‘Wasteland of commerce’: Plans for future of Hespeler Road discussed at Cambridge council
Posted May 14, 2026 07:48:03 AM.
Last Updated May 14, 2026 08:25:45 AM.
Plans for the future of Hespeler Road in Cambridge were both grilled and praised by councillors and residents at a public meeting this week.
The City of Cambridge invited residents to council chambers to have their say on the Hespeler Road Secondary Plan, a document that looks to guide the future of that busy roadway as plans for LRT expansion sit on the horizon.
The plan is a document that came before council on May 5 that outlines priorities for the area that could transition the roadway from being speckled with brand-name box stores, gas stations, and fast food drive-throughs into an area that thinks transit first.
“Hespeler Road is a multifunctional corridor,” reads the report from the City of Cambridge. “It is a major thoroughfare that connects Highway 401 to Highway 403 and is the main access into Cambridge from the north, connecting the downtowns of Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge.”
“I know that that stretch there for pedestrians, it’s just a wasteland of commerce, there’s nothing enjoyable,” said Cambridge Councillor Adam Cooper of Hespeler Road as it exists currently.
At the public meeting, questions were raisded about the timelines for LRT expansion through Cambridge, and wondered whether ridership number warrant this approach to Hespeler Road.
“The plan is indicating that Hespeler Road is ugly. There’s no basis for that,” said Keith Wallbank, a delegate at Tuesday’s meeting. “These types of businesses are typical in many, many cities in Ontario.”
However, other delegates supported the approach, explaining that the next generation is more supportive of using transit and walking to their destination.
“Evolution doesn’t work moving forwards, you can only judge evolution in hindsight,” said Councillor Scott Hamilton. “I think the nature of this document is that it is aspirational. It’s a vision of what Hespeler Road could become.”
The plan still needs approval from council at a future meeting.
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