Help Urbanize the Ghetto in Waterloo

The city of Waterloo, Ontario has a broken neighbourhood called Northdale located between Uptown Waterloo and the region’s booming Technology Park. This once lovely neighbourhood had stately old homes on large city lots where the residents felt safe.

Then this supposedly intelligent community allowed licensing of lodging houses in order to support University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier’s student accommodation studies. Soon the permanent residents were outnumbered ten to one and what remained were neglected properties littered with garbage and graffiti.

Now there are many new rental units along Northdale’s two main streets of Columbia and University. Unfortunately, NONE of this housing is for those who would love to walk to their tech sector and university jobs. ALL of these are rent-by-the room for students.

What has happened to this abandoned neighbourhood? Unfortunately, Northdale now has:
* periodic DAILY garbage collection;
* 70 POLICE CHARGES in a single weekend; and
* 5,000 NOISE COMPLAINTS in one year.

Why should YOU care? YOUR city and regional tax dollars are paying for this! The universities aren’t footing the costs as UNIVERSITIES ARE TAX EXEMPT.

Even our local media refers to Northdale as a “student ghetto”. It is an escalating embarrassment that tarnishes our international reputation!

NOW IMAGINE a vibrant streetscape with:
* tree lined parks and winding bicycle trails;
* attractive townhouses and low rise condos with green roof components; and
* bustling shopping mews interspersed with professional offices and lively cafés.

Northdale Village could be a world class town centre for those who work, study and live in the area – a diverse, urban village that the Region of Waterloo could be proud of!