Pandemic programming offers community spaces online

Kitchener, Cambridge and Waterloo launch virtual hubs to help residents stay active and connected

WATERLOO REGION — It may feel a little backwards scheduling in screen time to connect with local outdoor spaces and keep active while at home, but during a pandemic, these are not normal times.

Across the region, efforts are being made to connect residents online through websites that act like virtual community centres, encouraging people to stay active and feel connected, even as they remain physically distant.

Alex Hourahine, one of the founders of Active Cambridge, said for years the nonprofit group’s mandate has been to get people outside and connect them to everything the Waterloo Region has to offer. This doesn’t stop during the pandemic, he said. It just shifts to a virtual space.

“The whole Waterloo (Region) area, we’re so rich in fitness groups, sports groups, parks, trails, and yet, a lot of people don’t know they’re even there.”

The activecambridge.ca website offers a selection of virtual bike rides and a virtual row specifically designed for people to sit on a stationary bike or rowing machine in front of a monitor and press play. The videos show the front of a bicycle cruising down trails in Shade’s Mills and a boat making its way down the Grand River.

The cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo have also launched websites to encourage residents to stay connected with local initiatives and keep active while physical distancing at home.

In Kitchener

Earlier this week, the City of Kitchener launched a website called Active at Home, offering a collection of activities meant to encourage residents to stay active and feel connected with the community. The site offers virtual concerts, walking tours, video fitness classes and other programs.

“Just because we’re in these difficult times doesn’t mean we still can’t connect, doesn’t mean it’s not important for us to be looking at other ways to offer programming to our residents,” said Josh Joseph, the manager of Kitchener’s neighbourhood development office.

One of the biggest draws on the site is the city’s home garden program. The city offered free garden kits where residents could grow pollinator plants or vegetables or salad greens on their windowsill or in their yard.

The city had more than 500 kits available to start, but one day after the launch of the site, all have been spoken for. It’s unclear if more will be made available in the future.

In Waterloo

The City of Waterloo has also compiled its own list of activities and posted the list on the Engage Waterloo website.

One program, called Through Our Waterloo Windows, asks community members to submit drawings, photos, stories or poems of positivity to be assembled into a community exhibit and shared on social media and eventually displayed in a public space.

Other video-based initiatives compiled from YouTube include Ballet Bootcamp with Julie,

Angels-Landing Yoga and dryland hockey skills.

In Cambridge

The City of Cambridge has launched #RecFromHome, a hub that compiles a variety of videos aimed at inspiring people to stay active while isolating at home.

One program offered on the site, called WOW (without walls) Social, brings together small groups of people over the phone for conversation, trivia games, bingo or even musical sessions. The WOW sessions are geared toward older adults and are held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The program schedule is available online at cambridge.ca. Anyone interested in registering can contact Service Cambridge at 519-6231340.