Take a hike!

This weekend (May 2 & 3, 2009) is the annual Jane's Walk. In celebration of the legacy of urban theorist and activist Jane Jacobs, the event is designed to help people explore and learn about the community around them.

There are well over a hundred walks planned in over 20 cities, including Toronto, Hamilton, Waterloo, Kitchener, Vancouver, Guelph and more. One of the two walks happening here in Cambridge is even being led by one of our Architecture students!

If you have your own idea for leading a walk in your community it's not too late to register.

The weather should be perfect for walking this weekend, so what better way to get in touch with your neighbourhood and your neighbours! As Jane said it herself, "No one can find what will work for our cities by looking at suburban garden cities, manipulating scale models, or inventing dream cities. You've got to get out and walk."

Room to Grow

Want to grow your own food, but don't have the space? Have space to grow food, but don't have the time or the energy? Sign up on Sharing Backyards! This site matches people who want to grow with people who have room to grow...it's like online dating for local food lovers.

Can't find a backyard to use? Don't discount those forgotten corners of your city...there's always room to grow!

Unfortunately, Waterloo Region has just voted against allowing chickens to be raised in residential backyards, so you'll have to stick to plants.

Don't have space, time, energy or know-how? Let someone else do the growing for you. Support one of your MANY local food growers by visiting the Farmer's Market, a local farm, or buying into a CSA co-op.

Good Eats

Our Food for Fines drive has officially been declared a success!

The School of Architecture managed to gather a whopping 631 pounds of food! That translates into over $1,400 in cleared fines for you and hundreds of meals for local families and individuals in need.

All donations have been delivered to the Cambridge Food Bank right around the corner.

It was really great to see our little community so enthusiastic about the drive and the staff got a real kick out of watching our mountain of food grow day by day. Go team!

Got Fines?

From April 6th to the 17th, Musagetes Library will be hosting our 1st annual Food for Fines event, in support of the Food Bank of Waterloo Region.

For every non-perishable food item you donate, you will receive a coupon good for $2 off your fines!

Don't have any fines? Hold on to your coupon and redeem it any time in the future.

The Food Bank is in most need of the following items: Baby food/formula, canned fruit/vegetables, beans, lentils, rice, pasta/sauce, canned meat/fish, canned soup/stew, peanut butter, nuts, cereals, juice, and canned/powdered milk.

Last year the food bank served 25,000 people in the region, and almost half of those were children. Let's fill some bellies!

The fine print:
* We can not accept the following items: instant noodles, junk food, perishable foods, damaged, open, expired or homemade items.
** We can not forgive lost book charges, ILL book fines or film rental late fees.