As you build stronger neighbourhoods the fun way, we support your REACH by gathering insights into the evolving nature of neighbourhoods across the city. FoN intends to expand its support and resources such as Neighbourhood Activity Trunk, Activity Guide and Reach! Inclusion Challenge. Also, this year’s Celebration will introduce a new era, in which Festival of Neighbourhoods will encourage everyone to meet their neighbours, explore the richness of experiences and interests we share across diversity and feel the joy of being in the center of our own neighbourhoods. If you want to know how, do not forget to register your neighbourhood's gatherings and to join the Annual Celebration on Sunday November 17th at the Kitchener City Hall Rotunda from 1pm to 3pm. Read more in our September e-Neighbour!
Festival of Neighbourhoods
Stronger Neighbourhoods the Fun Way
Neighbourhood Resiliency in Emergencies
Natural disasters, such as floods and fires, hitting communities far and near have been featuring prominently in the media as we talk more about the climate crisis. What, as neighbourhoods, can we do to be more resilient in the case we are hit by such an event? Trust among the neighbours is the not-so-secret ingredient. "It is extremely important that you get to know your neighbours beforehand, so that you know who is elderly, who has young children, pets, may have a disability." Steve LaRochelle, Emergency Management, City of Kitchener (May E-Neighbour).
Neighbourhood Connections
The Neighbourhood Connections Award has had a deep impact in neighbourhoods across Kitchener. Festival of Neighbourhoods, in itself, seemingly a simple approach, has contributed enormously in building close and loose ties among people in our community. They are our lifeline of access to information and opportunities. However, the Neighbourhood Connections Award, introduced in 2000 by Social Development Centre, helps us work through equity issues to build community capacity. Read about this unique process, welcomed by the Victoria Park neighbourhood in 2019, and more in our March E-Neighbour.
Splash of Summer Activities
Take a look at some of the gatherings hosted in Kitchener neighbourhoods in the summer 2017. In our May edition of thE-Neighbour, you will find ideas and suggestions how to enhance a sense of belonging and connectedness with your neighbours. Summer months are as well the time when our staff and volunteers do outreach and if you want them to stir things up on your street or your building, write to us now at entries@festvialofneighbourhoods.ca. Read more about the neighbourhoods that received a boost in previous years.
Neighbours Reach Out!
Neighbours reach out, connect and belong at Kitchener’s Festival of Neighbourhoods celebration! KITCHENER— On Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, Kitchener’s Festival of Neighbourhoods hosted its annual celebration marking the festival’s 24th season. More than 17,000 people from across Kitchener participated in the 130 gatherings registered with Festival of Neighbourhoods. Neighbourhood gatherings ranged in size from four to 1,000 participants.
The Schneider’s Creek and Settlers Grove neighbourhoods took home the Festival’s main prize, two $20,000 capital grants provided by the City of Kitchener.
The Pillar Award, sponsored by Steed and Evans, for a neighbourhood who has registered an event for five or more years, was presented to Bridgeport neighbourhood. The Newcomer Award (for a first-time registered activity), sponsored by the Victoria Park Neighbourhood Association, was presented to the Doon South neighbourhood.
2017 Inclusion Challenge
This year we invite everyone to take the Reach! Challenge, by designing neighbourhood gatherings in a way that breaks down invisible, but oh so real, barriers for people to participate. We know that sometimes there is a fine line between someone ‘wanting’ or ‘being interested’ in connecting with their neighbours and their not feeling comfortable, able or welcome to come out to neighbourhood gatherings. We are excited to be preparing a tool about how to be intentionally inclusive, accessible and welcoming based on our 24 year's long experience with Festival of Neighbourhoods. Read more in our March E-Neighbour.
Celebrate Neighbours Day 2016
Festival of Neighbourhoods team will be celebrating this year's Neighbours Day and would like to see you and talk to you on your street about all the extraordinary and powerful things that happen in the ordinary, everyday, common places that we share. Read about some of the stories the neighbours have told us. What is your story? Share it at entries@festivalofneighoburhoods.ca or registser your neighbourhood activity with us. Find a list of all the Neighbours Day activities at the City of Kitchener website or on our Festival Map 2016.
May E-Neighbour is Here!
Start planning for this summer's neighbourhood fun. Meet more neighbours for one of many Jane's Walk this weekend and begin making big and small plans for gatherings outdoors in the sun. Read more about the tips and tools we have for you and get in touch if you need some help setting up your first neighbourhood activity!
Neighbours Talk - July E-Neighbour
Neighbourhood Activity Guide has come online! You can find a print copy of the guide at your community centre. Browse it and copy the pages you would need. It is a pilot project and we hope to work with your feedback, add more suggestions about how to organize neighbourhood activities and grow the collection. Read more about the 3rd Early Bird prize winner in the July E-Neighbour and join the Neighbours Talk online and off line! See the results of our first Neighbours Talk survey and find a 10 x 10 canopy in the Neighbourhood Activity Trunk!
May E-Neighbour is Here!
We can always make our neighbourhood activities more inclusive. Paula Saunders from the Independent Living Centre, our sponsor of the Inclusion Award, gives us some ideas how to remove barriers for greater participation in neighbourhood get-togethers. Do not forget to tell us more about your efforts to make activities and spaces more accessible when you register your activity.
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