Blog

When: Sunday May 3rd, 3:00 – 4:30 pm

Meeting Point: Queen’s Square, Cambridge

Walk Leader: Michael Krupp

As we walk around the many old buildings of downtown Galt, you will hear tales of William Dickson and his family. Stories such as the duel William had with William Weekes and the interesting war stories of William and his two brothers Robert and Thomas during the War of 1812 are just a few of the exciting tales that will be told

When: Friday May 1st, 6:30 – 8:00 pm

Meeting Point: Centre in the Square, 101 Queen St. N.

Walk Leader: Fiona McAlister

A stroll down musical memory lane. We will start at Centre in the Square where we’ll talk about the Kitchener Symphony, Gilbert and Sullivan society, and the popular artists who have played there and end at the former site of The Lyric which hosted everyone and everything from the first performance of the K-W Symphony to Rush. In between, we will learn about everything from early German choral music to blues festivals.

When: Saturday May 2nd, 10 – 11:15 am

Meeting Point: 175 Moore Ave

Walk Leader: Fiona McAlister

We would visit graves of some of the founders and builders of Kitchener such as Johann Peter Schneider, Emil Volgelsang, and Louis Jacob Breithaupt along with the graves of Catherine Ubel (who has the earliest date of birth in the cemetary), Peter Susand – who was the first black writer to publish a book of poetry in Canada, Morris Wahanskky with his hammer and sickle grave stone. We will talk about the history of the cemetery (including that it used to be segregated by religion) and the move to its current location and what is entailed in moving a cemetery. We’ll talk about the flu pandemic that ripped through Kitchener and the young men who died in WW1

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

Meeting Point: 136 Wyndham Street North, Guelph

Walk Leader: Ariel Stagni, Byron Ready, Adam Rutherford

“200 years of American technology has unwittingly created a massive cement playground of unlimited potential, but it was the minds of 11-year-olds that could see that potential” – Craig Stecyk

Come walk with us for a unique opportunity to see downtown Guelph as skateboarders see it. Learn about the history and rich cultural heritage of street skateboarding in downtown Guelph. Why would people choose to skateboard downtown when the city has provided skateparks??

Look for the skaters with a Jane’s Walk sign, at the entrance to the pathway next to the old Post Office building at 136 Wyndham St N.

When: Sunday May 4th, 1:00-2:30pm

Meeting Point: At the City of Guelph Bus Stop on the north side of Niska Rd in front of the YMCA

Walk Leader: Laura and Kathy

Come walk with us down the historic Niska Rd. Learn about how this area has evolved from pre-colonization until present times. We will share what we know about how important citizen involvement and advocacy has been in protecting the Hanlon Creek Watershed. Learn about the history of the Kortright Waterfowl Park. Once a world class nature facility with 10,000 visitors a year it is now under threat of development. It was purchased with public money by the Grand River Conservation Authority and placed into the Hanlon Creek Conservation Area in order to protect it and to provide nature based experiences as Guelph grew and urbanized. Sadly, the conservation park plan was never implemented. Along our walk you can view this land and share your vision of how the land can be used for public benefit. Also view the beautiful Speed River. We will travel down Niska to the Speed River along the public sidewalk which is wheelchair accessible all the way to the river learning the history of the area and the road along the way. On the way back weather permitting we will walk along the trail at Ptarmigan through the forest viewing the Hanlon creek with its brook trout along the way. Our walks end at the starting point. This part of the walk may be muddy can be rough and is non wheelchair accessible. Well behaved dogs on leash are welcome. English will be spoken

Our walk will also be held on Saturday May 10 at 1 pm