Charles Street Terminal Visioning

The Region of Waterloo and City of Kitchener are working towards a vision for a mixed-use development on the former Charles Street Terminal site, in the heart of downtown Kitchener. This vision will be informed by environmental and technical findings, financial modeling and community engagement.

Located at 15 Charles Street West, the property occupies a key location in downtown Kitchener. With a footprint of 10,470 square meters (1.047 hectare / 2.59 acres in size), the size and location of the property make the future use of this site an important discussion point for the community.

Based on the strategic direction of the Region of Waterloo and the City of Kitchener, and determined by the community, the site's four guiding priorities include:

Technical studies to date include completion of a property boundary survey to understand current physical infrastructure on the site, as well as Environmental and geotechnical work to understand the make-up of the soil, and the presence of any contaminants in the ground or groundwater as a result of previous and/or surrounding uses.

Visioning the future use of Charles Street Terminal

Phase 4 focuses on creating preliminary design concepts for the Terminal Lands, guided by community input, that reveals the potential for a sustainable, human-scale redevelopment vision around Charles Street and downtown Kitchener. The established preliminary design concepts will guide future decision-making and redevelopment plans in early 2025.

Design Firm

Brook McIlroy (BMc), an award-winning and interdisciplinary design firm, is leading Phase 4 of the Charles Street Terminal Visioning Project. For more information on Brook McIlroy, please visit their website https://brookmcilroy.com/

Leveraging the diverse building fabric surrounding Charles Street and downtown Kitchener, the project will ensure that future buildings and open spaces promote a memorable, people-focused, sustainable, and human scale community environment. The Charles Street Terminal Lands offers an extraordinary contemporary growth opportunity, that will have a positive regenerative effect on the surrounding mixed-use neighbourhood within downtown Kitchener.

Design Process

BMc has thoroughly reviewed existing policies, frameworks and community feedback from earlier engagement phases, ensuring the designs are informed by the extensive efforts from community and City and Regional staff. The developed design concepts will ensure to reflect community input and the local context. In addition, BMc will conduct engagement for Phase 4 of the project, which will continue to inform the visioning for the project.

Incorporating Indigenous Cultural Knowledge and Placekeeping

A key part of this project is the involvement of Brook McIlroy’s Indigenous Design Studio. BMc and its Indigenous Design Studio is committed to embedding Indigenous feedback, honoring the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action. This work includes:

• Indigenous Space Needs Assessment Review
• Incorporate Indigenous cultural knowledge and community-led engagement work conducted by O:se Kenhionhata:tie LandBack Camp
• Conduct Indigenous-Focused Workshops: These workshops aim to incorporate Indigenous perspectives and practices into the design process. Invitations to workshops will be sent directly to Indigenous interest holders who have expressed interest and consent to be engaged in this work.

The public will have several opportunities to provide comments and feedback on the draft design concepts for the Terminal Lands in the upcoming months. Phase 4 will include the following opportunities for public feedback: