Region of Waterloo purchases land along Victoria Street as part of transit hub project
'Important piece to complete what we see as the vision for a gateway to the region,' regional chair says
The Region of Waterloo has agreed to spend $19.75 million to purchase property on Victoria Street in Kitchener as part of its planned project to build a large transit hub at King and Victoria streets.
On Tuesday, regional councillors voted to purchase a parcel of land on Victoria Street between King and Weber streets that includes a strip mall at the corner of Duke and Victoria.
It's anticipated this newly purchased property, as well as land owned by the region at the corner of Victoria and Weber streets where a large encampment is located currently, will be needed by workers as construction of the transit hub gets underway.
The region says the transit hub is expected to service GO and Via trains, the LRT, Grand River Transit buses and the local trail systems.
Discussion of the purchased parcel took place at a closed-door meeting before councillors voted on it during the public portion of a special council meeting.
Regional chair Karen Redman told CBC News on Wednesday the purchase was the final piece to move forward with the project.
"It's a really important piece to complete what we see as the vision for a gateway to the region," she said.
"It was the one piece of the parcel between King Street and Weber Street that the region didn't own and now we can go forward."
Redman said it would also give Metrolinx more flexibility to improve rail transit.
"There are certain things Metrolinx needs to continue to improve that station and it also completes the Toronto-Waterloo Region corridor, which is really important for two-way, all-day GO transit," she said.
Cost estimated at $130M
The downtown Kitchener transit hub has been in the works for years. Work on the project was supposed to begin in 2020 but was pushed back to start in 2021.
According to the region's Engage Waterloo Region website, 30 per cent of the design for Phase 1 of the transit hub was completed in March 2023.
In February 2023, council heard the cost for the new transit hub had risen by $23.9 million from the last estimate, sitting at about $130 million.
Businesses surprised by land purchase
Redman said the development of the hub won't be happening overnight and businesses in the strip mall will remain for now.
"It isn't going to happen tomorrow. There are leases in place and my understanding is that the tenants will be free to complete their tenure in the building."
But news of the planned construction came as a surprise to business owners, including Jessica Harrison, who owns The Cake Box. She said it "wasn't great" to learn about the sale through media reports.
"I know that this isn't my property. I mean, I had no right to kind of be involved in any kind of discussion about it. But it was more of, we had planned to be here for a very long time," Harrison said. "We have been here for a very long time. So now, knowing that my future is very unsure ... is very unsettling."
Dikran Tchabrazian of Arman's Jewellers has been at the location since 2001. He said it raised a lot of questions, including how long he has until the business needs to move.
"I was shocked, I was surprised," he said. "Are we staying and for how long?
Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic said staff with the city's economic development will be reaching out to the businesses to offer support.
"Small businesses are an important part of Kitchener's economy and our economic strategy and we want to make sure that they can find a new home in the city and if not, certainly supporting them in finding a home in the region," he said.
An encampment also resides on land beside the strip mall that is already owned by the region. That will also be used as the new transit hub is built.
Redman said the region will continue to work with outreach workers to find housing or other supports for the residents at the encampment.
With files from Joe Pavia, James Chaarani