Pop-up park opens in downtown Kitchener

New park pops up in downtown Kitchener Carl Zher Square transforms for the three-day event that features interactive displays and workshops. Heather Senoran reports.

The City of Kitchener has set up a pop-up park for three days on King Street downtown.

The city partnered with Toronto-based company Eight Eighty Cities to present the park as a way to engage community members on the future of parks and open spaces in the area.

“We know the community in Kitchener is changing. It’s growing and their needs now for parks and open spaces will be growing and changing at the same time. So really we want to take a look at how we can build an equitable inclusive space that really is responding to the community needs across Kitchener,“ said Niall Lobley, director of parks and cemeteries for the City of Kitchener.

Friday was the opening day and the park was filled with community members enjoying the space.

"This is the most amazing thing ever. Literally how often do you get grass on the street right?," said Stephen Jackson, CEO of Anishnabeg Outreach.

The park features accessible pathways, open green space, nature-based play elements for passive use and cultural activities, an open fire, picnic tables, community food gardens and interactive art.

"We’re doing art in the park in the afternoons. Some of the art is going to be bracelet making. I’ll do some Woodland style painting which is traditional for Indigenous people," Jackson said.

The Group Muslims in Public Space (MIPS) was also at the event to show the public how to use stencils with special meaning.

“So the shapes, you’ll see them across different built forms for Muslim people. Sometimes in mosques or libraries and columns,” said Mehedi Khan, co-founder of MIPS. “Today we're working with kids to show them this interesting part of Muslim peoples identities and how can we use that to improve equity in public spaces.