Public gatherings task force
Our Town and Gown Committee has created an unsanctioned public gatherings task force.
The task force has been asked to assess the growth of unsanctioned pubic gatherings, understand the impact on the community and provide potential strategies on how they can be managed.
In March 2019, an update on the work of the task force was presented to city council.
Role of the task force
- meet quarterly and receive information and create recommendations on ways to reduce, refocus and prevent negative impacts of unsanctioned public gatherings
- operate for two years with an understanding that implementation of its recommended strategies may take an additional three years
- outline the challenges and benefits that unsanctioned public gatherings have on the community
- include research on crowd science and gather information on the experiences and strategies of other jurisdictions
Task force composition
Representatives from several agencies/groups will form the task force. The task force steering committee shall be co-chaired by Mark Dykstra from the City of Waterloo and Tom Berczi from Waterloo Regional Police Service.
| Name | Title | Organization |
| Mark Dykstra* | Commissioner, community services | City of Waterloo |
| Tom Berczi* | Superintendent - operational support | Waterloo Regional Police Service |
| Aimee Calma | President | Conestoga Students Inc. |
| Brenda Cassidy | Director, corporate communications | Conestoga College |
| James Craig | Chair | Town and gown committee |
| Shawn Cruz | Associate vice-president, university affairs | Wilfrid Laurier University Student Union |
| D'Arcy Delamere** | Lecturer | University of Waterloo School of Accounting & Finance |
| Benjamin Easton | Municipal affairs commissioner | University of Waterloo Federation of Students |
| Catherine Heale | Manager, governance and corporate projects | Grand River Hospital |
| Adam Lauder | Executive officer to the CAO | City of Waterloo |
| Ellen Menage | Executive director | Wilfrid Laurier University Graduate Students' Association |
| Chris Read | Associate provost - students | University of Waterloo |
| Larry Richardson | Representative | MacGregor Albert Community Association |
| Peter Rubenschuh | Superintendent, student achievement & well-being | Waterloo Region District School Board |
| Naima Samuel | President | University of Waterloo Graduate Student Association |
| Jill Schitka | Program director, emergency department | Grand River Hospital |
| John Shewchuk | Chief managing officer | Waterloo Catholic District School Board |
| Steve Van Valkenburg | Chief | Region of Waterloo Paramedic Services |
* Task force co-chair
** Task force facilitator