Creating a meetup, and seeing if anyone comes, is probably a more effective strategy. Commit to be at a coffeeshop for at least an hour with a sign (bring a book) and hope!
I don't understand why it would be more effective. The only effort required to signal that one is a local LWer and thus increase P(meetup) is that of posting a comment, which is small, and equal to the effort required to signaling that one would attend a meetup. (Of course, it would be much smaller than the effort of actually traveling to a physical meetup location.)
I will soon be attending the University of Waterloo and I was wondering if there is interest in a meetup. Please reply if you are in the area.