Development and new neighbours 'a blessing' for church in Kitchener's Williamsburg neighbourhood

ErinJamieson says development around her church felt like it happened overnight.

"It's changed a lot. We're no longer alone," Jamieson, who is anassistant pastor at Freedom in Christ Church on Bleams Road, told CBC News.

"They told us for years thiswas coming and then all of a sudden there were houses and neighbours."

Construction of the Williamsburgcommunity began roughly 20 years ago on one side of Bleams Road. Jamieson said on their side, there wasnothing but farm fields until recently.

But a boom in construction over the last two years has brought newneighbours to the church's east andsoon to the west, as well as behind the property.

"We're actually part of the community now. We were always part of Williamsburg, but we weren't actuallyinthe neighbourhood," she said.

Jamieson said the church has been on Bleams Road for the last 30 years and they welcome the change.

"The people who bought [the property] had a vision of what it could be and had a vision that this could be a blessing to a community," she said.

"We're here now planted in the middle of a community that we can bless and we can partner with and we can be friends with. It's what we wanted and it's happening, so it's really exciting for us."

Jamieson said the church is nowlooking for new ways to accommodate the growing community and their needs.She said theWilliamsburg Community Association uses their facilities often torun programs throughout the year.

Two years ago the church built a facility and pavilion on the property to help run more programs.She also said the church'sbaseball diamond used to sit vacant but isnow getting good use asa cricket field for some members of the community.

The church has also started to offerEnglish conversation circles and is hosting an Easterdinner for new neighbours in the area.

"Lately we're having lots of people who are new to Canada and that's coming from our new development," she said.

Jamieson also sees the development as a good thing becauseit will connect the church to city services,bring much needed housing,sidewalksand introduce transit to the area.

"We need housing and we need affordable housing. People need places to live and this is part ofdevelopment and its part of a city that is growing," she said.

WATCH|How the Williamsburg Community Association creates sense of belonging for residents:

How the Williamsburg Community Association creates sense of belonging for residents

6 months ago

Duration 2:35

Frank Prospero, president of the Williamsburg Community Association, explains how the group was formed and how it aims to create a sense of belonging for residents. Prospero spoke to CBC K-W as part of the Communities in Focus project, which is zeroing in on the southwestern Kitchener neighbourhood over the next few weeks.

Diverse growth in Williamsburg

Frank Prospero, president and treasurer with theWilliamsburg Community Association, said the area is seeing a lot diverse growth with different types of housing going in the area.

"We have condominiums coming in, some housing for seniors coming into the community, not just single-story homesand the biggest thing is the ethnic diversity in the community," Prospero told CBC News.

He said the association runs a lot of different recreation programs that include sports, music for youth and activities for seniors, but because the neighbourhood doesn't have a community centre, they normally rely on nearby churches and schools.

Prospero said they spend time listening to the community about different programs and activities they would like to see and work with volunteers to try and make it happen.

He said it's an important way to create a sense of belongingin the neighbourhood.

"It's really a sense of how do we bring people together? How do we keep them engaged and flourishing in the community?" he said.

Prospero said he's looking forward to the construction a new recreation complex in the Rosenberg area in the coming years that will allow the associationto offer their programing out of that facility and offer a biggergathering space.

The recreation complex is expected to be attached to a new elementary school and a new library, he said.

"I think we've done well over the last 15 years utilizing the schools and utilizing the space here and I think it's time we have our own space and do our programing out of there," he said.

A new recreational complex is alsoslated to be built inRBJ Schlegel Park.The proposal is going before city council on April 8 and if it gets approved, construction could start as early as May and finish inlate 2026.