Bramm Yards Master Plan

[dtkvictim]

Engage has an update from a couple of weeks ago. Seems like they are just testing the land. I imagine the sign you saw actually just said no access to the city parking lot via Joseph St (the open portion is still accessible from the other side).

https://www.engagewr.ca/brammyards/work-...evelopment

We are currently working with an engineering consultant to complete the pre-design technical studies necessary for the redevelopment of Bramm Yards. This includes:

• Phase One Environmental Site Assessment
  
• Phase Two Environmental Site Assessment
  
• Hydrogeological Assessment with Limited Geotechnical Study
  
• Environmental Risk Assessment and/or Remediation, including Record of Site Conditions
  

• Archaeological Assessment
  

These studies will:

• Check the site for any environmental issues (like soil or groundwater contamination)
  
• Assess the ground and water conditions
  
• Assess any risks like contamination and plan for cleanup if needed
  

• Check for anything of historical or archaeological importance
  

Engineering work started on site in June 2025 and will continue through 2026. During this time, you might see:

• Drilling equipment
  
• Surveying or sampling tools
  
• Workers in safety vests
  
• Temporary markers or fencing in certain areas
  

Access to the City parking lot will remain open to monthly customers.

[cherrypark]

No idea what is going on but given that the buildings there were in use by the condo developers and Google is no longer using the parking, perhaps they are starting to do some demolition instead of maintaining the buildings?

[Square]

They also got rid of the steps and path from the Joseph parking lot to the Bramm Parking Lot.

[Square]

Saw in the back parking lot closer to Joseph they have a lot of little buildings stored. Will these be for the encampment?, will it be moving?, or are these structures for the Christkindl event? Hmm

[tomh009]

Almost certainly Christkindl.

[nms]

Almost certainly Christkindl.

I think they are also used for Oktoberfest and Wilkommenplatz at Carl Zehr Square.

[ac3r]

They really need to consider dialing down the German heritage thing and work on developing local culture...it's 2025. Yeah we had Germans here in the past, but less than 5000 people in the region can speak it these days. Oktoberfest is just corporate sponsored beer sales event and Christkindl is as generic of a Christmas market you'd find in a shopping mall. I know there is little of anything culturally important that goes on in this region but leaning into the German thing for so long is weird.

[tomh009]

They really need to consider dialing down the German heritage thing and work on developing local culture...it's 2025. Yeah we had Germans here in the past, but less than 5000 people in the region can speak it these days. Oktoberfest is just corporate sponsored beer sales event and Christkindl is as generic of a Christmas market you'd find in a shopping mall. I know there is little of anything culturally important that goes on in this region but leaning into the German thing for so long is weird.

It's just one of many events (Kitchener Blues, Waterloo Jazz, Multicultural, Kultrun, Afrovibes, Ribfest, Busker Carnival, Lumen, Endless Summer ...). There is something for everyone. And most people at Oktoberfest are not German, especially now that it has largely moved from the German clubs to DTK. Also includes a street hockey festival in the old Manulife parking lot ...

[panamaniac]

It's funny, I've always thought that Kitchener should emphasize the German heritage aspect even more than it does, for example with place/street names. Oktoberfest itself is kitsch, but with some work it could be made far more interesting.

[tomh009]

At least there is real German beer available now ...