Big Breithaupt Campout, September 7-8!
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Duke St. West Music Fest, June 22, 2019
This year we had amplified sound and the weather was perfect for MHBPNA’s Second Annual Duke St. West Music Fest. On June 22, 2019 we had over 150 people drop by the Duke St. Playground between 2 and 5 pm to hear our neighborhood musicians performing and to grab some of the pizza and refreshments we offered.
We thank our neighbour Gailen for mowing the lawn at the front of the playground which made it nicer for the audience and musicians.
Performers:
As with last year, our entertainment opened with The Buddy Choir singing a few songs and they performed with energy and enthusiasm. They are sponsored by our partner Extend A Family who do great work in our community.
Frank Baker did some amusing impressions of politicians and movie folks (our favourite was Christopher Walken).
The Duke Street Alicorns performed some songs for younger people in the audience including Rainbow by Sia from the My Little Pony movie.
It was the Scott Family’s first DSWMF. They are Douglas, Jaclyn, Caelyn and Rosie and they played four songs that were all well arranged and included flute, piano, guitar, singing and misc. percussion. The songs were: Theme from “Steven Universe”, O.D.D., Doug’s composition: “Tango” and “In the Jungle.”
We were lucky that Luke Cyrus Hunter has moved into our neighbourhood. He has been writing songs for several years and has recorded CDs and his information can be found here:
All his songs had wit and energy including “Tequila, Rum and Such” which he recorded a highly entertaining video. Click on this link to watch!
Alexis Hammer was back for her second year and was accompanied by Ted Parkinson on guitar. She chose Ahead by a Century (Tragically Hip), The Shallows (Lady Gaga) and I Want to Hold Your Hand (Beatles).
Edward Barrington played his thoughtful original songs on guitar and his artist information can be found here.
Ted Parkinson played keyboard for his set which included his original songs about San Luis Obispo and his orange cats. He finished with a rousing boogie woogie improvisation. Information about Ted and his music can be located here and an entertaining piano performance can be viewed here.
The Peanut Butter Jams are new to our ‘hood and they sang a high energy set which included:
My Friends by Hey Ocean!, Keep on the Sunny Side by Blenkhorn/Entwisle, Who Knew by The New Coon Creek Girls, Rocky Top by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant
The “Jams” can be followed on Instagram: @thepeanutbutterjams
Jakki Annerino told us about all the places she had lived in our neighbourhood over the years and then she and Wayne Cheater played several of Jakki’s original songs including This Can Only Get Better and Dreamin’ of My Ancestors. They can be heard on her YouTube Channel.
Jakki and Wayne have also helped run Black Walnut Open Stage at the Mill Courtland Centre from September to June for many years. The website is blackwalnutfolkclub.com
Throughout the perfect afternoon children played and residents wandered through listening to the music, sitting for a while and meeting other friends. What an amazing day.
Around the half way mark we ordered pizza from Planet Pizza because…..Pizza!
Who made it all happen? An event like this requires some time and help from many people. The overall organization and planning was undertaken by Eli Winterfeld, Ted Parkinson and Emily Slofstra (who are all on the board of the Mt. Hope – Breithaupt Park Neighbourhood Association). The City of Kitchener granted us a noise exemption permit. The keyboard and two amps were loaned by Ted, the sound system and microphones were loaned by Emily and Dan. Dan Kellar volunteered to mix the vocals, arrange the mic setup and generally help out. Extend-A-Family loaned us three tents and paid for some chips and other food. The Midtown folks loaned us their chalkboard. Claudette volunteered to emcee and did a great job. MHBPNA paid for the Portable Toilet, and the pizza and the advertising (this money is raised through programs they run like the soccer league). Other folks organized the water and glasses, helped serve the pizza and did other tasks. Ted and Joan loaned 8 lawnchairs and Jack helped carry and move lots of stuff around. Thanks to everyone who helped out and who came and enjoyed the afternoon with us.
See you all next year!
Ted Parkinson
Communications, MHBPNA
Duke St. West Music Fest, June 22
June 22 is a big day in the Mt. Hope – Breithaupt Park Neighbourhood. In the morning we have been organizing a Garage Sale. For the Garage Sale we will be using a the hashtag #mhbpgarage and if you are on twitter you can post your “great stuff” to direct people to your bargains. We have a large area in our ‘hood so walk, bike, drive around to the different sites to see what is for sale. The link above includes a map showing the addresses of everyone.
In the afternoon, from 2 – 5, we have the second annual Duke St. West Music Fest (we like to call it DSWMF). Many musicians from last year are returning and we have a few additional players as well. The poster below lists most musicians but we have a couple of ‘last minute’ additions as well.
Please drop by our DSWMF. We will have treats and also be ordering pizza for everyone during the music. Last year we had over 100 people listening to our music, all performed by artists who live in the MHBP neighbourhood.
We are also happy for any volunteer help like cleaning up after and we may have various tasks during the fest. It will be a great three hours.
Waterloo historical walks beginning in June
MHBP is nestled between Downtown Kitchener and “uptown” Waterloo. Parts of us even involve the mysterious “Midtown”. Some residents might be interested in the history of Waterloo and there are several fascinating walks being presented. So for a closer look at our neighbour, here is the schedule.
MHPBNA Neighbourhood Garage Sale: June 22
MHPBNA Neighbourhood Garage Sale, June 22, 2019
It’s that time of the year again! Clear out your garages, closets, basements, storage areas!
Sort your children’s clothes and toys!
WHAT?
Mount Hope – Breithaupt Park Neighbourhood Association is having our annual neighbourhood garage sale.
WHEN?
June 22, 2019
Garage Sale 8 am to 1pm
WHERE?
Garage Sale – Mount Hope – Breithaupt Park area in Kitchener (see map)
HOW TO PARTICIPATE?
Garage Sale – Please FILL OUT THIS FORM to add yourself as a participant to the map below! (It may take a day to get added)
Once we’re finished with the sales, everyone is invited to Duke Street Playground at 2pm for the 2nd annual Duke Street West Music Fest!
See below for the Garage Sale Map. It will be updating as more people add their locations.
DSWMF 2019!
Upcoming MHBPNA Events, mark down the dates
We will be posting more information about these events closer to the dates. But June is a big month so fasten your seat belts!
June 9th we are co-sponsoring a Flea Market at the Breithaupt Centre. Here is what happened last year.
June 22 we will be hosting a garage sale in the morning (sign up form coming soon!) and in the afternoon the second annual Duke St. West Music Fest.
If you live in MHBP and would like to play at the DSWMF please contact us at mhbpna@gmail.com. We are putting together a list and checking it twice.
MHBPNA Executive Meeting, Tonight, 7 pm, BC
We are having our executive meeting tonight at 7 pm in room 201 at the Breithaupt Centre. All our meetings are open to the public so please drop by. We can talk about our initiatives, including our upcoming Flea Market, Garage Sale and Music Festival. Perhaps you would like to ask about a micro grant? Or talk about trees? (We are in favour of trees).
Hope to see you this evening.
Wee Little Wander for Wellbeing (Jane’s Walk, 2019)
By Kate Pearce (Director, Partnerships MHBPNA)
On Saturday May 4, I had the joy of leading a small group and my own family on a Jane’s Walk around the Mount-Hope side of the MHBPNA area. I was asked afterwards why I had chosen to lead a walk and plan that route. I have been on several Jane’s Walks in previous years and thought it would be fun to look at some of the existing elements in our neighbourhood and talk about what they mean to my family. And if I am being honest, I was also looking for an activity that would keep my twin 3 year olds occupied for the morning. The idea sprung to mind while I was attending the Eco Market Low Waste Pantry takeover of the Little Library at Extend-A-Family WR. I know there are many Little Libraries sprinkled across the neighbourhood and across our community, so I thought why not tour around and see what else our ‘hood has to offer for families.
For those who have never heard of Little Libraries or Jane’s Walks before, here are some details. Jane’s Walks are citizen-led walking tours that make space for people to observe, reflect, share, question and collectively re-imagine the places in which they live, work and play. Jane’s Walks happen the first full weekend in May in cities across the world. They cover themes from coffee shops, local history, art installations, social issues, sketching, and more. This year there were 39 scheduled Jane’s Walks across Waterloo Region. While walking or biking through our neighbourhood you may have noticed the little houses that sit next to the sidewalk in front of some homes. Little Libraries are neighborhood book exchanges that invite everyone to take a book or leave a book, and have been running since 2009. Our kids love checking them out as we walk around, you never know what you might find!
We were fortunate to have beautiful weather for our Wee Little Wander which began at Extend-A-Family WR. Our walk opened with an invitation to all 11 participants – share the things you like to do as we move across the neighborhood. I told the group, if you have a favourite place or activity tell us about it!
From our start we headed up Moore St. towards the Mount Hope Cemetery and talked about how many children we all knew who had learned to bike on the winding and protected paths through the cemetery. With my kids in a wagon, we rumbled up Guelph Street, heading slowly toward the Duke Street Playground. Along the way we learned about the Kitchener-Waterloo Central Art Walk happening this October 19-20, 2019 as we passed the mosaic on the corner of Waterloo Street and Duke Street West. We filled the Little Library next to the Duke Street Playground and talked about the upcoming (2nd Annual) Duke Street West Music Fest happening on June 22. It’s a free event being run by MHBPNA with lots of music, pizza and great times for everyone. Then we walked up to the Spur Line Trail entrance at Weber Street where talked about trail etiquette (stay to the right!) and then we raced the 3 year olds over to Guelph Street. We checked out the Community Gardens at the Uniroyal Goodrich Park. There were many questions about the rain collection system and barrels, and I am hopeful that everyone went home to learn some more on their own.
Next, we finished up the trail at the Ferdinand Avenue entrance where we paused to check out the Midtown Chalkboards and talk about the programs offered at the nearby EarlyOn Centre (on Roger Street). I was able to connect with the EarlyON staff who provided some details about what the center has to offer.
EarlyON Child and Family Centres offer free, drop-in programs for children, their parents and caring adults throughout Waterloo Region. EarlyON Centres are places to engage and connect with others in the community and feel a sense of belonging. We are funded by the Ministry of Education, which means our drop in play areas, activities and onsite supports are all offered at no cost to families.
Knowing where and how to access services for your family can be a challenge. The EarlyON Child and Family Centres in Waterloo Region are a one stop hub of resources and information for families who are expecting, adopting or parenting children up until age 6. You can drop in anytime during centre hours to play, connect with other families, or talk with staff or other onsite community professionals to get answers to questions about your family’s well-being.
We can support you in connecting with specialized services throughout our through brochures, conversation and referrals. EarlyON Child and Family Centres view all children, parents and caring adults as capable and competent.
For our last stretch as we finished our route, we wound our way up to Dekay Street and filled some more Little Libraries along the way. I think we are lucky to have so many great resources in our ‘hood and I would encourage everyone to take the opportunity to check them all out.
Go for a walk. Borrow or give a book to a Little Library. Look around and admire the art, artists and gardens that fill our neighbourhood with beauty. Talk to each other and continue to share your favourite space across MHBPNA.
Camping for Seniors!
A Camping Group for Seniors
Over fifty years old and looking to go camping with your peers? You can join the senior camping group based at the City of Kitchener Downtown Community Centre on Weber Street.
We have four camp-outs between mid-May and mid-September. We camp during the week, generally from noon, Tuesday to noon, Friday at area Grand River Conservation (GRCA) Parks. The camping fee is approximately half the regular price for camping.
And each person must have a Kitchener Group Card at the cost of $15.61 per person, per year. Seniors from Waterloo Region and beyond are welcome.
We also have two, general meetings, one in April and one in November. As well, we meet for three other social events during the year.
Camping units vary from tents to motorhomes. All are welcome.
For more information email: kw50pluscampers.com.
