Locally Connected Community Hub

A place where people come together to support and engage with their local businesses, fostering a sense of community and connectivity.

Welcome

The Locally Connected Community Hub (LCCHub) is guided by a vision to make the communities in which it serves, a more inclusive, safe and welcoming place to live, work, play and shop. To achieve this vision, the LCCHub is comprised of numerous community-founded chapters that host a variety of in-person community-based meetups throughout the year at local establishments within their respective communities.

With no cost to participate, participants range from entrepreneurs to young professionals, business owners, those who hold a regular 9-5 job, stay-at-home-parents, retirees, and those wishing to feel more connected with their community.

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Eastbridge Business Connections Meetup

October 28:

  • The Chill Bar & Grill
  • 7:00-9:00pm
  • 373 Bridge Street West, Waterloo
  • Help us support the Food Bank of Waterloo Region with a non-perishable food donation!
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East Zorra-Tavistock Business Connections Meetup

November 6:

  • Bentley's Inn Bar & Restaurant
  • 7:00 - 9:00pm
  • 99 Ontario Street, Stratford
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Cambridge Business Connections Meetup

November 20:

  • Gator's Tail Sports Shack & Grill
  • 7:00-9:00pm
  • 970 Franklin Blvd, Cambridge

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Eastbridge Business Connections Meetup HIGHLIGHTS

August 26: Boston Pizza - Waterloo

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Westmount Business Connections Meetup HIGHLIGHTS

September 16: Westmount Golf & Country Club

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Eastbridge Business Connections Meetup HIGHLIGHTS

September 30: Innocente Brewing Company


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Our History

The Locally Connected Community Hub began as a neighbourhood-centric business and social community group known as Eastbridge Business Connections (EBC). This grassroots initiative began in January 2017 from an ad-hock post by Jason Kipfer on the Eastbridge Neighbourhood Association Facebook Group Page.  as a way to gauge interest in connecting with local neighbours at a nearby pub. More than two dozen people expressed an interest to participate and 18 people braved the elements and came out to put faces to names while getting to know those who resided in their neighbourhood.

As EBC expanded and garnered more interest from within and around Eastbridge, it was important that monthly Meetups maintained an informal and relaxed atmosphere with an understanding that people would naturally talk about the companies they work for and the products and services they represent and sell. It was (and continues today) that all members of the community feel welcome to participate on the basis that people are more likely to buy from who they know and those they trust. As a result, EBC promotes relationship building first in the hopes that the business will soon follow. 

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Community Building

We hope that getting to know your neighbours will contribute to making our community a more inclusive, safe and welcoming place to live, work, play and shop.

These Meetups are great if you're looking to:

  • Make our neighbourhood a more inclusive, collaborative and welcoming community;
  • Support our neighbourhood merchants;
  • Get to know your neighbours and learn about the companies they work for and the products and services they represent and sell. 
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Local Economic Impact

The notion of holding monthly Meetups at varying business establishments not only provides a fresh venue for regular attendees, but also encourages residents to venture into these establishments...many of whom, are doing so for the first time. It is equally important to support independent shop owners and operators as these monthly Meetups bring positive direct and indirect economic impacts to these merchants and the community at large.

While not a mandatory requirement of participating in monthly Meetups, the 2022 year-end survey results indicated that business referrals were being shared and business transactions had taken place as a direct result from initial connections made from these monthly Meetups. Furthermore, the 78 year-end survey respondents collectively made 302 visits to the 21 Annual Meetup Meetup Door Prize Sponsors of Eastbridge Business Connections.

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Attend our Next Meetup

Not sure if networking is your thing? This is as informal as it gets. Have some fun and bring your spouse and/or a neighbour with you to our next Meetup!

Testimonial

“I had the pleasure of attending my second Eastbridge Business Connections event at The Chill Bar & Grill on October 30, 2023, and it was a full house. The event provided an outstanding networking opportunity with local businesses. The venue was buzzing with professionals eager to connect and explore potential collaborations. It's clear that this event has earned its reputation as a prime networking platform in the community. If you're looking to expand your local business network and seize new opportunities, don't miss the next one. It's a packed event with remarkable networking opportunities.”

---Shawn Swartman, Director of Sales, Armour Payments