee Child or John Grisham, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series by Stieg Larsson,” Wilde said.

“On top of that I really wanted to watch more National Treasure movies. I wanted to sort of combine what I liked about both of those things — the journalist reporter story from the Millennium trilogy, and the ties with American history from National Treasure.”

Because of the timeliness of the story, Wilde decided to self-publish his debut novel in February 2019, rather than take the traditional route of finding literary representation, like an agent or publisher.

“It’s been interesting,” Wilde said when asked about the self-publishing process in KW. “I think that a lot of the steps that I’ve got to take are still forthcoming.”

Some of these steps include self-promoting his work in local bookstores, like Words Worth Books

and Indigo.

“It takes a kind of confidence that I have a hard time forcing on myself to be able to go out there and promote this thing because it takes a sort of arrogance and a sort of pride in what you’ve done to impose it on people. But it’s been fine so far,” Wilde said.

“There are [also] different fees and costs associated with getting something out there and that’s why it’s got to be something you’re proud of or something that’s worth putting out there.”

Wilde made sure to follow his disciplined writing and editing process for this particular novel.

“I have to write something every single day. No matter what’s going on,” he said. “I was working full-time and going to university but I still had to do the writing every single day or else I’d fall out with it. So I sat down and wrote maybe 500 words, maybe 1000 words per day. Going at that sort of rate and going back and doing minor edits as I wrote along, this book, A Time for Greatness, probably took around 10 months to write the first draft.”

While A Time for Greatness is his first published novel, Wilde has always had a love for writing, and has been writing for the past 10 years.

“I’ve written a lot of novels; this is the first one that I’ve actually decided to do anything with,” he said. “There’s this saying: if you’re going to get good at anything you have to put in a certain amount of hours into it at which it will start to be good. When it comes to writing, I hear you need to get your first million words out. After you’ve written a million words then you can finally write something good. So [this novel is] probably the first one worth reading.”

To learn more about the author and A Time for Greatness, visit karliswilde.com.

Karlis Wilde is a former Community Edition contributor.

Karlis Wilde, pictured above, is the author of A Time For Greatness.

PAIGE BUSH PHOTOS

NOT EASY MONEY: DANCING AT ROXXANNE’S RACHEAL WALSER CONTRIBUTOR Last Friday, at half past midnight, I was home, in my bed, fast asleep. Being the millennial that I am, I’d just binge-watched Bonding on Netflix, smoked myself into a government approved snack binge and was carried off to snooze-world vis-a-vis a non-dairy related food coma.

But Veronica Edwards was just hitting her stride. People were arriving at Roxxanne’s, out with their friends, celebrating or just out for a good time. And Edwards, clad in her signature neon bikini, was winding up to make the perfect sales pitch.

“I think the most common misconception,” she said when we were both finally awake at the same time, “is that dancing is easy money. Roxxanne’s, in a sales sense, is so much harder than any job I’ve ever had.

Someone’s walking in and I’m convincing them to give me money for

something knowing they’re leaving empty-handed.”

But Edwards isn’t new to sales.

“In 2001, I had my own website. I designed and developed it myself and after a little time I had a following. We would all check each others blogs and see how we were doing.

Eventually people started asking if I had a wishlist and they sent me gifts.”

The internet was new and security wasn’t what it was today — but Edwards did her work safely.

“I didn’t hide what I was doing from my family. I didn’t post my location and I always made sure to keep identifying information out of my photos. When people wanted to send me gifts, they sent them to a P.O. Box.” “I decided to start making adult content when I was 19. My friend had a cam site and I made $300 American for a 15-minute strip tease in a time when the images were so pixelated you couldn’t always make the details out. I bought props, because I knew, right out of the gate, it was all about giving your audience what they want.”

And now, 16 years later, she’s per-

fected it into an art.

“It’s Sales 101: don’t ask closed ended questions. You can’t just walk up to someone and ask if they want a rewards card, or a lap dance. They’re going to say no. They want you to warm them up, talk to them about it.”

She laughed, “I would know, I’ve sold both.”

Edwards explained that her business as a dancer is all about making a connection with the patron.

“It’s about finding something in common with them — maybe it’s a Pokemon lanyard, or a band t-shirt.

Maybe it’s a sports team.”

After making that connection, Edwards engages with her patrons. This is what makes her successful.

“I can make, on a slow Friday night, an easy $600. But I watch people get rejected, and walk away empty handed all the time. It’s my approach that makes the difference,” she said.

“I can tell right away what someone thinks of me when we start talking, I can sense how much they respect me by their tone, their body language.

I can tell what they think of what I do, and how likely it is that I’m going to be able to convince them to buy a dance from me.”

I asked Edwards if she ever feels unsafe. Not to interrupt her story, but I’m not new to speaking with people who are engaged in both the legal and illegal side of the sex industry. I’m also acutely aware that I live in a place where every day, human beings are trafficked for sexual purposes, labor extortion and more.

“No, I don’t.” Edwards replied. “I’m lucky here. Roxxanne’s has good managers and dedicated security.”

While Edwards’ experience is in no way reflective of every dancer’s experience, she does say that there’s a reason why she’s worked in KW for as long as she has.

“I’ve been to other clubs, and I know what goes on there. There are fights, private rooms, pressure do more than just a dance. I’ve worked in KW for six years this month. I continue to choose to work in KW because Roxxanne’s is one of the highest rated clubs and they strive to maintain that. Everything is open, and everything is [monitored] — for everyone’s safety,” she said.

“So much of what I do is about the relationships,” Edwards goes on. “It’s about being mindful, about being friendly, and about interacting with

people.”

On top of dancing at Roxxanne’s, Edwards also sells supplements and works as a fitness and wellness coach in Toronto. She said she’s always focused on how she’s going to connect with people and how that connection will be successful. She said she’s never been shy, and that’s always worked in her favour.

“People who come to a place like Roxxanne’s, are coming to a place where women are approaching them first — on purpose. And that’s because it still isn’t happening in the rest of their world, women are still being socialized to be docile and shy. But I’ve never been a shy girl,” she said.

“Society is only now getting to a place where we are starting to acknowledge the wide spectrum of legalized work that is sex work, and considering it valid. But what I do is so much more than a lap dance and I want people to know that.”

Edwards is on Instagram as @SnackSpecialist if you want to learn more about her multiple business ventures.

MAY 2019 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

7

STRUT IT! AND DON’T FORGET

YOUR HEELS BRETT MCNEIL’S DANCE CLASS OFFERS MORE THAN JUST LEARNING NEW STEPS

JENNA AQUINO CONTRIBUTOR For many of us, dancing is a fun, but less than comfortable activity.

It can be difficult to let loose and feel free of judgement. Brett McNeil, a local tech-worker with an effortless passion for dance, created an opportunity to help people get out of their comfort zone. “Strut It! With Brett” is an open, inclusive dance class which will teach you to embrace your own unique rhythm — while wearing heels, no less!

“The whole mission around Strut It! is to boost your confidence and have a good time. I could care less if someone gets the steps right or turns the opposite way. The point is to make people feel happy and genuinely confident in their bodies,” said McNeil.

Last fall, McNeil attended a heel-dance class based in Guelph which he gave him a new kind of confidence. Realizing that KitchenerWaterloo does not have many similar opportunities available, he

felt compelled to offer that to this community.

“I don’t necessarily think there are gender stereotypes surrounding dance. I think what I’m doing with Strut It! is trying to infuse more queer culture here in KitchenerWaterloo, which is something this community lacks a bit. Being a gay male in heels, I think I can be the one to do that,” McNeil explained.

“If I can create a safe space for an hour and a half a week, my hope is that more people in my LGBTQ+ community will come out and join me.”

The first six classes were hosted this past January and February and were so well received that McNeil has once again rented out Hepcat Swing Dance Studio in uptown Waterloo to run a spring session.

“The classes are an hour and a half long and it is as much a workout as it is dance,” McNeil explained.

Each class routinely begins with a cardio warm up as your body gets used to the movement. It then works through a slow song where the choreography integrates more seductive moves, before ultimately engaging in down-the-floor, walking choreography which really gets people strutting.

“I always tell my dancers that when

McNeil, centre, looking fierce with some of his students at Hepcat Swing Dance Studio. JESSE DERRY PHOTO the music is on, you’re moving.

Even if it’s just the lead up in a song before the choreography starts, I want to see people feeling the vibrations of the music and moving with it,” McNeil added.

This choreography is created entirely by McNeil himself as he draws on his own free-style performances. Recognizing that free-style dance is his method for getting comfortable with his body, he intentionally concludes each class with a sexy free-style element which allows dancers to make the choreography their own.

Reflecting on his own creative process, McNeil explained that “choreography is just like painting, designing, branding – it is your own form of expression and it will look different for everybody.”

Each session’s choreography follows a category; in the past this

Forensic Identification Ontario Graduate Certificate

Learn modern criminal forensic technology through a specialized curriculum.

communityservices.humber.ca /forensicidentification

has included Drag it Up, Arianna Realness, It’s Britney Bitch and Lady GaGa. McNeil claims this trend is inspired by 80’s ball culture, a term which describes an underground LGBTQ+ subculture in the United States. These individuals would compete at private balls, dancing and participating in drag categories that aligned with a specific theme for the evening.

“There is no element of competition to Strut It! — it is a very safe space. I want to make people feel more confident with who they are and that is my priority. There is no judgement — the class welcomes people from different races, identities and body-types and that is exactly how I want it to be.”

McNeil commented on the feeling of power that wearing and dancing in heels can inspire.

“When you put heels on, you can

become a different person. Your body moves in a different way, which can make you feel like the boundaries are limitless … sexuality is a huge component of Strut It! because once you’re comfortable with yourself you can really embrace your body,” he said.

Strut It! With Brett operates through McNeil’s social brand, BHAUS. The future of Strut It! could mean expanding into bachelorette parties, team building or private classes.

If you’re looking to push the boundaries of your active life, drop in to a remaining class from Strut It’s spring session on May 5 or May 14 from 3:00-4:30 p.m.

McNeil stands behind the personal gain his classes offer.

“I just want people to come out and try it — you’re going to want to come back.”

IF STREETS COULD TALK: QUEEN STREET SOUTH WORDS BY AARON HAGEY • PHOTOS BY NICK STANLEY I’ve always been captivated by history, even as a kid. The stories, the people — the chain of events, like dominos — that have lead humanity to a single point, where, for better or worse, we have all ended up exactly where I believe we were meant to be.

Sometimes it’s cruel, and sometimes it’s kind, but I think it all happens for a reason — even if we don’t quite understand it at the moment — as cliché as that may sound.

Queen Street South, resting between the bustling Kitchener city-centre and St. Mary’s General Hospital, has been my home for four years now. Like myself, the street is full of history that has become a defining point of its identity and has gotten it to the point that it is today.

After unexpectedly ending up in a home that I always thought was going to be temporary, it became permanent without me even realizing it. I fell into a routine where I didn’t immediately close myself away in my room for days on end, I enjoyed going outside and experiencing the quirks of where I was living and, before I knew it, I was writing down my address as Queen St. S. I now consider it a privilege to call Victoria Park, located directly behind the apartment building I reside in, my backyard. I’m lulled to sleep by the bustling sounds of the outside traffic — something that has become calming white noise to me — and I’m woken up by the morning rush hour, balcony pigeons and passing geese. It’s a bit busy, sometimes a little loud, but it’s always comforting.

Queen Street South is one of the oldest streets in the city, as it is home to one of its earliest structures: the Joseph Schneider Haus, now a museum and gallery.

Built in 1816, it is the earliest surviving building in the city; its original occupants, Joseph and Barbara Schneider, arrived in 1807 from Pennsylvania.

The road that Schneider Haus rests on became one of the most important points of traffic in the city, especially since Schneider owned over 448 acres of land in the area, most of which he sold off periodically for real estate and commercial purposes.

This street became a core part of the city when, in 1852, Berlin — Kitchener’s former name until 1916 — was named the seat of Waterloo County, turning “Schneider’s Road” into a hub of early mixed-use development and socio-economic

intermingling: it brought houses, factories, churches and other businesses together into one amalgamated space.

One of these historic structures, The Walper Hotel, which stands on the corner of King and Queen Street South, was completed in 1893 by Abel Walper after a former hotel was burned down. The hotel, formerly named the “Walper House,” recently celebrated its 126th birthday, and has undergone significant changes over its history.

The Walper has become an influential heritage monument for the city, hosting a number of influential guests such as the Queen Mother, many of Canada’s Prime Ministers — Justin Trudeau being the most recent — Eleanor Roosevelt, Louis Armstrong, James Brown, Liberace and many others.

Walking around in downtown Kitchener, looking up at its imposing and elegant, yet familiar and inviting, red-brick architecture, and spending countless hours studying and working in the Coffee Culture located within the building, has become part of my weekly routine — making the the area all the more significant to me.

So much has changed in over 200 years, and although I’ve been around for a mere fraction of that time, I like to believe the spirit behind the community has remained very much the same.

Resting at the other end of Queen Street South, in the heart of the city, is St. Mary’s General Hospital, which has been open since 1924.

For almost 95 years, the hospital has been dedicated to demonstrating its core values and helping those of lower economic status or in need, encouraging responsibility and independence, being responsible citizens and healers and, above all, promoting and preserving the “sacredness of life and the dignity of all people.”

My mother-in-law has worked for St. Mary’s for 35 years, embodying the mission and ideology that began all those years ago with the Sisters of St. Joseph in Hamilton, extending her compassion and going aboveand-beyond for her community and those who have relied on and looked up to her.

In many ways, she has done for me what the hospital has done for the community: providing a sense of security, kindness and unconditional love, as well as acting as a pillar of strength that I have been able to lean on.

Between these two structures sits

our apartment building, nestled in between them, comforted by two pieces of Kitchener history that have been rebuilt through the care, persistence and passion of those who call this city their own.

This apartment would not be a home were it not for its residents, especially my father-in-law, who has grown to become the most influential male figure in my life — and unexpectedly, one of the most relatable as well.

From our very particular appetites, to our love of history, our willingness to do and sacrifice anything for those we love, I’ve found myself reflected in a man who has done nothing but open his heart selflessly from the moment I walked into his life.

I have secured my home on Queen Street South just as countless others have on this block since Joseph Schneider built his own.

I look at it as a place of “firsts” for me — the first time and place where I was told, to my disbelief, that I was loved by my significant other, where I was first accepted and encouraged to truly be who I was without any abuse and where I was first made to feel, from the moment I stepped through the door, like I was worth something.

I don’t consider the houses where I grew up over the course of my childhood and adolescence to have been my homes.

The scattered positive memories I have from them are often clouded by the darker periods that followed and preceded them, and I will always associate the warmth and comfort that the word and place that “home” is supposed to give you with where I reside now.

Oddly enough, if I hadn’t gone through the difficulties and challenges that I did in my past, I wouldn’t be here, surrounded by the people I consider to be my family.

Queen Street South, with its weathered charm and rich history, has played one of the largest roles in shaping me into the person I am now and has secured a place in my heart for all that it has provided me over these past few years.

There’s an almost undefinable sense of belonging that goes along with living here long enough, and when I walk down these familiar sidewalks, say hello to the same people and stop to pet the neighbourhood dogs that I know by name, I’m sure that I’m where I’m meant to be at this point in my life.

MAY 2019 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

10

JESSE DERRY PHOTOS

FOR THE LOVE OF DONUTS (AND EACH OTHER) BETH BOWLES EDITOR IN CHIEF In June 2018, Megan and Larry Dron opened Red Eye Cafe on Hespeler Road in Cambridge. Since then, the cafe, known for its specialty donuts, has created quite the name for itself in Waterloo Region — and on Instagram.

The Drons, who are from Cambridge, originally looked to Waterloo to open their business. Hindered by high rent prices and the surplus of cafes uptown, they found their location at 600 Hespeler Road in Cambridge. The space ended up being the perfect spot to dip their toes into something new.

Larry, whose background is in industrial rubber sales, and Megan, who went to Conestoga College for hospitality, knew they wanted to open a cafe or bar — but it was their draw towards donuts that landed them where they are now.

“We’ve been eating donuts since we were kids, and as we’ve gotten older, we’ve noticed the quality has kind of diminished. What you can find for donuts isn’t anything out of the box or out of the ordinary,” Larry said.

“So we wanted to … create specialty donuts that people didn’t even really know they wanted until they saw them. Basically, give them combinations of flavours they’ve never tried before.”

For Larry, donuts were also a family affair. His uncle owned a donut shop in Milton, 20-something years ago,

where Larry’s father worked alongside him. Since he was a kid, he’s been surrounded by donuts. “[It was] passed down from my parents on to us — a passing knowledge, I [suppose],” Larry said.

Even today, his parents come in early every morning to start production — Larry’s father makes donuts, while his mother has created all the vegan and gluten free products.

“It’s definitely a team effort, that’s for sure … a lot of people say it’s stressful working with family, but it’s nice getting to see them every day. We do enjoy working together,” Larry said.

As for the name — “Red Eye” was actually the name Megan used for a project in school. She had to develop a plan for a new business, and Red Eye was the name she chose for her fictional video game cafe. While the

video game cafe didn’t come to life, Red Eye did. With their tattoo-inspired logo and pop/punk playlists, Red Eye feels young and cool.

They’re drawing from other areas of the Region, too, as other popular local products can be found alongside their donuts. They serve Smile Tiger coffee and Grand River Tea, as well as The Crumby Cookie Dough’s edible cookie dough.

But, the main focus is still the donuts; Larry cited his favourite as the maple bacon, the perfect balance between savoury and sweet, while Megan said her favourite is the lemon meringue.

As the Dron’s approach their oneyear anniversary as cafe owners this June, they’ve already begun thinking about how they can expand. They’d like to offer more menu options

outside of sweets — perhaps a lunch menu. They’d also like to explore the option of a second location in a different city.

Right now, though, with how many large orders they currently receive, and with how often they sell out, an industrial location to maximize production seems like the next obvious step.

“With the square footage we [currently] have, we’re maximized, so if we got another unit, we could get more equipment to increase out output,” Larry said.

“We don’t like to turn away people in terms of our daily maximum of donuts we can output. We would love to meet higher demands.”

MORE THAN JUST HOT FLASHES AND MOOD SWINGS

EVERYONE WHO EXPERIENCES MENSTRUATION WILL ALSO EXPERIENCE MENOPAUSE — AND YET, WE STILL DON’T FULLY UNDERSTAND IT

SEXPLANATIONS

STACEY JACOBS COLUMNIST I wake up sweaty in the middle of the night. I am having problems falling asleep. I seem to be forgetting things I never would have in the past. I’m tired, sometimes feeling like my mind is cloudy or fuzzy.

As a sexual health educator I know these could be symptoms of perimenopause – the years leading up to menopause when hormone levels are decreasing, causing changes in the

menstrual cycle and the body.

I also know that I had red wine before going to bed and I may be getting sick which can lead to night sweats. I have been drinking too much coffee which can cause sleep problems. I have too many things on my mind, so something is bound to get forgotten, and all of this could cause me to be tired. The fuzzy mind I am unsure how to explain. Too much Taco Bell?

Many people in their forties are not ready to think about menopause. In my experience, people only want to talk about it when they are having extremely disruptive symptoms.

However, I think as a society we all need to understand menopause better in order to understand the people experiencing it better. And just like I say we should educate people about

menstruation before menstruation happens, we should educate people about menopause before menopause happens.

May 28 is Menstrual Hygiene Day. A day that began in 2013 to break the silence and taboo held worldwide about menstruation. A day to bring awareness to the detrimental consequences of our negative and ignorant attitudes towards menstruation and the people who menstruate. Without diminishing the importance of this mission, I would like to add to it. If we are discussing the menstrual cycle we need to include menopause, as it is the end of the menstrual cycle.

The definition of menopause is simple: it is the moment when someone has not had a menstrual period in twelve consecutive months. Before

this moment is perimenopause, and after this moment is post-menopause. Perimenopause is the time in someone’s life we associate with all the negative symptoms such as night sweats, hot flashes, mood changes, irregular periods, vaginal dryness, sleep disturbances, weight gain, memory loss etc. Menopause also means the end of fertility. Once someone stops menstruating they can no longer get pregnant, because they have also stopped ovulating. This can be a happy thought for some, a sad thought for others.

The conversations around menopause tend to be negative, so of course people are dreading the experience and expecting the worst. However, if we spoke about menopause in a realistic manner and prepared people for

the possible side effects and gave them information to decrease or handle the symptoms, people would have a much better experience.

If we also educated others they would be more understanding of what people are going through, if we respected older individuals in our society and saw their potential, we might even celebrate menopause as a time of change and renewal since post-menopause can be a time of increased energy, creativity and insight. Let’s reframe the conversation in order to reframe the experience.

For more information, menopauseandu.ca is a great resource.

Stacey Jacobs is the sexual health educational manager at SHORE.

MAY 2019 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

11

NEW KW FOOD BANK

HELPS GOOD BOYS

THE KWA PET FOOD BANK HELPS STRUGGLING PET OWNERS FEED THEIR FUR BABIES

KAITLYN SEVERIN CONTRIBUTOR

BRIT KOVACS PHOTO

YOU CAN’T TAKE EVERYTHING WITH YOU WORDS BY BASHAR LULU JABBOUR TCE POETRY my father stands over twelve carry on bags, assigns responsibilities. he is to carry four at the same time, I am to carry a backpack and the heaviest bag, a dark green duffle bag, a Fake Puma, no wheels. he asks that I do not set it down until we are on the plane. on the ramp leading up, half-way through, I feel my fingers slowly let go. numb. I scan quickly, decide there is time to set it down for just a second, shake my fingers out, let them feel blood rushing again. in the eternity of a second, the pilot and two hosts turn the corner. he points at my feet. how heavy is that bag? this is not a boat. you cannot take everything with you. he gestures to staff, the bag disappears down the hall. the hostess asks, what is your address in Canada? my fingers are numb.

While the Kitchener-Waterloo and Area Pet Food Bank is only a few months old, the not-for-profit organization is already making an impact on the pet-loving community of Kitchener-Waterloo. Founded in early February of this year, the organization focuses on helping pet owners who find are financially struggling to purchase expensive pet food for furry friends.

Emma Galloway is the director and founder of the KWA Pet Food Bank.

She has always been passionate about caring for animals, and by supporting the Humane Society through foster care, Galloway found out that many pets are abandoned by their owners who can not afford their care. These animals are either surrendered to their shelters, abandoned on the streets, or in the worst cases, are euthanized if their health is deteriorating.

By creating the KWA Pet Food Bank, Galloway hopes to give community members an avenue to receive free food and supplies for their pets.

“When people get pets, they don’t realize that it does get expensive and

then once those costs come they make unethical decisions, or they give them up to the Humane Society, which is already full anyways,” said Galloway.

To get their organization off the ground, the KWA Pet Food Bank had to reach out to local pet stores, manufacturers and other local businesses to ask for donations and sponsorships. The organization receives a majority of their donations from local pet stores, but rely heavily on cash or pet food donations from the public.

Galloway is also hoping to bring in more specialty pet foods, such as urinary pet food, kidney pet food, weight management, and gastrointestinal food, for owners who have no access to these specialty pet products.

“I try to encourage the public to donate more of those foods because there’s been such a high demand for those,” said Galloway. “We really want to stress the need for that specialty food — we’ll take anything.”

The KWA Pet Food Bank is now looking for volunteers, webmasters and partnership coordinators to help fully build the organization. The KWA Pet Food Bank will be attending local pet-related events this year, such as the KW Pet Expo on May 4-5 at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, to raise cash and food donations for the organization and expose themselves to the

surrounding communities.

“We’re attending a bunch of events as well in the hopes that we can get our name out there and get more people to donate to us,” said Galloway.

Currently, Galloway is running a GoFundMe page to raise donations, which will go towards the purchasing of special pet food (their first priority), digital marketing and promotions, and to possibly register the organization with the Ontario government.

According to Galloway, this is the first time that most of her clients have heard of a pet food bank and a number of pet owners are already waiting to receive special pet food from the KWA Pet Food Bank.

Galloway encourages any pet owner in the community to donate any specialty food they are able to spare. “[Our clients say] by using our food bank — which focuses solely on just pet food — it helps a lot,” said Galloway. “Those donations of any kind would be appreciated.”

MAY 2019 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

12

WORKHAUS OFFERS

SPACE FOR ENTREPRENEURS JENNA AQUINO CONTRIBUTOR With several coworking spaces humming throughout the Region, Kitchener-Waterloo has become a city full of opportunity to grow your career – especially as an entrepreneur.

While these spaces have predominantly focused on supporting businesses within the tech sector, downtown Kitchener has recently become home to a coworking institution called Workhaus, which intends to accommodate professionals from a wide array of industries.

“KW is unique in that there are a lot of tech start-ups surrounding us and while we are excited to welcome them, we believe the whole point of coworking is to have all kinds of industries under one roof. I hope we have all kinds of companies here, we’re not limiting at all,” said Adam Mawer, director of Workhaus KW. Workhaus was launched in 2014 by a couple of serial entrepreneurs living in Toronto, who saw a need for an entrepreneurial space that offered the right policies and programming to support start-up businesses. Since then, they have opened ten locations throughout Toronto as well as one location in Calgary in addition to their new home in Kitchener.

“One thing that sets us apart [from other coworking spaces] is that we stress community above and beyond anything else. Internally, everything we do is in the best interest of our members so that they can grow personally and professionally,” Mawer said.

Depending on the level of membership purchased, a resident would have access to different amenities and spaces. At the base level, 24/7 access to a hot-desk in the main lounge is provided. Workhaus also offers dedicated desks and private offices for more invested members. That said, all members are invited to participate in the additional services they offer.

“One of the most important things to understand is the fact that the way we work is changing. Work is now more pervasive in our lives due to globalization and IOT. It’s much harder to turn off, and you have to have that counter-balance in your life,” Mawer said.

“That balance is hard to find … if we can bring that balance here through our workspace, programming and member socials, we think we can help entrepreneurs achieve that.”

Expanding into this community was an obvious choice for Workhaus, since it is full of resources for startup businesses.

“You can look at the Waterloo Small Business Centre, Communitech, Waterloo EDC and even Google who offers a great deal of relevant programming. It makes sense that this city has the fastest growing ecosystem in Canada, and it makes sense for us to be here,” Mawer

explained.

Additionally, Mawer is confident that this new Workhaus location will help to bridge the innovation corridor between Toronto-Waterloo, since their members can work out of their Toronto spaces if needed and vice-versa.

The building Workhaus has taken over was constructed along with the Kitchener Market. Interestingly, the big, beautiful infrastructure remained unoccupied for the past 11 years, collecting garbage and becoming an eyesore in a rather prominent area of the city.

“We’ve completely renovated the second floor and brought it up to code. Everything in the building is brand new and we’ve made the first floor a very open, bright space,” Mawer admired.

Eager to get involved with the local community and build relationships, Workhaus intends to occasionally open its doors as an event space with a capacity of 100 people. They look forward to testing out the space’s aptitude for events as they plan their grand opening on May 9.

“The grand opening will be inviteonly due to our capacity, but we are very excited because it will be a celebration not only of Workhaus, but of all that Kitchener-Waterloo has to offer … everything we will be serving will be entirely locally sourced as well,” Mawer shared.

“The biggest thing to know about this location is that we want to be a part of the Kitchener community and we want to work with the entire ecosystem to help make this a special place to be.”

Adam Mawer, above, is the director of Workhaus KW. NICK STANLEY PHOTOS

MUCH T’DO IN

STRATFORD

HYPERLOCAL TRAVEL

JUANITA METZGER CONTRIBUTOR A weekend destination doesn’t have to be far away to be a fun adventure.

Stratford is just 50 km southwest of Kitchener-Waterloo and it has everything a traveller needs in a city – world class arts, outdoor nature pursuits, a passionate culinary scene and special events galore.

‘Close to home’ places are too often easily overlooked. Just because Stratford is a nearby, neighbouring city to Waterloo Region doesn’t mean it’s not worth the visit. I’ve visited Stratford more than 10 times since I moved to Kitchener almost 20 years ago; I find new things to do on every outing and I’ve certainly never been bored.

If theatre is your gig, the Stratford Festival is an clear choice. We have North America’s largest classical repertory theatre company just down the road. Choose from more than a dozen productions in four different theatre venues.

Obviously there are a few Shakespeare plays to pick from but there are also the classics,

contemporary dramas and musicals.

For a more detailed view of the history of the Stratford Festival, take a behind-the-scenes tour of the costume and props warehouse, the Festival Theatre, the gardens or the Festival Archives.

In Stratford, the arts extend beyond theatre to include Gallery Stratford, Stratford Summer Music Festival (July - August), Art in the Park (select days May - September), Stratford Studio Tour (May and September) and Springworks, an indie theatre festival.

Last year I discovered Stratford has two of the sweetest literary festivals during the month of October; the Stratford Writers Festival (literature and the arts) and Appetite for Words (literature and the culinary arts). I’ll be back again this year.

Speaking of culinary arts, Stratford has a world renowned Chef’s School where you can nibble your way through classes or workshops in their Open Kitchen series for home cooks. If tasting and sampling is more your style, rather than the hard work of food preparation and cooking, try the Savour Stratford Bacon and Ale Trail or the Chocolate Trail. Work up an appetite while foraging for wild edibles on a Puck’s Plenty’s Foraging Tour (seasonally) along the Avon and Thames River trails.

And, I haven’t even touched on

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO COURTESY OF VISIT STRATFORD the restaurants! Seriously, you can’t go wrong with a foodie weekend in Stratford.

All of these adventures are reachable through Stratford’s extremely walkable city core but it’s also easy to go a little farther afield: rent a paddle boat, canoe or kayak to explore the River Avon or rent bikes from Totally Spoke’d to go country riding along Perth County roads. Visit Stratford and Stratford Cycling Club have maps available for

download.

If you’re not already packing your bags, here’s the clincher. As of this year, you don’t even need a car to get to Stratford for the weekend from Kitchener-Waterloo. Hop on the Stratford Direct Bus ($19 return!), which leaves Waterloo Town Square Friday – Sunday. You need to have proof of Festival tickets but otherwise, you can take the bus to Stratford on Friday, stay in a comfy hotel and come back Sunday

evening. So civilized.

There’s so much more than just swans and Shakespeare in Stratford and I suggest you put this on your ‘must visit’ list before the end of October. Although, Stratford is where our Victoria Park swan, Otis, vacations for the winter and recently found his new mate.

So, if Stratford is good enough for Otis, it’s certainly good enough for me and you.

13

MAY 2019 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

PAIGE BUSH PHOTO

BREAKING DOWN THE GENDER DIVIDE IN KITCHENS

519 SCHMECKS

NICK BENNINGER COLUMNIST “Your head chef is not a bitch because she is demanding, she is demanding because she is incredible, just like I expect you to be!”

If I have to explain that to one more

young cook in my life it will be one more too many — but I will — as I won’t allow the learning moment to pass.

I know I am not the right person to necessarily take this topic on, but I certainly am the one that can afford to. While as a white man and successful restaurateur from a comfortable upbringing, I may lack the credibility and life experience to preach on the topic of gender equity or equity of any kind in the kitchen, I do have the luxury of a position of power to risk voicing an unpopular opinion.

If my years of trying to be a leader in the local culinary industry have earned me the platform to do so, well then frankly it’s my responsibility to use it.

Have I always embodied equitable values? No. But I have grown and challenged myself to be better. Recognizing that toxic masculinity can take many forms was a big step for me; how easily and naturally “good guys” can dive in head first is important to acknowledge. Think you’re a “good guy?” Let’s take away that “I’ve never grabbed an ass in the workplace”

badge of honour you wear because I can bet dollars to donuts you’ve called someone a “pussy” for crying while chopping onions, or a “housewife” for peeling potatoes the wrong way.

This culture makes women reluctant when considering a career in the kitchen. Proclaiming “I’m happy to work alongside chicks in the kitchen” does not make you open minded it makes you a “bro” and leads to a seriously hostile work environment for everyone else, especially women. The necessary need to comment on your co-workers gender creates a gender division; my whole point is that that division doesn’t need to exist.

Not only is this gross and unfair, it can be dangerous and lead to unsafe situations for women and LGBTQ+ folks in the workplace.

My wife and I operate a restaurant group born from our mom-and-popshop many moons ago, it seems. In that time the industry has changed; gone are the days of the spotless celebrity chef.

Some of those seemingly cheerful, cultured and revered chefs have perpetuated rape culture in the back of kitchens and in their personal lives. News of this exposed a dark and disgusting reality of kitchen culture.

If this didn’t cause every restaurant owner, chef and manager to do a review of their own practices and work environments — what would?

I found a few industry peers happy to defend chefs like Batali and Besh, or restaurants like Weslodge — all of which were accused of sexual assault or misconduct — preaching the classic “innocent until proven guilty” cliché (and yes it needs to be called a cliché.)

From that moment on it’s been easy for me to see that faults of this industry, the faults of our “good guys” and easy to advocate for a better future.

We have changed a lot too within our

own bubble, our first staff party had 16 people attend, we now work with over 200 employees. I am extremely proud that our gender gap is non existent.

Our management team in 70 per cent women and 30 per cent men.

How and why has this happened in our little enclave of this industry?

Who knows really — random luck, location, it could be anything.

It’s not because we made a mandate to hire women over men; the only mandate we made was a personal commitment to provide a fair, equal and a truly inclusive work environment. One where anyone could work, feel safe, welcome, included and encouraged to flourish. We simply made a real commitment to protect the right to a fair and inclusive work environment for all, not just half the applicants that walked in the door.

If there was ever an easier leap to take, it is that one. If there was ever a more comfortable perch to take it from its mine, the successful chef who is a white man. I have the opportunity to take the high road here and teach a younger generation a better way and encourage other restaurateurs to continue to do the same.

As I look across the street at my fellow chefs and restaurateurs, I see lots of great things that encourage me to think times are changing. I see women in high positions in kitchens around the city and its great the think the health of the hospitality industry and kitchen culture is headed in the right direction, albeit embarrassing it needed correction at all.

Check out the website for an amazing recipe from the women who taught me to cook, and be the person I am today: my Mom’s Beef Rouladen.

Nick Benninger is a local chef and restaurant owner.

CREATIVE COMMONS PHOTO

HOW TO KEEP YOUR GARDEN GREEN

EASY BEING GREEN

STACEY DANCKERT COLUMNIST The weather is finally warming and I am starting to see more of my neighbours outside working on spring cleanup and gardening. Big or small, how we care for our outdoor spaces can have an impact on local ecosystems.

Since the success of Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring, the significant negative impact of pesticides are well known — including disruption of natural ecosystems, harmful effects on pollinators and wildlife, diminished reproduction in fish species, as well

as carcinogenic effects and organ damage in humans. Their accumulation in fat tissue means their impacts increase over time.

In most instances we can use other means to get rid of pests such as a soap water spray, removal or other natural deterrents. For example, aphids eat pests you may not want, and nasturtiums deter them (and are a beautiful garnish to a salad!)

Avoiding the use of gasoline-powered machines is another important step. Mowers emit the equivalent of about 20 miles of driving per hour and leaf blowers are even worse.

Consider using a push mower or at least an electric one. As for leaves, studies show they are better left and mowed into the lawn to become a mulch fertilizer. As an added benefit, leaf-covered grass has been shown to turn green first in the spring and maple leaves deter crabgrass and

dandelions.

Better yet, ditch the grass altogether.

As a monoculture, it creates ideal conditions for pests and disease, which then take more resources to manage.

There are many great alternatives that offer a variety of benefits and can help build diversity. Any remaining grass should be watered deeply to lengthen their roots, kept long to compete against weeds and be converted to local varieties.

Managing water is another important facet of an ecologically positive yard. Captured water can be used on any areas that need extra water, thus avoiding the use of town water and the resources that go into bringing it to our homes, while also avoiding the damaging effects of chlorine.

Increasingly large rain events leads to more flooding, so water management may also save you money!

Proper drainage through features such

as trees and rain gardens can keep the water away from your basement.

Impermeable surfaces (such as paving) should be limited since many of our old city sewer systems can’t keep up with the growing needs from climate breakdown.

A great holistic approach for yard care is permaculture, a thoughtfully designed strategy with elements that serve multiple roles, that is multi-layered, match their local ecology and eventually leading to a self-contained system.

For example, some plants naturally provide nitrogen to surrounding plants and can replace fertilizers, which, among other issues, have lead to huge dead zones in oceans. Other types of plants can address additional nutrient needs including potassium and calcium. Plants can also attract and support pollinators, while others can repel unwanted pests. Waste is

composted or used as mulch to be recycled back into the system, further improving its health over time.

Vertical components can add shade, act as support for vines and denser spacing controls weeds. These can be built up over time and become mostly self-sustaining. Even balconies or small spaces can use permaculture practices.

Working outside can be beneficial to our mental health, builds a connection with our natural environment and can extend our living space. It can be fun to learn new techniques, and there are many great resources in addition to online, the local Horticultural Society and REEP Green Solutions also have a wealth of information. Happy gardening!

Stacey Danckert is co-director of Waterloo Region Environment Network (WREN).

MAY 2019 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

14

EVENT LISTINGS

WE’VE HAND SELECTED SOME COOL UPCOMING EVENTS AND WRITTEN SOME WITTY COMMENTARY. YOU’RE WELCOME.

SATURDAY, MAY 4-5

SATURDAY, MAY 11

SATURDAY, MAY 25

KW PET EXPO THE AUD

PREPARING TO GARDEN DOON HERITAGE VILLAGE

HOHNER AVE, KITCHENER

Want to spoil your pet? Who doesn’t? Stop by the KW Pet Expo to meet over 120 vendors offering treats and services for your pets.

We’re not going to lie, the best part about this is that you can bring your pet with you for the day so you can spend quality time together. Also dogspotting is an official sport.

Some people have a green thumb, and others kill every single plant in sight. It doesn’t make you a bad person! Here’s your chance to improve your skills by learning about watering, fertilizing and soil preparation, just in time for gardening season. Advanced registration is required.

It is quite possibly one of the most Stars Hollow-y things KW has to offer. The annual Hohner Ave Porch Party is back. In other words, summer is almost here, and that’s something to celebrate. Listen to talented musicians as they take over your own backyard, or umm front yard in this case.

Information • $6-12 • 10am - 5pm

Workshop • $10 • 1:30-3:30pm

Community • Free • 3-8pm

SATURDAY, MAY 4

SATURDAY, MAY 11

WEDNESDAY, MAY 29

RIM PARK

ETSY LOCAL MARKET

KW GROOVE ROLLER SKATE GRAND RIVER ARENA

DEVINCI DEMO EXPERIENCE THE HYDROCUT, GLASGOW ST

Feeling crafty? Living Fresh Flower Studio presents the fourth annual Etsy Local Market at Forbes Hall in RIM Park this weekend. More than 80 Etsy shops from the Region will be on site. Coffee, breakfast and lunch options are available, as well as 50 swag bags and raffle prizes.

Just take all my money already!

When was the last time you got your roller skating groove on? For one night only, you can kick it (or roll it) old school at this night of roller skating or roller blading. It’s all going to a good cause. The event is a fundraiser for LOCO Roller Derby.

Skate rentals are $5, unless you still have yours from 1999.

Just like Freddie Mercury, you want to ride your bicycle and what better opportunity to try out a Devinci bike, than to demo it on The Hydrocut? It’s a great way to blow off steam, and enjoy the trail after a long day of work. So let your hair down -and cover it back up with a helmet because safety is important.

Shopping • $2 • 10am-4pm

Fun • $5-8 • 6-10pm

Fun • Free • 3-8pm

SUNDAY, MAY 5

SUNDAY, MAY 12

THURSDAY, MAY 30

MOTHER’S DAY LUNCHEON SCHWABEN CLUB

MOTHER’S DAY TEA LOLOAN LOBBY BAR

MARGARET ATWOOD

If you need to celebrate Mother’s Day early, or you just really love schnitzel, The Schwaben Club is hosting a plated meal. The event is presented by the Frauengruppe of the Schwaben Club, and if Mom doesn’t like schnitzel, there’s also roasted chicken thighs available.

But seriously, get the schnitzel.

Sandwiches, truffles, cakes, warm scones and a cuppa’ are all the stars of the show at this Mother’s Day event. Treat the moms in your life (oh who are we kidding? Treat yourself!) by calling ahead to book a table for this Sunday afternoon tea! Did we mention the truffles and warm scones?

THEMUSEUM presents Margaret Atwood: From The Handmaid’s Tale to Art & Technology at Centre In The Square. You know, it’s just one of the most beloved writers of our time stopping by for an evening conversation in our very own hometown, no big deal. Blessed be the fruit.

Fun • $25 • 11:30am-4pm

Fun • $42 • 11:30am-2pm

Art • $68-83 • 7 -10pm

WEDNESDAY MAY 8-11

WEDNESDAY, MAY 22

SATURDAY, JUNE 1

GRAND RIVER FILM FESTVAL

APOLLO, CIGI, GALAXY CINEMAS

FREE FOR MEMBERS: GET OUT APOLLO

RUGGED MANIAC

This is for film buffs and well, really anyone who appreciates a good excuse to grab a good beer and some snacks. Grand River Film Festival is taking place early in the month.

Share your love of film with the community by attending screenings and panels. We’re giving it two thumbs up!

If you’re a member at Apollo Cinema, you’re in luck. Downtown Kitchener’s beloved cinema is showing Jordan Peele’s astounding masterpiece Get Out free for members. So grab your membership card and run downtown. Just don’t go to the sunken place and be weary of tea cups.

This event claims to be half festival and half mud run. It’s the perfect recipe for a fun and rugged day!

You’ll do some serious adulting here with the 3-story water slide, pieeating contests, dance-offs, steinhoisting, trampolines, and a 3-mile obstacle course. Reserve a spot online for you and your friends.

Fun • $15 per show • Various times

Community• Free • 7-9pm

Fun • Free • 9am-4pm

FRIDAY MAY 10-11

THURSDAY, MAY 23

SATURDAY, JUNE 1

ROCK THE BOATHOUSE FEST THE BOATHOUSE

WINE & SIGN KITCHENER MARKET

LUCY PEARLLE’S, WELLESLEY

Attention Kitchener-Waterloo metal heads! The Boathouse has a present for you! Get your fix of hardcore, deathcore and progressive metal at this two-day festival taking place at Victoria Park’s favourite music venue. You won’t leave disappointed. Even Otis and Ophelia are ready to rock!

So, this magical wooden sign workshop offers wine AND paint.

Need we say more? You don’t even have to be talented. The workshop will go step-by-step to teach you how to create the perfect summer themed wood sign. They even offer snacks. Seriously, this is a great way to kick off the weekend early.

Lucy and Earlle Pearlle invite you to join them along with their friends, and over 65 local artists and vintage vendors to celebrate Lucy’s 4th annual vintage and artisan market at the mill in Wellesley. Sip on some lemonade, and shop ‘til you drop because you won’t be able to resist all the adorable things.

Fun • $15 per show • Various times

Workshop • $60 •6:30-9:30pm

Shopping • Free • 8am-4pm

SATURDAY, MAY 11

FRIDAY, MAY 24-26

SATURDAY, JUNE 22

MOTHER’S DAY MARKET NORTH DUMFRIES

FORKS AND BARRELS ON THE GRAND

A TOP SECRET LOCATION

Go ahead and admit it. You still don’t know what you’re getting anyone for Mother’s Day. It’s okay, we promise not to tell anyone. The good news is that this market on Greenfield Rd. will have homegrown and handcrafted goods from tons of local vendors, so you can pretend you had a plan all along.

Imagine an entire village filled with delicious food, wine, beer, spirits, live performances and art. What if we told you that magical place actually exists, and you can visit it between May 24 - 26 in your own backyard? What’s that? You just cancelled the other plans you had that weekend? We thought so.

We’re back, and celebrating our 10th birthday. Where? You know we can’t tell you. This party is going off the rails, and we have lots of surprises in store. Celebrate local art, food, craft beverages and community at our super weird party with 600 of your newest best friends. Tickets go on sale May 9 at noon.

Shopping • $2 • 10am-4pm

Beer • $5-30 • Various times

Art • $55 • 6-11pm

COMMUNITYEDITION.CA @THECOMMUNITYED

HOHNER AVE PORCH PARTY

CENTRE IN THE SQUARE

CHICOPEE

VINTAGE & ARTISAN MARKET

STEEL RAILS 2019

FLOW

DONATE A PRODUCT DAYS:

THE MENSTRUATION EXHIBITION Curated by Virginia Eichhorn

On Until May 28!

The FLOW Dialogues: May ay 8 / Wednesday / 7pm - Must RSVP

Menopause: Beyond the Hot Flash

May ay 15 / Wednesday / 5:30pm - Must RSVP

Menstruation: More Than Just Periods

Bring a menstrual product to THEMUSEUM on Sunday, May 12, or Sunday, May 26, 2019, and receive $5 admission*! *Each visitor will need to donate a product to be eligible for a discounted admission rate.

In partnership with Male Allies and SHORE Centre May ay 27 / Monday / 7pm - Offsite at Apollo Cinema

Monday Bloody Monday: Carrie title sponsor

THEMUSEUM.ca

supporting sponsor

DOWNTOWN KITCHENER

MAY 2019 // @THECOMMUNITYED

16

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: IT’S COMPLICATED? OTIS THE SWAN HAS BEEN NAMED THE STAR OF THE BACHELOR 2019 — THE VICTORIA PARK EDITION

HUMOUR

MELISSA EMBURY CONTRIBUTOR It’s the moment Bachelor fans have been waiting for — local Kitchener swan-about-town Otis has been picked as the new star of the show for the 2019 season: The Victoria Park Edition.

A widower since 2012 when his last mate died tragically — as reported in 2017 by The Record — he’s used to the single life. Although Otis has been hurt in the past, he may be ready to start a new chapter of his story on the open waters. Will Otis try to leave his wounded heart behind as he takes another flap at finding love?

After having been a contender on Bachelor in Paradise multiple times, Otis finally has his own season as the Bachelor. While wintering at the swan resort in Stratford with a huge cast of other talent, Otis made a love connection with a mysterious female swan. She has agreed to return with him to grace the local pond waters of Victoria Park.

Who is this mystery female, people are asking? Fans have been trying to find out. Luckily, her name was recently announced on April 29 after a poll was conducted by the¬ City of Kitchener. Possible names included Odette, Olivia, Olive and even the Queen’s Victoria. However, it was the name Ophelia that was ultimately chosen for this sassy maiden.

Otis, the lone swan of Kitchener, swam his way into all our hearts over the years with his friendly sarcastic jokes and photobombing of people’s weddings. Otis’ huge local fan-base #SwanNation has come out to support him in his quest to finally find true romance after all these years.

His Instagram account @otistheswan is blowing up lately, but he still seems grounded even with all this newfound

fame — he even made front page news on The Record. Otis seems to always have time for his fans, stopping to pose sassily for a photo with them or to offer up a witty, sarcastic honk.

It’s been a suspenseful past couple of episodes, as a strange male trumpeter swan recently swooped into the park from out of nowhere. It looks like a love triangle has been forming between Otis, the unnamed female swan, and this new interloper that fans have taken to calling P14 — due to his tag labels.

Earlier this month, Otis updated us with this post: “(Potential) Relationship Status Update: THIRD WHEEL?” It’s not clear what’s happening — fans have seen the two guys screeching at each other loudly.

But is P14 here for the right reasons?

In a shocking turn of events, the show surprised everyone by adding seven new cast members in late April.

We don’t know for sure where these seven new swans were cast from, or what the male to female ratio is, but local bird watchers confirmed they were a gang of trumpeter swans. It got a bit wild and loud in the evenings with a few too many “bevies” and they got cut from the show.

Not to worry as they flew off to dance with the stars after a short stint on the show, leaving Otis and P14 to duke it out.

The typically sarcastic Otis continues to captivate his audience with his on-point IG posts throughout the season. A recent post said the only love triangles he wants are pizza slices and wifi symbols.

We will have to wait to see how this season of The Bachelor: Victoria Park Edition turns out. Anything could go down on the water this year, but it doesn’t look like smooth sailing based on what we’ve seen so far. Regardless, Otis’ fans will be cheering him on from the sidelines in hopes that Otis will be giving out his final rose.

Fans will be pleased to hear that Cafe Pyrus will be selling Otis swag for the month of May. Stickers and t-shirts designed by local firm ROBIN+ELAINE are available in limited quantities.

MATT SMITH PHOTOS