Posted on Monday, October 16, 2023
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Key decisions of Council is a summary of major discussion items presented at Kitchener City Council meetings. It is circulated immediately following each meeting. Please refer to the minutes for an official record of the meeting.  

Minor sports groups and neighbourhood associations celebrated 

Kitchener Council celebrated milestone anniversaries of volunteer-driven minor sports groups and neighbourhood associations across the city. Many of the valued programs, events, and services Kitchener residents enjoy would not be possible without these organizations. Over the past year, seven minor sports groups and nine neighbourhood associations have celebrated a milestone anniversary. Together, these organizations have contributed a combined 630 years of service to Kitchener. 

Council approves land license agreement for A Better Tent City   

The City has extended the land use license agreement for A Better Tent City, located on Ardelt Ave. in Kitchener.  A Better Tent City is a temporary community of tiny homes that house and support about 50 individuals experiencing homelessness. Residents live in their own small cabins and have access to on-site health care and other social services. The A Better Tent City program occupies lands owned by the City of Kitchener and the Waterloo Region District School Board. The license agreement extension will be up for renewal in May 2025 and will be reviewed on an annual basis. 

Council approves 2024 budget process and timeline 

To comply with new provincial legislation, Council approved revisions to the 2024 budget process to ensure a proposed budget for 2024 is finalized before the new year begins. Key dates include staff presentations of the budget on Nov. 20 and Nov. 27 with final draft budget day on Dec. 14. 

Visit the City’s website for the Council and Committee calendar for meeting agendas. For additional details about the 2024 budget process, read the report.  

Council approves traffic calming review on Dumfries Avenue 

Council approved the start of a traffic calming review for Dumfries Avenue, between Stirling Avenue North and Edna Street, before the end of this year. The section of road is currently ranked the highest priority of streets on the City’s traffic calming priority list. 

The estimated cost is $72,500 for the planning, design, and installation of one formal traffic calming project. Community engagement will include residents located along Dumfries Avenue, and those in the surrounding catchment areas who are directly affected. Engagement will include a public meeting, surveys, project web page, and other forms of communication. 

For further details, read the report. 

Council approves heritage designations 

Council approved the designation, under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (OHA), of the following: 

  • The property bound by Weber Street East, Scott Street and Pearl Place in downtown Kitchener. Two buildings on the property, 87 Scott St. and 82 Weber St. E., have been confirmed to be a significant cultural heritage resource. Read the report. 

  • The former Huck Glove factory at 120 Victoria St. S., which was incorporated into a modern office building, has been confirmed to be a significant cultural heritage resource. Read the report. 

  •  A 19th-century log structure at 28 Burgetz Ave. The building, located between Thaler and Kinzie avenues, was previously clad in siding. For details, read the report.  

Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape report  

Staff presented Council with a Lower Doon Draft Cultural Heritage Landscape study outlining the boundaries of the proposed area. The identified heritage attributes of the CHL are divided into the following categories: landscape, built form and streetscapes, and views.  

The study recommends: 

  • The Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape should be designated as a significant cultural heritage landscape. 

  • Publicly owned lands located within the Lower Doon CHL should be appropriately managed by the City of Kitchener to ensure the conservation of the CHL’s identified heritage attributes and in accordance with the objectives, policies, and guidelines presented in the study. These lands include Willow Lake Park and the ruins of Doon Mills; Schneider Creek; the Grand River Natural Area north of Old Mill Road; and the original street alignment of Old Mill Road, Pinnacle Drive, and Amherst Drive. 

This study forms part of the body of work being completed for the Lower Doon Land Use Implementation Project. For details, read the report.