Grand finale for Lydia Street pot bangers and bell ringers

It was a grand finale Wednesday evening for a group of Kitchener neighbours who've gathered every evening for the last two years to ring bells and bang pots and pans for healthcare workers. 

The final gathering drew a crowd of about three dozen people, who braved the chilly weather to sing, dance and laugh together one last time. 

"It's been an enjoyable two years, actually getting to know everybody a little bit better," said Kathy Inch, who lives on Lydia Street. 

"I'm going to miss it."

Like many people, the Lydia Street crowd started banging pots and pans in the spring of 2020. The trend took off as a way to recognize doctors, nurses and other staff at a time when many people were confined to their homes. 

But long after the practice had mostly fizzled out — Inch and her fellow neighbours kept at it. It became something to look forward to at night, and a way to check in with one another during difficult times. 

"We spent time away from family, we've spent time in anxious moments … And it's a time that I think we'd all like to put behind us," said Ron Martinello.

"However, on the good side of this, it's really created a community for us, and that's something that we don't want to lose."

Paul McIntyre Royston, president and CEO of the Grand River Hospital Foundation, thanked the group on behalf of local healthcare workers. 

He noted that hospitals are still facing challenges — and that on any given day there may be 200 staff off sick with COVID-19. 

Small gestures of gratitude can go a long way, he said. 

"I know from my friends and colleagues in our hospital that these actions have a massive impact, it has an impact on their heart and their soul," said Royston, who lives nearby. 

Although Wednesday marked the official end to the streak, the neighbours say they hope to stay close with one another. 

And, Inch said, they may still bring out their pots and pans again — for a special occasion. 

"Definitely not ruling anything out," she said.