An elegantly updated three bedroom, three bathroom home in an exceptional Kitchener neighborhood is for sale. Main floor hardwood and ceramics set the mood and California textured ceilings complete the open concept main floor. The home has a spectacular kitchen with stainless steel appliances.

The hardscaped patio and fully fenced yard, with new retaining wall, is just off the dining room. The yard is succulently landscaping and has a large garden shed. There is a large master bedroom and a fully finished basement.

Brembel three bedroom

$314,900

Filed under: for sale by Keith Marshall
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There are a couple of ladies bothering people in parking lots and gas stations around Kitchener and Waterloo. They first buttonholed me last week, and in a moment of weakness separated me from some of the money in my wallet with a story of having run out of gas. They are well dressed, well practiced and seemingly believable (I’m not usually a soft touch). That was in the Food Basics parking lot on Highland Road in front of the Prudential Grand Valley Realty office. They said it was just a loan and I believed them (for about ten minutes and then it was too late. They were gone).

Last night, by chance, I’m filling up the SUV at the Petro Canada on the corner of Weber and Bridgeport when they magically appeared at the next pump over accosting a guy with the same story.

I listened to the exchange for half a minute, until I was overcome with anger and then I stopped pumping gas and went around to where the exchange was taking place.

I said, “I know these two ladies. They took money off me last week with the same story…blah, blah blah”. I was so mad that I followed them down the sidewalk yelling at them for being liars and bothering good people. It’s not in my nature to get this mad but I did because I’d been victimized.

It is too bad that we always have to be on guard for this sort of thing. There was a story in the news last week about a dubious charity selling chocolates and a phone fraud targeting seniors. There were fake furnace inspectors calling homeowners and home renovators providing poor workmanship for cash. The schemes and hustles are too numerous to mention. We have to be on guard, they’ll always be a new scam.

But for panhandlers, we can wipe them out very easily by not giving them money. If they are begging in the intersection, on the sidewalk or like the two grifters I met – in parking lots and gas stations, don’t give them any of your spare change. Once they discover what they’re doing no longer works, they’ll stop doing it.

Don’t feel bad. We have awesome social services in Canada and in Waterloo Region. Give to charity instead and then the money will go to the truly needy for necessary things. Society will be a better place when we don’t have street urchin bothering us with their lies and fake hard luck stories about running out of gas or losing their wallets or needing bus fare to Toronto…

Filed under: Around Kitchener Waterloo, editorial by Keith Marshall
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Last week, 570 News interviewed me about a little facebook page I created called 365 things to do in Kitchener Waterloo. I had a lot of visitors this summer and when I was thinking about things to do around Waterloo Region to keep everyone entertained, I realized that there was so much to do and so much of it I hadn’t done myself. That’s how it started.

I like lists.

So, I started a list of things I wanted to do, things like: eat at Harmony Lunch or visit Woodside – the childhood home of Mackenzie King. I quickly realized this list was too good not to share.

The radio interview went well, two friends (Rick and Bruno) both said they heard it and other people I know, knew it was on and have asked me about it.

More importantly, a lot of people I don’t know heard it and have told their friends. This means 365 things to do in Kitchener Waterloo grows stronger and more popular everyday.

Gary Doyle at 570 News didn’t ask me what I was hoping to accomplish with 365 things to do in Kitchener Waterloo. So I’ll tell you, what’s happening now is great. Facebook friends are giving suggestions about things to do in KW. Things like:

Burlesque night at the Registry Theatre

The Serbian Food Festival

Attempting the massive Cheeseburger at Puslinch Marina.

Those were the last three things to do in KW, and they were all from new people who like the page. Keep them coming. It’s our page now.

Filed under: Around Kitchener Waterloo by Keith Marshall
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When I was in Beijing six years ago and the taxi driver lamented about how bad the traffic was. I remember I told him, “You ain’t seen nothing yet”.

I was right.

I like being right. Having lived through the boom years of Taiwan (1988-2000), I saw for myself how a road system supply could fall behind the pavement demand. Gridlock ensues. The north-south highway during Chinese New Year in 1994 could be considered to be the longest parking lot in the world.

I was speaking with a colleague of mine yesterday about Waterloo Region’s light rail plans.

She said, “I remember when we had streetcars in Kitchener. I used to ride them with my mother and young brother when we went to the movies when I was five. But then, the city took them all out because car is king in the Region of Waterloo.”

It’s true. Car is king. But that’s because we don’t have a good alternative. I think its wrong to say, “We used to have public transit but no one used it”. That was more than fifty years ago.

Lets not look back. Lets look forward. What’s our city going to look like fifty years in the future?

Filed under: editorial by Keith Marshall
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Wack Wack Golf and Country Club (Mandaluyong City, Philippines) is my favorite golf course in world. I’m sure my style of swing is well suited for a course so well named. Regrettably, when I was in the Philippines, I didn’t golf.

Back to the present and Waterloo Region, I didn’t golf this summer either. My excuses were (lamely), “It’s too hot” and “I don’t have the time.” The fact is, golf for me is something I do with my dad, and he lives in BC.

Someone told me that there is an over abundance of golf courses in Ontario, built in anticipation of the boomers retiring and golfing their way into the sunset. Unfortunately that hasn’t happened yet and last year’s economic downturn brought about changes in nonessentials for businesses and individuals like me, the occasional golfer; we’re just not hitting the links like we used to.

I noticed this sign the other day, “two for one golf” at one of Waterloo Region’s most beautiful and expensive courses – Grey Silo Golf Course. And, I know the venerable Westmount Golf and Country Club is advertising for new members. It appears that the game that has ruined a good walk for many people is doing so for fewer people now.

I wrote about Grey Silo Golf Course yesterday on 365 things to do in Kitchener Waterloo (link below)

http://www.facebook.com/365kw

Filed under: Around Kitchener Waterloo, editorial by Keith Marshall
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