Comment 48 – comments and feedback

Mary Cunningham

I live in the riding of Kitchener South — Hespeler in Ontario. I have lived here since before the last redistribution which created our new riding.

I am very concerned about potential changes to this riding being discussed for Kitchener South-Hespeler during this Redistribution period. Since we were just created we need to be left alone for now.

This riding was created during the last Redistribution efforts in 2014. So, we are almost brand new.

And what we are doing here working well from an election and community building standpoint.

Don't split us up now — we are just getting going.

In addition we are very close to the ideal population envisioned by the Redistribution committee in this riding now.

Our population is almost 120 thousand which is very close to the "redistribution ideal" of approximately 116, 600 people.

We are well within your + or – 10% variation goal.

Leave us alone please. Too much change so soon is NOT a good idea in my opinion.

And yes, I know people hate change. But this potential change just for the sake of change is a very bad idea.

The living areas in our riding are basically all urban.

Hespeler is one of our urban living areas in this riding.

Hespeler is a very old area of Waterloo Region and community pride runs very deeply in this area.

Citizens in Hespeler are proud of their history and their name.

This area on the Speed River that eventually came to be Hespeler was on land purchased in 1798 by a group of Mennonites from Pennsylvania from the Six Nations Indians with the assistance of developer Richard Beasley. (Wikipedia). This is as old as non-indigenous settlement gets in Waterloo Region and many of us take great pride in being from one of these original areas along one of the river courses here. The changes being contemplated would wipe out the name Hespeler. Don't do this, please. Bad idea. This is not positive and is potentially very destructive.

We share no history with the rural North Dumfries area which is contemplated for an addition to Kitchener South-Hespeler.

It is a nice area but there is no connection between Kitchener South and North Dumfries.

Don't make us start all over again please.

Thank you,

Mary Cunningham

An engaged and voting citizen.