Kitchener Introduction Walking Tour (Self Guided), Kitchener

The City Hall of Kitchener has gone through many iterations through the 20th century, culminating in the current building, which opened in 1993. The textures of the building are varied. Much of both the interior and exterior is in red sandstone imported from India; domestic granite makes up pavement and floors. A unique feature is the “green wall”; passing from the south on a parallel with Gaukel Street, this bulwark of green stone continues, at various heights, through the square and building across the entire block. The council chamber is a modern, approachable space, where the mayor and councillors sit at a circular furnishing, surrounded by staff facilities and observed by the visitors' gallery. The building's rotunda hosts many events, from art exhibits to public gatherings.

Conrad Centre for the Performing Arts is situated on King Street West, next to the Waterloo Regional Children's Museum. This cultural venue was formerly known as King St. Theatre and was founded by Manfred and Penny Conrad Family Foundation to preserve the previous King Street Theatre Centre as a regional community centre for Performing Arts. The Center is home to the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and is one of the primary performance venues in the region. Visit its web site to check out present programs.

Kitchener Market Square is a fashionable shopping centre and famous city landmark. It stands on the former site of Kitchener City Hall. The original city hall was torn down around 1973 when the new city hall moved to its present location. It has a tall glass tower clock that remains a steady landmark.

Registry Theatre is situated on Frederick Street, beside the Curling Hall of Fame and Museum of Canada. This cultural venue was built in 1938 in Art Deco style. The building features geometric multi-coloured motifs, limestone architrave framing, zigzag surface forms and ornamental patterns and floor tiles. It hosts excellent performances, talented entertainers, world-class actors, local professional artists and community groups and organizations. Whatever you like, be it jazz, poetry or plays, you will enjoy your time here.

Located at 101 Queen Street North, Centre in the Square is a prominent cultural venue in Kitchener. This acoustical and architectural gemstone was built according to plans of Rieder, Hymmen and Lobban and it opened its doors in 1980. This spacious building provides great acoustics, 2047 seats and wonderful views of the stage. Centre in the Square also houses the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery. The gallery displays various contemporary artworks of Canadian and international artists and presents different exhibitions.

On a sunny November day in 2005, in downtown Kitchener - in the heart of Civic Centre Park, was established a memorial to all fallen firefighters of Kitchener and the surrounding area. It is a large bronze sculpture created by noted artist Timothy Schmalz.

Situated at 85 Queen Street North, Kitchener Public Library is another excellent cultural venue in Kitchener. The library is home to a great number of interesting books, large print books, audio books, government documents, magazines, newspapers, DVDs, CDs, etc. Get lost in an excellent book or enjoy good music or a movie.

Saint Paul's Lutheran Church is situated in the heart of downtown Kitchener, on Queen Saint South and it is one of Kitchener’s historical buildings. This old religious building was established in 1835 and is dedicated to the great first century apostle Paul. The present Neo-Gothic structure dates back to 1889, being Kitchener’s oldest standing church.

Joseph Schneider Haus Museum and Gallery is another prominent landmark in downtown Kitchener. This local sight is the oldest existing dwelling in Kitchener, established in 1816 by Joseph Schneider, one of the region's primary pioneers and a Pennsylvania German immigrant. This Georgian farmhouse was restored and furnished according to the original period and since 1981 it houses a living history museum. Its collection includes significant artifacts from areas of Germanic settlement across Canada, old furniture, household items, decorations and other fine objects from that period.

Founded in 1895, Victoria Park is a popular and prominent tourist attraction in Kitchener. Situated in the heart of the city, it is the city’s largest park. This Romantic-style park is home to beautiful rose gardens, fountains and a nice lake frequented by ducks and swans. This attractive sight also houses a statue of Queen Victoria, a historic Clock Tower of the original City Hall and a number of interesting structures, including a historic boathouse, Victoria Park pavilion, the Victoria Park Gallery and Archives and a bandstand. The park often hosts various events that take place in Kitchener.