Melissa Bowman
@dtkmelissa.bsky.social
Passionate about...just about everything! Especially Waterloo Region. 🇨🇦
Author of CitifiedWR blog https://citified.substack.com/
Co-founder of Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard
"Kick at the darkness 'til it bleeds daylight"
https://linktr.ee/dtkmelissa
Author of CitifiedWR blog https://citified.substack.com/
Co-founder of Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard
"Kick at the darkness 'til it bleeds daylight"
https://linktr.ee/dtkmelissa
Reposted by Melissa Bowman
The winter urbanism of Kitchener, Ontario
December 7, 2025 at 5:43 AM
The winter urbanism of Kitchener, Ontario
Reposted by Melissa Bowman
One of the biggest drivers of high housing costs is that a small, highly motivated group of incumbent homeowners block new housing in their neighborhoods and almost no one is organized to push back.
Young people bear the brunt of that imbalance.
Be a housing fan.
Young people bear the brunt of that imbalance.
Be a housing fan.
December 6, 2025 at 4:22 PM
One of the biggest drivers of high housing costs is that a small, highly motivated group of incumbent homeowners block new housing in their neighborhoods and almost no one is organized to push back.
Young people bear the brunt of that imbalance.
Be a housing fan.
Young people bear the brunt of that imbalance.
Be a housing fan.
"Police Chief Mark Crowell noted he knows there are critics of police’s hiring of more officers when budgets, especially at the regional level, are asked to stay in check." www.therecord.com/news/waterlo...
a woman in a suit and polka dot shirt is standing in front of a sign that says `` that 's me '' .
ALT: a woman in a suit and polka dot shirt is standing in front of a sign that says `` that 's me '' .
media.tenor.com
December 7, 2025 at 12:06 AM
"Police Chief Mark Crowell noted he knows there are critics of police’s hiring of more officers when budgets, especially at the regional level, are asked to stay in check." www.therecord.com/news/waterlo...
They're back, baby! www.twcinteractive.org/wp-content/u...
December 6, 2025 at 9:17 PM
They're back, baby! www.twcinteractive.org/wp-content/u...
"Having access to a family car made far-flung places viable for living, working, and playing, fueling a middle-class expansion across previously rural areas. The promise of freedom and wealth held until cities began optimizing for vehicle throughput instead of local access and mobility" -Andy Boenau
Why everything turns to asphalt
There’s a King Midas aspect to motor vehicles, this technological gift that promised and delivered abundance until it became a curse.
www.urbanismspeakeasy.com
December 6, 2025 at 8:05 PM
"Having access to a family car made far-flung places viable for living, working, and playing, fueling a middle-class expansion across previously rural areas. The promise of freedom and wealth held until cities began optimizing for vehicle throughput instead of local access and mobility" -Andy Boenau
While I appreciate Grand River Transit buses sharing messages this week about the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, it stands out that they are doing so while the Region contemplates cutting transit programs that allow people with disabilities to move around the region more easily.
Chris concludes, "Ultimately, I hope we can find a solution that allows disabled people to participate in their community and to live their lives with dignity. That is what good, specialized transit makes possible and that's something we should work hard to preserve."
December 6, 2025 at 4:16 PM
While I appreciate Grand River Transit buses sharing messages this week about the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, it stands out that they are doing so while the Region contemplates cutting transit programs that allow people with disabilities to move around the region more easily.
"Instead of mouthing pie-in-the-sky nonsense about putting a tunnel under Toronto, it’s surely time that our car-loving Premier Doug Ford turned his attention to improving access to outlying locations like Guelph, so we can stop feeling that we have no choice but to drive into the city."
I thought taking the GO train to Toronto would be easy. These are all the reasons I was wrong
Why, when the GTA is clogged with cars and more and more of us want to stop driving into Toronto, do they make it so difficult for people unfamiliar with
www.therecord.com
December 6, 2025 at 4:01 PM
"Instead of mouthing pie-in-the-sky nonsense about putting a tunnel under Toronto, it’s surely time that our car-loving Premier Doug Ford turned his attention to improving access to outlying locations like Guelph, so we can stop feeling that we have no choice but to drive into the city."
"The killing of women and girls simply because they are female deserves to be named for what it is, gender-motivated violence. Until femicide is recognized as a distinct crime nothing will change." -Doreen Nicoll doreenn.substack.com/p/time-to-ad...
Time to admit École Polytechnique massacre was an anti-feminist terrorist attack
Originally described as a "tragic event," 36 years later it’s time to call the mass killing of women on December 6, 1989 what it really is – an anti-feminist terrorist attack that remains unaddressed.
doreenn.substack.com
December 6, 2025 at 1:55 PM
"The killing of women and girls simply because they are female deserves to be named for what it is, gender-motivated violence. Until femicide is recognized as a distinct crime nothing will change." -Doreen Nicoll doreenn.substack.com/p/time-to-ad...
Reposted by Melissa Bowman
December 6, 1989: An armed man killed 14 women and injured 13 other people at École Polytechnique. Fuelled by misogyny, he claimed he was "fighting feminism". We must never forget the horror of that day. I'm honoured to be joined by community leaders to name the victims. #CallItFemicide
December 6, 2025 at 1:42 PM
December 6, 1989: An armed man killed 14 women and injured 13 other people at École Polytechnique. Fuelled by misogyny, he claimed he was "fighting feminism". We must never forget the horror of that day. I'm honoured to be joined by community leaders to name the victims. #CallItFemicide
Reposted by Melissa Bowman
We support this petition for the Region of Waterloo to adopt a Public Camping Bylaw that would allow for multiple encampment sites for unsheltered people.
For more legitimacy: Expand the signature box to include a postal code. Click on it. Add a valid postal code 1/4
www.change.org/p/demand-wat...
For more legitimacy: Expand the signature box to include a postal code. Click on it. Add a valid postal code 1/4
www.change.org/p/demand-wat...
December 6, 2025 at 1:07 PM
We support this petition for the Region of Waterloo to adopt a Public Camping Bylaw that would allow for multiple encampment sites for unsheltered people.
For more legitimacy: Expand the signature box to include a postal code. Click on it. Add a valid postal code 1/4
www.change.org/p/demand-wat...
For more legitimacy: Expand the signature box to include a postal code. Click on it. Add a valid postal code 1/4
www.change.org/p/demand-wat...
Did you also know? Downtown Kitchener has multiple bus and ion stops to get you where you need to go without the hassle and cost of parking. Plus, they do great things like pedestrianize streets to make it easy for folks outside of vehicles to get around, too.
December 5, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Did you also know? Downtown Kitchener has multiple bus and ion stops to get you where you need to go without the hassle and cost of parking. Plus, they do great things like pedestrianize streets to make it easy for folks outside of vehicles to get around, too.
We've got so many great grassroots orgs and non-profits in #WatReg and I need your help to highlight them! For an upcoming Citified post, I'm wanting to share short blurbs (3-5 sentences) about your favourite local organization or non-profit. Feel free to share it on this thread or DM me. Thanks!
December 5, 2025 at 9:25 PM
We've got so many great grassroots orgs and non-profits in #WatReg and I need your help to highlight them! For an upcoming Citified post, I'm wanting to share short blurbs (3-5 sentences) about your favourite local organization or non-profit. Feel free to share it on this thread or DM me. Thanks!
If thousands of people are still parking on city streets during snow events, maybe the $80 ticket is not high enough. www.therecord.com/news/waterlo...
December 5, 2025 at 8:41 PM
If thousands of people are still parking on city streets during snow events, maybe the $80 ticket is not high enough. www.therecord.com/news/waterlo...
Guelph has apparently decided to forego their usual branded bus wraps, because they got damaged by the ad wraps. So I guess we're just offering up our transit as blank canvases for advertising now? www.guelphtoday.com/local-news/g...
Guelph Transit buses adopting all-white look
Transit officials say it's a cost cutting measure, saying ads would damage the blue and green wraps
www.guelphtoday.com
December 5, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Guelph has apparently decided to forego their usual branded bus wraps, because they got damaged by the ad wraps. So I guess we're just offering up our transit as blank canvases for advertising now? www.guelphtoday.com/local-news/g...
Local councillor complains about the "current state of traffic" will putting forth a motion that opposes the creation of safe non-vehicle options on Arthur St. 🧐 www.therecord.com/news/waterlo...
December 4, 2025 at 11:36 PM
Local councillor complains about the "current state of traffic" will putting forth a motion that opposes the creation of safe non-vehicle options on Arthur St. 🧐 www.therecord.com/news/waterlo...
Reposted by Melissa Bowman
Wait you can just set up a whole huge hall in the middle of the street? Hell yeah
December 4, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Wait you can just set up a whole huge hall in the middle of the street? Hell yeah
Reposted by Melissa Bowman
The one weird trick to being able to bike in the winter is the city maintaining safe bike infrastructure year round as the transportation corridors they are
December 4, 2025 at 10:45 PM
The one weird trick to being able to bike in the winter is the city maintaining safe bike infrastructure year round as the transportation corridors they are
“Feelings toward crime are not dependent on statistics a lot of the time,” Valentin said. buff.ly/IYmrIaM
December 4, 2025 at 12:45 PM
“Feelings toward crime are not dependent on statistics a lot of the time,” Valentin said. buff.ly/IYmrIaM
Tonight is the final public input session for the #WRcouncil 2026 budget. You can watch it here. 🧵https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48s5g6hse7M
Strategic Planning and Budget Public Input Committee - December 3, 2025
YouTube video by Region of Waterloo Council
www.youtube.com
December 3, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Tonight is the final public input session for the #WRcouncil 2026 budget. You can watch it here. 🧵https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48s5g6hse7M
Instead of spending millions on marketing your government, Mr. Ford, might I suggest that instead you try running it in a way that actually supports Ontarians? globalnews.ca/news/1155560...
a woman sitting on a bed with the words just give it a try on her face
ALT: a woman sitting on a bed with the words just give it a try on her face
media.tenor.com
December 3, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Instead of spending millions on marketing your government, Mr. Ford, might I suggest that instead you try running it in a way that actually supports Ontarians? globalnews.ca/news/1155560...
"The use of these cameras resulted in Ontarians being charged with millions of dollars in fines." Um, nope. People driving over the limit on roads that too often encourage speeding, resulted in those fines. #ASE
Ontario Newsroom
Ontario Launching Road Safety Initiatives Fund | Ontario Newsroom
buff.ly
December 3, 2025 at 12:30 PM
"The use of these cameras resulted in Ontarians being charged with millions of dollars in fines." Um, nope. People driving over the limit on roads that too often encourage speeding, resulted in those fines. #ASE
Yeah, this checks out.
My most-used words in 2025 were:
1. "speed" (222×)
2. "housing" (204×)
3. "cameras" (133×)
4. "those" (119×)
5. "drivers" (97×)
See which words you used the most here: anisota.net/harvest
My most-used words in 2025 were:
1. "speed" (222×)
2. "housing" (204×)
3. "cameras" (133×)
4. "those" (119×)
5. "drivers" (97×)
See which words you used the most here: anisota.net/harvest
Anisota's Annual Bluesky Harvest 2025
A recap of your year on Bluesky. Discover patterns, connections, and insights from your journey in the ATmosphere.
anisota.net
December 3, 2025 at 3:05 AM
Yeah, this checks out.
My most-used words in 2025 were:
1. "speed" (222×)
2. "housing" (204×)
3. "cameras" (133×)
4. "those" (119×)
5. "drivers" (97×)
See which words you used the most here: anisota.net/harvest
My most-used words in 2025 were:
1. "speed" (222×)
2. "housing" (204×)
3. "cameras" (133×)
4. "those" (119×)
5. "drivers" (97×)
See which words you used the most here: anisota.net/harvest
Mayor Vrbanovic making clear the decisions that #WRcouncil will need to make. While we've heard some on council say it's not an either/or between the police budget and community investments, if you're setting a hard cap for tax increases, then these are the decisions that need to be made.
Vrbanovic continues, "Do we put on hold a 400-unit housing project that we know will lead to better outcomes for 400 families or do we go ahead with this, but then something else is going to have to give."
December 3, 2025 at 12:22 AM
Mayor Vrbanovic making clear the decisions that #WRcouncil will need to make. While we've heard some on council say it's not an either/or between the police budget and community investments, if you're setting a hard cap for tax increases, then these are the decisions that need to be made.
Fixed it for you. www.therecord.com/news/waterlo...
December 2, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Fixed it for you. www.therecord.com/news/waterlo...