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HURRY IN FOR BEST SELECTION !!! Furniture & Mattresses Since 1971 Since 1971 MON., TUES., WED. 10 AM - 6 PM THURS., FRI. 10 AM - 8 PM SATURDAY 9 AM - 5 PM SUNDAY 12 PM - 4 PM 519-893-8118 85 BRIDGEPORT RD. E. WATERLOO (Across from the Bridgeport Rd. Plaza) JANUARY CLEAN SWEEP EVENT O N D ISC O N TIN U ED M ERC H A N D ISE A N D SELEC TED D ISPLA Y M O D ELS SA VE U P TO60% Thursday, January 12, 2017 • WATERLOO CHRONICLE • 5 Continued from page 4 Waterloo has more postsecond- ary graduates than the provincial average, with 70 per cent of the population 25 years and older hav- ing attained a certificate, diploma or degree compared to 60 per cent in Ontario. More than 25,000 post- secondary students come to Water- loo to study, pushing the city's pop- ulation up to around 133,700. There are also condominium boards and "vertical" communi- ties (high rise buildings) that are oftentimes not connected to the "horizontal" communities (of semi- detached or detached homes) that surround them. "If we're thinking of developing toolkits and ideas for people liv- ing in horizontal communities, we need to do the same to enhance vertical living," said Henry. Coun. Mark Whaley wasn't con- vinced the neighbourhood strategy would apply in the digital age. "I think it would've been a good report in 2007, when we still had the idea that face-to-face commu- nication would win out," Whaley said. "But of course we know now our biggest form of communication is through a screen. "There's a new neighbourhood that's not even being addressed (in this strategy)-- the virtual neigh- bourhood that lives and breathes in our community. It should be a primary focus for us." All the strategies, associations and master plans in the report that contribute to a neighbourhood strategy are thought of in silos. "In 2017, we consider datas- ets. Wrap an algorithm around the silos and come up with a new view, a holistic, homogeneous view of how to create a city," Whaley said. "Going down this 2007 path is not going to get us where we need to go." Red tape was another area council lors thought could be improved. The words challenging and daunting were used to describe the process to become a formal asso- ciation, throw a street party or even volunteer at a local ice rink. "I think we should be aspiring to have more neighbourhood asso- ciations," said Freeman. "We have to consider how to support them, whether it's with a travelling movie night we fund or letting them use our pool or ice rink once a year." Staff will come back to council in February, when they've received more feedback from communities. Councillors Brian Bourke and Angela Vieth were not present for the workshop. Neighbourhood strategy will seek to improve sense of community "... the virtual neighbourhood that lives and breathes in our community. It should be a primary focus for us." Coun. Mark Whaley on Waterloo's neighbourhood strategy