General Suburban Updates and Rumours

[Pheidippides]

I didn't say consolidation. It was meant to add to the existing space. The maple grove facility is going nowhere.

[Coke6pk]

The "Investigative Services" is the two story building behind Police Headquarters that was built to accommodate the growing staff levels in the HQ building.  Currently interview rooms as being reassigned as office space, so it certainly needs more space.

The old courthouse will be the new home to Central Division, and is a completely different expansion.

Coke

[panamaniac]

I don't think the courthouse renovation will involve consolidation of operations to Kitchener.

I think that the plan is for the Kitchener detachment of WRPS to move to the renovated courthouse property and their old existing location will be demolished and added to the Region's holdings, where a large new office addition will someday be constructed on the site.

Is it confirmed that the existing Kitchener station will be demolished?

[Pheidippides]

Everything I have read says the region is going to take control of the building for reuse purpose, not demolish.

Here is the original report:
"The Region is undertaking a Corporate Accommodation Master Plan (CAMP). It is
anticipated that the Region will require additional space within three to five years. Work
to date has identified programs at 150 Frederick with no capacity for growth, meeting
rooms that have been converted for staff accommodation use, and poor availability of
meeting and training rooms. 150 Frederick presently has limited ability to adapt to new
demands that may arise. Space at 20 Weber is fully allocated and can accommodate
only limited growth of programs currently located at 20 Weber. The Region continues to
lease space at 50 Queen Street and 235 King Street East in Kitchener. There is a clear
need to plan for additional accommodation space for the 150 Frederick corporate
campus. The current Central Division, once vacated by WRPS, will be available for
reuse. Central Division offers approximately 42,000 sq. ft. of usable floor area,
expandable by an additional 4,150 sq. ft. if the two-storey gymnasium is infilled with a
second floor."

[Rainrider22]

I am not an expert on the subject matter however, this should be a tear down and start over to make it what they want...

[panamaniac]

I quite like the mid-century details of the main entrance portion of the building. Even if the rest were to be demolished, I'd hope that could be saved.

[MacBerry]

I am not an expert on the subject matter however, this should be a tear down and start over to make it what they want...

How old is the Kitchener police building? I seem to remember my Dad working on this building. It must 40 or 50  years old?  Anyone?

[panamaniac]

I would have thought that it is late 1950s or, more likely, early 1960s, but I don't really know. I have no memory of it being built and I'm usually good back to the mid-60s.

[tomh009]

At least one source says it was built in 1950:
www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=12427

That does seem a bit early, but I couldn't find anything else.

[Pheidippides]

From the second paragraph of the linked report:
"WRPS Central Division, located at 134 Frederick Street, Kitchener, was originally constructed in 1958 and has since undergone two additions and extensive renovation. The facility is operating at capacity, is experiencing operational challenges, and has no ability to accommodate growth. A study of options for Central Division concluded that the current, constrained site is not viable for the long term and recommended that the facility be relocated."

[tomh009]

That's more like it -- thanks for spotting that!

[Coke6pk]

Was it the City of Kitchener Police station before? (Since WRPS was founded in 1973)

Coke

[panamaniac]

Was it the City of Kitchener Police station before?  (Since WRPS was founded in 1973)

Coke

Yes, and then I believe it was the WRPS HQ until the new facility was built.

[Pheidippides]

ijmorlan

But what is it?  This forum has a bazillion pages for every single tree and mailbox and sidewalk tile being placed around the entire Region.    I can't believe nobody knows what is going here?

It’s amazing nobody seems to know!

I looked up the property on the City of Waterloo zoning map. Just to verify, we’re talking about the triangle bounded by Quiet Pl., Old Albert St., and the Waterloo Spur/LRT? The map says that is MR-12, where MR stands for Multiple Residential. So 36m apartment buildings would be permitted there — roughly speaking, the number gives the maximum number of floors allowed. I have no idea what if anything specific is planned however. I’m disappointed the whole lot seems to have been cleared — it seems unlikely that a strip around the outside couldn’t have been left in place. Whatever gets built is unlikely to use the entire space right to the edges.

Interesting, the parcel is actually on both sides of the tracks:
   

You'd think the regional tree removal by-law would apply here, as I measured the eastern portion at 12,000m2 (1.2 hectares), but for as many trees as there are (were) I don't think it meets the criteria as it did in this case:


"...no person shall destroy or injure a tree, or cause another person to destroy or injure a tree, of a protected species that is located in a woodland."

where woodland is defined as:
“woodland” means land that is located within the boundaries of The Regional Municipality of Waterloo that is at least one hectare or more in area with at least:
(i) 1,000 trees, of any size, per hectare;
(ii) 750 trees, measuring over five centimetres in diameter, per hectare;
(iii) 500 trees, measuring over 12 centimetres in diameter, per hectare; or
(iv) 250 trees, measuring over 20 centimetres in diameter, per hectare;

but does not include a cultivated fruit or nut orchard or a plantation established for the purpose of producing Christmas trees.

[KevinL]

I just hope something gets built there soon - a lot in my neighbourhood was once wooded, and it's become an empty lifeless crater going on five years now...