Editor’s Note: I’m surprised this is still an issue
I watched a movie once. There was a grandmother, a granddaughter and a cow. The cow’s middle dipped...
opinion
Solutions To Our Child Care Crisis
You may have heard there’s a child care crisis in Canada. It’s been a constant in policy and...
Harm Reduction Saves Lives
There are a lot of angry folx in our community. They are victims of crime, and harassment and...
Opinion: Is Waterloo Region Facing an Identity Crisis?
In a region so rich with change and diversity, the #whywaterloo campaign is limiting growth
Opinion: Expecting More Than Lip Service
If you walked down King Street in downtown Kitchener in the last few months, you likely noticed the...
CBC, “Truthiness” & The Mennonites
It’s surprising to us that just about everyone who has had an encounter, personal or otherwise, with Mennonites...
Selling the Poor: The Politics of Value Village
We fetishize poverty and Value Village profits
WR Opinion: Shorting and Distorting on our Public Services
Today’s conversations about the value of public services in our community have a mercenary undercurrent.
Is The Boathouse Undemocratic?
Victoria Park could be an oasis of public space in a city that, by and large, doesn’t have much of it. Yet, it presents an unusual contradiction, one that may not seem so nefarious at first glance—it is, after all, just a restaurant. But, considering its profit-interested mandate, and its capacity to create class distinctions, I propose sober thinking about the whole enterprise. What is good public space? What makes a park special? Because of its location, when we gaze upon The Boathouse, we encounter more than just another restaurant. Rather, we encounter yet another opportunity for consumption, demanding our time and money, offering a forbidden fruit in the park. All it takes is a little cash, then, to have a special seat with the pretty view. Need another drink?