Photo Gallery
18. Waterloo County Gaol and Governor’s House
73-77 Queen St. N., Kitchener,
www.preventingcrime.ca @PreventingCrime ,
Built 1852-1853 (Gaol), 1878 (GH),
Design: Mellish and Russell, Brantford (Gaol), D.W. Gingerich, Waterloo (GH),
At the oldest Waterloo County buildings in existence, your hosts are the Friends of the Governor’s House and Gaol, and the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council (WRCPC). The buildings are Doors Open favourites, participating together nearly every year in the 17 years of the event. When both sites sat vacant, community action saved them from an uncertain fate. The exteriors are heritage designated and the interiors have been adaptively reused. The massive granite Gaol houses Provincial Offences courtrooms, and the stately Victorian Governor’s House (jail warden’s home) is home to the WRCPC. The Governor’s House is now a place where planning and community initiatives focus on crime prevention and restorative justice. Outside, the newly enhanced Waterloo County Gaol Gardens offer a peaceful retreat. Visitors can explore this site with a scavenger hunt, with prizes for the winners!
• Full Wheelchair Access
• Washrooms
• Hands on