ROAMING THE REGION VIA ION

As the birds start chirping, the sun shines longer and the gas prices continue to burn craters in our pockets. May I suggest ditching the four-wheeled guzzler for a more sustainable and, dare I say, entertaining way to explore Waterloo Region this spring? 

Typically, I use two main forms of transportation when abroad: the heel-toe express and public transit. I’ve often contemplated why I don’t practice certain “travel traits” at home. Longer and warmer days seem like an opportune time to transform thought into action—and to pass the fun on to you. 

The ION is many things to the Region’s residents—a controversial and costly undertaking, a novelty and a major artery of movement, to name a few. I propose that it is also a source of entertainment and enjoyment. 

Beyond the obvious delight of people watching and general observation of the world around us, the ION offers users a free 3D art gallery, face-to-face social interaction (who would have ever thought that was novel) and countless day-trip itineraries. 

Here is a four-stop trip to tickle your fancy the next time you’re itching to roam the region. 

Logistics 

If you’re not a regular ION user, consider using a Multi-Ride Fare Card for the day’s hop-on and hop-off journey. It’s a disposable electronic card on which you can load between five and 15 rides, and it includes transfers. Purchase them from onsite fare vending machines. Group fares can also be purchased and loaded onto EasyGo Fare Cards. If you already have an EasyGo Fare Card, fares are valid for 120 minutes. 

Stop 1: The Departure Point AT Conestoga Mall 

Before hopping on the train, take in the striking public art created by local artist and educator, Catherine Paleczny. “Continuum” is a multi-panel piece displaying the abundance and interconnectedness of natural and human resources in Waterloo Region. For the coders in the group, translate the binary code in the sky for your fellow travellers. Throughout your day, keep an eye out for the rest of the ION Public Art Passport installations. 

Stop 2: Pastries and Coffee At Research and Technology Park 

A friend and fellow traveller, Katie, insisted the next stop is a must. After a quick ride, hop off the ION and head to Maison Kookoo on Philip Street for “croissants and really lovely pastries”. Fuel for the day is a must, and there’s nothing like fresh baked goods to increase excitement, plus her past pastry recommendations have always been stellar.  

Stop 3: Fresh Air, Festivals and Patio Jams At  
Victoria Park 

Stretch your legs at Victoria Park. Watch out for geese, smile at strangers, enjoy a picnic or outdoor concert, maybe even hop on the swings. Acquaint yourself with the colourful pedestrian Gaukel Block in preparation for summer festivals, markets and more. If it’s a rainy day, head to AOK Craft Beer + Arcade, THEMUSEUM, or the Adventurers Guild Board Game & Video Game Café. 

Stop 4: Soundtrack Surprise At  
Fairview Park Mall 

Walk across the street to the Beat Goes On. Browse the stacks of vinyl, DVDs, CDs and more. Add extra fun into the mix by gamifying the visit. Purchase an album for your travel companion(s) and surprise them with it on the return ride or go on a hunt to find the coolest cover art or oddest band name.  

Return to Start 

After travelling from one end of the ION to another, it’s time to head back to where you started. Ride straight through without stopping or continue the hop-on hop-off adventure. The journey is yours to decide. 

ROAMING THE REGION: WATERLOO REGION’S MULTI-USE TRAILS

Recently, I was chatting with a friend about the joy of living in a walkable city. Both of us have lived elsewhere in Ontario and around the world, which led us to compare notes and express delight over Waterloo Region’s trail network.  

Yes, there is still much to be desired with regards to public transit and access to walkable amenities in all neighbourhoods. In the context of this travel column, “walkable” is used in an exploratory sense. 

As the sun stretches days longer minute by minute through winter’s final act, local trails beckon us to emerge from hibernation at a slow, safe and steady pace. 

With nearly 400 kilometres of urban and rural trails criss-crossing the tri-cities and surrounding townships, we are spoiled for choice in Waterloo Region. Local trail networks are perfect for leisurely walkers, joggers, hikers, cyclists, mountain bikers and cross-country skiers. The ideas listed below are a fraction of the opportunities waiting to be discovered.  

Wellesley Township  

Newly opened in late 2019, the 923-metre Erbhaven Trail in Wellesley Township welcomes mountain bikers to race across eight acres of woodland. In September, work up an appetite and treat yourself to local flavours at the Wellesley Apple Butter and Cheese Festival. Who doesn’t love a bike and a bite? 
 
North Dumfries Township 

The Cambridge to Paris Trail in North Dumfries Township is popular with cyclists of all skill levels. A leisurely 18-kilometre trail of fine gravel paves the way for an incredibly fun day trip when you add in pit stops for food and drink. This is a definite Waterloo Region Bucket List travel item once the snow disappears. This trail also connects to the SC Johnson Trail (Paris to Brantford), the City of Cambridge Trails which link up with KW’s Walter Bean Trail and parts of the Grand Valley Trail. 
 
Wilmot Township 

Cross-country skiers, snowshoers and winter walkers alike, pack your gear and head to the Petersburg Crown Lands. With more than four kilometres of dog-friendly multi-use trails, this popular spot is great for a breath of fresh air. Parts of the trail back onto private property and dogs may be off leash. Courtesy and collective care for the land help to maintain its appeal. 

Woolwich Township 

Woolwich is the shining star of township trails. With 10 public multi-use trails and over 100 kilometres to explore, including by snowmobile, it toes the fine line between being a local secret and the hottest spot around. Most famously, Woolwich lays claim to the Kissing Bridge Trailway. While Ontario’s last in-use wooden covered bridge is under repair until the end of 2026, it is a sight to see from the road and the trail is still accessible. To start your outdoor adventure planning, download the Woolwich Trails Map Book. 

Cambridge 

Cambridge boasts over 50 kilometres of trails, some of which include waterfront views. Running beside the Speed and Grand Rivers, you just may forget that Waterloo Region is landlocked. One such trail is the 10.5 kilometre Grand Trunk Trail. The former railway path follows the Grand River at the south end of Cambridge, revealing mysterious abandoned buildings along the way.  

Waterloo 

Travel back in time while visiting the Silicon Valley of the North. The GeoTime Trail loop in Waterloo is a workout for the brain and body. With plaques detailing historical geological facts, a sun dial, and possible coyote sightings, this trail will keep you on your toes. Walk in a counterclockwise direction from the “oldest point” on the trail to modern times. Excellent for curious students of any age or those who enjoy multitasking.  
Kitchener 

The Walter Bean Trail connects Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge with more than 25 kilometres of well-maintained gravel pathways. In warmer weather, find turtles, canoe and kayak launches, and historic spots like the Waterloo Pioneer Memorial Tower which overlooks the Grand River. From the Doon Valley Golf Course to Kiwanis Park, the multi-use trail introduces walkers, cyclists and snowshoers alike to a variety of landscapes and places throughout Waterloo Region. 

Please Remember… 

As with anywhere you visit, please remember to pick up after yourself and leave these outdoor spaces in better condition than they were found. Some trails have washrooms and garbage bins, while others do not. A few helpful websites with trail details include the city and township websites, All Trails or GrandTrails.ca. 

TRAVERSING CULTURAL LANDSCAPES THROUGH THE LIBRARIES

If you’re looking for an affordable way to explore in Waterloo Region this winter, look no farther than your local library. With diverse community programs at a variety of branch locations, there are plenty of opportunities to learn and meet new people. Each of the listed events below are free to attend, open to anyone and require advance registration.  

The Region of Waterloo Library serves the residents of Wellesley, Woolwich, North Dumfries, and Wilmot with 12 branches. Below are five cultural events to add to your calendar.  

Celebrate Black History Month with three short films centering Black stories and history from the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), followed by a community discussion on Wednesday, Feb. 25 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Register for the Ayr Branch event online. Afterwards, learn about Waterloo Region’s connection to the Underground Railroad by reading about Buxton, Ontario.  

Did you know that chess, formerly known as chaturanga, originated in India during the Gupta Empire in 600 CE? The strategic game’s playing pieces resembled components of the military and the game traversed the world through trading routes. Join a game every Tuesday and Saturday at the New Hamburg Branch and every Wednesday at the Baden Branch from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.  

Hygge—pronounced “hoo-gah”—is perhaps one of Denmark’s most identifiable cultural exports. It is the notion of coziness and encompasses everything from the glow of a candle to spending time with good people. Head to the Breslau Branch on Tuesday, Feb. 10 for a night of Winter Hygge from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for ages 9 and up. Enjoy hot beverages, crafts and puzzles and good company.  

Embracing winter weather is a feat for some and a joy for others. Cambridge resident and globally published freelance journalist Paul Gains will share his love of the Arctic’s snowy owls during a presentation at the Ayr Branch on Wednesday, Feb. 18 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.   

Escape the cold and slip into a sunny state of mind without hopping on a plane. Chef Arielle is teaching a Roti and Trini Curry Masterclass at the Wilmot Recreation Complex on Tuesday, Feb. 24 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for ages nine and up.   

The Cambridge Public Library (CPL), Waterloo Public Library (WPL) and Kitchener Public Library (KPL) offer a wide range of tools to rent out, some of which will help support your Waterloo Region (and beyond!) explorations. Visit their websites or branches in-person to borrow skates, snowshoes, trekking poles, wildlife kits, museum passes, or Grand River and Ontario Parks passes.  

Learning a language is a phenomenal way to travel deeper. Start at home with free language classes, French reading buddies, or language circles in French, Chinese, Spanish and English at CPL, WPL and KPL branches.   

Finally, if you’re looking for an activity that’s engaging for the whole family, the WPL is hosting The Great Family Geocache Challenge. Geocaching is an adventurous hobby where participants search for hidden objects based on other participants’ clues. It’s an excellent way to get outside, exercise your brain, and enjoy a new and free activity at home or elsewhere around the world.  

Happy exploring!  

WANDERING WATERLOO REGION THROUGH BOOKS

After a busy and potentially expensive holiday season, the last activity one tends to think about is travel.  

What if you broke that mould?  

But what if, from the comfort, ease, and coziness of your couch, you navigated local streets both familiar and unknown? Stick with me, for I am not suggesting the familiar armchair travel of 2020.  

I certainly won’t suggest more screen time. 

What if you made yourself a cuppa something delicious and warm, found a blanket, and cracked the spine of something new? 

 Waterloo Region’s unique demographics easily lend themselves to phenomenal and fantastical stories. The books below can be found at local bookstores such as Words Worth Books or Old Goat Books in Uptown Waterloo, and A Second Look Books in Downtown Kitchener. Alternatively, check out any branch of the Kitchener Public Library or Waterloo Public Library for these and other books about Waterloo Region or by the region’s own talented authors. 

The Waterloo You Never Knew: Life on the Margins by Joanna Rickert-Hall

Joanna Rickert-Hall is a local author, social historian and recipient of the Jean Steckle Award for Excellence in heritage education. 

She writes about the scandals and overlooked yet fascinating tales and the tragedies of Waterloo Region. A delightful assortment of them appear in this book. 

Covering nineteenth and twentieth-century stories of both a sensational and sordid sort, this book shares local history that few locals have on their radar. 

Think body snatchers, cholera, rum running, and sorcery–to begin. Resident readers will be inspired, shocked, and gain new appreciation for the past and present of Waterloo Region. 

Flash from the Past : 140 photographs from the Waterloo Region Record by Chris Masterman and Jon Fear 

For the visually inclined, this collection of photographs from nineteenth and twentieth-century Waterloo Region will transport you through the decades of our collective stories. 

Chris Masterman, a former Waterloo Region Record librarian invited residents to share their memories associated with the archival photos she dug up from the archives. 

Jon Fear is a columnist for the Waterloo Region Record and kept the memory-gathering tradition alive. 

Kissing Bridge: The story of Ontario’s only covered bridge, and West Montrose, the quiet, charming village whose sides it connects by Del Gingrich 

Much as its name suggests, Kissing Bridge is whimsical, magical, and a little mischievous. Woolwich Township, known for its talented Mennonite farming community and calm green landscape, is not the setting you might associate with such a title. 

Yet it is, in fact, where this real-life story continues to take place today. Ontario’s last wooden covered bridge in use, it has a striking red façade, is the location of many an odd and delightful fact. 

Many such pieces of information are shared in the book, some of which include tales of the West Montrose Swifts and the Conestoga Wanderers (local hockey teams from 1915), the real alibi that allowed so many couples to conveniently take their time crossing the bridge, the peeping eyes that spied from the rafters. 

The Back Door by Coral Andrews 

Local author and broadcaster Coral Andrews dishes on Kitchener’s former underground music scene at The Back Door. Musicians, concertgoers and neighbours alike involved in Waterloo Region’s music scene, and perhaps more so those of a certain vintage, will appreciate the deep dive into Kitchener’s legendary punk history.

Should you prefer fiction, Waterloo Region’s creative writers have plenty to offer. From poetry to crime, consider the following titles for your January book list.  

Black Cherokee by Antonio Michael Downing is a coming-of-age story of a mixed-race Black girl growing up in a South Carolina Cherokee community that won’t recognize her identity.  

Nobody Cares: Essays is written by Anne T. Donahue. With humour, she explores friendship, failure, work and what life looks like as a twenty- or thirty-something in modern day. Award-winning local poet Chris Banks has several books.  

Midlife Action Figure: Poems has been described as a “rare book that is as exciting as it is provocative, showcasing both pathos and humor” by the ECW Press.  

Francie’s Got a Gun by Carrie Snyder is a Globe and Mail Best Book of the Year and one of the CBC’s Best Canadian Fiction Books of 2022. The survival of a young girl in a small town will keep you on the edge of your seat.  

Former Waterloo Regional councillor, Jane Mitchell, has pivoted from serving her community to crafting murder mysteries with her new novel, Bad Council.  In it, a local councillor is killed when he tries to release information that will change his community forever.  

Set your schedule as “busy”—you’ve got a lot of reading to enjoy this month!

ROAMING THE REGION: EAT YOUR WAY AROUND THE WORLD IN KW

Bao. Focaccia. Biryani. Kebab. Bibimbap. Pick a cuisine from nearly any continent. You can find it here at home in Waterloo Region. More than necessary sustenance, food is an introduction, a connection, and a map that leads us down memory lane. Here’s how to travel the world at home via your tastebuds.   

North America   

Starting local, Cedar Spoon caters delicious dishes with foods native to this land and rooted in a history of care.  

Indigenous owner Chef Destiny Moser also helps busy individuals and families with weekly meal delivery and in-home personal chef services through her other company, FoodZen.   

For award-winning pie previously featured on the Food Network’s show You Gotta Eat Here, visit Anna Mae’s in Millbank. What started in 1978 as a home business to support her family through a tough time has grown into a well-established and beloved community restaurant. Under new owners, they continue to serve hearty home-cooked meals.    

For a comforting contemporary take on Canadian cuisine, head to Crazy Canuck in St. Jacobs or Downtown Kitchener. Their poutine is made with locally-grown potatoes and topped with the classic Québecois cheese curds or more creative choices like Halifax-style Donair sauce.  

Central & South America   

Cambridge’s The Mule serves up tacos and tequilas in a bold and colourful atmosphere. 

A great spot for lunch, dinner or late-night drinks, the menu is 100 per cent gluten- and peanut-free. Their mocktail menu is equally as enticing as their margaritas.    

El Salvador and Peru are within walking distance in Downtown Kitchener. Mi Tienda Latina is the ideal place to stock your pantry with staples from all over South America, like Argentinian mate.  

Grocery shopping may work up your appetite. Order sit-in favourites like sopa de frijoles con costilla or pupusas and pastellitos. Quench your thirst with a sweet and spicy mangonada.   

La Guanaquita is a Salvadorian and Mexican restaurant overlooking King St. W. where the servers genuinely make you feel at home.  

Close your eyes, point to the extensive menu, and be satisfied with any meal you select.  

Europe   

La Lola Tapas Bar delivers a memorable experience time and again. Spanish sangria makes everything better, as does sharing a pitcher of it with someone special. With an intimate seating area, it’s the perfect date night spot.    

For casual Balkan fare, Jasna’s European Meat and Deli is a crowd favourite. The cevapi are a go-to for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. As the colder months approach, their hearty goulash, cabbage rolls, and pasulj will warm you from the inside out.   

Africa   

Mo’s Kitchen in Preston serves Nigerian dishes from morning to night. Chef-owner Modupe Atoe has been cooking with her mother since she was nine years old.  

With rave reviews for the classic Jollof Rice, plantain, abula, soups and a very friendly staff, this is a must try.   

A longtime local staple, excellent vegetarian option, and gluten-friendly establishment is Muya Restaurant on Highland Rd. in Kitchener.  

The Pick 5 Combo dish welcomes you to try five vegetarian side options. There are plenty of tantalizing choices for the meat eaters too such as Lamb Tibs. 

Asia   

The newly opened family-run Fry N’ Chicken across from the Kitchener Market has everything from Korean Corn Dogs to Korean Hot Spicy Yangnyeom Chicken to spicy Korean rice cakes (teokbokki).  

This addictive food joint will keep you coming back for more.    

Bao Sandwich Bar in Waterloo’s university district makes you work with its parking situation, however the effort is worth it. Clear your calendar, don sweatpants, and prepare to be wowed.  

Start with the Seoul Beef, Crackle Belly, and Korean Garlic Chicken. Thank me later.   

Family-run Mom’s Hmong Sausages are made with local meat and served with traditional Hmong salsa and red sticky rice.  

Order them online on their website or pick up in store at New City Supermarket.   

Some of the spiciest food in Waterloo Region can be found at Kismet Restaurant in the University Plaza. A Bangladeshi food spot open for two decades, this is where you go to test your tastebuds’ strength.    

To Wrap It Up   

This is a small sample of the array of cuisines available in Waterloo Region. Choose the unfamiliar. Embrace curiosity and remain courteous. Eat family style, multiplying the opportunity to taste new dishes. Repeat these steps however often suits your budget and schedule. Enjoy! 

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