Waterloo Housing Acting Together Supporting and Understanding People
Featured Community Event: Aim High on High Street
Waterloo Region Housing (WRH) in collaboration with
Community Justice Initiatives (CJI) offered a Leadership Camp
to children from the local community from March 12-16, 2012.
Aim High Leadership Camp provided an opportunity for
children to learn about issues surrounding self-esteem,
bullying, conflict and leadership.
Students on placements with WRH and CJI developed this
program by working directly with the families and children.
The week of activities ended with a barbeque for the entire
community.
Dr. Albert Rose Bursary Program Ends
This program ended in April 2012 with the announcement of
the Provincial Budget. The Dr. Albert Rose Bursary Program
was established in 1984 by Ontario Housing Corporation to
help Community Housing tenants with the costs of postsecondary education. The program was named in honour of
the late Dr. Albert Rose who dedicated his life’s work to
education and community housing.
Earn a Bike Program at the
Police Safety Village
Each year, the Earn a Bike Program, in co-operation with
WRH, provides an opportunity for selected youth to earn a
bike by completing 30 hours of community service. Each
participant was awarded their bike at the Police Safety Village.
We would like to thank the Waterloo Region Police
Department and Tim Hortons for this program.
Our Mission Statement
WHATS UP is a dedicated voluntary team of Waterloo Region
Housing tenants, staff and community partners. Our goal is to
create and support educational and social programs that
benefit the larger community by ensuring an environment to
live, grow and thrive in.
The WHATS UP Committee supports community events,
fire drills and other initiatives that benefit the tenants of
Waterloo Region Housing. We are currently seeking new
members. If you can spare a couple of hours every other
month, please contact Lorraine Eisenporth, Community
Relations Worker at 519-575-4800 ext. 7080 for more
information.
SUMMER
2012
Superstar Helpers working hard!
Thanks Kathleen for putting this together.
– Community Events –
Fire Safety, Prevention and Reporting
Over the past year, Community Relations Workers have been
busy with fire safety presentations.
Quick fire safety tips:
• If you smell smoke or see fire, call 911
• If your clothes catch fire: STOP, DROP AND ROLL
• Call 911 if you can’t leave your apartment due to smoke or fire
• Cooking is the main cause of fires (put a lid on it!)
Thank you to all who participated. You have taken the first step
in keeping yourself safe in an emergency.
416 Kingscourt Activities
The Kingscourt Group is a partnership among tenants, Waterloo
Mennonite Brethren Church, Shamrock Co-op, City of Waterloo
and Waterloo Region Housing. The group is offering limited
programs for youth in the Kingscourt and Shamrock community
housing sites during the summer and fall. There are plans for a
women’s group in the fall, so watch for flyers.
The Mayor of Waterloo attended
the Homework Club in April.
Community Resource Officer
Matt Halliday stopped by and
shared stories on being safe.
Good news for most of the senior buildings within WRH;
we have expanded the installation of hand sanitizer stations
to more locations. Using hand sanitizers helps reduce the
spread of colds and the flu!
BED BUG Summit 2012
Waterloo Region Housing, in partnership with Public Health,
created the Bed Bug Umbrella Group (B.BUG). The B.BUG
planned and presented two community events inviting
numerous community agencies, Landlords, local City Bylaw
and Property Standard Officers. The first event was a forum
and the second was a workshop. Both events were well
attended, with a combined audience of over 375, and offered
presentations on the topic of bed bug prevention, detection,
and removal.
518 Greenfield Ave.
Hosted the ‘Breast Party Ever!’
The ‘Breast Party Ever!’ was launched Sept. 28, 2011 at the
Paulander Community Centre in Kitchener and a second party
was held Feb. 15, 2012, on Greenfield Avenue.
‘Breast Party Ever!’ is a program from the Public Health
Department in partnership with Waterloo Region Housing
and Waterloo Wellington Cancer Prevention Programs.
Women aged 45 to 69 were invited to join the party and learn
about mammograms (breast x-rays), screening guidelines and
how finding breast cancer early could save lives. Door prizes
were awarded and everyone left with a goodie bag.
For more information about breast screening, visit
www.cancercare.on.ca/screening
Are you a woman age 50 or older?
Get a free mammogram (breast x-ray) from the
Ontario Breast Screening Program.
Call to make your appointment or get a referral
from your health care provider: 1-800-668-9304
Mayor Halloran helps out and
the youth are sharing their
stories.
FabFit-Functional in Cambridge
FabFit-Functional is an ability individual training program
offered through Community Supports Connections Meals on
Wheels and a network of volunteers. This program is being
offered to tenants at 95 Concession St. and 9 & 10 Westgate
Crt., Cambridge. The home support exercise program was
developed by the Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging
Exercise Program in London, Ontario and consists of 10
simple and progressively more difficult exercises aimed towards
the older adult
community. This
program helps the
aging population
continue to live
independently by
contributing to
their need of staying
functionally mobile. A
group class is run
weekly with
participants encouraged to continue these daily activities on
their own. The program runs for 12 weeks.
Student Placements at Waterloo
Regional Housing
This fall, Community Relations Workers will welcome a
second-year Social Services Conestoga College student. The
student will be working out of the Cambridge office with
Community Relation Workers Lorraine and Ellen.
– Community Events –
Kathleen Elliott Court at 95
Concession St. hosted a party
on June 19, 2012.
Mary Beth MacDonald, of
Waterloo Wellington Cancer
Prevention Program was
presenting to the group.
Paulander Group - What’s New
‘inReach’ worker, Kisha, is a new team member with the
Paulander Community Group.
The Food Program, started on Monday’s at the Paulander
Community Centre in partnership with the Food Bank.
Thanks to the volunteers for helping make it work!
A new ramp has been installed at 60 Paulander Dr., thanks to
Don Harmer for coordinating the build. It works well!
65 Paulander Dr. will be getting a new lift. The lift will allow
tenants on the first, second and third floors access the rest of
the building without using stairs. Thank you to all tenants at
Paulander Drive who have been patient with the temporary
relocation of the laundry room while construction of the new
lift takes place.
Earth Month Community Clean up at
Courtland-Shelly
Wow, it is great
to see the number
of helpers who
volunteered to
clean the
community one
space!
– Are You Protected? –
Are You Protected?
What happens if you have a kitchen fire, your bathtub
overflows or someone breaks into your home?
You, the tenant, are responsible for cleaning and/or replacing
clothing, bedding, furniture and other household contents.
However, tenant insurance can protect you. Tenant insurance
may cover the costs of replacing household items when you
cannot afford to.
Who pays when your damage affects another home?
Most home insurance packages also come with liability
insurance. If you, your family or guests cause damage to your
unit or a neighbour’s home, liability insurance can cover the
costs.
For additional information and pricing on this valuable and
affordable product, please contact an insurance broker directly.
If you have access to the internet, one option is to visit this
website for information: www.sohoinsurance.ca.
People who do not smoke in their homes generally pay lower
insurance premiums!
Help Keep Your Kids Safe
Playgrounds
Thank you for helping keep children safe this summer. Please
remember if you have children under the age of 12, keep them
safe by supervising them when they are playing on
playgrounds.
Parking lots and driveways
It can be very dangerous for children to skateboard and/or ride
bikes in parking lots and driveways; drivers may not see the
children, and may not have enough time to stop.
Cool BBQ at
Greenfield
On Feb. 27, 2012, the City of
Kitchener and WRH hosted a
Winter BBQ and potluck to
extend thanks to community
partners who have been involved
in programs at the building.
Guests included a Peer Health
Worker, Youth Outreach Workers
and the Waterloo Region Police
Services Community Resource
Officer.
If you would like help to organize a community event,
please contact your Community Relations Worker.
Not sure who your community relations worker is?
Call the Waterloo Region Housing office at 519-575-4800
and tell us your address and we will re-direct you to the
Community Relations Worker for your area.
Your children are important! Please explain the risks to them
and help keep them safe.
Remember that your children’s actions may affect your tenancy.
Please supervise your children.
Pool safety,
The conditions of all leases between WRH and our tenants say
that only children’s wading
pools are permitted and the
45 height of the water must not
cm exceed 45 cm (18”). Tenants
must always take precautions
to prevent drowning and
are responsible for the
use and maintenance of
any wading pools.
Inflatable pools with a
water depth higher than
45 cm are not
permitted.
whats up! COMMITTEE
(Waterloo Housing Acting Together Supporting & Understanding People)
Manager’s Message
Waterloo Region Housing (WRH) has a
number of community housing
improvement projects planned for the
summer such as window and door
replacements, parking lot upgrades, roof
replacements, and furnace replacements.
Some of these projects have already begun;
we appreciate your patience for any
temporary inconvenience this may cause.
One of our goals is to work to improve the
various community sites managed by WRH.
We continue to partner with valued
community agencies (such as House of
Friendship, Mosaic, Community Justice
Initiatives, Public Health, Waterloo
Mennonite Brethren and Police Services)
that work together with WRH to promote a
healthy lifestyle. In addition, we appreciate
the numerous community volunteers who
participate in many ways to enhance their
community. Thank you for your
contribution.
A Bed Bug Summit was held in the fall of
2011 and February 2012, WRH staff
attended both events. It can be a difficult
battle to eliminate bed bugs, therefore it is
important for tenants to feel comfortable in
reporting a bed bug problem to WRH. This
way we can help eliminate the issue before it
becomes bigger. We promise to work with
you to resolve the concern.
I am pleased to share that our WRH student
placements, from Conestoga College and
the University of Waterloo, have offered our
tenants opportunities to participate in social
activities. These activities helped to spread
information on communication, healthy
meals, personal safety and fire prevention.
Thank you to the “WHATS UP”
Committee, the Waterloo Region Housing
Operations Advisory Committee
(WRHOAC) for their assistance and
support, and to WRH staff for their hard
work in responding to tenant and
community needs.
Sprinkler season is here, whether it is from
rain or the garden hose, please be safe.
Thank you,
Irwin Peters, Manager
Staff Changes for Waterloo Regional Housing:
In February 2012, Property Manager
Donna Thompson retired after working
with WRH for eight years and within the
broader community housing field for
many more. Her vacancy was filled on
May 14, 2012, and we were very pleased
to welcome Lynda Gourlie to the WRH
team. Lynda has worked in community
housing in the Toronto area for almost 15
years and brings a wealth of community
housing experience to WRH.
Carol Markow retired at the end of June,
2012 after a 39 year career in community
housing. For over four decades Carol has
served the citizens in Waterloo Region,
helping to provide affordable, wellmaintained and safe housing. Carol’s
dedication, attention to detail and
supportive efforts for tenants and her
colleagues will be missed. Carol’s vacancy
has also been filled by Property Manager,
Andrea Jones, who started on July 3, 2012.
Andrea has over 10 years experience in
Property Management, including both
private sector and community housing
portfolios.
Best wishes to both Donna and Carol for a
happy retirement, and a big welcome to
Lynda and Andrea as the two newest
members of the WRH team.
Have a safe and enjoyable summer!
Reminder:
Smoke-free Policy
The smoke-free policy
has been in effect
since April 1, 2010.
Please observe the no
smoking signs in
your area. Do not
smoke in common areas,
which includes entrance and exits or
within five meters of the building.
Public Health offers free group and
individual counselling sessions with
nicotine replacement therapy for
those who are eligible.
If you are interested in
learning more about quitting,
please call the Public Health
Tobacco Information Line
at 519-883-2279.
For more information about the
smoke-free policy, contact your
Community Relations Worker or
Property Manager at 519-575-4800.
RECYCLING
DO YOU PRACTICE THE 3 R’S?
REDUCE, REUSE AND RECYCLE.
Many of our apartment buildings
and townhouse complexes have on
site recycling bins. You can help
reduce garbage that is sent to our
landfill by recycling. Please sort
your recycling and place it in the
appropriate bins.