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Identifying Waterloo's Cultural Heritage Landscapes

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Consultation has concluded


We are looking for your input on a preliminary inventory of Waterloo's significant cultural heritage landscapes. These landscapes are areas that have been identified by the community as important. The inventory will not protect the identified landscapes outright, but rather will serve as a starting point for future planning initiatives and actions (subject to community consultation and council approval) to ensure that significant heritage features are celebrated, enhanced and conserved as the city grows and develops.

The preliminary inventory identifies, evaluates and maps 27 heritage areas in Waterloo. An accompanying report explains the method for identifying and evaluating the landscapes and proposes short, medium and long-term recommendations. The report also presents landscapes that were evaluated and deemed not to be significant.

What is a cultural heritage landscape?

Cultural heritage landscapes are geographic areas of heritage significance, such as a park or neighbourhood. they often include multiple properties or larger landscapes, structures, natural features or land forms, that together tell a story about where we come from and who we are. An important characteristic of cultural heritage landscapes is that the value of their combined features is greater or distinct from the value of their component parts.

Some examples of cultural heritage landscapes include: gardens, parks, main streets, neighbourhoods, cemeteries, farmsteads, trail ways and industrial complexes. In some cases natural land forms and features are the primary focus of a cultural heritage landscape, such as the fields, hedgerows and orchards of a farmstead or the topography, gardens and water features of a park landscape. In other cases, built features may play a more important role in defining the landscape, such as the historic factories, commercial buildings, narrow lanes and rail lines that define a historic industrial district.


Thank you

Thank you for sharing your thoughts about the heritage places in Waterloo that matter to you, and the landscapes identified on the inventory. Your feedback is appreciated! Consultation is now closed. The finalized CHL inventory was presented to council and approved by council in September, 2019.


We are looking for your input on a preliminary inventory of Waterloo's significant cultural heritage landscapes. These landscapes are areas that have been identified by the community as important. The inventory will not protect the identified landscapes outright, but rather will serve as a starting point for future planning initiatives and actions (subject to community consultation and council approval) to ensure that significant heritage features are celebrated, enhanced and conserved as the city grows and develops.

The preliminary inventory identifies, evaluates and maps 27 heritage areas in Waterloo. An accompanying report explains the method for identifying and evaluating the landscapes and proposes short, medium and long-term recommendations. The report also presents landscapes that were evaluated and deemed not to be significant.

What is a cultural heritage landscape?

Cultural heritage landscapes are geographic areas of heritage significance, such as a park or neighbourhood. they often include multiple properties or larger landscapes, structures, natural features or land forms, that together tell a story about where we come from and who we are. An important characteristic of cultural heritage landscapes is that the value of their combined features is greater or distinct from the value of their component parts.

Some examples of cultural heritage landscapes include: gardens, parks, main streets, neighbourhoods, cemeteries, farmsteads, trail ways and industrial complexes. In some cases natural land forms and features are the primary focus of a cultural heritage landscape, such as the fields, hedgerows and orchards of a farmstead or the topography, gardens and water features of a park landscape. In other cases, built features may play a more important role in defining the landscape, such as the historic factories, commercial buildings, narrow lanes and rail lines that define a historic industrial district.


Thank you

Thank you for sharing your thoughts about the heritage places in Waterloo that matter to you, and the landscapes identified on the inventory. Your feedback is appreciated! Consultation is now closed. The finalized CHL inventory was presented to council and approved by council in September, 2019.