100 Ways to Spend This Summer 💯

Ten years ago, localist Kevin Van Lierop (also one of our founding editors) asked for help creating a list of “100 Ways to Improve London, Canada.” The community jumped at the opportunity to dream, and the resulting list was printed on posters and plastered around downtown. 

We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate The Localist’s 100th (!) list than to partner up with Poster! Poster! for a re-mix of the project. As subscribers, you get the first look before we start postering!

We hope the list inspires you to experience London in new ways this summer! At the least, we’re confident it’ll keep you busy until The Localist .

Until then…

1. Wash your hands

2. Enjoy a “Big Slice®” al fresco after midnight

3. Visit The C*ves

4. Tour London’s outdoor sculptures

5. Circumnavigate “Lake Fanshawe”

6. Discover the Banana Kingdom

7. Explore a neighbouring neighbourhood

8. Watch for new murals 

9. Paint new murals

10. Build a fort in Kelly Park

11. Get your fill of local BBQ

12. Host a concert from your front porch/lawn

13. Walk the TVP

14. Ride the TVP

15. Respect the TVP

16. Staycation with a vacation energy (see #50)

17. Spice it up with some herbs from the Old South Herb Box Project

18. Hit the “beach” that’s taking shape along the river between Oxford and Blackfriars

19. Revisit the mini golf of the backyard—croquet

20. Play Sunfest Bingo... virtually.

21. Go fish

22. Support London’s Black-owned businesses

23. Plant a community garden plot

24. Tour all the other community gardens

25. Subscribe to the London’s Pretty Cool podcast

26. Write your councillor

27. Feed the fish at the Civic Gardens’ fish pond

28. Ignore your vehicle

29. Keep covering the sidewalks with chalk-art

30. Call for change 

31. Join your neighbourhood community association

32. Start your neighbourhood’s community association

33. Make trading cards of your friends (like this)

34. Plant a secret time capsule in a park somewhere

35. Imagine next summer

36. Take the family and a hibachi to Springbank Park for a picnic

37. Read along with the Library

38. Watch for more PLUMP! sessions

39. Learn your neighbours’ favourite food

40. Start your weekends at the Covent Garden Market and/or The Market at the Western Fair District

41. Watch out for the carnivorous plants at Sifton Bog

42. Show your Pride with your own parade

43. Get offline

44. Take a hike in Komoka and cool off in the river

45. Day Trip!

46. Give (or get) a haircut

47. Return to London's punk roots

48. Follow See Collective for a glimpse into the city’s art scene

49. Shop local

50. Spend your staycation travelling the world

51. Pump the adrenaline at Boler Mountain’s Treetop Adventure

52. Spread out a blanket and enjoy a bottle of w*ne in ______ Park

53. Start birding

54. Phone a friend

55. Follow LondonFuse for more ways to spend this summer

56. Write your councillor, again.

57. Check out some of .

58. Make an obstacle course for your neighbours

59. See the sights at river lookouts

60. Celebrate the things

61. Check out the Mushkeeki Gitigan (Medicine Garden) located inside the Carolinian Food Forest at South Branch Park. 

62. Write a letter to someone in a nursing home

63. Keep marching

64. Volunteer

65. Try the Urban Roots local produce market

66. Create a backyard water park

67. Read the plaque 

68. Wave to the “friendly duck(s)” at Storybook Gardens

69. Bucket list

70. Savor local strawberries while they’re in season

71. Hit the patio(s)

72. And the breweries (also, also)

73. Wash your hands

74. Find a food truck (hint: they’re easy to find on Wednesdays)

75. Bring back the Rolling Stones

76. Brighten someone’s day with flowers

77. Sit on a park bench (because you can)

78. Take your yoga practise outside

79. Start a Pollinator Garden

80. Make something

81. Listen to your elders

82. Get Downtown

83. Host more yard sales for charity

84. Join a Neighbourhood Pod

85. Register your bike

86. Take a hike

87. Re-read all 100 of our lists 💯

88. “Hang out” with Jeff and Liam at Reg Cooper Square 

89. Shoot some hoops

90. Tune in to Radio Western and The X regularly

91. Get Sidetracked 

92. Dream of winter

93. Make a donation to Home County Music & Art Festival anyway

94. Drive-In for a movie under the stars.

95. Create a “monument” tour that includes a Rhinoceros, Engine 86, Sasquatch... 

96. Enjoy the Food Forest at Wood St Park

97. Read Greg Curnoe’s Deeds/Abstracts 

98. Roast more s’mores

99. Create a team (soccer, gardening, kickball, whatever)

100. Make your own list and share it with friends!

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This week's edition of The Localist made possible by the kind support of:

Patrons: Sameer Vasta, Mike Donachie, Heenal Rajani, Rebecca Minielly, web.isod.es, Scott Webb, Black Coffee, Earmark, Rachel Berdan, Shelley Carr, Shawn Adamsson, Anne O'Sullivan, London Bicycle Café, Paul Seale,  Alec Dowell, Dan Hall, Kelly Ziegner, Cedric Richards, Skylar Franke, CityMatch

Editors: James Kingsley, Kendra Matheson

To ensure the ongoing development, growth, and delivery of this publication: 
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