A pedestrian-first street: Market District

Why a pedestrian-first street?

We are planning to create a pedestrian-first street between the Kitchener Market ION Station and the Kitchener Market. A pedestrian-first space makes it easier to walk to the Market and host events and activities out on the street. It will also support the Market in serving as a community hub for the east end, which residents have told us is a key priority.

Creating people-friendly transportation options and a vibrant economy are items in City of Kitchener's Strategic Plan. Currently, the Kitchener Market uses parts of Eby Street for Saturday market vendors. This reveals one of many possible uses for streets that are oriented around the pedestrian experience. The city's Planning Around Rapid Transit Stations (PARTS) is guiding new developments around the Market. Kitchener City Council also approved plans to convert Cedar Street to a one-way street. This would allow for the addition of separated bike lanes. All these initiatives will change and influence the pedestrian experience.

What can be done to support pedestrians in the Market District? Your feedback will help us develop programming and physical improvement plans, as described in our action plan. That work will start with low-cost and flexible improvements in 2022-2023. Together, we'll create a long-term vision for a pedestrian-first street in the Market District.

Why a pedestrian-first street?

Fall 2023 update

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The outdoor Market season is coming to a close – and what fun we’ve had! Through a combination of programming, strategic investments and community partnerships, we’ve seen the streets come alive in the past two years. Mid-week markets and concerts. Community powered urban agriculture. Fun games and cool places to sit. Thanks to your ideas and continued presence, we’ve seen the streets around the Kitchener Market fill with people and vibrancy.
We have a couple more initiatives to add to the pedestrian-first strategy that has been unfolding in the past two years, including another signature art piece and pedestrian-scale wayfinding. As these final pieces wrap up in the coming months, we’ll share a final report on the vision and strategy towards enhancing the pedestrian experience in the Market District. Stay tuned!
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the project team.
What we heard & our action plan

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During a three-month engagement process in 2021, we heard from 805 residents, business owners and stakeholders about making it easier to walk to the market and host events on the street.
Top themes included:
- A guiding vision
- Each street has a different function and feel
- Making your way around is a challenge
- Maximize the Market's influence in the neighbourhood
- Match street closures with activities and programming
- Enhance the Eby Street entrance of the Market
- Protect parking for businesses
Read more about what we heard in the summary document. This also includes an action plan with 15 actions in three themes:
1. Create a definable "feel" to the Market District
2. Improve safety and comfort for getting around as a pedestrian
3. Make it easy to host events on Eby Street
Learn about all fifteen actions in the summary document. Staff are already working hard to make this plan a reality. Be sure to visit the Market in the coming months to see the streets come to life!
We'd love to hear what you think! Post your reactions to what we heard and the action plan on the feedback board.