ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[Waterlooer]

Took this photo a few hours ago... It was my first time walking by here during ION construction and I was very excited to see the tracks down!

[The85]

The station names seem like a pretty small concern.  Personally, I don't mind "Central Station - Innovation District" (although I regret the lost opportunity of "King Victoria"!).  I don't care for "Kitchener Market" (Market), Kitchener City Hall (City Hall), or "Waterloo Public Square" (Waterloo Square).

Personally I hate the word "innovation" and try to rarely use it in my vocabulary. "Innovation" has blown into the biggest buzzword of this decade - can anyone truly tell me what it means other than giving the illusion of entrepreneurial do-goodery/warm fuzzies? If an organization today wants to positively label absolutely anything they're doing, they simply say ohhhh it's "innovative" this "innovation" that - look at us, aren't we good now?? I just hope it's not something we regret naming an LRT station once the next buzzword comes along years from now.

[mpd618]

Personally I hate the word "innovation" and try to rarely use it in my vocabulary. ... I just hope it's not something we regret naming an LRT station once the next buzzword comes along years from now.

As downtown Kitchener becomes more attractive to everyone and likely more expensive, it's not unreasonable that the locus for KW's start-ups may shift to another area, perhaps the university district. If the "Innovation District" becomes populated by large established firms, it will seem like a pretty sad branding. Right now it's just tacky.

[Canard]

Awesome photo, Waterlooer! Looks like they've back filled with the remaining ballast. Won't be long before pavement is back down.

[MidTowner]

As downtown Kitchener becomes more attractive to everyone and likely more expensive, it's not unreasonable that the locus for KW's start-ups may shift to another area, perhaps the university district. If the "Innovation District" becomes populated by large established firms, it will seem like a pretty sad branding. Right now it's just tacky.

It certainly is not a "timeless" name. It would have meant nothing more than a couple of years ago, might mean nothing to many people now, and will likely mean nothing within the span of a few more years. The85 is correct that it is an insufferable buzz word, but it also seems inevitable that at least another area in the Region will try to brand itself as "innovation district/zone/whatever."

[Spokes]

The station names seem like a pretty small concern.  Personally, I don't mind "Central Station - Innovation District" (although I regret the lost opportunity of "King Victoria"!).  I don't care for "Kitchener Market" (Market), Kitchener City Hall (City Hall), or "Waterloo Public Square" (Waterloo Square).

Personally I hate the word "innovation" and try to rarely use it in my vocabulary. "Innovation" has blown into the biggest buzzword of this decade - can anyone truly tell me what it means other than giving the illusion of entrepreneurial do-goodery/warm fuzzies? If an organization today wants to positively label absolutely anything they're doing, they simply say ohhhh it's "innovative" this "innovation" that - look at us, aren't we good now?? I just hope it's not something we regret naming an LRT station once the next buzzword comes along years from now.

You can't be surprised.  Waterloo Region and GRT have always loved buzzwords.  Just look at "iXpress".  

The name could go either way.  It could become dated and unfitting, but if the area grows the way the City of Kitchener thinks it could, and fills with start ups, the name "innovation district" could stick.  I still preferred warehouse district.

[Elmira Guy]

Can anyone direct me to something that will show what if any ovision will be put in place to get from the GRT terminal at Conestoga Mall to the LRT platform? As I understand it, the LRT stop will be adjacent to King St. There is a small distance between the GRT terminal and King, but it is uphill. I assume the GRT terminal will remain where it is.

Is there any plans showing how this will be addressed?

[Markster]

http://rapidtransit.regionofwaterloo.ca/...eement.asp
Schedule 15-2 Appendix I Alignment & OMSF Drawings Part [1-8] are the drawings you're looking for.

[timio]

Uptown Waterloo will be free of Construction until 2016 [Source: @DaveJaworsky]

[isUsername]

Took this photo a few hours ago... It was my first time walking by here during ION construction and I was very excited to see the tracks down!

How do they pave over the ballast? Is there a special process/material or is it just like paving over dirt?

[Waterlooer]

Uptown Waterloo will be free of Construction until 2016 [Source: @DaveJaworsky]

Uh oh... that's bad news isn't it? Does that mean they are behind schedule?

Took this photo a few hours ago... It was my first time walking by here during ION construction and I was very excited to see the tracks down!

How do they pave over the ballast? Is there a special process/material or is it just like paving over dirt?

I have no idea to be honest, I didn't get to see them do any construction. I was wondering the same thing too though.

[KevinL]

I happened to spot that a staging area for the Huron spur work has been set up near Stirling Ave on the old Schneiders property. Supplies are stored in the former parking lot and an access road has been built to the rail corridor.

[nms]

Uptown Waterloo will be free of Construction until 2016 [Source: @DaveJaworsky]

Uh oh... that's bad news isn't it? Does that mean they are behind schedule?

The optimist would say that the BIA had their concerns heard about protecting their Christmas shopping season.
The cynic would say that Grandlinq is behind schedule but will be able to spin accommodating the BIA as a good thing.
The question is: who foots the bill for the $23,000/day delay fee (or other penalties)? If per the existing agreement GrandLinq was to be fined for any project delay, is the Region on the hook for the same if the delay was made at the Region's request?

[Markster]

Was the original plan to have the street still torn up in December? Or perhaps delays on Caroline have pushed the King St work window out that far.

The work has to be done some day. It's not going away.

[timio]

I believe the work was supposed to be to a point where the road would be passable by mid-November, so the cynic in me suggests that they are behind to the point that appeasing the BIA was better publicity than focusing on the delay.