Uptown Waterloo
Uptown Waterloo is filled with dozens of places to enjoy an evening out. From lively bars to quaint restaurants, there are options for whatever kind of night you’re aiming to have. This area is the most densely populated bar, restaurant and cafe region in Kitchener-Waterloo, so you’ll never find yourself searching too long to find something to do.
Looking for more means of entertainment? The Waterloo Public Library is just a block away from King Street and is the best place in Waterloo to find a novel to dive into.
Waterloo Public Square acts as the hub for Uptown Waterloo and includes a small mall and large square, which features an ice rink during the winter season.
In terms of errands, you don’t have to travel far in order to find what you need. If you live in this area, you’re a short distance from LCBO, a Walmart Supercentre, and all major banks.
Family Life
Looking for a place to settle with kids? Uptown is a fantastic choice.
Uptown is within walking distance of a skatepark, recreation complex, basketball courts, baseball diamonds, tennis courts, and plenty of open space to take the entire family. With slow-moving traffic and wide sidewalks in this section of King Street, it’s also a safe choice.
Though close to the University of Wilfrid Laurier, this area has much fewer students living in it and offers relatively quiet neighbourhoods for families looking to remain close to the essentials.
In addition to these things, there are also numerous transit options for safe travel.
Transit
The ION LRT is a transit system that runs through Waterloo, Kitchener, and Cambridge, connecting all cities with rapid transportation. One major stop of the LRT is in the hub of Waterloo, at the city square, making uptown one of the best areas to live in in order to quickly access all three cities.
To read more about the LRT, visit the official site here. To see the full map of the iON route, click here.
In addition to the LRT, there are also numerous bus stops in and around Uptown, providing quick access to nearby amenities such as Conestoga Mall or Downtown Kitchener. To learn more about bus routes and rates, click here.
Notably, this area is also densely populated with taxis, so waving down a ride is never a difficult task.
Schools & Childcare
Waterloo Co-operative Preschool is located on the corner of Bridgeport and Albert and offers care for children as young as 18 months and as old as four years old. This preschool is a non-profit co-operative run by parents with a large outdoor area and an indoor gymnasium.
Nearby is also Our Lady Lourdes School for those looking for a Catholic elementary school. Home of the ‘Flames’, this school aims to teach children the basics of elementary education while always incorporating the Catholic religion into daily activities and teachings.
MacGregor Senior Public School is located on the corner of King and Central Streets and offers primary education for those in grades 7 and 8. MacGregor Public has eight feeder schools in the area, and the majority of graduates go to K.C.I and W.C.I.
Greenery & Parks
One major highlight of living in Uptown Waterloo or University District is Waterloo Park. Known as the jewel of the city, it features over 100 acres of park space with trails sprawling throughout.
This park includes a boardwalk, splash pad, skatepark, a petting zoo, and so much more. It’s the perfect place to keep the kids busy, enjoy a picnic, or get active.
If the park is too busy, you can always take the kids to MacGregor Public School to take advantage of the basketball courts, baseball diamond, and soccer field located on their fenced-in property.
Victoria Park, located closer to Downtown Kitchener, is relatively close by and offers serene park space, close to the core of Kitchener. Its focus is to be a picturesque location for walks, picnics, and even wedding photos.
Fitness & Recreation
Not only does Waterloo Park have kilometres of trails for walking, biking, or jogging, but it also features plenty of infrastructure for sports. WithWaterloo Tennis Club, a cricket pitch, a soccer field, basketball courts, and baseball diamonds, there are plenty of ways to get your heart rate up.
If you’re looking for an indoor option, the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex is located across from Waterloo Park, along Father David Bauer Drive. Open from 6 am to midnight, seven days a week, this complex features an Olympic-sized hockey rink, the Simplex, and an indoor track.
You can read more about the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex here, and Swimplex here.
Nearby Areas
The most notable neighbourhoods near Uptown Waterloo are University District and Downtown Kitchener.
University District refers to the area (north of Uptown) in which the University of Wilfrid Laurier and the University of Waterloo reside in. These two schools bring well over 50,000 students (combined) to the area, which has encouraged the real estate in the area to thrive.
This massive student population also means that there are endless fast-food options in the area, as well as dry-cleaners, pharmacies, and other essentials.
In the other direction (south-east) is Downtown Kitchener, which is one of the oldest and most developed neighbourhoods in Kitchener-Waterloo. It features things like Kitchener City Square, the beautiful and expansive Victoria Park, and a rapidly expanding condominium community.