Author: janeswalkwr

When: Saturday May 3rd, 2025, 10:00 am – 11:30 am

Meeting Point: 50 Kent Ave (“Thrift on Kent”), rear parking lot

Walk Leaders: Rose Barcarse and Geoff Martin

Join us on an engaging, fully accessible, 1.5km tour exploring four key spots along Schneider Creek and learning about the creek’s fascinating histories and possible futures.

The original Chonnonton trail into this region – later called Mississauga Rd, then Mill St. – followed the stream up from the Grand River. In the 19th century, Schneider Creek became the sewage drain for waste from Berlin’s many factories and tanneries, and for the past 90 years, it has managed stormwater for the City of Kitchener.

But now a kilometer of Schneider Creek is about to undergo a significant transformation. The City is planning to “re-naturalize” the confluence of Shoemaker and Schneider Creeks, remove the cement channel and re-meander the creek through former brownfield and industrial lots. What might this project look like, and what would this new Schneider Creek greenway need from city residents?

When: Sunday May 4th, 2025, 11:00 am – 12:00 noon

Meeting Point: 60 King Street East, Kitchener

Walk Leader: Divya Dhingra

Walking through downtown Kitchener, one comes across many curious sites and pieces of public art. Join us on this leisurely walk, where echoes of the past linger in brick and stone. We begin near the site of the city’s first town hall and market, tracing the imprint of early settlers through the streets of old Berlin. Along the way, public art and architecture reveal stories — tales of growth, identity, and transformation etched into the city’s urban fabric.

When: Sunday May 4th, 2025, 2:30 – 4:00pm

Meeting Point: Queen’s Square Cannon

Walk Leader: Michael Krupp

A review of the many productions filmed in Galt and the locations used. This will also involve how editing and props are used to transform the space into a different city and personal memories of some of the events.

When: Saturday May 3rd, 2025 10:00 – 11:30am

Meeting Point:Under the Zuber angel across from 128 Moore Avenue, Kitchener

Walk Leader: Wayne Miedema

This midtown cemetery opened in 1865. Within the cemetery, there are stories of some of the movers, shakers, and influencers of the past 150 years.

When: Saturday, May 3rd 2025, 1:00 – 2:15 pm

Meeting Point: UW School of Pharmacy, Victoria and King

Walk Leader: Todd Bowman

On the 5-year anniversary of the Covid pandemic, relive recent history through Kitchener’s pandemic experience of 1918. Learn about the Spanish Flu’s arrival in Kitchener and its rapid spread through the city. See the virus’ impact on citizens, health care workers and local officials, hearing stories of tragedy, bravery and resilience in a time of crisis.