The city councils of both Waterloo and Kitchener have endorsed an idea that other cities around Ontario like London, Toronto and Ottawa, not to mention 800 other cities around the world have already successfully put into place – car-free Sundays. The idea it to block off the almost three kilometer stretch between the two city centers to allow pedestrians, cyclists, joggers… to get out and about, enjoying our cities.

For four Sundays in the summer months, car-free Sundays on King Street, will provide a car-free corridor between the Waterloo Public Square and Kitchener’s City Hall. We’re calling it Square to Square. The proposed days are June 19, July 17, August 14 and September 18.

It’s a wonderful idea, an opportunity for local shops and restaurants to attract new patrons. It’s a chance for residents of Waterloo and Kitchener to come into the city core and enjoy the museums, parks, galleries, and businesses in downtown and uptown, or maybe just to enjoy a quiet and temporarily car-free public space.

Filed under: 365 things to do in Kitchener Waterloo, Around Kitchener Waterloo, editorial, general news, uptown waterloo by Keith Marshall
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According to the results of independent study, Kitchener’s property taxes continue to rank lower than most of Ontario’s 26 largest cities. Waterloo is just above the average. Cambridge is lower than Kitchener! See graph below.

Our final property tax bill is made up of three main components:

Education taxes – This tax rate is set by the Province of Ontario and remitted to the local school board you support – either the Waterloo Region District School Board or the Waterloo Catholic District School Board.

Municipal taxes – The tax rate to cover the costs of supplying municipal services is based on city council’s adoption of our annual budget. Revenues from provincial grants, user fees and other sources are deducted from the total expenditures, resulting in a final amount that needs to be raised through taxation.

Regional taxes – A portion of the tax bill for all residents of Waterloo Region goes back to the region to support their role in supplying various services including transit, garbage and recycling, housing and emergency services.

Filed under: Around Kitchener Waterloo, editorial, general news, home owners by Keith Marshall
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Some people who live in Idlewood, Chicopee and Stanley Park think the area will get busier and noisier. And that’s bad for the area, as many were already affected when the Waterloo Regional Airport was expanded and their homes are buzz bombed on a regular basis from low flying, propeller driven flyboys.

There are other residents in the area that believe that their property values will increase. They think the Fairway Road extension and new bridge over the Grand River (the first one in fifty years) connecting Kitchener to Cambridge, Guelph and the 401 will be a bonus and a great selling feature for homes in this south-east corner of Kitchener.

I think they’re both right.

Either way, one thing is certain – so far, so good, the $50 million project is ahead of schedule. By the fall of next year, we’ll all be good to go.

Link to artist drawing here.

Filed under: Around Kitchener Waterloo, Buying Real Estate, general news, home owners, house, Idlewood by Keith Marshall
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This beautifully decorated home is in a great neighborhood, with Monarch Woods and Lynnvalley Parks nearby. Prime location in a mature suburb.

The home is large, 2300 square feet, with four bedrooms, four bathrooms and a fully finished basement. It has a bright, open concept main floor and lots of light in the kitchen and dinette. There’s a separate dining room. Just off the kitchen, the family room has a gas fireplace. There’s a full master bedroom ensuite with whirlpool…

Open house this Saturday and Sunday

Where: 65 lynnvalley Crescent, Kitchener

When: April 16 & 17

Time: 2:00-4:00

Price: $464,000

MLS# 118035

Virtual tour: click here

Feature sheet: click here

 SOLD
Currently for sale 

Filed under: for sale, open house by Keith Marshall
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When I lived in BC, we would be hiking and biking all the time. The cities, (not to mention the climate) are well suited to self-propelled low impact activities. We hiked and biked not just for recreation, but to work and shopping too.

It looks like the Region of Waterloo is finally taking steps to catch up with our crunchy granola tree hugging cousins on the left coast. According to the results of an online survey completed for the City of Kitchener, there is widespread support for spending more money on the city’s network of trails.

The majority of the respondents surveyed, said trails should be given equal or higher priority than other infrastructure, such as roads and sidewalks.

It’s common knowledge that the City of Kitchener has controversial history on trails and parks. It fell decades behind schedule for the construction of trails in new subdivisions and is years late in completing the Walter Bean Grand River Trail.

A plan for cycling paths and trails was completed more than a decade ago, but was never implemented. A new cycling master plan was completed last year, but in recent budget talks, city councilors voted to cut the funds for its implementation.

The draft of the new trails master plan goes to the city’s environmental advisory committee on April 21. It calls for a network of trails that is linked, primarily off-road, integrated with the on-road cycling lanes and that can be used to travel between major destinations. Some of the preliminary recommendations include:

•  Connecting Idlewood Park and Stanley Park to the downtown.

•  Extend the Iron Horse Trail southward.

• Complete the Walter Bean Grand River Trail.

•  Develop a trail along the Waterloo Spur Line that runs from Margaret Street in Kitchener up to Willis Way in Waterloo.

•  Add trails in Hidden Valley and along hydro-line corridors.

•  Complete major north-south and east-west trails.

•  Produce a comprehensive map for the trail network.

Filed under: Around Kitchener Waterloo, Idlewood, uptown waterloo by Keith Marshall
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