Places and Spaces: Kitchener's park and open space strategy

More interactive art works, and temporary installations

So many people went out of their way to see the musical swings in uptown, and this seemed to be a primarily young adult crowd, but really all ages. I love this stuff, and we have such an awesome local arts scene that needs support. Also Daily tous les Jours commissioned an independent study (which you can read) on their swing installation, which found a nearly 300% return on investment from from gained tax revenue. It's great for local businesses, local creatives, and gives young adults ways to play in public space. https://www.dailytouslesjours.com/en/work/musical-swings

Change the giant parking lot at Union and Park into a city park.

Located right next to Grand River Hospital, this could be the new Midtown Park. Following European examples of park spaces by adding cafes and bars as well as open areas for activities this can become a new bustling space right between uptown and downtown. P.S. If car parking is still needed in that area it can be put underground.

Parks / Public Space on Parking Garages

Create a new public space on top of a City-owned parking garage, such as Park Park in Calgary. The main garage in DTK offers great views of downtown, and the top is the least used parking level (for car parking). So this presents a great opportunity to create a new public space downtown.

Small park right between Iron Horse Trail and Victoria Park

Can the green space between the Iron Horse Trail and Victoria Park (Henry Sturm Greenway) be turned into an accessible park area? Adding a winding, lit path through it would invite users of the Iron Horse Trail to enjoy the greenery even more. Right now we just pass by it.

Add more benches to parks where people walk dogs -- eg park near Centre in the Square -- to promote social interaction.

Table tennis

I would love to be able to play table tennis outdoors with friends. Promotes activity and social interaction at a meet up place, and the benefits of being outside.

More green spaces

There are so few options for green spaces that people take their dogs to school yards and there is constantly dog poop all over the school yard so kids can’t play. It’s everywhere. People don’t pick up after their dogs, kids step in it constantly, makes a huge mess in the schools. Kids are told they can’t play on the grass so they get very little exercise at recess.

Park Spaces in Newer Neighbourhoods

Would like to see the green spaces in new neighbourhoods developed faster... takes years for them to be built while the families in those neighbourhoods have to travel further for just basic play space

Making parks accessible in general

Most parks have a path that leads through the yard. Casey park off Ebydale/Casey Dr does not. This makes it very difficult for children to ride bikes, parents to push strollers or pull wagons to get to the playground. And Elderly to walk through comfortably to enjoy the fresh air or their watching their grandchildren at the park. This would draw people in or through the park more often.

Ropes course/obstacle course

Make parks spaces all ages can enjoy (e.g. food, coffee, music)

A park for all ages

Dinison Park Needs more added to it.

Dinison park is so small and overcrowded for all the families that live near by. There is Tons of space to add more equipment.

Splashpad at Civic Centre Park (downtown)

We could definitely benefit from another splashpad in the city, and there is currently unused green space and a surface parking lot right between the Central KPL branch and the Civic Centre Park. There is extensive underground parking available, it's located within a block of 4+ bus lines, and is already a 'destination' due to the library and park. With so many towers going into downtown, soon to be populated by thousands of people, we should definitely be expanding our green spaces in the downtown area to existing ones don't get overcrowded.

Remove tent city. "Public" land does not mean "private use". Long term camps are clearly illegal. The city is demonstrating that it is "OK".

Are laws meaningless?

I would love to see parks & spaces serve teens better.

I would love to see parks & spaces serve teens better. Growing up in KW it was common to hangout at the local plaza parking lot and that has not changed much from my recent drive (Ottawa & River Rd). How can we create parks and spaces to also meet the teenager demographic ? Maybe its building spaces within the local plaza, where teens can meetup and collaborate (eg. create digital media content together, work on projects together, get a chance to be social apart from organized sports). I found growing up in KW, parks are well suited for children but not so much for teens unless it was a sports complex that not everyone had access to (either the complex was too far or was meant for organized sports). I think the Region can be innovative here to provide more accessible space for teens that are ideally walking distance away. In the suburban areas, the closest thing by foot is typically a school, church or... the local plaza :) Please share your ideas on this topic too.

Tables for gaming

Offer tables, not just bench or picnic table, seating that could facilitate cards or checkers or chess (even better, paint the board on the table)

Offering ways to play a multitude of casual sports

Pickleball, badminton, mini soccer nets, netball, and other sporting activities that people of all ages could play.

More Parkettes

It would be nice to see more parkettes throughout the city, but especially in areas with higher densities where many residents do not have private ourdoor space. Ideally every resident would be within 5 minute walk of a park or parkette. It could be small, but should offer a place to sit, landscaping, shade and feature of interest for a wide variety of ages groups like a climable statue, stepping stones, or public art.

Looking forward for more parks with nets for basketball, cricket and badminton.Not everyone can afford to get to paid nets everyday to get h

Basketball court or net at Eby park

Lots of low income kids on Holdborn Dr. The preteens don't have much to do and most of them can't go far and some of them are from families that don't know where there next meal is coming from. The kids at the townhouses on Holborn have made a makeshift basket ball court on the grass of the townhouses. Is there anyway the city could put up a basket ball court at Eby park or the field behind the fire station or the low income housing where alot of those kids are from in there grass area?

Curb Cuts

Ensuring that all potential points of access to the parks are level with the road to ensure that everyone (wheelchair-users, cyclists, folks riding strollers, etc) can access park spaces with ease.

Ensure that lawns are level with sidewalks. Sidewalk edges are 10 cm obstruction to wheelchairs. Since getting a walker I noticed this.

When lawns are not level with sidewalks wheelchair operators cannot move onto lawn to sit and enjoy nature; they must sit in the middle of public walkway and feel like a great big obstruction to others. See my write-up and photos of the greenspace at intersection of Weber St. E. and Cedar St. N. in Kitchener at https://naturallyurbanpicshobbycorner.wordpress.com/2022/07/18/park-accessibility/.

Paved pathways

Speaking to other people, include someone who uses a wheelchair, and another older adult, all three of us dislike rocky, or loose stones, pathways. Paved pathways, especially over hills, is much safer, easier for people with mobility devices, and overall more enjoyable. Having stony pathways screams "don't bike, don't run, don't rollerblade here!"

More public seating and benches

In general more benches/places to sit.

Parks & Spaces for Teens

I would love to see parks & spaces serve teens better. Growing up in KW it was common to hangout at the local plaza parking lot and that has not changed much from my recent drive (Ottawa & River Rd). How can we create parks and spaces to also meet the teenager demographic ? Maybe its building spaces within the local plaza, where teens can meetup and collaborate (eg. create digital media content together, work on projects together, get a chance to be social apart from organized sports). I found growing up in KW, parks are well suited for children but not so much for teens unless it was a sports complex that not everyone had access to (either the complex was too far or was meant for organized sports). I think the Region can be innovative here to provide more accessible space for teens that are ideally walking distance away. In the suburban areas, the closest thing by foot is typically a school, church or... the local plaza :) Please share your ideas on this topic too :)

Dog park in North West Waterloo

Nothing closeby for people in the Laurelwood or Vista Hills area. Can we consider a small spot for taking our fur babies in this area?

Water Feature in the lake

Using a fish friendly self cleaning filter create a water fountain. Using a PLC to control water pressure, valves, lights etc. This can be an interactive project with the local schools to create themed displays. Like Christmas, Halloween, Weddings, Music Themed, etc. The fountain would also help clean the lake wildlife and ascetics.

Naturalized trail system for walking

Port Elgin has a dog park that is fenced, but has significant amounts of trail, tree planting, bushes, and other natural cover, allowing people to enjoy nature with their dogs, without the mindless walking in circles that happens at the smaller parks that exist today.

Proposed leash-free dog area in Victoria Park

This would be a great location for a leash-free dog park in the downtown area.

Off-leash trails dedicated for dogs and owners to walk. Would like to see non-fenced spaces that are naturalized.