Blog: More Conversations, More Connections
Has it been just me, or have you also noticed a growing recognition of the power of social infrastructure across Waterloo Region over the past few months? I’m seeing examples from across the region, all with a clear message: fostering social connections is critical to building strong, resilient communities.
In Kitchener, Mayor Berry Vrbanovic’s State of the City address highlighted the city’s commitment to creating spaces and experiences that enable residents to connect, build trust, and form meaningful relationships. This wasn’t just a mention—it was a reaffirmation that the City of Kitchener recognizes social infrastructure as essential to community well-being. The City of Waterloo continues to prioritize social connections in its newsletters, the most recent one sharing ways to bring neighbours together over the winter months, and to publicize their Neighbourhood Fund. At the Cambridge Public Library Art Galleries, they recently opened “Belonging,” a community exhibition that explores how art can help create a sense of connection, healing, and belonging. From painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, and other media, creators from across Waterloo Region explore and interpret what it means to belong – whether to a community, a culture, or a place.
Last week, I participated on a panel hosted by the Greater Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce that further explored the role of local businesses in nurturing social infrastructure, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between the private sector and community organizations as our region grows towards a million residents. There was a strong endorsement that it’s not enough to just be a bigger community; rather we have an opportunity and responsibility to be better… to be a more connected, more sustainable, more equitable, more joyful, more beautiful, and more prosperous community. A community where our people aren’t merely surviving but thriving.
These conversations are more than just buzzwords—they are signs that our region understands and values the power of social bonds. Whether it's through supporting local events, developing and activating public spaces, or fostering inclusivity in every neighbourhood, we are collectively setting the stage for a connected and engaged future as a community of one million neighbours.
As we move forward, WRCF is excited that our three largest funding streams (Community Grants, Arts Grants, and Racial Equity Grants) will be open for applications at the end of February. We are determined to align these resources to support a stronger system of social infrastructure, whether by the activation of spaces (both hubs and havens) or by creating shared experiences. By funding initiatives that prioritize meaningful connections among different groups, different neighbourhoods, different communities, or different generations, we aim to help build the foundation of a region where social infrastructure is at the heart of every community-building effort.
Despite the distractions of elections and trade wars, this is an exciting time for the region, and efforts of many across this community represent more than just conversations—they’re a call to action to create a community where connection thrives. We look forward to seeing the impact all these actions will have on our collective future.
Eric Avner
WRCF President & CEO
eric@wrcf.ca