Jane’s Walks returning to Cambridge, region this May

After a four year hiatus, Jane's Walks are making a local comeback in May.

The “walking conversations” led by expert guides are designed to acquaint people with their communities and help residents discover places they might not know or have walked by hundreds of times without really seeing all that's there.

The themed walks will happen May 5, 6 and 7 in communities throughout Waterloo region, including Cambridge, where local coordinator Priyank Khimasia is in the process of gathering ideas and volunteers.

Named after the late urban activist Jane Jacobs, who taught herself how cities thrive and fail by walking around, carefully observing what was working and what wasn't, wrote her most famous book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, in 1961.

Her books are widely credited with changing how urban planners design cities.

Jane's Walks were started in 2007, the year after Jane Jacobs died, to honour her legacy. Today they are offered in 134 cities on six continents.

Khimasia moved to Cambridge from Toronto two years ago and says she was so impressed by the Jane's Walks she took part in as an urban planning student in Toronto that she knew she had to bring them here.

“It's nice that they start conversations about cities and how to create healthy cities.”

Khimasia also likes the interactivity of Jane's Walks.

“It's also a good way for people to meet their neighbours and just do someing different,” she says, excited the walks are returning for the first time since 2019.

The 2019 event was the city's 14th annual Jane's Walks Festival and featured history, cultural landmarks and a bit of pop culture with one walk that took guests on a tour of location shoots for the television series The Handmaid's Tale.

Across the region, visitors and residents had the opportunity to experience the tri-cities on 37 different walks.

Kitchener-Waterloo coordinator Kae Elgie has been leading and coordinating Jane's Walks for over ten years and says she can't wait to get back to in person Jane's
Walks.

Khimasia says planning for this year's walks in Cambridge is in the preliminary stages and expects more ideas and volunteers will surface during an information session March 30.

Guides who have already talked to the committee about offering walks include members of the Cambridge Sculpture Garden, a local transit enthusiast who may organize a walk about the history and future of transit in the city, and the rare Charitable Research Reserve, which is considering offering a guided walk along one of its many trails.

City booster and YouTuber Ingrid Talpak will take guests on a walk from Main Street to Queen's Square highlighting 200 years of local history and architecture.

“I hope the people who join me on my walk leave with a different appreciation of Main Street and the people that shaped it,” Talpak says. “The architecture is so varied and there are some real gems on this street.”

Watch for more information about the walks on janeswalkwr.wordpress.com.

Anyone wanting to take part in Thursday's information session can sign up at janeswalkinfo.eventbrite.ca or call 519-635-8951 for more information.

Anyone can be a Jane's Walk leader, says Khimasia.