written and researched by Deb Ferguson I’m sitting at the harvest table in my park – Mary Allen Park. It’s right by my house, and, I’m guessing, close to the homes of most of the other people who are enjoying it right now. It is a great place to play and be active, meet with friends, or to throw a ball for the dog. This park serves as a place to burn off excess energy on the way home from school, as a meeting spot for some well-needed social time with other parents, and as a destination for seniors in the neighbourhood. It is a place for people to hang out, chat, or observe. I t’s the centre of our neighbourhood and it gets a lot of use. In front of me, and slightly to the right, are a variety of climbing areas, surrounded by older trees and newer bushes. There are large rocks and vertical logs to run across and balance on, a thick segment of a fallen tree trunk, a swing set, and a variety of climbers. In the distance, by the north entrance, are round metal bike racks,
Sharing stories and histories
of the Mary Allen neighbourhood
in the heart of Waterloo, Ontario