Amalgamation

[jgsz]

One of them is essentially on the border line. In any case those who work in them live throughout the region.

A similar argument could be said for universities. Waterloo has two, while Kitchener and Cambridge have none apart from a few small satellite campuses. Also for research institutes like PI and CIGI. Granted that hospitals and universities are funded on different models and don't provide equivalent services (e.g. hospitals are essential, universities less so.) But arguably the universities attract high-income, skilled workers, generate a larger property tax base and create demand for higher-end city amenities. 

You could also argue that more of Waterloo will be served by LRT than Kitchener. (Cue Cambridge mayor Craig for the usual violin cadenza...)

And then there are the folks who live in the townships who, no matter how much or little they pay into the region, get second class services like ambulances that take twice as long to get them to hospital.

P.S. There's also an inequality between the property taxes assessed on houses and apartments with the latter paying disproportionally more.

Waterloo shouldn't complain.  They have the d̶u̶m̶p̶  Waste Management Division.

[ookpik]

Waterloo shouldn't complain.  They have the d̶u̶m̶p̶  Waste Management Division.

The only section of the region that seems to be complaining is the violins

[kps]

You could also argue that more of Waterloo will be served by LRT than Kitchener.

The stops in Waterloo are all primarily commercial and recreational destinations; they're of little use for people who live in Waterloo, and could hardly be worse for the bus grid. TriTAG got this one right.

Edit: I would also move the current R&T stop up to Bearinger so that it could also serve the Sunnydale area (which by Waterloo standards is relatively dense and populated by carless residents) and the Albert McCormick community centre, and link to a Bearinger/Fischer-Hallman iXpress. The southern part of the office park would be served by the Columbia stop.

[ookpik]

You could also argue that more of Waterloo will be served by LRT than Kitchener.

The stops in Waterloo are all primarily commercial and recreational destinations; they're of little use for people who live in Waterloo, and could hardly be worse for the bus grid. TriTAG got this one right.

Whoa! I said, "You could also argue..." By implication, "You could also argue the contrary." I'm not staking a position on this, only pointing out that there are many issues that span municipal boundaries that can be a source of contention among the players.


P.S. I would suggest that if you want to argue over the LRT that you do so in the LRT thread.

[urbd]

It's not an issue to have the Waterloo Club located in the seat of Waterloo Region.

I think the Waterloo Club is a better name, too. Question: was the bar ever open to the public? Even certain hours?

Plus one day not far in the future Kitchener will not exist anymore, and it will be called Waterloo

[panamaniac]

It's not an issue to have the Waterloo Club located in the seat of Waterloo Region.

I think the Waterloo Club is a better name, too. Question: was the bar ever open to the public? Even certain hours?

Plus one day not far in the future Kitchener will not exist anymore, and it will be called Waterloo

From your lips to God's ears (over Waterlooans dead bodies!).

[Rainrider22]

Plus one day not far in the future Kitchener will not exist anymore, and it will be called Waterloo

From your lips to God's ears (over Waterlooans dead bodies!).

I am just curious what makes Kitchener so bad that it would be a horrible thing for people from Waterloo to be associated to it ?

[Watdot]

From your lips to God's ears (over Waterlooans dead bodies!).

I am just curious what makes Kitchener so bad that it would be a horrible thing for people from Waterloo to be associated to it ?

If you have to ask, you shouldn't know.

[panamaniac]

I am just curious what makes Kitchener so bad that it would be a horrible thing for people from Waterloo to be associated to it ?

If you have to ask, you shouldn't know.  

That thing (which shall not be mentioned) seems much more prevalent among "new Waterloo" than among people born and raised there.  I always think of it as an unintended consequence of Kitchener's decision to put its university in Waterloo. 

[urbd]

If you have to ask, you shouldn't know.  

That thing (which shall not be mentioned) seems much more prevalent among "new Waterloo" than among people born and raised there.  I always think of it as an unintended consequence of Kitchener's decision to put its university in Waterloo. 

But still, as DTK scores company after company wanting to locate there (many previously located in Waterloo's non-descript office parks), new residential towers, businesses opening, multimodal hub, etc... I could really see Waterloo feeling 'jealous' and wanting to be part of it... thus becoming more willing, in fact wanting an amalgamation. Mark my words!

[Rainrider22]

That thing (which shall not be mentioned) seems much more prevalent among "new Waterloo" than among people born and raised there.  I always think of it as an unintended consequence of Kitchener's decision to put its university in Waterloo. 

But still, as DTK scores company after company wanting to locate there (many previously located in Waterloo's non-descript office parks), new residential towers, businesses opening, multimodal hub, etc... I could really see Waterloo feeling 'jealous' and wanting to be part of it... thus becoming more willing, in fact wanting an amalgamation. Mark my words!

You took the words right out of my mouth.  People from Waterloo fail to understand that much of their cities success is part and parcel to the population base in Kitchener.  Without Kitchener,  Waterloo is way to small to enjoy many of the businesses and amenities they have.  And it is the holier than thou attitude that will limit future success.  The tide has changed, this is clear.

[DHLawrence]

I think it's more the thought of merger than rebranding for people in Waterloo - though using that name would make the merger go down easier for some. Cambridge would be a harder sell - not that anyone's really attached to the identity of Cambridge, but they don't really want to be part of Kitchener, even if it's called Waterloo. (Oddly enough, when the Cambridge merger was imminent, Preston and Hespeler threatened to join Kitchener instead of Galt.)

[ijmorlan]

I think it's more the thought of merger than rebranding for people in Waterloo - though using that name would make the merger go down easier for some. Cambridge would be a harder sell - not that anyone's really attached to the identity of Cambridge, but they don't really want to be part of Kitchener, even if it's called Waterloo. (Oddly enough, when the Cambridge merger was imminent, Preston and Hespeler threatened to join Kitchener instead of Galt.)

I think we should just gradually upload services to the Region. Over time, the cities might slowly lose their relevance but we don’t need to be in a rush to upload everything to the Region (which is what a merger really is — just move everything to the Region and rename it to City).

The fire service and libraries are two obvious areas where I think there might be an actual benefit to uploading.

If in the long run the cities still have significant responsibilities, that’s OK too.

[jeffster]

I think it's more the thought of merger than rebranding for people in Waterloo - though using that name would make the merger go down easier for some. Cambridge would be a harder sell - not that anyone's really attached to the identity of Cambridge, but they don't really want to be part of Kitchener, even if it's called Waterloo. (Oddly enough, when the Cambridge merger was imminent, Preston and Hespeler threatened to join Kitchener instead of Galt.)

Any sort of merger, if it were to happen, would likely be named Kitchener because it's by far the largest city. That said, it will never happen. All 3 cities are very different and have different values. Within Cambridge it's even mixed up. Around there, it's still Galt, Preston and Hespeler.

One day, though, maybe 30-50 years from now, Kitchener/Waterloo/Cambridge/Guelph will look like 1 city to any outsider. Kinda like how when you go to the GTA.

[rangersfan]

I already treat all 3 as one city, but I also think that comes from moving here in adulthood.