Tackling your to-do list

Decision 4: Tackling your to-do list

It’s Sunday and you need to run a few errands. You have to pick-up a prescription at the pharmacy, grab some fresh fruit and veggies, and find a small gift for a friend’s birthday. Where are you going?

  • ⏺️Circle

    You drive or roll over to a neighbourhood centre where you can check out the produce at a few shops before picking the best looking apples and squash. You pick up a unique handmade gift at the local market next to the library, and grab your prescription from the pharmacy down the block.

  • 🔼Triangle

    You walk or roll to pick up a birthday card and notebook at the new stationary store in your neighbourhood. You’ll have to drive or take MobilityPLUS over to the pharmacy and grocer a few neighbourhoods away afterwards, but that’s ok - they’re not that far away.

  • ⏹️Square

    You catch a bus or ride your bike along the main corridor, stopping at a plaza with a market, pharmacy, bookstore and places to eat. Everything is close together once you arrive. You linger in the bookstore because you know the buses come so frequently it’s ok if you miss the next one.

Making informed decisions

How easily and efficiently you can check things off your list depends on what’s available nearby, and how easily you are able to get there. As Kitchener grows, access to daily essentials becomes more important than ever. Thoughtful planning can help ensure people of all ages and abilities can reach the shops and services they rely on in ways that are convenient, affordable, and sustainable.

Key considerations include:

Pharmacies, grocery stores, cafes, bookstores, and restaurants are part of what makes a neighbourhood feel complete. Our lives are easier when these places are close to home, especially for those without a car or juggling tight schedules.

Whether walking, rolling, biking, driving, or using transit or MobilityPLUS, people need safe, reliable ways to move between home and their daily needs. Clustering everyday destinations together helps reduce travel time and supports trips that combine errands, reducing environmental impacts.

Running errands isn’t just about checking off a list—it’s also a way to support local businesses. Independent grocers, pharmacies, bookstores, and markets add personality to neighbourhoods and keep more dollars circulating locally. Smaller, local-serving shops may provide a more personal experience, but often can’t provide the same variety of goods / services or the same hours as larger businesses or chains.

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