Melissa Bowman

@dtkmelissa

Passionate about...just about everything! Especially Waterloo Region. 🇨🇦 Author of CitifiedWR blog Co-founder of Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard "Kick at the darkness 'til it bleeds daylight"

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Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· 29d

Last night was a wonderful evening filled with the amazing sounds of talented local musicians, including Danny Michel, Living Room for Small, Matt Weidinger and Friends, and I, the Mountain. Great to see #KitCouncil and staff supporting local artists in this way. #KitchenerLive

I, the Mountain shirt and event lanyard for Kitchener Live event.

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jul 15

We're just living in the Breaking Bad timeline now it seems.

Image from a 'Mexico' scene in Breaking Bad that uses the same eerie yellow colour of our skies today due to wildfires.

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jul 14

This should be a win-win, if it wasn't for the complaints by some nearby neighbours who are celebrating the lost opportunity for more housing as a victory. Sad.

Text: City hall contends its planning proposal will help struggling congregations redevelop underused properties to the benefit of themselves and the community, should they choose to do so. It helps the city move past a housing crisis and it helps churches add community spaces for rent or outreach, city planners say.

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jul 14

Given that adding more housing was part of their original vision for this space, it seems like the church is acquiescing to the complaints of some neighbours. Very disappointing.

Text: When the Church of God was built in 1987, there was an idea to house seniors on its large property. “The people, you know, could live in it and be close to church,” Weiss said.

But the church lacked volunteers for a housing project and currently has no plans to add housing.

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jul 14

No. This thinking needs to change. Apartments are homes and should not be thought of merely as buffers between busy roads and 'real' neighbourhoods. Just stop. www.therecord.com/news/waterlo...

Text: This follows a public meeting where neighbourhood critics told city council that denser housing does not belong near their detached houses, but should be directed instead to busier roads, closer to transit and closer to other buildings that are taller.

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jul 13

#MLK

Text: One of the great liabilities of history is that all too many people fail to remain awake through great periods of social change. Every society has its protectors of the status quo and its fraternities of the indifferent who are notorious for sleeping through revolutions. But today our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change.

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jul 12

"A Toronto man who kidnapped a man at gunpoint in London, Ont., has seen his charges thrown out after police beat him up during his arrest and then lied about it in court." #Policing www.thestar.com/news/gta/a-t...

Text: The judge concluded that the officer who delivered the kick “deliberately falsified” his notes about the arrest to justify the use of force and that multiple officers provided “false and misleading testimony” in court, including a constable who refused to acknowledge that the accused man’s face was covered in blood, instead referring to it as a “red substance” of unknown origin.

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jul 12

Can we please cut out this anti-apartment nonsense that claims that people who live in anything but single-detached housing are somehow 'less then'. pub-kitchener.escribemeetings.com/filestream.a...

Text: Text: No matter what, the 6-8 storey structures will be an eyesore. Mature trees - gone. Close neighbourhoods - gone. A sense of security - gone. I love that I know so many of my neighbours and that we truly watch out for each other and care for this community. Apartment buildings will destroy that.

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jul 11

In keeping with my general belief that it's important to reach out to Council, especially when you support a particular issue, this is my most recent message to council. #KitCouncil

Text: While I'm not a near neighbour of this proposal, as someone who watches the many proposals coming to council, this seems like one of the better ones. It's a slight increase in height (from 4 to 6 storeys), it offers mostly 2- and 3-bedroom options (which is amazing), it adds additional green space, and they seem to have a phased in approach that may allow current businesses to transition to the new buildings. That certainly feels like a lot of wins!

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jul 9

I'm really tired of seeing important, preventative and compassionate care being underfunded while our police budget grows by the millions every year. www.instagram.com/shorecentrew...

Text: oday, we're sharing an important update about temporary changes at SHORE Centre.

Due to significant funding delays and reductions, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily pause our Education, Stork Secrets Peer Support, and Counselling programs.

Our clinical services remain available, and patients will continue to have access to medication abortion care, contraception, cervical cancer screenings, gender-affirming care, and birth control consultations.

These decisions were not made quickly or lightly, nor are they a reflection of the value of our staff, our programs, or the communities they serve. These decisions were made to protect SHORE’s long-term sustainability and ensure we can continue providing care for years to come.

SHORE has faced difficult moments before. We are still here because generations of donors, partners, advocates, staff, volunteers, and community members have believed this work is worth protecting.

Over the coming months, we will be sharing more about how our community can stand alongside SHORE as we work toward rebuilding and restoring these programs.

In the meantime, thank you for continuing to believe in compassionate, inclusive sexual and reproductive healthcare, education, and support.

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jul 6

#ONpoli #DeclineOfDemocracy

Text: Unlike his predecessors, Ford hasn't provided the media with a daily itinerary of his public events since he took office in 2018. As a result, CBC News has routinely filed freedom of information (FOI) requests for his calendar and has regularly received those records with some redactions.

But the rejection of a FOI request from late last month confirmed the records are no longer accessible.

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jul 4

"This is still a single-family town." Quote from Kitchener's Planning Director in 1966. 60 years later and it seems some residents really want it to stay that way. bsky.app/profile/dtkm...

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jul 4

I was happy to see that #KitCouncil passed the Kitchener 2051 Official Plan on June 29th. However, not a single councillor addressed the anti-apartment rhetoric that was on full display during these discussions. I wrote to council to share my concerns about their silence.

I was happy to see our new Official Plan pass on June 29th. It is encouraging to know that most neighbourhoods in Kitchener will participate in welcoming more neighbours over the next 25 years. This is the kind of city-building I believe in, and I appreciate the work that went into getting us to this point.
As you likely know, I am deeply disappointed that Council also approved the amendments brought forward by Councillors Stretch and Johnston. I am especially disheartened that not a single councillor was willing to call out the inaccurate and harmful stereotypes expressed about multi-residential buildings and the people who live in them. By remaining silent on such an important issue, Council spoke volumes — that Kitchener is willing to tolerate apartments and their residents in some neighbourhoods, but not all; that some neighbourhoods are simply too special to permit apartments.
Over the past few years, I have sat through far too many engagement sessions and council meetings listening to people complain about how the housing I, and many others in this city, reside in will “destroy” otherwise strong neighbourhoods. I sat through a meeting where apartment buildings were called “vertical slums,” and not a single councillor addressed it until I raised it in my delegation. Hearing comments like these is painful. Watching Council then codify this thinking into long-term planning policy is even more so.
I am ashamed to know that Council is willing to say — implicitly or explicitly — that some residents, based on their housing needs, are not welcome in every neighbourhood in Kitchener. As someone who has lived in various forms of housing that are too often considered “less-than,” I am familiar with the judgement that comes with certain housing types. I am beyond disappointed to see Council reinforce that thinking through these amendments.
The comments below are an example of the harmful stereotypes I believe Council has now validated:

The proposed changes would permanently alter the character, safety, and livability of the ANA. I respectfully ask that the City listen to residents and reject these changes before they cause irreversible harm to our community.

Intensification will dramatically change the feeling of community. These changes would be the beginning of the end of Westmount as we know it.

No matter what, the 6-8 storey structures will be an eyesore. Mature trees - gone. Close neighbourhoods - gone. A sense of security - gone. I love that I know so many of my neighbours and that we truly watch out for each other and care for this community. Apartment buildings will destroy that.

I know that planning decisions are complex, and I know councillors work hard to balance competing interests. But I hope you will reflect on the message this decision sends — not just about land use, but about who belongs, whose housing is valued, and whose neighbourhoods are considered worthy of ‘protection’.
Thank you for your time, and for considering the impact of these amendments on residents like me.

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jul 4

Great to know that we'll get to see Matt and others out on the lake again! buff.ly/SQ8Wj7k

Text: The City of Kitchener told CBC News in a statement Thursday that boating will be allowed once again.

"Victoria Park Lake is an important and much-loved part of our community, with a long history of recreational boating use. In recognition of this long-standing practice, city staff will update signage at this location to remove the 'no boating' reference," an email from city spokesperson Kayla Snyder said.

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jul 3

One road fatality is too many and we're at 7 already this year. #VisionZero www.ctvnews.ca/kitchener/ar...

Text: While Metcalfe did not get into specifics of the investigations, he told CTV News that distracted driving is a major component of road safety.

“Not just in the traditional about using a cell phone while you’re driving, but also just limiting the distractions that you have in the cab of your vehicle,” he said.

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jun 26

The Chief says that #WRPS are "strongly advocating for a community justice centre model which would allow for more diversionary options, support for mental health and addictions, renewal of the Family Violence project, and expansion of the mobile crisis IMPACT Team."

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jun 26

There were 20 road fatalities last year and 12 of those were in the townships.

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jun 26

Crowell reports that WRPS saw 342,578 calls for service. There were 36,560 cases of Total Police Reported Crime. 9,825 were "Crime Against Person" and 20,877 were "Crimes Against Property". All have decreased from last year.

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jun 26

I suppose I'm glad it's being called out, but it's pretty concerning that this needs to be said at all. #Policing www.chch.com/chch-news/ot...

Text: Ottawa’s police chief is warning officers to stop using police databases to target women for romantic or sexual relationships.

In a video message posted to social media, Chief Eric Stubbs said some officers have improperly looked up women they’ve seen in public, contacted vulnerable victims after calls, and engaged in sexual harassment and assault.

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jun 26

Kitchener 2051 (which will largely allow 6-storey buildings in all neighbourhoods), can't come soon enough, if you ask me. #KitCouncil

Text: A plan to replace a Kitchener plaza with four six-storey buildings with shops and apartments is being met with opposition from area residents.

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jun 25

"Studies on preventing discharge into homelessness demonstrate that transition planning, coupled with access to housing and social support, can yield concrete results." buff.ly/gPJzznQ

Text: Accountability should begin with a simple principle: no high-risk discharge from an institution should lead directly to the street. Each file should answer three basic questions: Where will the person sleep tonight? Who will follow up with them tomorrow? Who will intervene if the plan fails?

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jun 25

I appreciate former Regional Councillor Tom Galloway calling out the nonsensical nature of a Justice Centre being police-led, instead of community-led by groups such as Community Justice Initiatives.

Text: This is a pretty incredible development. While the idea of a Justice Centre is not new to Waterloo Region and a Justice Centre properly conceived and directed would be a welcome addition to our community, the idea of such a centre being police led is antithetical to what a Justice Centre should be. A properly conceived Justice Centre must be community driven and no organization in our community is better suited than CJI. This organization was indeed born on the restorative justice principle. More recently it received Regional funding to support a Justice Centre program; funding that was subsequently eliminated.
I hope that as this project moves forward, the proper individuals and organization are called upon to lead the effort.

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jun 24

Good news! People who live in apartment buildings are real people that you can get to know as well. www.therecord.com/news/waterlo...

Text: A small apartment building would “stand out as a total anomaly,” Heidi Ruttinger said. “We value the quiet simplicity of living in a house and knowing our neighbours.”

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jun 23

"Morris believes the water should be used for boating and calls for the return of canoeing, and for rentals to be brought back for the broader community." buff.ly/g94AJn5

Text: Since his social media posts, Kitchener’s city planner has agreed to meet with him to talk about the future of the park and the uses of the water.

“All of a sudden we have all this press, we have politicians jumping in and by three in the afternoon we have a press release that it might be reversed,” said Morris.

“This is a beautiful example of, hey, these things happen, we work through it, we explore, we understand and if it needs fixing, we fix it.”

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jun 22

As many suspected, Community Justice Initiatives have not been a part of the work #WRPS is apparently doing to bring a Justice Centre focused on restorative justice approaches. CJI learned of it like we all did - through the media. Disappointed but not surprised. www.instagram.com/p/DZ5xkbuCfY...

To our community: On June 20, 2026, The Waterloo Region Record published an article titled “Police in discussion to bring restorative justice centre to Waterloo Region”, in which we learned that “Waterloo Regional Police are in discussion with the attorney general to establish a Justice Centre for restorative justice program, connecting offenders to community resources, to reduce re-offending and help victims”.

As a community organization practicing and advancing restorative justice for over 40 years in Waterloo Region, we’re right there with you in hearing about this for the first time through the article. CJI has not been involved in conversations connected to this press release, despite maintaining an intentional relationship with Waterloo Regional Police since the inception of our organization.

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jun 21

Apparently, I'm living the dream! #CarFree #KitCouncil pub-kitchener.escribemeetings.com/filestream.a...

“I understand that being so close to public transit allows people to dream that maybe they don't need a car. It's ambitious to believe people can live here and not drive. And it is short sighted.”

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jun 20

“This would be a localized model where we can have supports for those facing mental health (and) addictions-related issues, youth in conflict with the law as well, and providing the bolstering of diversionary programming,” Crowell said. And here's what CJI does locally. cjiwr.com/about-cji/

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jun 18

#WRcouncil www.therecord.com/opinion/colu...

Text: As Coun. Pam Wolf said after the meeting: “I’m against the use of the notwithstanding clause, because I think it undermines our judicial system, it undermines our democracy and it’s a very dangerous road to go down.”

Wolf voted against the motion to appeal the ruling, along with councillors Sue Foxton, Chantal Huinink, Colleen James and Matt Rodrigues.

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jun 17

"Waterloo is under pressure on the housing front, adding homes at less than half the required pace almost halfway through council’s 10-year housing pledge." And yet... buff.ly/RJ4AIHi

Text: Critics see six storeys as too tall, too dense, and out of step with detached houses that surround the former church in Waterloo’s suburban southeast. Some neighbours want only detached houses.

Melissa Bowman@dtkmelissa· Jun 16

The vote was 10 in favour and 5 opposed (James, Wolf, Foxton, Rodrigues, Huinink) to appealing Gibson's decision. Doug Craig appears to be absent.