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9| W aterloo C hronicle | T hursday,July 5,2018 w aterloochronicle.ca OK, folks. We need you to come back into uptown Waterloo! I get it. The ION construction has been prolonged and painful. Over the past few years, every single day brought a new challenge, for travellers and business owners. And just when we thought the ION construc- tion was over ... bam! More streetscaping and the an- nual workload of road pro- jects commenced. Believe me, I really, re- ally get it. One of my frustrated Barrelyards neighbours cleverly dubbed construc- tion season as, "the City of Waterloo's annual cam- paign to make people want to move to New Ham- burg." We are currently sur- viving the seemingly end- less construction disaster at the corner of Erb Street and Father David Bauer Drive. Seriously. What can possibly take this long and involve this many people? Are we getting the Road to Oz, resplendent in City of Waterloo yellow bricks? Admittedly, all is not lost. I am enjoying some of the construction activity, specifically watching the promenade take shape, through Waterloo Park. We have watched a lovely new bridge be dropped in- to place, new trails be cre- ated, and a plethora of fresh plantings add shape and life to the park. Which brings me back to my plea. Our uptown streets are not as busy as they used to be. And they need to be. Because our neighbours - who have invested their hearts, souls, and every- thing they own into their businesses - need and de- serve our support. So, I have a suggestion for you. Plan a summer evening in Uptown Waterloo. Park your car over at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Centre and meander into the core, via the trails in Waterloo Park. Start by settling into the beautiful bar at Loloan Lobby Bar, a new spot on Princess Street. Order a cocktail from their Thai- inspired menu. Luxuriate in the atmosphere - it's a delightful space. Take a moment to check out their washrooms - the nicest I've ever seen in Waterloo Region. (Now, if that isn't a selling point, what is?) After that cocktail, head out onto King Street and head down to Owl of Minerva, one of Waterloo's best kept secrets. From my first taste of their food, I was hooked. It's beauti- ful, delicious and inexpen- sive. Glassy noodles. Per- fect dumplings. Korean ribs. I'm going back as soon as possible. Finish your night off in any one of our local loung- es. Sip a tequila at Taco Farm. Enjoy a delectable Moscow mule at 21 Fir and craft beer at Abe Erb. Just get out there and keep this place - our amaz- ing uptown Waterloo - afloat. ... - Karen Scian is the co- founder of the Talent Business Solutions, an educator and a community advocate. She is also chair of the Waterloo Public Library Board. You can email her at bein- scian@gmail.com or follow her on Twitter @karenscian. OPINION It's time to come back and visit uptown Waterloo It's time to return to some normalcy after all that construction, says Karen Scian KAREN SCIAN Column Our uptown streets are not as busy as they used to be. And they need to be. Artist George Boileau has created one of the most striking sculptures I've ev- er seen, straddling the Kitchener-Waterloo boundary at the Board- walk on Ira Needles Boule- vard. The bronze sculpture is of Ira George Needles, who was instrumental in the es- tablishment of the Univer- sity of Waterloo and its en- gineering school. His like- ness is depicted sitting on a bench writing his 1956 speech, Wanted: 150,000 Engineers - The Waterloo Plan. Admiring the recently unveiled sculpture on a sunny morning this past week, I chatted with Cyn- thia Voisin, part of the management team at the Boardwalk, curious to gain some insight into Ira George Needles. "A lot of people don't re- alize Ira Needles Boule- vard was named after someone, or perhaps even recognized it was a name, but it is very important people know this boule- vard was named after someone amazing," she said. Cynthia's father Greg Voisin, president and vi- sionary of the Boardwalk, chimed in: "I went to the University of Waterloo and didn't know who Ira Nee- dles was, our engineering classes never gave any his- tory on him, and there cer- tainly wasn't any empha- sis on him as an origina- tor." I told Cynthia and her father how much I like the location of the sculpture in the Central Village of the Boardwalk, close to my fa- vourite bakery COBS Bread and the recently opened Splash Circle. "And I like that he's fac- ing directly out onto Uni- versity Avenue because right here at this round- about is where University Avenue ends," said Cyn- thia. "So, at the end of Uni- versity Avenue you'll find Ira G. Needles." Cynthia showed me a black-and-white photo of Ira Needles that the artist worked from and did a tre- mendous job capturing. "One of the things Boi- leau spoke of was the chal- lenge of sculpting a sub- ject's eyes, because you want them to feel like they have colour," said Cynthia. "So, Boileau did them in negative space, and he had never in all his sculptures done eyeglasses before be- cause the transparency of glass is too difficult to con- vey in bronze. Initially, the Ira Needles sculpture was shown without glasses, but Ira's grandson Dan Nee- dles saw this rendering and said 'It doesn't look like my grandfather until he has his glasses on.'" A plaque beside the sculpture reads: "Take a moment to sit beside him and perhaps be photo- graphed with this pioneer of engineering education at the now globally re- spected University of Wa- terloo." Sitting on the bronze bench beside Ira Needles' likeness, I reflected on how public art not only adds meaning to our everyday lives but creates one-of-a- kind gathering spaces. "I love public art," said Cynthia. "I think public art is a reflection of our com- munity and adds to the vi- brancy of the space." If you happen to be driv- ing along Ira Needles Bou- levard, I recommend you take a moment to share a bench with its remarkable namesake. ... - Marshall Ward is a freelance writer and artist. Email is welcome at mar- shall_ward@hotmail.com. Sit and get to know Ira Needles New statue commemorates man who was more than just a road, says Marshall Ward MARSHALL WARD Column ...I reflected on how public art not only adds meaning to our everyday lives but creates one-of-a-kind gathering spaces. Open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau re: U.S. position on NAFTA Canada's Innovation Corridor Business Council is a coalition of chambers of commerce and boards of trade across southern On- tario collectively re- presenting 21,000 employ- ers. We can assure you that our member businesses and our colleagues across Canada support the united position of the federal and provincial governments, national associations and municipalities in the ongo- ing trade negotiations with President Trump and the United States. The potential of 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian assembled vehicles enter- ing the United States would be devastating across the Ontario auto- motive sector. The prog- ress of our Next Genera- tion Manufacturing Su- percluster Strategy, which is built around the applica- tion of locally developed technology into Ontario manufacturing, could be severely restricted by the lack of access to U.S. mar- kets through escalated tar- iffs and associated instru- ments. With respect to the re- cent imposition of Ameri- can tariffs on steel and alu- minum, these measures will level significant dam- age to the world's closet trading relationship, hurt- ing U.S. and Canadian workers, raising prices for consumers and damaging North American competi- tiveness. We encourage you and all levels of government across Canada to maintain a united strategy and ad- vance a trade agenda in our collective interests. Janet De Silva Co-Chair of Canada's Innovation Corridor Busi- ness Council, President/ CEO of the Toronto Re- gion Board of Trade Ian McLean Co-Chair of Canada's Innovation Corridor Busi- ness Council, President/ CEO of the Greater Kitche- ner Waterloo Chamber of Commerce All levels of government should be united in NAFTA fight • LETTERS & COMMENTARY •