Episode V of Readers Delight – features authors: Taylor Graham, Vanessa Ricci-Thode, and Caroline Topperman.
Taylor Graham read from 2 different plays, “Cottage Radio” & “Post Alice”. Taylor’s work is available on Talonbooks and you can find her on Instagram as Taylor Marie Graham. Vanessa Ricci Thode read from, “The Young Necromancer’s Guide. to ghosts” You can find Vanessa’s books on Amazon. The Genre for this book is: Fantasy & Magic for Children. Her Socials are under her name Vanessa Ricci-Thode Caroline Topperman read from “Your Roots Cast a Shadow”. This book will have its world premiere on December 17th. It will be available to purchase on Amazon as well as her website and Socials under Caroline Topperman.
Kitchener City Council is addressing the issue of excessive road signs to combat clutter and visual pollution on city roads by changing its sign bylaws.
The changes are meant to discourage the use of roadways for marketing purposes. Only special event directional signs, such as signs advertising open houses and portable signs for new home developments, are allowed on city boulevards.
Key revisions to the sign bylaw include regulations on the timing and duration of sign placements, mandatory inclusion of dates on signs, the relaxation of distance requirements from buildings for certain signs, and the removal of the City’s 30-day sign hold provision.
City of Kitchener Councillor Paul Singh and the city’s Coordinator for Planning and Zoning Services, Joanne McCallum, emphasized that in addition to cleaning up the roadsides, the new regulations will help city staff police these nuisance signs.
Waterloo – On May 14th Waterloo council unanimously approved a recommendation directing staff to move forward with community engagements over the future of the Eby Farmstead within Waterloo Park. The farmstead consists of an equipment barn and several fenced animal enclosures which house a small herd of farm animals for 5-6 months each year.
Robin Milne, Waterloo’s Director of Parks, Forestry and Cemetery Services told council that they want to have a plan for the Eby Farmstead, whether that be “improved amenities to keep the farmstead, or reimagining the space” by the end of the summer, ahead of the process for the 2025 Waterloo Park Plan. Staff noted they may bring in an outside consultant to help with the engagement process.
Details on the Eby Farmstead public consultation process are available on engagewr.ca.
This show features an interview with Waterloo mayor Dorothy McCabe discussing the Eby Farmstead.
People out for their daily walks in the Waterloo Region may have noticed a tall plant with the clusters of white flowers. It’s the garlic mustard plant — and it’s invasive, destructive, and spreading.
Garlic mustard may not be the most egregious of the invasive species, but it is the most widespread. The plant spreads quickly through seed dispersal and dense stands of garlic mustard can produce more than 60,000 seeds per square meter and can double in size every four years.
Ron Wu Winter of the Grand River Conservation Authority describes Garlic mustard’s spread, the challenges it poses for removal and control, and its ability to release chemicals that inhibit the growth of native plants.
Pedestrians and cyclists in Kitchener are at a disproportionately high risk of serious injury or fatality due to aggressive and inattentive driving, according to the latest City of Kitchener Vision Zero Annual Update Report.
This year’s report update was presented at the City of Kitchener’s Community and Infrastructure Services Committee meeting on Monday, May 13th. Adopted in 2021, the Vision Zero strategy aims to eliminate severe injuries and fatalities on Kitchener’s roads, with the 2024 report outlining over 40 action items for street safety improvements. The report highlights the problems of aggressive driving behaviours and the inadequacy of road designs to ensure the safety of vulnerable road users.
Delegates to Council discussed lowering speed limits, increasing the number of traffic cameras, and implementing infrastructure changes as potential solutions. Other delegates detailed the successes they have found in educating young students on road safety and encouraging alternative modes of transport.
Waterloo – Dozens of people converged at the University of Waterloo’s main campus on Monday morning to launch a Gaza solidarity encampment. The group’s “OccupyUWaterloo” Instagram page calls the encampment “Gaza House”
The group says the university is complicit in the current siege on Palestinians by the Israeli military, which has resulted in over 35,000 people dead, tens of thousands more injured or missing, and the majority destruction of Gazan infrastructure, including all universities and hospitals. The group is calling for divestment from weapons manufacturers and institutions which support the occupation of Palestine, and “an end to UW’s financial and academic ties to the genocidal and apartheid state of Israel.”
These demands share similarities from the demands from encampments set up at over a dozen other universities in Canada.
This show features an interview with Gaza House encampment spokesperson Nick Joseph. Also included is the statement UW provided, and Waterloo mayor Dorothy McCabe reacting to the encampment.
What’s up, y’all? Posting a day early because my schedule for tomorrow might get a bit goofy. Here’s what I have added to Libretime since last Sunday:
Yester Daze
Nothing, Perfectly
Rock
CanCon
Lynne Hanson
Just a Poet
Singer-Songwriter
CanCon
Jon Gordon
7th Ave South
Jazz
CanCon
Gabriel Genest
As It Is
Jazz
CanCon
Brandi Behlen
Bad Boy, Good Man – Single
Country
No
Roalie James
Soft Target – Single
Pop
No
Cheyanne Summer
Please – Single
Country
CanCon
Jade Turner
That Wind – Single
Singer-Songwriter
CanCon
Jake Vaadeland
Retro Man… More and More
Singer-Songwriter
CanCon
The Anti-Queens
Disenchanted
Punk
Track 13 labelled as NSFR out of an abundance of caution
CanCon
Kari Van Der Kloot
Window
Jazz
No
Antenna93
You’re Not Made for This Business
Punk
CanCon
Demi Jordanae
How Did We Get Here (Acoustic Version) – Single
Pop
CanCon
Demi Jordanae
Smell Like You – Single
Pop
CanCon
Demi Jordanae
I Never Do – Single
Pop
CanCon
Marika Lejon
Forbidden – Single
Pop
No
Alex Henry Foster
Kimiyo
Alternative
CanCon
Tom X. Chao
Statement of Intent
Rock
No
Clay Hazey
Clay Hazey EP
Folk
CanCon
The Mirrors
The Mirrors
Punk
CanCon
Steve Purcell
I’m Ready – Single
Rock
No
Lori Yates
Matador
Country
CanCon
Franc O’Cher
Hey Beautiful – Single
Pop
CanCon
Meela
Empty Nights – Single
Pop
CanCon
Meela
Intoxicated Love -Single
Pop
CanCon
Meela
Paris Nights – Single
Pop
CanCon
Meela
Slip Right Pass – Single
Pop
CanCon
The Wesleys
The Wesleys
Rock
Track 4 labelled as NSFR out of an abundance of caution
CanCon
Mary Frances Leahy
First Light
Classical
CanCon
Lizard the Bird
Close the Curtains – Single
Rock
CanCon
Lizard the Bird
Is It My Body? – Single
Rock
CanCon
Lizard the Bird
Who Told You? – Single
Rock
CanCon
Lizard the Bird
You Don’t Own Me – Single
Rock
CanCon
Axiome
Tse – EP
Indie Rock
CanCon
Axiome
Axiome
Indie Rock
CanCon
Andrew Sue Wing
Violet Skies
R&B
No
DUTE
Slowly – Single
Pop
No
Brad Strang
Tripping Off to Mars
Folk
CanCon
Soleil
Searching – Single
Jazz
CanCon
Soleil
Time of Darkness
Jazz
CanCon
Here’s tonight’s Horizon Broadening Hour:
Tracklist:
Tom X Chao – Moving Back to Hollywood
The Wesleys – Radio Circus
Yester Daze – Hanging by a Thread
The Mirrors – Oarfish
Clay Hazey – As Long As You’re Beside Me
Stephen Hamm/Theremin Mann – Star People
Marshall Jacklin – Salt
Ruth Moody – Michigan
Lizard the Bird – Is It My Body?
The Silverbeets – My Utopian Dystopia
Cam Blake – Russian Roulette
Garrett Neiles – Heaven in my Hands
Pixie Moonshine – Aphterbirth
Needrock – Pretty Babe
Alex Henry Foster – Autumnal Processions
Brad Strang – Tap Your Toes
Soleil – Time of Darkness
Brenda Earle Stokes – Loose Tooth Blues
Sarrah Jerom – Part IV: The White Elk
Dan Loomis – Centaur of the Plains
Ruth Saphir – Hand-Me-Down Clothes
Anthony D’Alessandro – Blues for the Down and Out
Jon Gordon – Ed’s Groove
Gabriel Genest – Kairos
Kari Van Der Kloot – Sprout
Daniel Janke Winter Trio – Man of Constant Sorrow
Mary Frances Leahy – Dinner at 8
To commemorate its 40th anniversary, the only independent bookstore in Waterloo, Wordsworth Books, has revived the Wordsworthy Literary Award. The award, presented for the first time in several years, recognizes outstanding literary contributions from Canadian authors and is intertwined with the bookstore’s history.
One of the owners of Wordsworth Books, Mandy Brouse, explains why the award has been revived and how it connects with the store’s history. Over the past 40 years, Wordsworth Books has weathered the challenges to its business, including recessions, the ION LRT construction, and the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to the loyalty of its customer base.
The winner of the 2024 Wordsworthy Literary Award will be announced at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 11 at the store’s Uptown Waterloo location.
Waterloo – Waterloo’s annual State of the City was delivered on May 2nd by mayor Dorthy McCabe at Wilfrid Laurier University, and was full of celebration of the current work the city is doing, and enthusiasm for the future.
The mayor focused significantly on the work the city is doing on housing, climate action, community building, infrastructure, service delivery, and affordability and she noted the interconnectedness of these topics throughout her speech.
McCabe also celebrated the youth of the city and the students of the region’s high schools, post-secondary institutions throughout the speech, saying of the “council for the day” students “Waterloo’s future looks very very bright”.
The State of the City was organised by the Rotary Club of Waterloo and raised over 15,000$ for Supportive Housing of Waterloo, an organisation which helps people who have experienced long periods homelessness with housing and other support services.
The impacts of being hit by a car can be serious and the increased size of vehicles can contribute to more severe injuries. While attempts to increase driver accountability have so far failed at Queen’s Park, police have trained their focus on preventative measures and awareness to improve road safety.
The show features an interview with Waterloo Regional Police Services staff sergeant Scott Griffiths and insights from Janice Jim, the chair of the City of Waterloo Active Transportation Committee and vice president of CycleWR.
Guest hosts Asuga Ikemoto and André Leoncito from St. Mary’s High School play music, some of their own productions, and provide interpretation and explanations.
Special thanks to David Lacalamita, teacher at St. Mary’s High School!
Scott McGovern introduces himself: For the last two years he’s the Festival and Events Specialist at the City of Waterloo. Scott is a 30-year alumnus of CKMS! He remembers the walls of vinyl records, letting DJs play whatever they wanted, music you would never hear on mainstream radio. A portal into alternative music! Talking about the purpose of community radio. Coming up to the busy season for Scott; lots of interesting programs and events, sometimes two a week! Scott organizes the “Campfire Series” on Waterloo Public Square, eight throughout the summer, 6pm to 8pm. Hyness plays on 10 July 2024. The first event will be a Campfire session on Wednesday 8 May 2024, with Sammy Duke and Gerima Harvey.
Other events are one-off (annual) events, like Winterloo, where Scott met Bob Jonkman this past January. Open Streets on 15 June 2024 is another annual event, and Radio Waterloo will be there too! And DJ Denim will be playing Live-To-Air at the Art Market, 5:00pm to 9:00pm on Friday 31 May 2024.
Clarissa Diokno is playing at the second Campfire event from 6:00pm to 8:00pm on 22 May 2024.
Clarissa’s music is perfect for the vibe Scott is trying for at these events. Scott and his team have some set annual events, like this year’s Community Picnic on 1 July 2024 in Waterloo Park West, another Radio Waterloo Live-To-Air event. Yet another annual event is Day of Play on 10 August 2024. Lumen is the biggest event each year, a one-night celebration of light-based installations. And there are the “affiliate groups”, like Busker Fest, the Uptown Jazz Festival, Royal Medieval Faire. Some started as City events and became so big that they formed their own organizations. The City of Waterloo still helps with logistics such as using City facilities and road closures, making sure that they provide what Waterluvians have come to love and expect.
25m18s
What can we expect on July 1st? The student-run Canada Day celebrations came to an end in 2018, and the City of Waterloo saw that would leave a huge vacuum, so they decided to take it on. It now take place in Waterloo Park by the bandshell. The highlight of the night is the choreographed drone show, with a live soundtrack.
The event on 1 July is branded as a Community Picnic, it isn’t a super traditional Canada Day celebration. Last year the audience was estimated at 15- to 20 thousand people.
32m26s
There are eight campfires in the square. Scott can’t reveal names yet, but it will be great. There will also be three Art Markets, very popular with audiences as well as local artists and craftspeople. And Scott announces that on 31 May there will be an Art Market and a Celebration In The Square to show off the new improvements such as the water feature and the shade structures. And the new artwork on the Events trailer will be unveiled. There will be remarks from the Mayor and others, followed by music from Anet Hector.
Jenniefer thanks Scott for the city creating a nice atmosphere and caring about the quality of life for city dwellers. Scott says he appreciates that, Waterloo is a special community to get behind the arts and culture that exists here. Not all cities do it to this extent. Scott sees is as supporting the mental health of the community.
Scott is looking forward to the point where everyone has done their work, and the events come alive.
50m30s
Artists come to the Scott’s attention through calls for submissions that are open to anyone — there’s a lot of interest, so not everyone is accepted. Other artists are selected for specific things. It’s a huge range of new people, and people the city has worked with in the past.
51m53s
Jenniefer gives the end credits.
CKMS Community Connections Hour One airs on CKMS-FM 102.7 on Monday from 11:00am to Noon, and Hour Two airs alternate Fridays from 3:00pm to 4:00pm.
What’s up, y’all? I’m back at the helm of the Horizon Broadening Hour, but first up, here is what I have added to Libretime in the past week:
The Silverbeets
Mr. Brown Goes to the Cabaret
Indie Rock
No
Sierra Blacc
Did Different – Single
Pop
CanCon
Sierra Blacc
Crazy – Single
Pop
CanCon
Sierra Blacc
Mile From an Inch – Single
Pop
CanCon
Sierra Blacc
Thxnk You – Single
Pop
CanCon
Michael Botte Band
Radiate – Single
Pop
No
DVTR
Les Flics – Single
Punk
NSFR
CanCon
Bargain Shoppers Club
Sharing a Laugh With my Friends on a Saturday Afternoon
Rock
No
Anthony D’Alessandro
Searchin’
Jazz
CanCon
Dun-Dun Band
Pita Parka Pt. 1: Xam Egdub
Jazz
CanCon
Caroline Parke
Look Me In the Eye, Love – Single
Singer-Songwriter
CanCon
Sierra Blacc
I Don’t Mind – Single
Pop
CanCon
Mantarochen
In the Badgers Cave
Rock
No
Annie Gallup
Did You Hear the Red-Winged Blackbird?
Folk
Partial
Marshall Jacklin
Salt – Single
Alternative
CanCon
Katie and the Bad Sign
Cruel to Me – Single
Blues
No
Love, Builder of Worlds
Scared for the Climate – Single
Punk
No
Glenn Sutter
Truth and Lies
Folk
CanCon
Stephen Ham/Theremin Man
Songs for the Future
Electronic
CanCon
Benjamin Russell & Greg Fraser
Ghost Particles – EP
Electronic
CanCon
Marissa Burwell
Catch and Release – Single
Pop
CanCon
Electric Religious
Stole My Money – Single
Pop
CanCon
Junk x Massia
Serena Williams – Single
Hip Hop
Explicit and Clean Versions Available
Indeterminable
Lucy MacNeil
Angel’s Whisper
Folk
CanCon
Ruth Moody
Wanderer
Folk
CanCon
Denise Marsa
Kiss Me in the Rain – Single
Pop
No
Denise Marsa
Rainbow – Single
Pop
No
Needrock
Needrock
Rock
No
Michael Botte Band
My Way – Single
Country
No
Minuit Phosphene
Les enfants fous brillent dans le noir
Pop
CanCon
Here’s tonight’s Horizon Broadening Hour:
Tracklist:
Conner Quinn – 13 Philosophers Walking Out of the Lexicon
Blue Freezie – Goth Girls
Amanda Braam – November’s Night
The Whythouse – Coffee?
Madison Galloway – Freedom
White Rabbit – Cold Soup
Alamodality – Good Place, Kitty
Chester Moon – Let’s Just Run
The Tortoise and My Hair – leaving on the midnite train to Memphis 5
Wounded Dog – The Endless One
Wet Heaven – Deja You
Geres – Divinity
Connor Roff – Somewhere Green
Kaunsel – Grain Hopper
Bryan Cee – Blue Bird
Luwizzy – Burn Inside of Me
Vintage Lapointe – Weaken
Indigo – Red
JR Rhodes – Celebration
Ghost Cartridge – Xzibit (feat. D-Sisive & Baggylean)
Mike Casey – The Beauty of Everyday Life
Rachel Ransom – Misty Morning (Bassa’s Song)
Michael Botte Band – Radiate
Sadie Fine – Penitentiary
Sierra Blacc – Thxnk You
Sophie Van Hasselt – A Bit of Love
Caroline Parke – Look Me in the Eye, Love
Marissa Burwell – Catch and Release
Kitchener – On April 29th, Kitchener city council approved a land donation to a not-for-profit to build affordable housing. Habitat for Humanity will receive the land and have most development fees waived, and in return they will build more than 60 homes, including larger three and four-bedroom units, and smaller studio, one, and two-bedroom units”.
As of January 2024, more than 8000 people remain on the affordable housing waitlist in Waterloo Region alone, waiting years for assistance. However, Kitchener Centre Green Party MPP Aislinn Clancy’s new motion may address waitlists across the province as it calls on the provincial government to use provincial land to build affordable housing.
This show features interviews with Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic and MPP Clancy, who is also a former Kitchener city councilor. Mayor Vrbanovic focuses on how projects like this are helping to meet the city’s housing goals, while MPP Clancy discusses her new motion.
At its April 29 Council meeting, Kitchener City Council approved a $250 million capital grant over 25 years ($10 million per year) to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
This decision, part of the city’s second corporate climate action plan named Pivot Net Zero, aims to significantly reduce emissions primarily from city facilities and the city vehicular fleet. In an earlier show this week, CKMS spoke to city staff about these changes.
These goals come amidst various challenges including technological uncertainties and financial constraints. Despite these hurdles, the plan has garnered unanimous support from the council, emphasizing the need to set a positive example for the community and act urgently in the face of the climate emergency declared by the city in June 2019.
Subscribe to the CKMS Community Connections podcast!
See all CKMS Community Connections shows!
Creative Commons Attribution Only
