Stories from the Heart of our Neighbourhoods
RIVERWOOD COMMUNITY BLOCK PARTY • WILSON AVE TRAFFIC CALMING • DOON SOUTH MEET AND MINGLE • CINEMA UNDER THE STARS • STOKE COURT BBQ • CHERRY PARK PICNIC SHELTER • SCHNEIDER CREEK PORCH PARTY • CHALKIN' IT OLD SCHOOL COMMUNITY CHALKBOARDS • AMENITIES IN MAX BECKER PARK •
REFRESH MY OUTDOOR HOOD • CANADA 150 DOGS • TRAYNOR-VANIER COMMUNITY GARDEN • ST KATERI SCHOOL GARDEN • MATH WALL AND ACCESSIBLE TABLE • ST ANDREWS COMMUNITY GARDEN • MORGAN AVE TRAFFIC CALMING • GILDNER GREEN COMMUNITY GARDEN • COMMUNITY ROOTS GARDEN •
WALLENBERG PARK COMMUNITY GARDEN • THOMAS SLEE PARK SEATING • BACKYARD SESSIONS • SUNDAY EVENINGS CONCERT IN THE PARK SERIES • DOON GETS ACTIVE • NEIGHBOURS BBQ • ALPINE SCHOOL
PLAYGROUND STRUCTURES • FINDING THE WAY • FOREST HEIGHTS FOOD FORESTRY • QUEENSMOUNT
BUNKER COMMUNITY MURAL • WESTMOUNT AND GLASGOW MURALS • BELMONT VILLAGE GATEWAY
BANNER POLES • BEAUTIFICATION TO WEST AVE TRAIL HEADS • COMMUNITY THOUGHTS • VICTORIA PARK
OUTDOOR GYM • PIONEER PARK FIRE HALL URBAN FARM/FOOD FOREST • GZOWSKI PARK COMMUNITY GARDEN FOOD HEDGE PROJECT • ST TERESA CATHOLIC SCHOOL PLAYGROUND • MCKENZIE AVE STREET PARTY • FRED'S BENCHES • DUKE STREET WEST MUSIC FEST • VICTORIA COMMONS NEIGHBOURHOOD STREET PARTY • LIVENING UP OUR LITTLE LIBRARY EAFY STYLE • COURTLAND SHELLEY COMMON SPACE
OUTDOOR IMPROVEMENTS • MIDTOWN RADIO PROJECT • SOCIAL SKILLS AND LITERACY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM • LOVE YOUR LAKESIDE • BERLIN FLEA MARKET • LANEWAY EDIBLE PLANT/GARDEN
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT • THE CENTREVILLE-CHICOPEE COMMUNITY GARDEN • ALPINE COMMUNITY GARDEN • RAISED GARDEN BEDS FOR VICTORIA HILLS COMMUNITY GARDEN • ROCKWAY RAISED BED HERB GARDEN • VICTORIA COMMON COMMUNITY GARDEN • SECURING A SHED IN UNIROYAL-GOODRICH PARK • KINZIE PARK TREE PLANTING • MONTEREY ROAD STREET PARTY • CELEBRATE THE PIANO • EID AL-ADHA FESTIVAL AND BAZAAR • CEDARWOODS CRESCENT BBQ • RUSH MEADOW LITTLE FREE LIBRARY • PIONEER PARK LITTLE LIBRARY • SUNDAY NIGHT CONCERTS IN PIONEER PARK • BEAUTIFYING OUR COMMUNITY
ENTRANCE SIGNAGE • WILLIAMSBURG COMMUNITY SIGNAGE BOARDS • WISAHKOTEWINOWAK MAPLE SYRUP PROGRAM • GIRLS SOCCER PROJECT • NORTH SIX FARMER'S MARKET • TUNNEL VISION (REVITALEYESED) • EID AL FITR CHILDREN'S CELEBRATION • WESTMOUNT NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAQUE • GRAFFITI WALL / MCNA SIGNS / COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION • THE LOCAL ADVOCATE DIGITAL PLACEMAKING PROJECT • HALLS LANE MURAL • OUR FARM COMMUNITY MARKET • GAGA FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AT QUEEN ELIZABETH • SANCTUARY REFUGEE HEALTH CENTRE 6TH YEAR CELEBRATION • DUKE STREET EAST STREET PAINTING • SUDDABY STARS • CENTRAL FREDERICK BIRDHOUSE ART INSTALLATION • LANCASTER PARK
IMPROVEMENTS • LOOSE PARTS BIN ARGYLE PARK • GAUKEL GREENWAY POP-UP PARK • CREATIVITY, COLOUR AND MAKER CULTURE • PATHWAY LOOP AT SHEPPARD AND KNOLLWOOD • HERITAGE LEARNING GARDEN • FLOW ARTS IN THE PARK • FOREST HEIGHTS POLLINATOR PATCH •
A message from City Council
Dear Neighbour,
Welcome to the story of LoveMyHood. It’s your story, and the story of neighbourhoods throughout the City of Kitchener that you are all proud to call your home. On behalf of your City Council, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to you - our residents, neighbourhood builders and community champions who make Kitchener the incredible place that it is!
The vision of LoveMyHood is one where you, as residents, take the lead and the City supports you along the way. As Kitchener residents, you don’t expect someone else to make your neighbourhoods great. You’re ready, willing and able to do it yourselves. The City is there to help, but in the end, the best neighbourhoods are made by you, the people who live there.
In a world that often feels fastpaced and disconnected, your dedication to fostering a sense of belonging within our city is truly commendable. It is through your collective actions and shared values that we continue to create spaces where everyone feels welcome and valued. Your commitment to building strong, inclusive neighbourhoods is the cornerstone of what makes Kitchener such a special place to call home.
This book acts as a collection of the stories of LoveMyHood and the neighbourhood projects that inspire community-building. The projects are achievable and flexible enough to adapt to each of Kitchener’s amazing neighbourhoods. You and your neighbours can decide on the project and LoveMyHood provides useful tips, step-by-step processes, and perhaps some money to help along the way.
Our neighbourhoods are more than just a physical location where we happen to live; more than a boundary drawn on a map. Our neighbourhoods are a reflection of who we are – diverse, unique, interesting – and they are the foundation of the community we are working to build together. On behalf of Kitchener City Council, we want to thank you for being a great neighbour and supporting the resident-led, city supported vision of LoveMyHood!
Berry Vrbanovic Mayor
Top left to right: Councillor Margaret Johnston, Ward 8; Councillor Dave Schnider, Ward 2; Councillor Scott Davey, Ward 1; Councillor Ayo Owodunni, Ward 5; Councillor Stephanie Stretch, Ward 10; Mayor Berry Vrbanovic; Councillor Bil Ioannidis, Ward 7; Councillor Paul Singh, Ward 6. Middle: Councillor Christine Michaud, Ward 4; Councillor Debbie Chapman, Ward 9.
Bottom: Councillor Jason Deneault, Ward 3.
Creation of LoveMyHood
In 2015 the City of Kitchener initiated a project to develop Kitchener’s first-ever Neighbourhood Strategy. Over an 18 month period, the project team of residents and staff engaged the public with lemonade stands, hot chocolate and colouring, neighbourhood parties and a placemaking challenge.
• 5,343 people participated, which is three people for every street in Kitchener!
• 3,842 hours of conversation were held, which is like talking about neighbourhoods for 160 consecutive days!
Using the feedback gathered from Kitchener residents and the effort of volunteers and city staff, LoveMyHood was created in 2017 on the following three pillars:
Great Places that provide opportunities for neighbourhoods to celebrate their diversity together.
Connected People through strengthened neighbour relationships by creating more ways for connection.
Positive change created through Working Together as residents, organizations and city staff.
The LoveMyHood vision encourages residents to take the lead in shaping their neighbourhood, with help from the city. Residents choose the projects that matter most to them and decide how to shape the future of their neighbourhood. After all, the best neighbourhoods are made by the people who live in them. LoveMyHood not only provides support, but possible funding through the LoveMyHood Matching Grant.
The LoveMyHood Matching Grant supports new resident-led projects and neighbourhood initiatives across the city. Applicants may request amounts up to $30,000. Grant details are available at www.lovemyhood.ca.
The LoveMyHood Matching grant is unique in that neighbours can satisfy the matching component of the grant through volunteer time, loaned and donated equipment, services in kind and other donations. No monetary investment from neighbours is required.
The LoveMyHood Matching Grant Selection Committee will review applications during review periods. Read more about our vision, action items and intake dates on our website at www.lovemyhood.ca.
Do you have an idea for your neighbourhood?
The Neighbourhood Development Office helps you every step of the way as you apply for a LoveMyHood Matching Grant. The LoveMyHood Matching Grant supports new resident-led neighbourhood projects across the city. Applicants may receive up to $30,000. Events, programs and projects must be Kitchener neighbourhood specific (not city-wide) and open and inclusive to all neighbours.
Get together with your neighbours to come up with an idea to improve your neighbourhood.
A Project Manager becomes part of your team to support your project and help you apply for a grant.
Our grant selection committee is made up of volunteers and staff that will review all applications and award funding.
Your neighbourhood Liaison works with you and City staff to implement your idea.
Celebrate your project with your neighbourhood, continue to build relationships and keep the good work going.
The LoveMyHood Matching Grant supports new resident-led, city-supported initiatives that are geographically based within neighbourhoods. To determine if your project is eligible, reach out to our team to discuss the grant criteria. For city-wide initiatives and other types of projects, please visit www.kitchener.ca/grants to explore additional grant opportunities.
LoveMyHood Over the Years
180 Grants Awarded
160+ New Groups Supported
30+ Project Types Supports over $1,000,000 in funding Awarded
15 Neighbourhood + Greening Projects
(tree planting, pollinator gardens etc.)
2 Community Gar 5+ den Projects (allotment and communal gardens)
10 Neighbourhood + Programs (yoga in the park, youth theatre program etc.)
35 Placemaking Amenities (little libraries, park ping pong table, etc.)
10 Park Seating Projects (benches, picnic tables and natural seating etc.)
10 Resident-lead Traffic Calming + Projects (temporary signs, painted crosswalks etc.)
35,000+ Volunteer Hours Served
3 Street Parties 0+ and Events (movie in the park, neighbourhood sports, events etc.)
10 Neighbourhood Art Projects + (murals, chalkboard signs etc.)
This data is intended to provide a snapshot of what has been funded through the LoveMyHood program over the years and may not be comprehensive.
Community Gardens
Community gardens are coordinated by volunteers to bring neighbours together to grow vegetables, fruit, flowers, lasting relationships and a sense of belonging in their community.
Heights Pollinator Garden
Forest
The neighbours of Kingsdale
Growing Together Community Garden
Searching for something can often lead to unexpected discoveries.
This was the case as Priscilla Muzira looked into getting a garden plot, but the community gardens near her had long waiting lists of gardeners ahead of her.
Her passion for gardening inspired her to look into starting a community garden in a park. She contacted a LoveMyHood Project Manager, who told her about the LoveMyHood Matching Grant and worked with internal city staff to help them find vacant space in the Kingsdale neighbourhood.
The space would be perfect for a new community garden, and Priscilla engaged with neighbours within 120 metres of a proposed community garden and asked if they would be interested in forming a committee and applying.
“The majority of people I spoke with supported the community garden project, so we put in an application, and we were approved,” she said.
The Growing Together Community Garden opened and includes 25 plots for individuals and five communal plots. The committee is comprised of members of the Kingsdale neighbourhood and the wider Kitchener African and Caribbean community.
With their first growing season behind them, the Growing Together Community Garden committee looks forward to welcoming gardeners back. She said they want to raise more of the garden beds to make them accessible and add fencing around the plots.
“The fence will help protect the plots, and we plan on putting out a table to provide produce for community members and donate some to the Food Bank. Many people in the neighbourhood have benefitted from the Food Bank by receiving a food hamper—this will be our way of giving back to the community,” she said.
The Growing Together Community Garden is bringing people together through growing food, not just for neighbours, but also for the local Food Bank. How would you use a LoveMyHood Matching Grant to help give back to your neighbourhood?
The neighbours of Country Hills Country Hills Community Gardens
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Alicia and Jason Miller wanted to find a plot in a community garden. They started researching available plots near their home but quickly realized none were nearby. That’s when an inspirational walk happened.
“We were walking through the park with my daughter, and we noticed it had this big open space with beautiful sunlight. I asked myself, ‘Why don't we have a community garden in our neighbourhood?’” she said.
Alicia met with a City Project Manager to learn about the process of creating a community garden. Alicia started talking to neighbours to form a committee to apply for the grant and plan for the garden.
“I walked the neighbourhood and collected more than 70 signatures to join a waitlist for plots. I said to the City, ‘Give us the space, and we promise we’ll do good things.’—and we did!” Alicia said.
The Country Hills Community Gardens opened in July 2021 and has more than 50 garden beds and 200 feet of berry bushes designed to bring neighbours together through shared interests in gardening and sustainable food.
Making the garden accessible for everyone in the neighbourhood is an integral part of the garden.
Some of the plots are raised beds for easy access, and the garden’s Plots for Tots program sets aside 20 smaller plots reserved for children under 18. In 2023, Country Hills Public School students in grades three and four grew food in plots as part of their learning experience.
“We want the garden to be educational. We also teamed up with high school students who needed volunteer hours. With the berries, for example, when the kids come home from school and they're walking through the park, they know they can stop and have a snack right there. We want kids in the neighbourhood to know they’re part of the garden community,” she said.
When children understand where the food comes from, it can help them make better nutritional choices. How would you use a LoveMyHood Matching Grant to create a shared interest in gardening in your neighbourhood?
The neighbours of Forest Heights Forest Heights Gold Garden
We often think about what we eat, but where does that food come from? As food insecurity issues increase in our community, a group of youth in the Forest Heights neighbourhood have taken action to grow nutritious food and better understand the factors affecting food supplies and prices.
Youth Reaching Heights partnered with the Forest Heights Community Centre and Smart Waterloo Region Innovation Lab’s Nurture program to create a community space for growing food. Nurture is an innovative food-producing program that supports youth-led gardens and food forest plantings across Waterloo Region.
The group used a LoveMyHood Matching Grant to install three raised planters in an underused greenspace at the Forest Heights Community Centre.
Jahmeeks Beckford, Play-Lead at the Smart Waterloo Region Innovation Lab, said the garden program helps reconnect young people with nature and gives them a sense of responsibility in their community.
“People forget that we can produce our own food. We asked ourselves how we could reconnect people with that idea. I knew that the Forest Heights Community Centre team was interested in doing something different to help give local youth more ownership of the space.” said Jahmeeks.
The first growing season was a success, with the Youth Reaching Heights group growing their first crop to eat and share with others in the community.
The Forest Heights Gold Garden and the larger garden project were so successful that Smart Waterloo Region Innovation Lab is working on a new program to tend the gardens during the summer.
The new program will provide an honorarium to youth to keep the gardens growing in July and August.
One of the youths who participated in the program said it has inspired them to continue gardening.
“I’ve learned more about gardening, and I would like to keep doing this even after my involvement in the program ends. I would like to do it at home,” they said.
Giving
our youth a sense of ownership of their neighbourhoods is a powerful way to help guide them to better futures. What projects in your neighbourhood would you use a LoveMyHood Matching Grant to help engage with young people?
The neighbours of Kitchener Market Community-Powered Urban Agriculture
Picking strawberries as you walk down King Street might seem like a utopian vision of the future, but the seeds of change are growing today at the Community-Powered Urban Agriculture initiative at the Kitchener Market.
The initiative is located at the Kitchener Market where raised planters grow food for the community by the community. Lead organizer Kamil Ahmed said the idea came from the feedback he received working on the Community Fridge KW project providing food to those in need stocked by neighbours and local businesses.
“We were hearing from neighbours that it was awesome that the fridge exists, but many were living in precarious housing situations or a condo or student residence and couldn’t grow their own food. That started shifting our needle from food insecurity to food sovereignty work,” Kamil said.
Kamil approached Cameron Dale, the Kitchener Market’s manager, about the idea and found they had a suitable space available for an urban agriculture initiative.
The project’s pilot was funded through a LoveMyHood Matching Grant. For the pilot, Kamil and the team chose to build planters that could be used the next season. Volunteers heard the call to action and came out to help.
“People came with wood, coffee, and energy. We installed the planters in late May, and at the same time, we had neighbours growing seedlings to be transplanted into soil. We had a small growing season, but we accomplished our goal to prove to the community and ourselves that it's possible to collectively grow and access food in public spaces,” Kamil said.
The initiative is part of a continuing community-led vision to reduce food waste and food
insecurity and remind people that everyone has something to offer.
“You're more than your product. You have a gift, a skill, time, energy, a network, a vehicle, support systems—whatever it may be, everybody has something to offer. That worldview and belief underpin our initiatives. Let's engage everybody and make sure everyone has the ability to participate,” he said.
Kamil and the project volunteers have a vision for growing food anywhere across the city. If you could build a garden in your neighbourhood, where would it be and what would you grow?
Neighbourhood Programs
Kitchener residents use their skills and talents to create community program to connect neighbours and create relationships.
Rockway Gardens Yoga in the Park
The neighbours of Centreville-Chicopee
Centreville-Chicopee Community Market
In the Centreville-Chicopee neighbourhood, the House of Friendship and a group of neighbours worked together to understand the community’s needs when it came to affordable and healthy food. The result was the Centreville-Chicopee Community Market, a sustainable community market providing fresh, affordable produce and free spaces for neighbours to sell their own crafts and baked goods.
Maggie Cahill, a Community Development Worker at House of Friendship, worked on the project and said neighbour involvement was critical to creating a market that met their needs. House of Friendship spoke with more than 150 families who used the organization's Food Distribution Program.
“We received a good amount of interest from families who live in the neighborhood who said that they would be willing to shop and help run the market,” Maggie said.
The neighbours were invited to join a committee and applied for a LoveMyHood Matching Grant. The funding provided through the grant was used to help subsidize some of the market’s offerings to help with affordability. The market offered a selection of food items at or below cost, with third-party food vendors offering additional selections.
“The food table provided by the market team filled the gaps of what we couldn't get from a local food provider. We were able to make it a full shopping experience so neighbours could get most of the produce they were looking for,” said Maggie.
The Centreville-Chicopee Community Market held seven markets with support from the LoveMyHood Matching Grant, with each market attracting more people than the last. She adds that they plan on running the markets again in the future and are working to find more support
to make them sustainable for years to come.
“We were recognizing people more and more over the last few markets. Many people said they were making the market part of their weekend plans. They were coming to the market to get fresh produce and then going to the grocery store to get their bread and meat. Word of mouth was getting out with people saying we had great prices—it is amazing to hear,” she said.
Neighbourhood markets can offer produce from everyday staples to fruits and vegetables you might not have had before. What produce would you offer in a neighbourhood market?
The neighbours of Kingsdale KaPa Tie-Dye Program
Our community is built on a rich diversity of cultures and traditions. From festivals and celebrations to arts and music, these traditions do more than connect a group of people—they connect us all. It’s in this spirit that “Mama Esther” is bringing people together in the Kingsdale neighbourhood thanks to the KaPa Tie-Dye project.
KaPa means "you people should come" in the native language of the Kpelle people of Liberia. The program creates an inclusive space for seniors and their families to socialize, network, and share skills and knowledge—specifically the art of tie-dye.
Mama Esther learned the tie-dye process in a Sierra Leone refugee camp.
“I knew I had to go to school, even though I was older at the time. People were laughing at me, but I went to the vocational school to learn a trade. I couldn’t do sewing because I didn’t have glasses and couldn’t see the threads or needles—so I learned to tie-dye,” Mama Esther said.
When Mama Esther was settled in Canada, she started to look for work but was surprised to find there was not much demand for her craft. She learned about the YWCA’s business training program and completed the course to help her understand how to operate a small business in Canada.
Selling her Tie-Dye at the YWCA inspired Mama Esther to create the program and she applied for the LoveMyHood Matching Grant to make it a reality. The KaPa TieDye program uses the grant to help connect seniors through the process of learning tie-dye.
People across the neighbourhood have participated in Mama Esther’s Tie-Dye workshops. Kingsdale resident Barbara Snell said signing up was one of the best things she’s ever done.
“It was awesome! I made so many friends. We talked, laughed, and we told a little bit about ourselves. It was just so uplifting. I also get so many compliments on my new tiedye shirts,” Barbara said.
Mama Esther uses tie-dye to help seniors connect and be creative. What activities would you bring to the table to help connect people?
The neighbours of Chandler Mowat Gathering at the Table
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.
The suppers are organized by a community-oriented church group that holds its services at the Chandler Mowat Community Centre.
Gathering member Catherine Gitzel reflects that as they built relationships with neighbours, they realized that many people in the neighbourhood were dealing with critical food insecurity issues on a daily basis. These relationships helped raise the idea of bringing the community together over a shared meal.
“That's how the community suppers began, and we’ve been holding them once a month over the last seven years. We make a meal for
about 150 to 200 people. We set up tables and chairs in the gym. Then, as a community, we eat together and enjoy conversation getting to know one another better,” Catherine said.
The Gathering funded the meal program for the first few years of community suppers. While the meals were nutritious and well received, the meal program worked on a tight budget. In receiving the City's LoveMyHood Matching Grant, the group was able to expand the suppers and offer more options
“The LoveMyHood Matching Grant allowed us to offer fruit and vegetables with every meal. Our numbers are growing too. We started with 100 and at the last one, we were over 200. We just wouldn't be able to continue to feed that many people without the grant, and we never want to turn anyone away,” she said.
The community suppers bring people together, and they actively work to make everyone at the meals feel included. Many residents live in smaller homes, and the community suppers have allowed them to bring their families together for a meal.
“From our beginning as a church, we knew you could easily just give people a cup of coffee or some food to take home. We don't want it to be that. We are intentionally saying we want to be part of this community. We want to have hope for the future, and we enjoy our neighbourhood together,” Catherine said.
Does your neighbourhood offer meals to bring people together? If you held a community supper, what dish would you bring?
Neighbourhood Placemaking
Placemaking brings neighbourhoods to life by turning everyday spaces into cool gathering places and multi-use destinations for people of all ages.
Tremaine Park Ping Pong Table
The neighbours of Eastwood Montgomery Park Disc Golf
Across Canada, thousands of people are trading drivers for discs on an ever-growing number of disc golf courses. Both sports share the goal of completing a course with a low score, but instead of balls and holes, disc golf players count disc throws into baskets. The Grand River Disc Golf Association was founded in 2018 by local disc golf players to promote the sport and the development of courses around the community.
Zac Jolliffe, one of the Grand River Disc Golf Association founders, said one challenge to growing the sport locally is that existing courses were paid courses. The association wanted to change that by creating a free disc golf course in the city. They partnered with Eastwood Collegiate Institute to apply for a LoveMyHood Matching Grant to build a free-to-play disc golf course in Montgomery Park.
At first, neighbours were not sold on the idea of a disc golf course.
Zac worked with a Neighbourhood Liaison from the City to engage with neighbours to share the vision of what a disc golf course could bring to the neighbourhood. The park remains a multi-use space that the neighbors can still access and enjoy.
“We were able to open it for play in 2022. It's a great resource for the city, and the high school uses it as well. It’s a really accessible place for people to give disc golf a try,” said Zac.
The Montgomery Park Disc Golf course is a beginner-level ninehole course that offers players scenic shots through the trees and opportunities to come together as neighbours. Zac said the course is already becoming popular with disc golf players of all ages and skill levels.
“The Disc Golf course has greatly benefited the Eastwood community and the park itself. The course has successfully increased the number of people enjoying the park, and it's a great way for neighbours to meet one another and bring the community closer together,” said Matthew Kruschack, chair of the Eastwood Neighborhood Association.
“It’s a great course for a fun round, or to introduce people to the sport,” he said.
The Montgomery Park Disc Golf course is a first-of-its-kind project made possible by a LoveMyHood Matching Grant. What game-changing project would you want to see in your neighbourhood?
The neighbours of Paulander The Evolution of Paulander
Neighbourhoods are more than streets, parks, and playgrounds— they are our communities that bring us together in times of celebration and tragedy.
The residents of the Paulander Drive neighbourhood know this well. For years, the neighbourhood had an undeserved reputation for crime, conflict, and poverty. That reputation was a dark cloud for its residents.
“We got tired of having all these negative comments about Paulander. If you looked it up, people would say, ‘Don't ever move to that area.’ We wanted to change our story,” said Paulander resident Joanne Johnson.
One neighbour started talking to another and everyone agreed that the way forward was simply to start doing positive things around the neighbourhood.
An individual can make small changes happen, but a group can be transformative. One of the neighbours said they should all feel like princesses.
“One of our founders said, ‘Let's all be princesses, even the guys.’ There's no hierarchy. We're all on an even playing field. We're all equally invested in this,” said Joanne.
“We had a community garden about 15 years ago, and it was neglected because people kept changing positions. We decided we wanted that back. We wanted it to have raised beds to be accessible to everybody. We wanted a gazebo, too, so that anybody, not just the gardeners, could go there and sit down and have a meal or just commune with nature,” Joanne said.
The Princesses celebrated the opening of the garden and gazebo with Sarah’s Storytelling, an event for children and families in the neighbourhood. The group will
host events throughout the year at the gazebo, including an Earth Hour story time in March, an Easter Egg Hunt in April, and carolers in December.
As the Paulander Princesses continue to change the story of their neighbourhood, Joanne hopes they can inspire other neighbourhoods to change theirs.
“I suggest to anybody who wants to change their neighbourhood that the LoveMyHood Matching Grant is a great way to go,” Joanne said.
Gazebos and gardens can bring old friends and new acquaintances together. What would you do in your neighbourhood to create a gathering space?
The neighbours of Heritage Park The Fairy Forest
Our neighbourhood streets hold hidden treasures for everyone to see. Kitchener resident and artist Laura McBride knows this well and started a project to install fairy doors in the yards of houses in her neighbourhood.
The fairy doors are beautifully painted 5- by- 10- inch doors that she said have the power to bring people together and open their minds to what art can be. Over the years, over 250 fairy doors were installed throughout her neighbourhood, making people pause and think about the space they were in.
The magic of seeing people experience the fairy doors in her neighbourhood inspired Laura and fellow community builder Chris Letizi to take the project from front yards to a public space. The pair applied for a City of Kitchener matching grant to fund an expanded public installation.
“I wanted to do something a little bit unexpected. We got the grant, and I looked around for a naturalized area and we found this location in Shantz Park,” she said.
With the grant and permission from the City’s Natural Areas Program, Laura and Chris installed a dozen fairy doors to create the Fairy Forest. Before the Fairy Forest Laura said some people would leave their garbage in the park, once the project was installed people began taking better care of the park.
“One of the good things about this type of placemaking is that it brings people into a spot, and those people take a stewardship over the spot. Not only did the fairy doors add this little surprise for people to find, but they created some responsibility for us to be caretakers of this space,” said Laura.
Laura said people began referring to her as the “fairy lady”, something she loved. Families and classes from local schools came to The Fairy Forest to explore and be inspired.
“It’s a core memory for those kids. They have a sense that they are from a place that does these kinds of things and that it’s normal. That kind of thing to me is so important. It's so impactful, and I'm so glad that the City of Kitchener gets to support things like this.”
Fairy doors, bird houses, and painted rocks are all examples of small installations that local neighbourhoods have created together. Have you ever created something fun for neighbours to discover?
The neighbours of Dunblane LoveMyHood Dunblane Court Project
Dunblane Court is part of a newer subdivision in Huron Park and is home to many families with young children. Neighbours found themselves connecting with one another on their street. “Everybody had little kids. There were at least 20 kids all roughly the same ages, so everybody would just play together outside while parents stood there on the court and talked,” said resident Stacy Collins.
As the weather started getting warmer, neighbours spent more time socializing on their court. A neighbour asked about leaving chairs for anyone to use. “I called the City to ask about the bylaws around leaving chairs there, and the person said ‘We have this program called LoveMyHood that you can use for projects like neighbourhood beautification’,” Stacy said.
The neighbours all loved the idea of creating a permanent community space on their court. They formed a committee and submitted their LoveMyHood Matching Grant application. The neighbours of Dunblane Court used their LoveMyHood Matching Grant to purchase trees for shade and seating so everyone could enjoy the space.
“There's a lot of different ethnicities, age ranges and family types on the court. Having somewhere to gather allowed more conversations to happen, somewhere you could sit and watch the kids play,” said Stacy. The court also hosts an annual neighbourhood kids’ drive-in; with a movie projector and screen set up in a neighbour’s drivewayon the court with pizza, snacks, and drinks.
The conversations at the court are also an oppor tunity to meet with new neighbours, including several families new to Canada. The space has helped them connect and learn about their new home.
“There are some people we hadn't even met before who had lived on the court for the same time as us. Then you get to know them and think, ‘How did I not meet those people before?’ It's definitely helped bring the court closer,” Collins said.
The Dunblane Court neighbours used a LoveMyHood Matching Grant to create a gathering space for neighbours of all ages.
Is there a space you’d transform on your street or in your neighbourhood? What would you want there?
The neighbours of Ward 8
KW Little Free Diverse Libraries
You can find a Little Free Library in almost every neighbourhood across the city with neighbours sharing books and other reading materials. While the intentions are good, these libraries often lack books by Black, Indigenous, and 2SLGBTQIA+ authors.
Kitchener resident Dinah Murdoch has been working to change this with a local chapter of the Little Free Diverse Libraries project started by Sarah Kamya, a public school guidance counsellor from New York City.
Dinah saw the project on social media and was inspired to start a chapter in Kitchener at a time when conversations around Black Lives Matter protests and the need to increase anti-racism education were growing.
“I wanted to find a way to take action. Inspired by Sarah, I thought it ’d be great if I could help get books by diverse authors into our little libraries, too,” said Dinah.
The local project’s first libraries were donated by Dinah’s neighbours, Juanita Metzger and Trent Bauman. Dinah said the couple had helped other neighbours build little libraries in the past.
“One night, they told me they had ten little libraries sitting in storage, and if we wanted them, they were ours. That got me thinking about how we could potentially get funding or raise money to build even more,” Dinah said.
Dinah and her committee applied for a LoveMyHood Matching Grant to expand the KW Little Free Diverse Libraries project into ten more neighbourhoods in Ward 8.
Books for the Little Free Diverse Libraries’ come from donors big and small; donations have come from individuals and publishers such as Penguin Random House.
“That's been one of the beautiful things—I come home to my front porch, and there's a book sitting on my porch, or the people make donations to buy books. We do a Pride Month fundraiser every year in June where people donate Pride-themed books. We just keep thinking of new ways to get the word out,” said Dinah.
LoveMyHood
projects range from gardens to little libraries. At their core, these projects help connect people, regardless of where we come from. What would you build with a LoveMyHood Matching Grant to connect your neighbours?
Neighbourhood Art
Resurrection Park Tunnel Vision
Neighbourhood art projects, including murals or painted rock gardens, can reflect the identities, experiences and stories of a neighbourhood and encourage community interaction and participation.
The neighbours of Stanley Park From Behind The Mask
We all have our own stories from our experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. But beyond those experiences is a collective story of perseverance, community, and caring. Putting those stories together inspired local artist Brenda Reid’s project titled From Behind the Mask.
The project invited neighbours to create a quilt block reflecting on the question, “From when the pandemic started in March 2020 until now, what has changed the most in your life?” Volunteers tied the quilt blocks together to form a quilt that tells the individual stories and the collective experience of the pandemic.
After its completion, the quilt was displayed at the Stanley Park Community Centre and the Homer Watson House & Gallery.
The project’s inspiration came to Brenda while they were studying at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture, learning
about architecture’s effects on mental health and wellbeing.
“I was thinking about care and got into the concept of quilts as a metaphor for care. I connected quilts to architecture by thinking about them as products of care, as communities of care, and as a home itself,” said Brenda.
The LoveMyHood Matching Grant allowed Brenda to purchase supplies and distribute them to neighbours through the mail, businesses, community centres, libraries, schools, long-term care homes, and the Grand Valley Institute for Women.
“We worked hard to make it accessible to as many people as possible. By the end, we had nearly 600 finished blocks for the quilt. Some signed the back of the quilt blocks with their names and ages. I know that a two-year-old worked on one, and I know someone who was 89 made one,” said Brenda.
Brenda received feedback from volunteers and the public on how the quilt provided healing through the stories of common experiences during the pandemic.
“The quilt tells the stories about how we were all living during the same event but experiencing vastly different things,” said Brenda. “I was interested in collecting individuals' experiences to then put together to make a physical space to show our own community how varied the experience was. The quilt creates a space for empathy where we can see and recognize each other's different experiences.”
Storytelling is a shared tradition that spans every culture. What stories would you use a LoveMyHood Matching Grant to tell?
The neighbours of The Hill St. George Street Sidewalk Gallery
Our days are filled with work, school, sports, and other activities—and we spend much of that time driving between them. Sometimes, we drive a little too fast, something that Cedar Hill neighbour Avery Swinkels noticed.
Avery contacted the City’s Transportation Department to ask about available traffic-calming measures and learned about LoveMyHood’s Traffic calming program.
“[There are] examples of traffic calming projects around the world and different things people have done. One major thing is painting the pavement, which has been done in other areas around Kitchener,” Avery recalls.
While painting streets is an effective traffic- calming measure, the rough Canadian winters can shorten the paint’s lifespan. In a conversation with a City of Kitchener Project Manager, the
“I did a little bit of research, too, and there was a similar project in Victoria, BC. They did a pole painting project that was very successful. It was quite inspiring,” said Leslie Macredie, a St. George Street neighbour and project committee member
Avery and Leslie started knocking on doors to gauge project interest and invite others to join their committee.
“There were a lot of very positive responses. There was little, if no, resistance to the idea, which was amazing. It ended up becoming so much more than just a trafficcalming project,” Leslie said.
The St. George Street Sidewalk Gallery includes seven hydro poles painted by local artists. The artists include Elfie Kalfakis, Nehad Abdulkader, Jackie Bradshaw, and Maddie Resmer. Beyond
slowing down drivers, the gallery has become a meeting place for neighbours and visitors alike.
“I’d like to think that the project has helped [reduce speeding]. I think most impor tantly the neighbourhood is more connected than ever with neighbours looking after one another even more. So if there is a speeder or someone driving the wrong way, more neighbours are likely to speak up and act,” Avery said.
Painted poles are just one way to encourage pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers to slow down and explore neighbourhoods. What would you put in your neighbourhood to help people slow down and enjoy their surroundings more?
idea of painting hydro poles along the street was introduced.
Neighbourhood Events
Neighbourhood events are fun gatherings of less than 200 people who live in the neighbourhood, fostering community spirit and safer streets
Westmount street party
The neighbours of Doon South Doon South Meet and Mingle
Busy days of work, school, and activities can leave little room for simple things like stopping to chat with neighbours. That was the inspiration that sparked the idea for the Doon South Meet and Mingle. Mukul Verma, one of the event organizers, was speaking with a neighbour who organized the local Facebook group and was told that most of the members had never met in person.
“We all live in different parts of the neighbourhood, and there aren’t as many opportunities to connect in person.” Mukul said.
Staff from the City helped with the initial event, and the organizers have continued to rely on their assistance to answer questions and help with special event permits. Another of the Meet and Mingle organizers, Venkat Mahalingam said they were looking for a way to support the event series.
“As we were having this discussion, the City took note and told us about resources for groups like ours—and that’s when we first learned about LoveMyHood. We applied and were awarded the grant for the 2023 Meet and Mingle.”
The Meet and Mingle organizers used the LoveMyHood Matching Grant to fund a rock climbing wall, a children’s train and more, for their annual neighbourhood summer event/gathering/party in Thomas Slee park.
While the entertainment is amazing, keeping Meet and Mingle a free local event for neighbours to socialize, interact, and celebrate remains their core value.
“I think that's the true value of this event. I can literally walk to the park to enjoy the entertainment, but piled on top of that is the opportunity to interact with neighbours,” said Venkat.
Organizer Lydia Goswami said there aren’t many events of this size outside of the city core. As Meet and Mingle enters its sixth year, she has noticed increased excitement around the event.
“I was going around to put up posters to spread awareness about the event, and a lot of people I handed out the posters to said, ‘Oh yeah, we know about Meet and Mingle. We’ll be there!’ It’s become a big deal for people in the neighbourhood,” Lydia said.
Live music. Magic shows. Food trucks. If you held an event in your neighbourhood, what would your top three features be?
Activities the NDO supports
The Neighbourhood Development Ofce (NDO) supports residents in many ways, helping them to coordinate neighbourhood projects, programs, and events. The NDO is the driving force behind the LoveMyHood strategy and is the frst point of contact for all LoveMyHood initiatives.
Neighbourhood Greening
Create and design sustainable pollinator, habitat, food forests and tree planting projects to enhance green spaces in our city.
Neighbourhood Markets
Get to know your neighbours and gather socially around fresh, local food and locally produced crafts.
Community Gardens
Nurture a sense of belonging in your neighbourhood by coming together with neighbours to grow vegetables, herbs, fruit and flowers in designate plots.
Resident-lead Tra c calming
Help slow neighbourhood traffic and improve safety with painted crosswalks, planter boxes, lawns signs, and temporary “pop-up”measures.
Volunteer Appreciation Events
Recognize the volunteers that help offer programs and events to make Kitchener better.
Neighbourhood Art
Reflect the identities, experiences, and stories of your neighbourhood with a community art project such as a mural, mosaic or painted rock garden.
Boulevard Beauti cation
Improve the boulevards in your neighbourhood with pollinator habitats, more naturalized areas, new plants, or rain gardens
Street Parties
Foster community spir it and a sense of belonging with a street party, BBQ or potluck, live music, games or events for up to 200 neighbours.
Winter Rinks
Stay active in winter by volunteering to maintain outdoor skating rinks and support the winter rink program.
Little Libraries
Connect with your neighbours by creating a little ‘book nook’, a small cabinet filled with books for people to borrow, lend or trade.
Kitchener in Bloom
Celebrate and recognize the gardening efforts of residents who help to make our city a greener, more vibrant, and more sustainable place to live.
Community Clean-up
Bring neighbours together and make a big impact on neighbourhood trails, parks and open spaces to keep them litter-free.
Neighbourhood Seating
Create space for neighbours to gather with accessible benches, picnic tables, or naturalized seating options.
Neighbourhood Action Plans
Create a long-term vision for your neighbourhood with achievable actions and work with neighbours to make that vision a reality.
The Neighbourhood Development Office
The Neighbourhood Development Office (NDO) collaborates with you and internal teams from the City of Kitchener at every stage of your neighbourhood project journey. City staff work together behind the scenes to support you to bringing your ideas to life within your neighbourhood.
The City of Kitchener is dedicated to cutting through red tape by simplifying processes and fostering collaboration to establish shared goals and priorities. LoveMyHood stands as a central corporate priority, uniting various staff groups to ensure exceptional customer service and uphold the resident-led, city supported vision.
Gratitude is extended to the over 20 internal staff teams who provide invaluable support for LoveMyHood initiatives and collaborate regularly with the Neighbourhood Development Office.
These teams span all City Departments and includes staff teams such as Bylaw Enforcement, Building, Corporate Communications and Marketing, Development and Housing Approvals, Economic Development, Engineering, Equity, Anti-Racism, and Reconciliation, Financial Operations, Legal Services, Legislated Services, Neighbourhood Programs and Services, Parks and Cemeteries, Planning and Housing Policy, Operations – Road and Traffic, Sanitary and Stormwater Utilities, Sport, and Transportation Services.
Project Managers
Our Project Manager will be working closely with you every step of the way in taking your project idea from dream to reality; engaging with neighbours, guiding you through the grant process, and supporting and advocating for you.
NDO Supervisor
The fear of red tape is what stops most ideas from becoming reality. The NDO’s Supervisor and Manager connect with all city departments working to cut red tape and find creative solutions.
NDO Program Assistant
NDO’s Program Assistant helps administer the grant and supports the work of the neighbourhood development office.
NDO Events Attendant
The NDO Event Attendants promote the LoveMyHood program and grant at various events and festivals throughout the city. Look for event attendants in the neighbourhood.
NDO Landscape Architect and Project Manager
The NDO Landscape Architect and Project Manager can help you visualize your idea and support the design and construction of your neighbourhood project.
NDO Volunteer Engagement Support Sta
The NDO’s Volunteer Engagement staff support LoveMyHood’s annual programs and work to ensure volunteers across the city feel supported and appreciated.
LoveMyHood Projects through the years
2017 projects
Canada 150 Dogs
Chalkin' It Old School
Community Chalkboards
Affordable Soccer Camp
Riverwood Community Block Party
Wilson Ave Traffic Calming
Doon South Meet and Mingle
Sandhills Coop Community Garden
KW Seventh Day Adventist
Church Community Fun Day
Cinema Under the Stars at Country Hills CC
Stoke Court BBQ
Cherry Park Picnic Shelter
Taste of Hungary Goulash
Street Party
Schneider Creek Porch Party
Amenities in Max Becker Park
Glen Lake House Party
Refresh my outdoor hood
2018 projects
Morgan Ave Traffic Calming
St Kateri School Garden
Midtown Radio Project
Berlin Flea Market
Duke Street West Music Fest
Fred's Benches
Laneway Edible Plant/Garden Improvement Project
Livening Up Our Little Library
EAFy Style
McKenzie Ave Street Party
Traynor-Vanier Community Garden
Math Wall and Accessible Table at Morrison Park
St Andrews Community Garden
Gildner Green Community Garden
ComeUnity Roots Garden (Henry Sturm)
Thomas Slee Park Seating
Backyard Sessions
Sunday Evenings Concert in the Park Series
Doon Gets Active (NMG)
Neighbours BBQ
Alpine School Playground Structures
Finding the Way
Forest Heights Food Forestry
Community Mural Project for the Queensmount Bunker
Intersection Murals at Westmount and Glasgow
Belmont Village Gateway
Banner Poles
Beautification to West Ave Trail Heads
Community Thoughts by St. Marie & Walker
Victoria Park Outdoor Gym
Pioneer Park Fire Hall Urban Farm and Food Forest
Gzowski Park Community Garden
Food Hedge Project
St Teresa Catholic School Playground
Courtland Shelley Common Space Outdoor Improvements
Social Skills and Literacy Development Program
Love Your Lakeside
Victoria Commons
Neighbourhood Street Party
Wallenburg Park Community garden
*Note: The following pages are intended to provide a snapshot of all the grant projects funded by the LoveMyHood Program over the years and may not be an exhaustive list.
2019 projects
Kinzie Park Tree Planting
Rush Meadow Little Free Library
Sunday Night Concerts in Pioneer Park
Heritage Learning Garden
Flow Arts in the Park
The Centreville-Chicopee Community Garden
Pioneer Park Little Library
Central Frederick Birdhouse Art Installation
Creativity, Colour and Maker Culture
Duke Street East Street Painting
Alpine Community Garden
Raised Garden Beds for Victoria Hills Community Garden
Rockway Raised Bed Herb Garden
Monterey Road Street Party
Celebrate the Piano
Eid Al-Adha Festival and Bazaar
Cedarwoods Crescent BBQ
Beautifying Our Community Entrance Signage
Williamsburg Community Signage Boards
Wisahkotewinowak “Maple Syrup Celebration”
Girls Soccer Project
North Six Farmer's Market
Tunnel Vision
Eid al Fitr Children's Celebration
Westmount Neighbourhood Plaque
Graffiti Wall / MCNA Signs / Community Revitalization
The Local Advocate Digital Placemaking Project
Halls Lane Mural
Our Farm Community Market
Gaga for Physical Activity at Queen Elizabeth
Pathway Loop at Sheppard and Knollwood
Lancaster Park Improvements
Loose Parts Bin Argyle Park
Gaukel Greenway Pop-Up Park
Forest Heights Pollinator Patch
Tecumseh Park Tree Planting
Willowlake Park Tree Planting
Woodside Park Tree Planting
Sanctuary Refugee Health
Centre 6th Year Celebration
Uniroyal-Goodrich Park Shed
Suddaby Stars
Victoria Common Community Garden
2020 projects
Ward 6 Community Space
From Behind the Mask: A Community Quilt of COVID -19 Stories
Together apART, Community Art project
Dinison Place Gardens Social Patio
Country Hills Community Garden
Doon Pioneer Park Community Garden Enhancements
Tecumseh Park Community Garden
North Six Pop Up Market
Trinity Vill Berm Revitalization project
YW Emergency Shelter Garden
Mill Street Meadow
Rosemount Neighbourhood Pocket Pollinator Gardens
River Ridge Little Library
Ward 8 Little Diverse Libraries
Williamsburg Childrens Little Library
Name our Neighbourhood Concert in the Park
Third Annual Street Hockey Game Louisa Street
Tunes in Tremaine Park Aramba Social Nights
Creating Welcoming Spaces in Wildflowers
Crossing Path: The Heart of the Community Gathering Space
Family and Neighbour Social Group
How Slow Can You Go!
LoveMyHood Projects through the years
2021 projects
Dunblane Court
Shuh Garden Island Improvement
St Emilion Centre Revitalization
Growing 4th Avenue Garden
Gzowski Community Garden Space Enhancement
Youth Reaching Heights - Forest Heights Gold Garden
Expanding Our Relations: Indigenous Placemaking in the Park
Little Library
Little Library on Doon Mills Drive
STEP Into Our Neighbourhood
LGBTQ2+ Community BBQ and SPECTRUM Open House
Woodedge Fun Fair
Freedom Pavilion Project –Basketball Area & Picnic Tables
Neighbourhood Disc Golf
Southridge Gaga Ball Pit
Abyssinia Indoor Soccer Program
Bread and Salt Cooking Club
Community Kitchen Outreach
Honorary Crosswalk for Every Child Matters
2022 projects
Deer Ridge Drive Tulip Trail
The Evolution of Paulander
Williamsburg Community Garden
Community-Powered Urban Agriculture at the Kitchener Market
Holborn Community Garden
St. Francis Communal Gardens
Edmund Green Nature Project
St. George Street Sidewalk Gallery
Recollections and Imaginings
KCI Rainbow Sidewalk
Neighbourhood Gathering
Theresa Street Hootenanny
A Thirst for Change
Cheers to Being Black Event
Project Alpha
The Net Worth Project
Westchester Park Basketball Court
Fitness in the Forest Centreville-Chicopee Community Markets
Gathering at the Table Community Suppers Program
Hope for Community Development
2023 projects
Carlyle Place Circle Bench Work
Alpine Gardens
Centreville-Chicopee Community Garden
Highview Community Garden
Eden on Wilson
Chandler Mowat
Neighbourhood's Market Project
Grand River Collegiate Healing Forest
We Love Midtown Mural
Victoria Hills Bicycle Repair Stand
AfroVibes
Doon South Meet and Mingle
Full Moon Festival
Rekindling
Dekay Street Party
Crestview Public School
Playground Project
Outdoor Community Park Updates
Public Playground Project
Winter Solstice Theatrical Program
KaPa Tie & Dye
Paulander Princesses
Placemaking Picnic Shelter Project
TECUMSEH PARK TREE PLANTING • WILLOWLAKE PARK TREE PLANTING • WOODSIDE PARK TREE PLANTING • DINISON PLACE GARDENS SOCIAL PATIO • TECUMSEH PARK COMMUNITY GARDEN • DOON PIONEER PARK COMMUNITY GARDEN ENHANCEMENTS • COUNTRY HILLS COMMUNITY GARDEN • TRINITY VILL BERM
REVITALIZATION PROJECT • YW EMERGENCY SHELTER GARDEN • ROSEMOUNT NEIGHBOURHOOD POCKET POLLINATOR GARDENS • MILL STREET MEADOW • TUNES IN TREMAINE PARK • FROM BEHIND THE MASK: A COMMUNINTY QUILT OF COVID-19 STORIES • RIVER RIDGE LITTLE LIBRARY • NAME OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD CONCERT IN THE PARK • FAMILY AND NEIGHBOUR SOCIAL GROUP • TOGETHER APART, COMMUNITY ART PROJECT • CREATING WELCOMING SPACES IN WILDFLOWERS • WILLIAMSBURG CHILDRENS LITTLE LIBRARY •
NORTH SIX POP UP MARKET • WARD 6 COMMUNITY SPACE • CROSSING PATH: THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE • WARD 8 LITTLE DIVERSE LIBRARIES • HOW SLOW CAN YOU GO! • ARAMBA SOCIAL NIGHTS • THIRD ANNUAL LOUISA STREET HOCKEY GAME • ST EMILION CENTRE REVITALIZATION • DUNBLANE COURT COMMUNITY BULB PROJECT • GROWING 4TH AVENUE GARDEN • FOREST HEIGHTS GOLD GARDEN • SHUH GARDEN ISLAND IMPROVEMENT • NEIGHBOURHOOD DISC GOLF • LITTLE LIBRARY • LITTLE LIBRARY ON DOON MILLS DRIVE • WOODEDGE FUN FAIR • BREAD AND SALT COOKING CLUB • FREEDOM PAVILION PROJECT – BASKETBALL AREA & PICNIC TABLES • STEP INTO OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD • GZOWSKI COMMUNITY GARDEN SPACE ENHANCEMENT • LGBTQ2+ COMMUNITY BBQ AND SPECTRUM OPEN HOUSE • ABYSSINIA INDOOR SOCCER PROGRAM • SOUTHRIDGE GAGA BALL PIT • EXPANDING OUR RELATIONS: INDIGENOUS PLACEMAKING IN THE PARK • COMMUNITY KITCHEN OUTREACH • HONORARY CROSSWALK FOR EVERY CHILD MATTERS • DEER RIDGE DRIVE TULIP TRAIL • THE EVOLUTION OF PAULANDER • WILLIAMSBURG COMMUNITY GARDEN • COMMUNITY-POWERED URBAN AGRICULTURE AT THE KITCHENER MARKET • ST. FRANCIS COMMUNAL GARDENS • EDMUND GREEN NATURE PROJECT • HOLBORN COMMUNITY GARDEN • PROJECT ALPHA • NEIGHBOURHOOD GATHERING • GATHERING AT THE TABLE COMMUNITY SUPPERS PROGRAM • HOPE FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT • RECOLLECTIONS AND IMAGININGS • KCI RAINBOW SIDEWALK • ST. GEORGE STREET SIDEWALK GALLERY • FITNESS IN THE FOREST • CENTREVILLE-CHICOPEE COMMUNITY MARKETS • A THIRST FOR CHANGE • THERESA STREET HOOTENANNY • CHEERS TO BEING BLACK EVENT • THE NET WORTH PROJECT • WESTCHESTER PARK BASKETBALL COURT • ALPINE GARDENS • VICTORIA HILLS BICYCLE REPAIR STAND • CRESTVIEW PUBLIC SCHOOL PLAYGROUND PROJECT • WINTER SOLSTICE THEATRICAL PROGRAM • FULL MOON FESTIVAL • GRAND RIVER COLLEGIATE HEALING FOREST • CENTREVILLE-CHICOPEE COMMUNITY GARDEN • KAPA TIE & DYE • PAULANDER PRINCESSES PLACEMAKING PICNIC SHELTER PROJECT • AFROVIBES • CARLYLE PLACE CIRCLE BENCH WORK • DOON SOUTH MEET AND MINGLE • REKINDLING • WE LOVE MIDTOWN MURAL • DEKAY STREET PARTY • OUTDOOR COMMUNITY PARK UPDATES • PUBLIC PLAYGROUND PROJECT • CHANDLER MOWAT NEIGHBOURHOOD'S MARKET PROJECT • HIGHVIEW COMMUNITY GARDEN • EDEN ON WILSON
The projects, programs and events supported through LoveMyHood would not have been possible without the support, assistance and contributions of the residents of the city of Kitchener, Neighbourhood Project Volunteers, Kitchener Neighbourhood and Community Associations, Mayor and Council, and City of Kitchener staff.