Grand Trunk Renewal Project

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Colour, aerial photo of the Grand Trunk site in Stratford, Ontario (2025). Birds-eye view from a drone. Shows the University of Waterloo (Stratford Campus) in the foreground at bottom left and the structure in the background. The photo was taken on a gray, cloudy day. [Cropped]. Image ©Superkül, 2025.

The Grand Trunk site in Stratford, seen from the air. The university campus is in the bottom left, and the structure is in the background. (Image ©Superkül, 2025)


Stratford's Grand Trunk site is an 18-acre municipal development property, adjacent to the downtown core. It features an historic former steam locomotive repair superstructure that is currently vacant, measuring 160,000 square feet (14 864.5 square meters). The property's size and proximity to downtown make it an ideal location for a variety of active uses. The site is home to the YMCA of Three Rivers and the University of Waterloo’s School of Interaction Design and Business.

The site is envisioned as a place for education, community, health, culture, innovation, and entrepreneurship, with spaces, places and services for both residents and visitors. The City’s goal is to transform this site into a vibrant focal point of the community.

Currently, the City Council and staff are working together on the next phase of the project. This phase involves exploring developer interest in the site's potential, especially for housing and the structure's clean-up and adaptive reuse. Creating a shared community facility on site is also under consideration, with the YMCA and the Library as key partners. Parking improvements may also be assessed.

Stay informed, share your opinion!

We want to hear from you! Stay involved and informed by joining the public conversation on the project. Watch here for updates, including dates for public engagement opportunities.

How to contact your Councillor and/or City Hall


Colour, aerial photo of the Grand Trunk site in Stratford, Ontario (2025). Birds-eye view from a drone. Shows the University of Waterloo (Stratford Campus) in the foreground at bottom left and the structure in the background. The photo was taken on a gray, cloudy day. [Cropped]. Image ©Superkül, 2025.

The Grand Trunk site in Stratford, seen from the air. The university campus is in the bottom left, and the structure is in the background. (Image ©Superkül, 2025)


Stratford's Grand Trunk site is an 18-acre municipal development property, adjacent to the downtown core. It features an historic former steam locomotive repair superstructure that is currently vacant, measuring 160,000 square feet (14 864.5 square meters). The property's size and proximity to downtown make it an ideal location for a variety of active uses. The site is home to the YMCA of Three Rivers and the University of Waterloo’s School of Interaction Design and Business.

The site is envisioned as a place for education, community, health, culture, innovation, and entrepreneurship, with spaces, places and services for both residents and visitors. The City’s goal is to transform this site into a vibrant focal point of the community.

Currently, the City Council and staff are working together on the next phase of the project. This phase involves exploring developer interest in the site's potential, especially for housing and the structure's clean-up and adaptive reuse. Creating a shared community facility on site is also under consideration, with the YMCA and the Library as key partners. Parking improvements may also be assessed.

Stay informed, share your opinion!

We want to hear from you! Stay involved and informed by joining the public conversation on the project. Watch here for updates, including dates for public engagement opportunities.

How to contact your Councillor and/or City Hall

  • Community Dialogue Events

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    This material is archived.

    Please Join Us to Discuss the next steps in the renewal of the Grand Trunk site

    The Ad Hoc Grand Trunk Renewal Committee will be hosting a series of community events this spring to engage with residents and start a dialogue on refreshing the Master Plan’s Vision and Guiding Principles for the site. The Master Plan is a high-level plan that shows the overall direction and objectives of developing the site, its Vision is a way of articulating what should be achieved by the development and Guiding principles are goals and values that should guide decision-making in developing the site.

    These meetings will be an opportunity to provide an update on the Grand Trunk Renewal process and engage the community on a refreshed Vision and Guiding Principles for the site. The refreshed Vision and Guiding Principles will become the foundation for moving forward to implementation and to setting the stage to bring on partners to unlock the remarkable potential of this 18-acre City-owned site in the downtown.

    You can learn more and register for this free event below:

    GRANDTrunk Dialogue 1 – Where are we and where do we go from here? The (Grand Trunk Renewal Project) process, March 26, 2024, 6:30-8:30 pm, Hall A, Rotary Complex

    An opportunity to learn about the history of the site, where we are today and the process and work to date of the Grand Trunk Ad Hoc Committee. More details and registration information can be found on the Eventbrite page.

    GRANDTrunk Renewal Dialogue 2 - What can we Learn from Elsewhere: Exploring the Potential Today April 13, 2024 2-4 pm, Auditorium, City Hall

    Join us for a panel of speakers who have been involved in significant and impactful urban revitalization projects from places such as downtown Guelph, Niagara Falls new Exchange project and Kitchener’s Tannery and Breithaupt Block. Learn and ask questions about how we can apply their successes and learn from their challenges for the Grand Trunk site. More details and registration information can be found on the Eventbrite page.

    Please Join Us to Discuss the next steps in the renewal of the Grand Trunk site

    The Ad Hoc Grand Trunk Renewal Committee will be hosting a series of community events this spring to engage with residents and start a dialogue on refreshing the Master Plan’s Vision and Guiding Principles for the site. The Master Plan is a high-level plan that shows the overall direction and objectives of developing the site, its Vision is a way of articulating what should be achieved by the development and Guiding principles are goals and values that should guide decision-making in developing the site.

    These meetings will be an opportunity to provide an update on the Grand Trunk Renewal process and engage the community on a refreshed Vision and Guiding Principles for the site. The refreshed Vision and Guiding Principles will become the foundation for moving forward to implementation and to setting the stage to bring on partners to unlock the remarkable potential of this 18-acre City-owned site in the downtown.

    You can learn more and register for this free event below:

    GRANDTrunk Dialogue 1 – Where are we and where do we go from here? The (Grand Trunk Renewal Project) process, March 26, 2024, 6:30-8:30 pm, Hall A, Rotary Complex

    An opportunity to learn about the history of the site, where we are today and the process and work to date of the Grand Trunk Ad Hoc Committee. More details and registration information can be found on the Eventbrite page.

    GRANDTrunk Renewal Dialogue 2 - What can we Learn from Elsewhere: Exploring the Potential Today April 13, 2024 2-4 pm, Auditorium, City Hall

    Join us for a panel of speakers who have been involved in significant and impactful urban revitalization projects from places such as downtown Guelph, Niagara Falls new Exchange project and Kitchener’s Tannery and Breithaupt Block. Learn and ask questions about how we can apply their successes and learn from their challenges for the Grand Trunk site. More details and registration information can be found on the Eventbrite page.

Page last updated: 20 Aug 2026, 10:21 AM