Sustainable ideas shared for future of Uptown Waterloo
Posted Mar 25, 2026 07:41:12 AM.
Last Updated Mar 25, 2026 11:15:11 AM.
A presentation made to the City of Waterloo council on Monday shared ideas for the future of Uptown and how it can become even more vibrant and sustainable.
The ideas, laid out in a plan named A Vision of Uptown Waterloo as a Showcase in Sustainability, were shared by Waterloo’s Sustainability Advisory Committee for council’s consideration.
“The City of Waterloo is a world-class city known for its tech sector, the spirit of innovation, and quality of life,” reads the report.
The plans would look to guide Uptown into the future in a few significant ways by making it more walkable and pedestrian-friendly, repurposing parking, planning with nature in mind, and focusing on making buildings sustainable from the jump.
According to the committee, only 60 per cent of parking in Uptown is used during peak hours, opening the way for those spaces to be be turned into temporary patios and parks with help from community partners and the BIA.
There were also plans shared to close a portion of Willis Way to make way for a walkable pedestrian road, however those plans will not happen this summer because of “contractual obligations”, but will be reconsidered into the future.
