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108-705: Also situated in the park are a refreshment stand called the Park Inn, the oldest log school house in the Region of Waterloo , the Eby Farmstead and Jacob Eby's farmhouse, which has been occupied by the Waterloo Potters' Workshop since 1967. Silver Lake, an artificial body of water created in 1816 following the damming of the Laurel Creek by Abraham Erb to power a grist mill, sits at the south end of

216-588: A Sängerfest ("Singer Festival") that attracted an estimated 10,000 people. The festival continued for several years. By 1863, Berlin's German population exceeded 2,000. the community started the Friedenfest to celebrate the German victory in the Franco-Prussian war. The event continued annual until the start of World War I. By 1871, nearly 55 percent of the population had German origins, including

324-603: A "bee" to help newcomers erect large buildings, a custom that persists today among traditional Mennonite communities. In 1806, Joseph Schneider, of south German stock, arrived from Lancaster County. He bought lot 17 of the German Company Tract of block 2. A farmer, he helped build what became "Schneider's Road". By 1816, he had built a sawmill. In 1807, Pennsylvanians John and Jacob Erb, among others, purchased 45,195 acres (182.9 km ) of Block 3 (Woolwich township). The War of 1812 interrupted immigration from

432-457: A Flexity Freedom running under its own power at the Ion maintenance facility. The two-hour test was done at the speed of 10 km/h (6.2 mph) and "apparently went quite well", according to Coun. Tom Galloway. In 2018, testing beyond the maintenance facility was scheduled to start. By this date, Waterloo Region had three LRVs on site, which is the minimum number required to do an adequate test of

540-477: A broader approach to studying possible routes and stations for the rapid transit line, examining several options such as utilizing existing tracks/roads and constructing new facilities. In keeping with legislation, the Environmental Assessment also examined ten possible transport technologies, including monorails and subways. The EA as planned consisted of three phases: Phase 1: Determine

648-601: A bronze bust of Kaiser Wilhelm I, in Victoria Park. The monument would be destroyed by townspeople just after the start of World War I. By the early 1900s, northern Waterloo County – the Kitchener, Waterloo, Elmira area – exhibited a strong German culture and those of German origin made up a third of the population in 1911. Lutherans were the primary religious group. There were nearly three times as many Lutherans as Mennonites at that time. The latter primarily resided in

756-669: A farm near an area that is now the village of Blair. As of March 2021, the homes built by these families' next generation still stand on Pioneer Tower Road, Kitchener. Built circa 1830, they are listed as historically important: the John Betzner homestead (restored) and the David Schoerg farmstead (not yet restored). Other settlers followed, mostly from Pennsylvania, and also purchased land in Block Number 2, German Company Tract from Richard Beasley who had acquired

864-550: A flood risk. Councillor Tricia Siemens was quoted in The Record as saying: "The flood control area is ancient. There could be billions of dollars in property damage if there's a major flood. We could be heading for a disaster." The need for a rehabilitation plan was further underscored in August 1995 when several hundred waterfowl, predominantly ducks, died from botulism , the result of extreme temperatures and excrement build up in

972-535: A frequency of every 10 minutes from 6   am to 10   pm on weekdays and 15 minutes at other times. The route is properly known as 301 ION Light Rail . The maximum operating speed of Ion light rail vehicles is 50 km/h (31 mph) along city streets and 70 km/h (43 mph) along railway rights of way. However, in areas where there is high pedestrian traffic, the operating speed will be as low as 20–25 km/h (12–16 mph). The 19-kilometre (12 mi) trip from Conestoga Mall to Fairview Park Mall

1080-440: A large tract in that area. The settlement, Ebytown, was on the south-east side of present-day Queen Street. Ordained a Mennonite pastor in 1809, and later a bishop, Eby oversaw the building of the first church in 1813 and the confession's subsequent growth. Many Mennonite meeting houses, or places of worship, were basic frame buildings, a structure still common among Old Order Mennonites in rural Waterloo Region. Settlers often held

1188-433: A log school house and a replica of Abraham Erb 's grist mill, along with multiple baseball diamonds, sports fields and recreation trails. The Park Inn, a refreshment stand located above Silver Lake designed by one time Waterloo city councilor Charlie Voelker, was opened in 1955. The original building was renovated in 2005 to allow for updated electrical service and an expanded refreshments menu. Jacob Eby's farmhouse remains in

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1296-589: A massive territory previously owned by the Six Nations. The first school opened in 1802 near the village of Blair, then known as Shinglebridge; it became part of Preston, Ontario and then part of Cambridge, Ontario . The first teacher's name was Mr. Rittenhaus. After 1803, many Pennsylvania pioneers bought lots from the German Company, established by Mennonites from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The 60,000-acre section included most of Block 2 of

1404-550: A mix of on-road and off-road (in various existing rights-of-way) configurations. On December 2, 2017, the Kitchener-Waterloo Record reported the local economy had already been stimulated through the construction of new buildings near the route, in both Kitchener–Waterloo and Cambridge. On-road sections keep the LRVs in dedicated lanes that do not mix with general traffic. In February 2017, after limitations in

1512-504: A population of about 400, also "mostly German", and more tradesmen than the village of Waterloo. Previously part of the United County of Waterloo, Wellington and Grey, Waterloo became a separate entity in 1853, with five townships. Galt and Berlin contended to be the county seat ; one requirement was the construction of a courthouse and jail. When local merchant Joseph Gaukel donated a small portion of his land for that purpose at

1620-570: A preferred transportation strategy from options such as road expansion, improved conventional transit, and rapid transit. Phase 1 was completed in July 2006. Phase 2: Phase 3: Design an implementation plan for the rapid transit system. In June 2008, the Province of Ontario announced a new expedited Transit Project Assessment Process (Ontario Regulation 231/08). In August 2008, the Region notified

1728-521: A staged implementation plan for its rapid transit system: Stage 1 – Implementation of LRT north of Fairview Park Mall and adapted Bus Rapid Transit south of Fairview Park Mall, including: The stage 1 route is 19 kilometres (12 mi) long. Stage 2 – Completion of a light rail transit system from Fairview Park in Kitchener to Ainslie Street in Cambridge. Commencement of Stage 2 to follow completion of Stage 1 as closely as possible. Out of

1836-414: A standing capacity of 144 passengers. The body is constructed of five sections, in an accordion-like configuration to allow for sharp turns. It can be driven from either end. The top speed is 88 km/h (55 mph) but the average travel speed is unlikely to exceed 50 km/h (31 mph). The vehicles are numbered with a three-digit unit number in the 5xx series beginning with 501. This fleet number

1944-399: A total of 14 by year end. The year end target was missed. On November 7, 2017, unpowered vehicle testing began on the tracks between Northfield Drive and Erb Street. An LRV was towed to check track clearances including along station platforms and to ensure continuous pantograph contact with the overhead electrical wiring. On December 19, 2017, GrandLinq had its first successful test of

2052-489: A vote of 15–1. Cambridge mayor Doug Craig cast the dissenting vote. Other Cambridge-area representatives joined Craig in voting against subsequent motions on the service's staging, feeling that running only buses to that city does them a disservice. The Province of Ontario had promised to fund up to two thirds of the cost of the construction of a light rail or bus rapid transit system in Waterloo Region. However, in

2160-403: Is completely road-separated. At street intersections, Ion light rail vehicles do not use the traditional automotive green-yellow-red traffic signals for road traffic, but rather the traditional two-aspect transit signals that show a vertical white bar for "go" and a horizontal white bar for "stop". Ion light rail vehicles have transit signal priority at intersections. Where a street crosses

2268-440: Is displayed prominently on the end modules of each vehicle followed by a single letter to denote which end module the fleet number is on (e.g. 503A, 507B). The vehicles are being used for testing at the maintenance facility and all 19 km (12 mi) of the completed track. Production of the new vehicles was expected to begin in 2015 with the first to be delivered no later than August 2016 and all vehicles were to be received by

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2376-583: Is now King Street in Waterloo; its remains were unearthed in 2016. The road was probably built by Mennonites using technology acquired in Lancaster County Pennsylvania, between the late 1790s and 1816. The log road was buried in about 1840 and a new road built on top of it. A historian explained that the road had been built for access to the mill but was also "one of the first roads cut through (the woods) so people could start settling

2484-489: Is part of the Grand River Transit (GRT) system, partially replacing GRT's Route 200 iXpress bus service. The section of the bus route serving Cambridge has been renamed "Ion Bus", and renumbered as 302. The first phase commenced operations on June 21, 2019, between the north end of Waterloo and the south end of Kitchener . A future extension of light rail to the downtown Galt area of Cambridge (Phase 2)

2592-423: Is planned but construction may not begin on that line until 2028. In 2023, Ion LRT had an annual ridership of 4.3 million, and a daily ridership of 11,780. In 2009, an Environmental Assessment (EA) began to create a proposal of electrically powered light rail transit through Kitchener and Waterloo, and adapted bus rapid transit from Kitchener to Cambridge. On June 24, 2009, Regional Council voted to approve

2700-407: Is scheduled take about 46 minutes for an average speed of about 25 km/h (16 mph). As a comparison, the average speed of Toronto's light rail Line 5 Eglinton will be 28 kilometres per hour (17 mph) and the average speed of subway Line 2 Bloor–Danforth is 32 kilometres per hour (20 mph). Note that while Ion operates completely on the surface, Line 5 is half underground, and Line 2

2808-435: Is still no specific timeline for replacing the aBRT service to Cambridge with light rail. On June 24, 2009, Regional Council approved LRT as the technology for rapid transit in Waterloo Region. Regional Council also approved a recommendation to implement the system in stages because ridership, development potential and capital and operating costs vary along the route. The light rail system was approved by Regional Council with

2916-437: Is still running. Northbound Ion LRVs wait at Waterloo Public Square and southbound Ion LRVs wait at Northfield for the freight train to pass. The southbound return trip takes the reverse path and must return before Ion service starts at 5 am or they will have to wait until the next evening. This trip usually occurs Monday and Thursday nights but as with most freight schedules it can sometimes vary. Since freight cars are wider than

3024-516: The Grand River area in what later became Waterloo County. The region is still home to the largest population of Old Order Mennonites in Canada, particularly in the areas around St Jacobs and Elmira. Over time, after WW II, the anti-German sentiment faded. The Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest event, with beer halls and German entertainment, and a large parade, was established in 1969 to honour

3132-634: The Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario. By 1835, many immigrants were coming to Waterloo County from Germany and the British Isles. The Germans settled in areas like New Germany in the Lower Block of Block Two. In 1835, some 70% of the population was Mennonite; by 1851, that number had declined to 26% of a much larger population. The county's first newspaper, Canada Museum und Allgemeine Zeitung, came off

3240-583: The Kitchener Collegiate Institute , where it served as the home of the formerly enslaved Levi Carroll, of Maryland, and his family. The Carrolls remained in the home until the early 1890s, at which time Levi was admitted to the House of Industry, and the building stood vacant. MPP Isaac Erb Bowman campaigned to save the building, succeeding in having it purchased by the town of Waterloo and relocated to Waterloo Park. Silver Lake sits to

3348-596: The Waterloo Indigenous Student Centre . Animals were introduced to the park as part of a wildlife zoo in the 1960s as a centennial project gifted to the city by the Waterloo Lions Club. When first opened the zoo housed animals representative of Canadian wildlife including bears, wolves, cougars and, at one point, a moose. The city transitioned to housing domestic animals in 1990, as part of the park's centennial, at which point

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3456-833: The 13th annual Canadian Wheelmen's Association championship races. Hosted by the Waterloo Bicycle Club the Daily Record reported on July 2, 1895, that: "At least 1,500 wheelman and altogether 10,000 people passed through the gates of the Waterloo Park." In 1901 the Victoria Jubilee Gateway was added to the Young Street entrance of the park to commemorate the death of Queen Victoria . Consisting of stone columns and an ornamental lace archway made of iron, it remained in place until 1957 when

3564-770: The Ainslie Terminal. (At least one journalist has pointed out the similarity between this plan and the electric Grand River Railway of the early 1900s.) More detailed rendering of the route became available in October 2019, indicating elevated sections would be used to cross Fairway Road, the Grand River, Fountain Street and the Speed River, and the CP Rail line by Eagle Street. The Region approved

3672-664: The British side during the American Revolution as part of the Haldimand Proclamation . The Block 2 land was purchased by Richard Beasley from the Six Nations of the Grand River via Joseph Brant in 1796. Financial difficulties led to Beasley selling 60,000-acre tract of land to the German Company of Pennsylvania in 1803, which led to the eventual founding of Waterloo by Abraham Erb. As of 2019,

3780-519: The Ion Operations, Maintenance and Storage Facility (OMSF) located on Dutton Drive in Waterloo. The design of each of the stops was focused on an 'anchor wall', a 4 metres (13 ft) square panel subdivided into smaller tiles of glass, ceramic or stone; each station has a unique wall design based on the surrounding architecture, landmarks and social character. Ion light rail vehicles are in service between 5   am and midnight daily with

3888-535: The Ion tracks located either along a railway right of way or along the side of a cross road, the crossing is protected by traditional railway crossing signals: drop gates, flashing red lights and a bell. Crossings so protected are (from north to south) at Northfield Drive, Bearinger Road, Columbia Street, University Avenue, Seagram Drive and Erb Street in Waterloo, and at Ottawa Street, Mill Street, Hayward Avenue, Block Line Road, Courtland Avenue and Wilson Avenue in Kitchener. Canadian National Railway freight trains use

3996-647: The Kassel site ( AiHd-71 ), a base camp, and the Blue Dart site (AiHd-89), which was likely a kill site ; this followed typical hunter-gatherer occupation patterns. Up to the 17th century, the Attawandaron (Neutral) nation inhabited the Grand River area. European explorers admired their farming practices. In the wake of a smallpox epidemic and European incursions, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) and

4104-565: The Kingston plant. Testing of vehicle 501 was scheduled to commence in May 2017 on the line between Northfield Drive and Silver Lake. In early April 2017, the Region expected to receive a second LRV in June or July, but that was postponed to late August or early September. By the beginning of October 2017, the second LRV had arrived. The schedule then called for delivery of another each 15 days, for

4212-561: The Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge area was rated Canada's third-best area to find full-time employment. The region was formerly called Waterloo County , created in 1853 and dissolved in 1973. The county consisted of five townships: North Dumfries, Waterloo, Wellesley, Wilmot, and Woolwich. Early Archaic hunters of the Bifurcate Base tradition were present in the area around 8300 years ago. They occupied

4320-535: The LRVs, there are gauntlet tracks at the southbound track of Ion stations along the Waterloo Spur to keep freight trains from striking the station platforms. To further protect station platforms and the Ion catenary system, there is a safety system to detect oversized freight cars and automatically stop the train using derailers . The detectors are located at Willow Street and just north of Northfield Drive. The route approved by Regional Council travels in

4428-713: The Laurel Creek. The project will include land vacated by the 2019 closure of the Lions Lagoon splash pad. Waterloo Park is located on land that was initially part of Waterloo Township, one of the five townships within Waterloo Country , and is today known as Waterloo, Ontario. It is situated on land historically referred to as Block 2 of the Haldimand Tract, land granted to the Haudenosaunee Six Nations ( Iroquois ) who had served on

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4536-685: The Ministry of the Environment (MOE) to advise that it would transition from the Individual Environmental Assessment to the expedited process. For that reason, Phase 3 of the Individual EA would not be completed. On June 24, 2009, Regional Council approved the initiative and continued discussions with Provincial and Federal governments to obtain funding for the $ 790-million project. Light Rail Transit (LRT)

4644-821: The Pennsylvania Mennonites and European Germans. This group greatly outnumbered the Scots (18 per cent), the English (12.6 per cent) and the Irish (8 per cent). Berlin, Ontario was a bilingual town, with German being the dominant language spoken. More than one visitor commented on the necessity of speaking German in Berlin. In 1897, the Canadians with origins in Germany raised funds to erect a large monument, with

4752-472: The Region of Waterloo, the Ion network is named after the atom , which it describes as being “always in motion”. In 2004, the Regional Municipality began an Individual Environmental Assessment to study the feasibility of constructing a rapid transit line to provide higher-order public transit service to the Region and to encourage more compact urban growth along the corridor. The EA took

4860-533: The Region's German heritage. The events typically attract an average of 700,000 people to the county. During the 2016 Oktoberfest parade, an estimated 150,000 people lined the streets along the route. Ion rapid transit Ion , stylized as ION , is an integrated public transportation network in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo in Ontario , Canada. It is operated by Keolis and

4968-534: The United States. The pacifist Mennonite settlers were employed in camps, hospitals and transportation. Samuel and Elia Schneider arrived in 1816. A network of small settlements emerged. Abram Weber settled on the corner of later King and Wilmot Streets, and David Weber by the later Grand Trunk Railway station. Benjamin Eby encouraged manufacturers to move to Ebytown. Jacob Hoffman arrived around 1830 to start

5076-494: The Waterloo Concert Band. Since opening, Waterloo Park has been the site of numerous social and cultural events including music festivals, family reunions and athletic competitions. The Wonders of Winter lights festival has taken place in the park since 1993, attracting roughly 40,000 people to the park over the course of the holiday season. The park has also served as the location of the annual pow wow hosted by

5184-489: The Waterloo Park Master Plan. Public consultations were launched in 2016 regarding the redesign of the central promenade from Erb Street West and Caroline Street to Seagram Drive in order to address an influx of pedestrians and cyclists. Budgeted at 1.4 million dollars, the project aimed to introduce wider, paved trails with a dedicated lane for cycling and another for pedestrians, and make improvements to

5292-657: The Wendat (Huron) Confederacies waged war from 1642 to 1650. Invasion by the Haudenosaunee's Seneca and Mohawk nations ended Attawandaron independence. In 1784, in recognition of Haudenosaunee support during the American War of Independence and the consequent loss of its land in New York state, the British government granted the Grand River valley to the Confederacy. The latter settled in the lower Grand River Valley,

5400-402: The archway was removed, followed several years later by the columns, in order to better accommodate increased vehicle traffic. In the early 1990s K-W Ornamental Iron Works Limited was contracted by the city to recreate plans for the gateway using old photographs, and a new version was installed to the west of the original location in 1993. A year later, Lou Bechtloff alerted the city to presence of

5508-524: The area". In 1806, Abraham Erb, from Franklin County, bought 900 acres (360 ha) from the German Company in what would be later part of the City of Waterloo. The putative founder of the city, Erb built a sawmill in 1808 and a gristmill in 1816; the latter operated for 111 years and still stands in Waterloo Park. Benjamin Eby arrived from Lancaster County in 1806. The putative founder of Kitchener, he purchased

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5616-458: The challenge of the cramped core areas, and thus would also likely share space with traffic in core areas. In late 2011, planning was well underway and preparations were being made. In October, a property on Dutton Drive in Waterloo, bordering the rail-line corridor where the LRT is planned to be installed, was purchased to serve as a maintenance and storage yard for the system's LRVs. The site, which

5724-402: The confluence of Mill Creek and the Grand River to found Shade's Mills. In 1825, the growing settlement had a post office. Despite settlers' reluctance, Dickson renamed the settlement Galt in honour of John Galt, a Scottish novelist and Canada Company Commissioner. Galt's visit in 1827 brought wider acceptance to the name change. Initially serving local farmers, Galt's industrial development in

5832-492: The corner of present current Queen and Weber streets , Berlin was selected. A courthouse and gaol were built within a few months. The first county council meeting was held in the new facility on 24 January 1853. Both buildings figure in the Canadian Register of Historic Places . The council included 12 members from the five townships and two villages; Dr. John Scott was appointed as the first warden (reeve). In

5940-488: The country of their birth. Anti-German sentiment during World War I was the primary reason for renaming Berlin Kitchener in 1916 to honour British Field Marshal Lord Kitchener , who had died that year when his cruiser was sunk by a German submarine. The Waterloo Pioneer Memorial Tower built in 1926 commemorates the settlement by the Pennsylvania Dutch ( Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch or Pennsylvania German) of

6048-511: The creation of wetland and wildlife habitats and the rehabilitation of mudflats. A boardwalk, gazebos and lighting along walkways were introduced along the lake in 2000. Redevelopment of Silver Lake and the surrounding area were announced in September 2019, with $ 9 million budgeted to introduce a new promenade and boardwalk, as well as reshape and in some cases naturalize areas around the Lake and

6156-429: The development of the land. The board hired Andrew McIntyre to serve as Waterloo Park's first superintendent. Ten men, with the assistance of two teams of horses, worked for more than three months leveling and filling in land. Old buildings, fences and tree stumps were removed to prepare for the park's opening, preceded by the planting of nearly 2,000 trees to created shaded areas appropriate for walking and picnics. In 1917

6264-584: The early 1940s as a result of World War II . Waterloo Park has undergone a series of enhancements since the mid-2010s ranging from amenity improvements to transportation upgrades. A skateboard park opened in 2012 along Father David Bauer Drive, followed by a grand entrance across from the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex a year later. In 2015 the city approved funding for upgrades to the Park in keeping with recommendations from

6372-526: The end of 2016. On April 13, 2016, it was reported that Bombardier had informed the transit authority that delivery of the vehicles would be delayed. The region entered a joint agreement with Metrolinx and Bombardier in July 2013 for 14 LRVs, as well as an option to buy up to 14 more. Under the original agreement, the first vehicle was to be delivered no later than August 2016, and the final vehicle by December 2016. On May 20, 2016, Bombardier announced that to avoid further delays it would shift construction of

6480-421: The following month, on June 21, 2019; service across all of Grand River Transit, both LRT and bus, was to be free of charge for 11 days, until Canada Day. In August 2020, it was confirmed that part of a compensation package from Bombardier to settle shipping delays would be a fifteenth unit, provided free of charge, for the Ion fleet. It was delivered early March 2021. The Ion fleet is stored and maintained at

6588-558: The following years, the region's physical and social infrastructure developed to include roads, bridges, agricultural societies, markets, and schools. The Grand Trunk railway reached Berlin in 1856, accelerating industrial growth. Over the next decade, comfortable homes replaced the early settlers' log cabins. In 1869, the county built a large " Poorhouse " with an attached farm, the House of Industry and Refuge. It accommodated some 3,200 people before being closed down in 1951 and later demolished. Located on Frederick St. in Kitchener, behind

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6696-431: The former Grand River Indian Lands acquired by Beasley and previously owned by the Six Nations Indians . Many farms were 400 or more acres in size. Most settlers before 1830 were Pennsylvania Mennonites, often called Pennsylvania Dutch (an anglicization of Deutsch ) because of the German dialect they spoke from their origins in Germany and Switzerland. By the early 1800s, a corduroy road had been built along what

6804-413: The largest city, is the seat of government. The region is 1,370 square kilometres (530 sq mi) in area, with a population of 587,165 as of the 2021 Canada census, though an end of 2023 estimate puts the population above 673,910 people. Waterloo Region forms the tenth-largest metropolitan area in Canada , with recent population growth almost entirely fuelled by international students . In 2016,

6912-489: The late 1830s eventually earned it the nickname "The Manchester of Canada". It remained the area's main town until Berlin overtook it at the beginning of the 20th century. According to the City of Waterloo, indigenous people lived in the area, including the Haudenosaunee , Anishinaabe and the Neutral Nation . One report states that at least two "aboriginal settlements from the 1500s can now be identified near Schneider and Strasburg Creeks" in Kitchener. The finds include

7020-407: The later Waterloo Township started in 1800 (in an area that is now Kitchener) by Joseph Schoerg (later called Sherk) and Samuel Betzner Jr. (brothers-in-law), Mennonites , from Franklin County, Pennsylvania . Joseph Schoerg and his wife settled on Lot No.11, B.F. Beasley Block, S.R., on the bank of the Grand River opposite Doon, and Betzner and his wife settled on the west bank of the Grand River, on

7128-629: The line reached Hespeler, Berlin (Kitchener) and Waterloo; by 1916 it had been extended to Brantford/Port Dover. The electric rail system ended passenger services in April, 1955. Some sources estimate that roughly 50,000 European Germans arrived in the Waterloo area from 1830 to 1860. Unlike the largely German-speaking Mennonites from Pennsylvania, the later arrivals – from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and present day and Poland, France and Russia, were of other denominations. The first groups were predominantly Roman Catholic; those who arrive later were primarily Lutheran. In 1862, German-speaking groups held

7236-400: The log school house was originally located on Church Street near King and was in use for 23 years. (In modern times, the location of the log school is known as Central and King Streets.) Deemed too small to accommodate a growing number of school aged children, the building was replaced by a stone school and the log school was dismantled. It was relocated to Berlin, near the current location of

7344-406: The main entrance is located at 50 Young Street West. Region of Waterloo The Regional Municipality of Waterloo ( Waterloo Region or Region of Waterloo ) is a metropolitan area of Southern Ontario , Canada. It contains the cities of Cambridge , Kitchener and Waterloo ( KWC or Tri-Cities ), and the townships of North Dumfries , Wellesley , Wilmot and Woolwich . Kitchener,

7452-400: The mill pond was purchased from William Snider, decreasing the size of the lake and increasing the presence of sediment deposits. In 1994 Waterloo city council approved the undertaking of $ 100,000 environmental assessment of the lake by the Grand River Conservation Authority . At the time the lake it was referred to by locals as Mud Lake due to a widespread sediment build up and was viewed as

7560-446: The now Frederick Street Mall, it sought to help indigents and convicts before social welfare programmes became available. A 2009 report by the Toronto Star stated that "pauperism was considered a moral failing that could be erased through order and hard work". A new streetcar system, the Galt, Preston and Hespeler electric railway (later called the Grand River Railway ) began operation in 1894, connecting Preston and Galt. In 1911,

7668-399: The original archway and columns on her Paradise Lake property, which had been previously owned by Waterloo's City Hotel owner, Edmund Schmidt. They were purchased for use at another park entrance by city and the Waterloo Local Architectrual Conservation Advisory Committee, along with an original King Street street light and the front canopy of the hotel, as heritage artifacts. In 1932 the park

7776-641: The original route design came to light, a new preliminary preferred route plan was published. This would no longer use the CPR line south of Fairway; instead, it would travel to the east of it, along the River Rd extension and across Hwy 8; along King St into the Sportsworld area and under Hwy 401; along Shantz Hill Rd into Preston, and crossing the Speed River on a dedicated bridge. The subsequent plan, rejected by Cambridge City Council in July 2017, indicated that

7884-543: The park and has been occupied by the Waterloo Potters' Workshop since 1967. In addition to the park attractions, the Waterloo Tennis Club has been operating out of the park since 1915. The grist mill replica opened June 23, 1998. Since Erb's original mill had been torn down and replaced in 1850, a plan for the replica was based on historical news and photos of Canadian grist mills from the same era. Construction included material from other historical buildings in

7992-464: The park following the introduction of the Ion rapid transit through the park. The Lions Lagoon splash pad closed after 25 years in the fall of 2019. Plans for the closure were accompanied by funding for new splash pads in parks across the city by 2022, including a smaller one off of Father David Bauer Drive scheduled for the 2020 season. Waterloo Park is home to the Waterloo Tennis Club, the Eby Farmstead,

8100-548: The park sits on 111 acres of land in Uptown Waterloo, bordered by Seagram Drive and University Avenue to the north, Albert Street and Caroline to the east, Erb Street and Father David Bauer Drive to the south and Westmount Road North to the west. The Perimeter Institute and the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery sit at the south end of the park. Although the park can be accessed through a variety of paths and roads,

8208-408: The park was expanded by 16 acres, reflecting the growth of the city. It was expanded again in 1958 when 30 acres of land was purchased from Sunbar and Canbar Ltd. and an additional 34 acres were acquired along Westmount Road. A grandstand, situated between the Eby farmhouse and the cricket pitch, was built in 1895, providing seating for sporting events and concerts. The same year it was the location of

8316-533: The park. Beyond recreational and educational amenities, Waterloo Park is home to the Waterloo Tennis Club and the Laurier–Waterloo Park station (part of the Ion rapid transit system); the Perimeter Institute and the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery sit at the south end of the park, along Silver Lake. Waterloo Park officially opened on August 7, 1893, then called West Side Park, following

8424-465: The population of Waterloo Township, within Waterloo County, consisted primarily of Pennsylvania Mennonites and German immigrants who had brought money with them. Many spoke no English. There were now eight grist and twenty saw mills in the township. In 1846 the village of Waterloo had a population of 200, "mostly Germans". It had a grist mill, a sawmill and some tradesmen. Berlin (Kitchener) had

8532-453: The present Brant County , and sold land in the upper Grand, now part of Waterloo Township, to Loyalist Colonel Richard Beasley. In 1816, William Dickson, a Scottish-born land speculator, acquired 90,000 acres (360 km ) along the Grand River, in present North and South Dumfries Townships, and the city of Cambridge. Dickson planned to divide the tract into lots to sell to Scottish settlers. He and American-born miller, Absalom Shade, chose

8640-480: The press on August 27, 1835. Written mostly in German with some English articles, it was published for five years. By the 1840s, the growing German-speaking population had made the area a popular choice for German immigrants. They founded communities in the south of the Mennonite area. The largest was Berlin (now Kitchener). In 1841, the population count was 4,424. Smith's Canadian Gazetteer of 1846 states that

8748-455: The project, subject to funding from higher levels of government, which was in turn approved by council on June 15, 2011. This was followed by a community building strategy to guide development, identify key destinations, and strengthen regional connections. The strategy, led by Urban Strategies Inc. of Toronto, consulted hundreds of individuals and stakeholders from Cambridge, Kitchener, and Waterloo. Construction began in August 2014 and service

8856-427: The projected service frequency will be approximately 7.5 minutes. In addition, a light rail line would be limited by the narrow main streets of key downtown areas. A feasible proposal raised by the Region for dealing with this challenge would be to have light rail vehicles (LRVs) share space with traffic within core areas, somewhat resembling the streetcar network of nearby Toronto. A bus rapid transit line would also face

8964-445: The purchase of 14 Flexity Freedom LRVs to form the system's initial fleet, with an option to purchase up to 14 more as the need arises. A further report on July 12, 2013, stated that the region would be purchasing 14 LRVs, with an option to buy 16 more. The 14 vehicles are estimated to cost $ 92.4 million, an average of $ 6.6 million per vehicle. The cost breakdown is: Each 30-metre (98 ft)-long, 30-tonne vehicle has 56 seats and

9072-463: The purchase of Jacob Eby's 25 hectare farm in 1890. Situated on a slope near Silver Lake, the land was acquired from Eby's widow the Village of Waterloo for $ 74/acre. The land included Eby's farmhouse and existing orchards. It was purchased following a review by Waterloo to create more green space for the growing number of residents transitioning from rural to urban living. The committee responsible for

9180-476: The region like supporting posts from what had been the Globe Furniture building. The project was later accompanied by a series History Walk at Silver Lake panels. Detailing the role the lake played in Waterloo's industrial history, the four themed panels – Waterloo's Beginnings, Joseph E. Seagram , Recreation in Waterloo and Other Early Industries – were placed at significant points along the south side of

9288-486: The regions's first furniture factory. Immigration continued strongly in the 1820s, driven by a severe agricultural depression in Lancaster County. John Eby, druggist and chemist, arrived from Pennsylvania about 1820 and opened a shop west of present-day Eby Street. In the same year, after clearing a farm and creating a rough road, Joseph Schneider built a frame house on the south side of the future Queen Street;

9396-404: The remaining $ 200–300 million required for the project to go ahead as planned. During public consultation for the project, concerns related to the light rail proposal focused on its relative service infrequency when compared with rapid transit systems in other cities (though it would still outperform the Region's best bus services in its overall service capacity, and the frequency of many routes);

9504-497: The remains of a First Nations village, estimated to be 500 years old, discovered in 2010 in the Strasburg Creek area with "artifacts going back as far as 9,000 years". In 2020, a site at Fischer-Hallman Road was found to include artifacts from a "Late Woodland Iroquois village" that was inhabited circa 1300 to 1600. Archeologists found some 35,000 objects including stone tools and a 4,000 year old arrowhead. Settlement of

9612-492: The renovated home still stands. The settlement around "Schneider's Road" became the nucleus of Berlin. In 1830, Phineas Varnum established the centre of later Berlin (Kitchener). Leasing land from Joseph Schneider, he opened a blacksmith shop on the site of the later Walper House (now the Walper Hotel ). A tavern and store opened there at the same time. Still considered a hamlet, Ebytown became Berlin in 1833. By 1830,

9720-406: The review had considered two additional scenarios: the establishment of a joint park with Berlin, now Kitchener, on the grounds of Mount Hope Cemetery and the development of fairgrounds situated near William and Caroline. A Board of Park Management initially consisting of Christian Kumpf , Isaac Erb Bowman , William Snider , Dr. J. H. Webb, Walter Wells, and Jacob Conrad was established to oversee

9828-553: The rural areas and small communities. Before and during World War I, there was some anti-German sentiment in Canada and some cultural sanctions on the community, particularly in Berlin, Ontario. However, by 1919 most of the population of what would become Kitchener-Waterloo and Elmira were Canadian by birth; over 95 percent had been born in Ontario. Those of the Mennonite religion were pacifist, so they could not enlist, while others who were not born in Canada refused to fight against

9936-515: The schedule, the fourteenth and last LRV was expected to be delivered in February 2018 with full LRT service expected to start in spring 2018; however, this later became a June final delivery, with service start in December, then later to June 21, 2019. The final LRVs were delivered on December 6, 2018. At a Regional council meeting on May 8, 2019, it was announced that the service would launch

10044-457: The shallow, sediment clogged lake. Waterloo settled on a seven-year plan to restore the lake following a two-hour council discussion about costs and timelines in November 1995. The plan included the dredging of the lake and the introduction of a cascading outlet, along with new walking amenities and general environmental improvements By 1997 plans were underway to rehabilitate the area including

10152-403: The shared portion of the Waterloo Spur between 11   pm and 5   am. After crossing King Street, the northbound freight train joins the northbound Ion track at Caroline Street, cross over to the southbound Ion track just north of Erb Street and then continue north on the southbound track until just south of Northfield Drive. This train typically heads north just after 11pm while Ion service

10260-420: The summer of 2010, actual funding commitments from higher levels of government for the combined LRT and aBRT system were announced: $ 300 million from the province of Ontario, and $ 265 million (or up to 1/3 of the full cost) from the federal government. The provincial figure was disappointing to supporters, as the provincial government had previously promised to pay 2/3 of the cost. Regional council debated funding

10368-454: The system. A CBC report on December 21, 2017, indicated that the fourth vehicle was expected to be delivered before year-end. Six others were in final production and four were still in the assembly process. After the fourth vehicle was received in January, the first one was returned to Kingston for some additional work. At that time, five others were being tested by Bombardier. According to

10476-527: The track would take Eagle St toward Hespeler, but to avoid conflicts with rail corridors and reduce traffic impacts at Eagle/Pinebush, would travel along the freight spur to Hespeler Rd. As previously, Hespeler Rd would be followed toward the Delta intersection, but to avoid traffic impacts it would veer east along the rail corridor behind Norfolk Ave, then transition to an abandoned railway corridor behind Grantham and Beverly Sts, before coming into downtown Galt near

10584-403: The tree canopy, lighting and light rail transit crossings. During the summer of 2018 a series of reconstructed and partially separated trails opened, allowing pedestrians and cyclists to travel more safely through the park. The $ 2.5 million project included the introduction of an additional pedestrian bridge and improved crossings to address concerns about getting from the east to the west side of

10692-458: The vehicles for the Ion system from its Thunder Bay plant to another plant in Kingston, Ontario . The first vehicle, number 501 (its ends are labelled 501A and 501B), arrived in Waterloo Region on February 24, 2017. However, it was not ready for testing as its operating software was incomplete. By mid-March 2017, the second to fifth vehicles were seen by a CTV reporter as under construction in

10800-557: The village of Preston was a thriving business centre under the impulse of Jacob Hespeler , a native of Württemberg . He later moved to the village of New Hope, renamed Hespeler in 1857 in recognition of his enterprise and public service. Jacob Beck, from the Grand Duchy of Baden, founded the village of Baden in Wilmot Township and started a foundry and machine shop. Jacob Beck was the father of Sir Adam Beck , founder of

10908-497: The water. A bandshell built in 1967 to mark the Canadian Centennial is located on the west side of the park next to the Laurel Creek. In 2009 a master plan for the park approved by the city recommended that it be removed due to its condition and the cost of necessary upgrades, including a lack of electricity and a lack of storage or washrooms. The bandshell continues to be used during warmer weather for performances by

11016-497: The west of the park, with the Laurel Creek running through it before flowing under the Waterloo Public Square. The lake was not part of the land initially purchased from Jacob Eby's widow although it contributed to the aesthetics of the park. It was instead acquired by the city in 1915 after the death of William Snider, then owner of the grist mill, for $ 300, at which time it was given the name Silver Lake. The lake

11124-632: The zoo was renamed the Eby Farmstead as a nod to the Eby family who sold the original piece of land used to establish the park. The change was precipitated by the frequency of vandalism leading to animals escapes and concerns for the safety of both the animals and the general public. In operation year-round, the farmstead consists of five enclosures that house miniature horses , donkeys , alpacas , llamas , peacocks , pot-bellied pigs , pygmy goats and varieties of fowl . In 2019 two in-ground waste containers were added to collect animal manure and facilitate its use as compost by local farmers. Built in 1820,

11232-481: Was created in 1816 when the Laurel Creek, then called Beaver Creek, was damned by Abraham Erb. Used as a grist mill pond, its creation slowed the flow of water through the Laurel Creek watershed, causing a buildup of sediment from upstream. The problem was exacerbated in 1895 when local residents successfully petitioned the Grand Trunk Railway to extend the Waterloo line to Elmira . A right of way across

11340-416: Was expected to begin in late 2017; however, because of delays in the manufacture and delivery of rolling stock , the introduction of the light rail service was significantly delayed. The total cost of the system was estimated at $ 818 million, but in December 2017, the overruns were estimated to total approximately $ 50 million. The Province was expected to provide $ 25 million of that amount. According to

11448-461: Was purchased for $ 6 million, will contain three buildings: the largest is 75,000 square feet (7,000 m ) and will house the operations centre and a repair shop; one will include a washing system; and the third is a 15,000 square feet (1,400 m ) wayside maintenance building that will house the repair truck fleet. On July 10, 2013, it was reported that a deal was finalized with Metrolinx to join its contract with Bombardier Transportation for

11556-515: Was short-listed as the technology for the new rapid transit system. The Region decided on a staged approach, building light rail from Conestoga Mall to Fairview Park Mall , passing through Uptown Waterloo and Downtown Kitchener on the way. Adapted Bus Rapid Transit (aBRT) would be built from Fairview Park Mall to Ainslie Street terminal in Cambridge utilizing shoulder bypass lanes along Highways 8 and 401 during heavy traffic where speeds are often 40 km/h (25 mph) or less. As of June 2019, there

11664-545: Was the site of the first Waterloo Band Festival. The event took place at a newly constructed bandstand donated for the event by Joseph E. Seagram of Seagram Distilleries . Launched by Waterloo Musical Society director Charles Thiele to mark the Golden Jubilee of the group, the festival continued for several years drawing performers from across North America and gaining international recognition. The festival ran from 1932 to 1940 and 1946 to 1958, going on hiatus during

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