Welcome to the UWRA Monthly Bulletin July 2026!
Enjoy this bulletin and all that summer has to offer. Please note there will be no UWRA Monthly Bulletin in August; we look forward to reconnecting with you in September.
UWRA news: Meet Vice President Mario Coniglio, save on UWRA memberships for a limited time
Travels: Travelling with the Joneses to Newfoundland
Worth sharing: Do you have a lifelong learning mindset?
UWRA news:
Meet our new Vice President: Mario Coniglio will succeed Ron Champion as UWRA president at the 2027 Annual General Meeting
Mario Coniglio has been with the University since 1986, first appointed as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. Mario’s area of expertise was in sedimentary geology, specifically the origin of carbonate rocks (limestones, dolostones) and the physical and chemical changes they underwent to eventually become bedrock, including their development into hydrocarbon reservoirs or groundwater aquifers. He formally retired in 2022 but stayed on as Department Chair (on contract) until his second, “real” retirement in June 2025. Apart from his role as Department Chair, Mario also served as Associate Dean of Science for undergraduate studies from 2005-2013 and Associate Vice-President Academic from 2013-2019.
In addition to his relatively recent involvement with the UWRA, Mario currently sits on the Board of Directors of "Friends of Hullett", the organization that manages the operations of the Hullett Provincial Wildlife Area, a 5400-acre parcel of crown land near Clinton, Ontario. He was also instrumental in (and founding President of) the Conestogo Pheasant Club, which manages pheasant hunting in the Conestogo Lake Conservation Area under a license agreement with Grand River Conservation Authority.
Mario wanted to stay connected with the University community and saw joining UWRA's board as a way to contribute to the important work of enhancing the wellbeing and engagement of Waterloo’s retirees. Mario looks forward to the challenge of eventually stepping into the President role, which he welcomes as an opportunity to further serve our community of retired staff and faculty as they enter into and flourish during this special time in their lives.
Increase in membership fees:
It’s been over 10 years since the UWRA membership fees have seen an increase. As of January 1, 2027, UWRA's annual fee will increase to $20 (from $15) and the Lifetime fee to $175 (now $130).
Now is a good time to sign up for a lifetime membership of services!If you are currently enjoying a complimentary membership or a paid-up annual membership, you can upgrade to a lifetime membership before the end of 2026 for $130 -- a $45 savings!
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Travelling with the Joneses: 5 Days in Newfoundland
Maureen and I headed to St. John’s, Newfoundland, in October 2025 to get a taste of what a future, more lengthy adventure might provide. Now, we cannot wait for our next visit. Newfoundland is spectacular in so many ways. We arrived, settled into our room in St. John’s, and headed to the famous George Street for dinner and live entertainment, with many options at hand. We lucked into a traditional “kitchen party.” An experience not to be missed. Over 5 days, we travelled to Signal Hill, hiked to Quidi Vidi, and picturesque Petty Harbour, the childhood home of Alan Doyle of Great Big Sea fame, and were the first in North America to watch the sunrise at Cape Spear.
Newfoundland and Labrador has so much to offer and is so easily accessible by car. Just be prepared for every kind of weather you can imagine, because you might experience most of them in a single day.
Did you know?
- Leif Erikson’s Vikings arrived in Newfoundland in the late Tenth or early Eleventh century and established a base camp at L’Anse aux Meadows, today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 500 years before Columbus!
- The Newfoundland/Labrador flag was designed by the province's world-famous artist, Christopher Pratt.
- Be prepared for a “Mauzy” day. A Newfoundland reference to fog. They have a lot of it, and there is beauty in it when you look for it.
- Newfoundland has no shortage of village and harbour names that make you smile. John Batt’s Arm and Tickle Harbour; Come By Chance and Conception Bay; Dildo and across the bay from Dildo, you find Spread Eagle; Goobie and Granny’s Hole. My personal favourite is Heart’s Desire. I can’t ever imagine having a bad day in Heart’s Desire. The next time you hear a small child being called a “Little Gaffer,” know that the name refers to a fisherman’s helper on the docks when the catch comes in.
- On any given day or night, you might find Alan Doyle sipping coffee at a local coffee shop near his home or sitting at the bar chatting with locals at The Duke of Duckworth in St. John’s. FYI, The Duke’s Fish and Chips are OUTSTANDING.
- A Must-Do – Get Screeched in at Christian’s Pub in St. John's. Well worth the money and time spent. It makes for an evening of laughs and community.
- John Cabot made landfall at Bonavista in 1497.
- Much of St. John’s was destroyed in a fire in 1892.
- Newfoundland is the only province to have its own anthem. It is called the “Ode to Newfoundland.”
Until next time. — "The traveller sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see." — G.K. Chesterton
Submitted by extensive travellers Colin Jones, a UW retiree and member, and his wife, Maureen.
Worth sharing:
Do you have a lifelong learning mindset?
If so, explore the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal collection of lessons on mental health, exercise and mobility, brain health, and medications and substances. Most can be completed in 15 minutes, and your progress is saved, so you can return to where you left off if you're short on time.
Thanks for stopping by — See you in September!