Local politics in small communities is really about connecting with residents. Our goal as politicians is to explore and implement solutions to local issues, plan for our future community needs and identify opportunities for our towns and villages to thrive.
Hearing from a wide variety of residents in varying demographics helps me do my job as a local Councillor. And by 'hearing' from you, I don't just mean hearing about opposition to a sidewalk installation, planning application or gravel pit. Those are all relevant issues to discuss with your local politician, but these aren't the conversations that are moving our communities forward. It's often self-interest issues that motivate residents to get in touch with me.
It will be five years on the job in October and I can say that in that time it is a very small contingent of local residents that actively participate in providing feedback on reports or new initiatives. That small and statistically irrelevant group is helping to form how the municipality prioritizes time and money to different projects. To me, that isn't very representative of our communities.
So, instead of continuing to complain about the apathy for local politics, I will tell you a bit about this event I'm hosting promoted by the Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation (KWCF). On The Table builds upon a model started in British Columbia, taking community conversations into comfortable settings with interested people and pairing with refreshments.
I'm hosting my On The Table at Rural Roots Brewery in Elmira Sept. 28 at 2:30pm. The brewery opened its doors on the August long-weekend and has been steadily building a loyal clientele. It's a cozy place with a welcoming vibe and good people.
I chose this location because of the inspiration that drives Rural Roots owners Roger Lichti and wife Sue From, to open up the brewery — the community. The couple aspires for RRB to be a community of its own and has indicated that it is the connections to local people that motivate them with this work. I couldn't think of a better location that ties into the spirit of the event.
What can you expect? Let's start with the refreshments. I'm buying you a pint of whatever RRB has on the taps that day — I've sampled quite a few of them so you won't be disappointed. I'm also ordering up everything on the menu — it's a small selection! Flatbread, pretzels and layered nacho dip — all super tasty and crafted by Elmira's Never Enough Thyme. I'm going to ask Roger nicely for a super quick introduction of the brewery and a mini beer-production tour for participants.
What are we going to talk about? I want to start the conversation about the various ways we connect to each other in Elmira and how we can improve and create new opportunities. Ultimately, I want to hear feedback and interest in developing a neighbourhood strategy in our communities. This is work that Woolwich Healthy Communities is in the early stages of exploring. Other topics of conversation can be anything related to our municipality — however, this won't be a sounding board to air your specific grievances. We're going to keep this light, conversational and hopefully, we all make a few new connections in the process.
I have space for 15 participants. I'm looking for a diverse mix of people that are interested to chat about my topic, maybe you are new to the community and want to get more involved and have a couple of good ideas and insight to share — email me with one reason why you want to participate.
The description below is from the KWCF website for more info.
What’s On the Table? - Visit Website
On the Table is an event organized by Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation (KWCF), and Cambridge & North Dumfries Community Foundation (CNDCF) to encourage community connection.
Between September 27th and 29th, we’re inviting you to bring together your friends, colleagues or strangers over some food to talk about what matters most to you. This is an event that’s happening across Waterloo Region, where you’re in charge. Whether it’s a meal, snack or coffee break, On the Table encourages individuals or organizations to take the time and connect with one-another face-to-face.
Solving social isolation is complicated, but connecting with people can be easy. Each host will choose their own venue, arrange to serve food and drink, and talk about the issues and ideas they find most interesting. The topics will be collected and shared – giving us a snapshot of what’s on people’s minds throughout Waterloo Region right now.