# Kitchener, Ontario: Downtown, Civic Centre, Victoria Park



## xzmattzx (Dec 24, 2004)

Kitchener is a city in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo. The city is the seat of the Regional Municipality, and has a population of just over 200,000. Kitchener was originally called "Sand Hills" by the Mennonites that purchased land and settled in the area. When the community was selected as the seat of Waterloo County in 1853, it was incorporated as a village and named "Berlin", after the large population of residents with German ancestry. Kitchener became a city in 1912, and was renamed "Kitchener" in 1916 due to Canada's involvement in World War I against Germany. Kitchener was named after Field Marshal Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener, who was a hero of the Boer War. 



Downtown Kitchener is centered around King Street and parallel streets. Commercial activity began here after Schneider's Road was built to Walper Corner, and then later extended to Huether Corner. German families with surpluses of food brought them to the farmer's market, which is one of the oldest continuously-running farmer's markets in Canada. When the railroads came through Berlin, as service was provided between Toronto and Sarnia, Downtown extended west towards the rail lines.


The Hartman Krug Furniture Company building, on Breithaupt Street. The factory was built in 1908.










The H. Krug Furniture Company survived industrial decline by specializing in finely-crafted furniture.










The University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy, at King & Victoria Streets. The School of Pharmacy is the first new school in Canada in the last 20 years, and is being founded to fill the demand for pharmacists in the country.










The Kaufman Lofts, formerly the Kaufman Rubber Company, on King Street at Francis Street.










The Kaufman Rubber Company's building was built in 1908, with additions added 1911 to 1927.










Businesses on King Street.










Eaton's Lofts, a condominium under construction inside an old Eaton's department store, on King Street at Water Street.










Kitchener City Hall, on King Street between College and Young Streets. The city hall was built in 1993.










The corner of the Public Utilities Building, across King Street from City Hall.










Businesses on King Street.










The Walper Terrace Hotel, at King & Queen Streets. The Walper Terrace Hotel was built in 1893 and sits on the site of the Varnum Inn, built in 1820. The intersection of Preston Road and Schneider's Road (now King & Queen Streets) became the center of commerce in the Kitchener area, back when the community was known as "Sandhills".










Market Square, located at King & Frederick Streets. The building was constructed in 2004 and is the heart of the Market District in Downtown Kitchener. 










Businesses on King Street.










Houses on Eby Street in the Market District.










A house on Duke Street at Wilton Place.










Trinity United Church, on Frederick Street. The church was built in 1906.










Stores on Duke Street. The block was built in 1931 by W.H. Breithaupt.










The Kitchener Post Office, on Duke Street. The post office was built in 1938.










Buildings on Duke Street at Queen Street. At the left is St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, on Young Street.










Office buildings at Duke & Queen Streets.










An apartment building on Queen Street.










Businesses on King Street.











The Civic Centre area is named because of the civic buildings in the ara, from city and Regional Municipality offices, to cultural centers. The Civic Centre was home to Kitchener's industrial and civic elite in the early 1900s, and was at the time on the northeastern edge of the town.


Regional Municipality of Waterloo Administration Building, on Frederick Street. The building functions as the seat of the Regional Municipality.










The Registry Theatre, housed in the old Registry Office on Frederick Street. The structure was built in 1939, and was converted into the theatre in 2000 after housing the Waterloo Regional Police until 1993.










The Canadian Diabetic Association, in an old house on Irvin Street.










A house on Queen Street.










A house on Queen Street.










Houses on Queen Street.










A house on Queen Street.










Houses on St. Leger Street.










A house on Hermie Place.










A house on Ellen Street.










Houses on Ellen Street.










A house on Margaret Avenue.










The Church of the Good Shepherd, on Margaret Avenue.










The Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, on Queen Street.











Victoria Park is the area surrounding the park of the same name. The park was laid out from 1894 to 1896, and most of the housing surrounding the park was built between the opening of the park and the end of the 1920s.


The clock tower of the old City Hall, at the northern end of Victoria Park. The old City Hall was built in 1924, and demolished in 1973. The clock tower was reassembled at its present location in Victoria Park in 1995 after being in storage for 22 years.










Downtown Kitchener from Victoria Park. Kitchener City Hall is on the left, and the TD Canada Trust Building is on the right.










A statue of Queen Victoria in Victoria Park. The statue was erected in 1911.










Houses on Water Street.










A house on Heins Avenue.










Houses on Heins Avenue.










A house on Joseph Street at Heins Avenue.










A house on Joesph Street.










Houses on Richmond Avenue.










Houses on Richmond Avenue facing Victoria Park.










The Bread & Roses Housing Cooperative, on Queen Street. The building was originally the Vogelsang Ivory Button Factory, and was built in 1880.










The Joesph Schneider Haus, on Queen Street. The Schneider house was built in 1816 by Jospeh Schneider, who had come to the area in 1807 with his family from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The house is the oldest house in Kitchener, and Scheider was one of the first settlers in Kitchener. Most of the land that now makes up Victoria Park was once owned by Schneider, who operated a saw mill along a creek.


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## MNiemann (Sep 5, 2007)

You know, I've never heard of this city, and it looks very nice! Very quaint and clean but with a "city" feel. reminds me of savannah, georgia.


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## Chadoh25 (Dec 28, 2007)

I hear Kitschener has a large German population and a great Octoberfest! I hope to visit one day soon!!


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

In the 2006 census, 25.18% of Kitchener residents put 'German' down as ethnic origin. It was 2nd only to 'Canadian' which was listed by 29.48% of residents. Kitchener is part of the census metropolitan area of Kitchener-Waterloo, population 451,235 in 2006. 

It's a rapidly growing area due to the high concentration of high tech firms and 2 universities. The larger of the two, University of Waterloo, is very highly regarded for math and sciences. Microsoft recruits more from this school than any other in the world.


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## KidGibNick (Feb 27, 2005)

Kitchener-Waterloo is indeed a twin city, but if you weren't from here, you wouldn't know which you were in necessarily. Kitchener is in the southend, twice as large, and more than twice the population than Waterloo. Each have their own city hall, and farmers market. With respect to city centre, Waterloo's is called "uptown" and Kitchener's called "downtown." Waterloo city centre is more vibrant due to its proximity to two large universities. Downtown Kitchener has a historic manufacturing past, that is slowly being transformed into urban-condos.

For more info regarding the heaps of activity/building/progress, check out the Waterloo Region SSP forum: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/forumdisplay.php?forumid=295

images:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/133/355451293_61514fb87f.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w74/biosmitty/107m0ja.jpg
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb210/Cambridgite/Cedar Hill/Picture035.jpg


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## CanadianSkyScraper (Sep 5, 2008)

nice pics :cheers:


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Looks very nice place


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

Indeed I would like to visit KW some day, as I do not know this city. We have a surprising number of SSC members from KW (mostly due to the fact it is a University Town).


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