Preston BIA chair pushing for LRT expansion into Cambridge

When will light rail transit be coming to Cambridge?

It’s a question that’s been asked countless times in Waterloo Region, and one that the chair of the Preston Business Improvement Area (BIA) would like to see answered.

“I think the economic spin-off has already been proven in Kitchener and Waterloo, and I think there’s plenty of opportunity just sitting there waiting in Cambridge,” said Tony Schmidt, chair of the Preston BIA.

The project’s $4.5 billion price tag has been a significant factor in why Phase 2 of the LRT expansion has taken so long to get off the ground. Regional staff are hoping that multiple levels of government will step in and deliver significant investment to get the project moving.

“I notice many kids don’t even get their driver’s licenses, and they’re looking for opportunities to be able to transition through the region,” said Schmidt. “Somebody could get an apartment down in Galt, or buy a condominium in Galt or Preston, and be able to move amongst the region.”

Schmidt pointed to the significant success in terms of expansion and development that Phase 1 of the project has brought to Kitchener and Waterloo.

“The truth is, Preston right now needs a significant in-fill development,” said Schmidt. “You look at Galt, they’ve got the Gaslight, the American Standard just happened in Hespeler. We’ve got some properties in Preston, and I believe this would be the catalyst for people to invest to build.”

A final vote on which direction the next phase of LRT expansion will take is coming up in November.

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