Commentaire 27 – commentaires et rétroaction

Barbara Nowak

I have read your proposal with respect to realignment of the riding boundaries for Waterloo, Kitchener-Centre, Kitchener- South Hespeler and Kitchener-Conestoga.

Thank-you for the work that has gone into this proposal. I am writing with what I feel are important points for the Commission to consider in the redistribution process and counter proposals I feel would better represent community interests in the region.

I live in the rural village of Wellesley in Wellesley Township which is part of the riding of Kitchener-Conestoga, and feel that I need to provide input for your consideration from 2 perspectives — as a 40-year resident of Wellesley Village and as a 30-year resident of Cambridge where I was born and went to school. Because I was born in Galt (Cambridge) over 70 years ago, I have a perspective and comments about the proposals for that part of the region.

Since I have lived in the village of Wellesley for 40 years, I am aware of the patterns and habits that residents have to live, work and play. We have few amenities so people need to go into a city to purchase groceries and for some medical appointments. Many also commute to work in the city of Kitchener or Waterloo.

Residents of Wellesley have a much stronger connection to the southwest portion of Kitchener than the northern portion of Hespeler. We share common health care facilities, shopping areas, employment opportunities, restaurants, and sports and entertainment venues. We also share transportation links and have common transit and development concerns and get the same newspapers.

If I shop or have medical appointments, I go 20-25 minutes into the west side of Kitchener or Waterloo. I do not travel 45+ minutes to go to Cambridge, especially not all the way over to Hespeler. I would also not go to North Dumfries for any amenities as it is too far.

In my teens, I attended Southwood Secondary School and some of my fellow students came from North Dumfries into the Galt section of Cambridge. Residents of North Dumfries would travel about 20 minutes into Cambridge.

Because I have lived over 70 years and my family have been residents of Galt long before that, I know the rich history and strong identities that each of the 3 parts of Cambridge have. Hespeler would be very upset if the name that they are proud to carry was lost in the name of a riding. Sports teams from those 3 communities that make up Cambridge still carry the names of Galt, Preston, and Hespeler as they have for generations.

Your proposal will result in splitting off the residents of the northern portion of Hespeler from Cambridge. Hespeler has a stronger connection to Cambridge as has been the case for many years, even prior to the amalgamation of Galt, Hespeler and Preston to form the city of Cambridge. Your proposal would remove any mention of Hespeler in the riding name which I feel would be a serious mistake. People associate where they live in the electoral district and not having that connection to Cambridge is an affront to their identification as residents of Cambridge.

I feel that this community needs to remain as part of Cambridge. The community of Hespeler is one of the oldest settlements in the region. They have a distinct identity and are proud of their community and their name, which would disappear with the new riding of Kitchener South-North Dumfries. This community should remain united and not split between two ridings.

In keeping Hespeler united as one community, we need to make up the population that would have come from that area. I believe Hespeler should remain united as a community within the riding of Kitchener-South Hespeler.

With respect to Kitchener, I propose that the area of Kitchener, known as Forest Hills, become part of Kitchener-Conestoga. Residents of Forest Hills send their children to schools located in Forest Heights. They share a community centre, library, public pool and places of worship. These two neighbourhoods used to be in the same riding but were separated at your last review. This needs to be changed back. I propose that the area bounded by Westmount Road to Highland to Fisher-Hallman road to the Conestoga Parkway to the west, be moved to Kitchener-Conestoga.

The changes I have proposed take into consideration a broader Regional approach. Especially when it comes to keeping the residents of Cambridge united within their city.

I sincerely hope that you take into consideration what I have proposed.

With regards,

Barbara Nowak