On Friday, September 8, Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS)’s Central Division unveiled its new Kitchener station on 200 Frederick St. with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Eighteen WRPS officers were sworn in during the ceremony, with Premier Doug Ford in attendance, along with members of the DIALOG team. Local Indigenous community leader, Clarence Cachagee, spoke to the central theme of stewardship, also echoed by other speakers as part of the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Development of the facility began in 2021 and will replace the current building down the street. Designed by DIALOG, the project revitalized an old, abandoned courthouse, preserving portions of the existing facade and structure, while transforming key aspects of the exterior and interior into a newly refined, engaging facility – reestablishing WRPS’ presence in the area and surrounding community.

The new state-of-the-art station, owned by The Region of Waterloo and WRPS, includes a space for community events and is home to a number of community policing units such as Neighbourhood Policing, the Community Engagement Unit, the Direct Action Response Team, and the Drugs and Firearms Team, along with a new prisoner management facility.

The project is targeting to achieve the sustainable design and construction standard of LEED® Silver certification, as established by the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC).