Waterloo’s city centre is near the intersection of King and Erb streets. Since 1961, the centrepiece has been the Waterloo Town Square shopping centre, which underwent a thorough renovation in 2006. Much of the mall was torn down and has been replaced by buildings that emphasize street-facing storefronts. Residents refer to the Waterloo city centre as “”uptown”” (often capitalized), while “”downtown”” is reserved for the Kitchener city centre, as Kitchener had been the dominant centre, and Waterloo was a small town on the Kitchener’s north side. Waterloo surged into a significant City in the third quarter of the 20th Century, due in large part to its role as a university city. It has also benefited from the growth of insurance companies. Waterloo has prospered with the relationship between the Tech Sector, which has blossomed, and the University of Waterloo whose technology graduates have excelled. Blackberry, formerly Research In Motion, is the best example. The city centre was once along Albert Street, near the Marsland Centre and the Waterloo Public Library. The town hall, fire hall, and farmers’ market were located there. Amidst some controversy, all were demolished between 1965 and 1969.
