Tourists and newcomers to the City of Cambridge may have a new and different attraction to check out – that is, if the Ancient Mariners Canoe Club pushes through with their plans to create a new and unique park in the city.

At a meeting scheduled to take place on Monday next week, members of the Canoe Club will be passing a proposal to convert the former Riverbluffs Park off-leash dog zone, to a new park for bees to pollinate.

The creation of a pollinator park is in response to findings from a study done by the University of Guelph’s eco-science department.

In a nutshell, a pollinator park is an area that contains a wide variety of wildflowers that encourages bees to be agents of pollination.

Club members hope that the pollinator park would also inform the public and raise awareness of the vital role bees have in the eco-system and world of agriculture. They also hope to spread correct information that wasps, not bees, are responsible for the majority of insect stings.

Unlike wasps that are attracted to food and smells of human campsites, most wild bee species don’t sting.

More discussions will be taking place at next week’s meeting at the Cambridge City Hall.

In spite of the December-chill brought about by the winter season, hundreds of people still flocked to the Cambridge City Hall grounds last Sunday to witness the passage of the Olympic torch through the city.

The City Hall’s Civic Square was the center of activity, as numerous groups and organizations set up entertainment and sports booths for the kids and young at heart. Food stands were also made available, with crowds gathering to sip hot chocolate to fight off the bitter cold. While waiting for the arrival of the torch, spectators marveled at the performances put up by form Olympian trampolinists.

And as the torch finally made its appearance, spectators quickly rushed to Dickson Street in hopes of catch a glimpse of the Olympic flame. Those at the front were not disappointed as they waved and screamed at the torchbearers.

Cambridge was one of the lucky cities chosen to host the passing of the Olympic Torch for the 2010 Winter Olympics to be held at Vancouver, British Columbia, on February 12 to 18. The event is part of the cross-country route that was announced before the fourth quarter of 2009. The 2010 Winter Olympics is expected to draw in thousands of people to the coastal city.

Starting in September next year, fall report cards from elementary schools will have almost everything parents need to know about how their children are doing in school – except their marks.

In a move to place more emphasis on the assessment of a child’s skills rather than marks, Ontario’s Ministry of Education will be doing away with the old system of releasing fall report cards starting next school year. Instead, progress reports will be used to provide parents with a way to check on their children’s overall progress.

For Roger Lawler, who serves as the Waterloo Catholic District School Board’s education head, the change is a more than welcome development for Cambridge’s elementary schools. For years, Lawler has campaigned for a new system that encourages parents and teachers to look more into a child’s growth, rather than concentrating solely on grades.

In the new scheme, parents will receive one progress report each September, and two formal report cards – one each in the months of January and June.

The new system also requires teachers to meet with parents and discuss ways to improve student learning. Weaknesses and strengths of each child shall also be tackled in these meetings. An updated record of each child’s marks is also available upon request during these discussions.

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While Christmas Day may have passed by a little too quickly, some residents in the City of Cambridge are still celebrating in their own way. After all, the holidays aren’t really over until the New Year officially begins.

With Christmas being a time for cheer and goodwill, one unidentified person in the city still chooses to ignore the season’s significance, and has been busy looting the doors & porches of homes and businesses alike.

Policemen in the city have warned the public—specifically homeowners and couriers—to be wary of a Grinch-like thief whose modus operandi is to steal packages left by messengers and couriers in the porches of homes scattered across the city.

The warning was issued after a resident reported a suspicious individual who tried to take a package delivered by a local courier. According to the homeowner, he heard someone walking on the porch and saw a man looking for the package. The thief ran off after the homeowner dashed to the porch.

Police have learned that this incident is only one of many reports from Cambridge and other neighboring areas.

With many busy enjoying the holiday festivities in their homes, police are advising residents to keep a look-out for suspicious persons who may want to take advantage of the relaxed atmosphere the season brings.

Local ballet dancers will be excited to know that world-renowned male dancer, Frank Augustyn, is dropping by the Cambridge Centre for the Arts to present dancers the chance to improve their skills and talents.

The Canadian dancer will be holding a workshop dubbed “Augustyn and Artists”, a ballet program that offers an informative seminar on the theatrical art, as well as the opportunity to perform with former major dancers from the National Ballet of Canada.

Augustyn’s workshop is already generating buzz among the city’s local crop of ballet dancers, with many eager to register for the program. Augustyn and Artists is set to take place on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, of January next year. Registration is now going on.

The workshop, which is being put together by Carolyn Zettel-Augustyn and Michele Hopkins (a local dance insctructor in Cambridge), will also feature accomplished and world-famous performers from across the country, among them international choreographer Peter Quanz – a man who’s done amazing work with National Ballet of Canada, and Trish Armstrong – a former dancer from the Danny Grossman Company.

And to make sure everyone has a great time without hurting themselves, a physiotherapist has been called on to be present during the activities.

While many folks are currently busy celebrating the holidays, the Canadian Blood Services office in Cambridge is asking residents to try and donate blood to save lives before 2009 ends.

The organization is holding a blood-drive cleverly called “One More Time In 2009”, with the aim of drawing in regular and new donors to give blood before ushering in the beginning of the New Year.

Curious on how to help? All you have to do is to book an appointment, and end the year with the knowledge that your blood is directly going to affect—even save—the lives of up to 3 people with just one donation.

And if you haven’t donated blood before, now is the perfect time to do so. “Newbies” are encouraged to head to clinics in Cambridge on the 30th of December.

Still need convincing? Here’s a heads-up. Statistics show that more than half of Canadians in the country have needed blood at some point in their lives. If you have a rare blood type, your donation will go a long way in saving the lives of those in need.

Donate blood and make it a part of your holiday gift plans. Head to your nearest donation center or clinic to help.

“Successful” would be an understatement in describing how Cambridge’s Unsilent Night went a few days ago on December 21.

Organizers of the event were overwhelmed at the turnout, which definitely trumped last year’s crowd.

According to Cambridge’s recreation coordinator, Colleen Lichti, over 1400 people from Cambridge and outside the city came to watch the lights festival

In 2008, over 800 spectators flocked to the streets to watch the show and join the festivities, making this year’s turnout a significant step—or leap—forward.

Lichti adds that Unsilent Night is such a great event because of the fact that the show is always different each year. People who come to witness the lights spectacle over and over again are guaranteed to see something new and unique each time.

This year, the event had a new route as well as the cooperation and help of more companies and organizations in the region. The procession kicked off at Cambridge’s civic square, then through Dickson Street, and towards the Living Levee via Water Street.

If you missed this year’s event, don’t worry. Unsilent Night is once again slated to take place in Cambridge next year, and Lichti promises to make the show event more special, with more surprises and more help from sponsors.

Parents be warned. If you’re thinking of getting your kids or little loved ones a pet as a Christmas present, think again.

While Bonnie Deekon, executive director of the Cambridge and District Humane Society says getting a pet for the holidays is a bad idea, that doesn’t seem to affect the opinions of parents in Cambridge, as many of them are still making a rush towards animal shelters and backyard breeders to buy everything from puppies, rabbits, and the like.

Deekon opines that getting a pet as a surprise present is absolutely a bad idea.

For years, animal shelters in Cambridge have been plagued with the problem of having unwanted pets from various families in the region. Many of these animals are from those who impulsively adopted them without thinking of the responsibilities having a pet brings.

Deekon says the problem is even worse in Easter, as many buy rabbits and later discover they don’t want the animals in the house during winter.
Employees from the Humane Society however, aren’t totally against those who want to adopt pets for Christmas. But they do stress that it’s better for the whole family to join in on the selection process and meet the pet before hastily brining it into their homes.

Festivities in the city of Cambridge are set to peak tonight, as it holds the second Unsilent Night.

Cambridge is one of the lucky cities in Canada that plays host to Phil Kline’s Unsilent Night, a spectacle which brought together friends and family last year. With amazing music, cutting edge technology and stunning architecture, last year’s Unsilent Night was undeniably a success.

Since its small beginnings almost 2 decades ago (1993 to be exact), Unsilent Night has evolved to a yearly attraction held all over the world, inviting families to the streets to witness the amazing lights display. In many cities, Unsilent Night has become the most anticipated holiday event.

Last year in Cambridge, close to 800 people came out to watch the spectacle. This year, the city expects that number to grow, and they’ve decided to add their own twist to the event by borrowing four huge Christie Digital projectors. Students from the University of Waterloo are also pitching in and have lately been busy creating light sculptures that are set to be placed strategically along the route.

The best part? Unsilent Night is an event that’s open to all. The show starts today at the Cambridge City Hall at 7 in the evening. For details and information one the route and Unsilent Night, log-on to www.christmasincambridge.ca.

After a long period of waiting, the Cambridge Chaplin YMCA finally received funds for the renovation and upgrade of its facility along Hespeler Road.

The Governments of Canada and Ontario recently announced striking a partnership with Cambridge’s YMCA to improve the Chaplin Family facility. Both governments will be making an investment worth $1,030,000 – with the purpose of creating more jobs in the City of Cambridge, at the same time improving the YMCA’s amenities and energy consumption.

Announcing the new deal were Members of Parliament Hon. Gary Goodyear and the Hon. John Milloy, along with YMCA Cambridge’s CEO John Haddock, and Chairperson of the Cambridge YMCA Board of Directors, Laurie Hornell.

According to these officials, the investment is meant to provide Cambridge residents with access to recreational activities like basketball, swimming, and more. The soon-to-be renovated facility is also expected to generate employment opportunities.

The project to rehabilitate YMCA Cambridge is slated to start sometime in the first quarter of 2010. Among the upgrades include new lights for the parking lot. This is to maximize the facility’s energy efficiency – helping reduce the electric bill in the process. In addition, YMCA will sport a new finish that assures the facility will last for years.

Looks like folks from Cambridge have something to look forward to next year.