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5 | W aterloo C hronicle | T hursday,S eptem ber 10,2020 w aterloochronicle.ca Changes to the Face Covering By-laws The Region of Waterloo will consider making changes to its Face Covering By-laws on Tuesday, September 15, 2020. A time for the meeting has not yet been determined. The existing by-laws affect enclosed "public spaces", Grand River Transit buses and trains (GRT/ ION), and Region of Waterloo buildings and properties. The by-laws will expire on September 30, 2020 if no action is taken. For more information about the existing by-laws, visit the Region of Waterloo's website: https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/face-covering-by-law.aspx. A report about the proposed amendments to the by-laws will be available by September 8, 2020 and can be found at the following location: https://calendar.regionofwaterloo.ca/council. After reviewing the report, if you wish to make a written submission or if you wish to register as a delegation to Committee, contact the Clerk's Office at the following email address: regionalclerk@regionofwaterloo.ca or complete and submit a Delegation Request form: https://forms.regionofwaterloo.ca/Council-and-Administrative-Services/ Delegation-Registration . limited time onlylimited time onlyFREE DELIVERY IS A LIMITED TIME OFFER.SOME RESTRICTIONS APPLY. NO PROMO CODE REQUIRED 65 UNIVERSITY AVE. E WATERLOO (519) 725-5252 expected shortly. OpenText is focused on bringing some of its em- ployees back, Pereira said, with the general consen- sus that some companies might have fewer people in the office but will still need three times as much space per person. "No- body's been talking about changing their offices un- til at least we get a much better handle on where we're going to be." He said many people don't like getting out of bed with their workspace call- ing across the room and their partner and children around. The office is where they meet friends and partners and become connected to the commu- nity. "I miss the people in the park I miss our communi- ty spirit stuff and the peo- ple running the beer gar- den. We had 250 playing sports last year, and I'm getting emails from people who want it back." Pereira believes that employers who offer flexi- ble work environments will reap the most benefits when it comes to talent in the future, as most people are no longer interested in working for companies that are 100 per cent re- mote or office-based. Sensors in the evolv1 building track things like how many people use stairs and elevators, what goes in waste bins and if people are using open or closed meeting spaces. Instead of expanding of- fice space to surrounding farm fields in the longer term, development in the park might entail more in- fill and mixed uses, said Pereira, who wants to le- verage more infrastruc- ture for more "living labs" that serve as a bridge to re- al world deployment, which is essentially what the park is supposed to be all about. Aside from the Lime e- scooters which were pilot- ed in the past, the park could serve as a testing grounds for things like au- tonomous vehicles, Perei- ra believes. A vision to create more amenity spaces within the park to help bring in the broader community has taken a hit, he said, noting the recent closure of Mat- ter of Taste inside the Fac- tory Square on Phillip Street. "There goes the one cof- fee shop," he said, noting that some things will take time to revive. "It's OK though, this might be the greatest op- portunity to rethink work in the history of humanity. We can make changes so it's better for everyone." STORY BEHIND THE STORY: The pandemic has pushed companies to allow their employees to work remotely and many people are concerned about the effect that could have on the office/tech sector here. The Chronicle caught up with the manager of Waterloo's R+T Park for a temperature check. NEWS Continued from page 4