Outdoor public spaces are essential to a good quality of life in Kitchener. Our neighbourhoods would not be complete without parks, public squares, seating areas, skating rinks, and basketball courts. These are the spaces where neighbours from different cultures, ages, and income levels come together.

As our city grows by welcoming new neighbours into existing neighbourhoods, we must plan for new parks and public spaces. This physical infrastructure enables the creation of social infrastructure, described by the Waterloo Region Community Foundation as “the bridges necessary to build trust and civic participation”. 

In 2019, I led a community campaign for a pedestrian-first Gaukel Street in downtown Kitchener. We brought together neighbours, artists, cycling advocates, parents, students, researchers, dog owners, local businesses, and tech companies to create a much-needed new public space in Kitchener’s growing downtown. Today, Gaukel Street features greenery and permanent art installations. It is used every day by neighbours playing games or sharing a meal, by pop-up markets and cultural celebrations, and by landmark festivals that bring the whole city together.

Sam's priorities for public space

• Recommit to establishing a permanent pedestrian-first street in the Market District, and create another new pedestrian-first street prioritizing greenery in the King East neighbourhood. Reduce barriers to activating vendor stalls on Gaukel Block, with the goal of operating as a turnkey bookable space for artisans and food businesses.

• Explore resident-led improvements to the public realm during the site planning process for new construction. By pairing redevelopment with buy-in from the community for improved public space, we can have better conversations about how we welcome new neighbours.

• Explore land acquisition for an expansion of park space as part of the strategic plan and asset management review for Willow River/Victoria Park, Huron Natural Area, McLennan Park, Rockway Gardens, Kiwanis Park, and RBJ Schlegel Park. These expansions could integrate with new or existing pedestrian streets, public squares, and trails.

• Expand the Walter Bean Trail along the Grand River to fill the missing links between Kiwanis Park and Schaefer Park, and in the former Sims Estate, replacing the existing on-road bypasses.

• Work with the Kitchener downtown BIA to extend the summer patio program eastward to Stirling Avenue, including more publicly-accessible patios in addition to those associated with specific restaurants.