#903 -128 KING ST N, Waterloo, N2J2X9
128 King Street, Waterloo, Ontario N2J2X9
128 KING Street N Unit# 903, Waterloo, N2J2X9
128 KING Street, Waterloo, Ontario N2J2X9
#609 -128 KING ST N, Waterloo, N2J2X9
128 King Street, Waterloo, Ontario N2J2X9
34 EZRA Avenue, Waterloo, N2L3B1
34 EZRA Avenue, Waterloo, Ontario N2L3B1
174 CLAYFIELD Street, Waterloo, N2L3N3
174 CLAYFIELD Street, Waterloo, Ontario N2L3N3
#2303 -158 KING ST N, Waterloo, N2J2Y2
158 King Street, Waterloo, Ontario N2J2Y2
Read More About MacGregor-Albert Area in Waterloo
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MacGregor-Albert Area in Waterloo
Greetings! Welcome to the WRX Property Group website and blog. Today, we’re going to be featuring a fascinating slice of Uptown Waterloo that, although small in size, is positively overflowing with style and sophistication. Without further ado, let’s take a look at: the MacGregor-Albert neighbourhood!
See Homes for Sale Near MacGregor-Albert Area in Waterloo
What’s Special about MacGregor-Albert?
The short answer is: many things. But that’s far less interesting than the long answer, so let’s take the scenic route and discover why MacGregor-Albert is a neighbourhood worth getting to know. First of all, it is a ‘Heritage Conservation District’ – indeed, it is the City of Waterloo’s very first Heritage Conservation District! As for what that means, let’s have a conservation conversation, shall we?
MacGregor-Albert’s designated status relates to the Ontario Heritage Act, and the goal of such designations is to protect areas of historical and/or architectural significance. And MacGregor-Albert has both. Before we get started, you can view the neighbourhood boundaries here.
A Little Bit of History
MacGregor-Albert is Waterloo’s oldest residential neighbourhoods. After Abraham Erb (Abe Erb for short), along with many German-speaking Mennonites from Pennsylvania, had moved to what is now the Waterloo Region, Abe Erb built a couple mills. This was in the early nineteenth-century.
Many early residents settled on the higher ground north of the grist mill, particularly along two streets stemming from the original mill site: today’s Albert Street, and King Street North. In 1820, Abe Erb also helped establish the Waterloo Region’s very first school; it stood where MacGregor Public School stands now. Albert Street and King Street North, of course, plot out the shape of today’s MacGregor-Albert neighbourhood.
Toward the end of the nineteenth-century, Waterloo (a town at that time) purchased a 65-acre plot of farm land from the Eby family. On this land, they created the Waterloo Park that we know and love today (an early version of it, anyway). Today, visitors to Waterloo Park can still check out the Eby Farmstead, with numerous creatures from far and wide, and a replica of Abe Erb’s Grist Mill.
Home Is Where the Heritage Is
So, back to present day MacGregor-Albert: what exactly is being protected? For one thing, the streets themselves originated from the original, nineteenth-century plan. Furthermore, there are multiple homes in the MacGregor-Albert neighbourhood that qualify as historic, and nine homes specifically designated under Part IV. of the Ontario Heritage Act.
Many of the homes here are quite beautiful, with some dating back to the mid nineteenth-century. Indeed, only 10% of the homes in MacGregor-Albert were built after World War II. Numerous architectural styles are proudly on display here, and the overall properties – home and yard – stand out as unique from other parts of the city.
Red-Brick Landmarks
In the plan for MacGregor-Albert’s designation, two specific landmarks are highlighted as of particular importance. The first is the old Carnegie Library, located at 40 Albert Street: a tall, visually-striking building built in 1905. The second is Emmanuel United Church, located about a block north. Though also constructed in 1905, this beautiful building is home to one of Waterloo’s oldest congregations, dating back to the mid nineteenth-century.
Waterloo Park
As noted earlier, the early residential area in the MacGregor-Albert neighbourhood came after about Abe Erb built his famous mill. Many decades later, Waterloo Park was created just west of the neighbourhood. One of the elements being preserved is the beautiful, unencumbered views into Waterloo Park from the streets in MacGregor-Albert, particularly along Bricker Avenue and Ezra Avenue.
To move off of the conservation conversation for a moment, this incredibly close-proximity to Waterloo Park is one of the many perks to living in MacGregor-Albert. Waterloo Park is great for a quiet stroll, a game of tennis or baseball, a picnic, and so much more. It’s also the site of multiple live events, throughout the year. In short, living a short walk away from Waterloo Park is a very nice thing indeed.
Heritage Status
There are, of course, other factors than the homes, the streets, and the history that went into Albert-MacGregor’s designation as a Heritage Conservation District. The natural landforms here (the unique topography, for example) are also worth preserving, just to name one. In any case, MacGregor-Albert is protected, meaning people can come and stroll through its streets for years to come, enjoying a sort of picture into Waterloo’s past. Being a homeowner here can quite fun, even if there are a couple rules.
Back to the Present
But although MacGregor-Albert has a unique, and very visible, history, it is not stuck in the past – not at all. Indeed, many of the benefits of living in MacGregor-Albert are more to do with modern amenities and attractions than historical ones. For one thing, there is a strong sense of community here – just check out the MacGregor-Albert Community Association’s website.
Down to Uptown
The City of Waterloo more or less radiated outward from the area of present-day Uptown Waterloo, and as such, the residential MacGregor-Albert neighbourhood is right next to the Uptown core. We’ve said it many times before, but it bears repeating: Uptown Waterloo is a lovely place, with enough shops, restaurants, cafés, bars, and attractions to keep anyone happy. From Princess Cinemas to the central branch of the Waterloo Public Library, there’s always something to do in Uptown.
The LRT Doesn’t Horse Around
Travelling on horseback, or in horse-drawn carriages, was much more prevalent in the days that the MacGregor-Albert area was first settled. And it really is a fine way of getting around. But present-day MacGregor-Albert residents have close access to one of the Waterloo Region’s most forward-thinking public transit initiatives: the iON, or as it’s commonly referred to, the LRT.
There are multiple LRT stops throughout Uptown, and MacGregor-Albert residents can hop on to quickly get to Conestoga Mall to the north, or head down to Downtown Kitchener and Fairview Park Mall beyond it. You can read more about the LRT in our feature on it here.
Sir Wilfrid
North of MacGregor-Albert is the Wilfrid Laurier University campus. Understandably, this can be either a major selling point (whether you’re involved with the university, a student, staff-member, etc.), or a less desirable feature of the neighbourhood (if you value serenity and quiet on St. Patrick’s Day).
Wrapping Up
MacGregor-Albert is a unique neighbourhood, which offers an impressive view back in time to an earlier era. However, this neighbourhood is eminently liveable today: historic homes are fascinating, yes, but MacGregor-Albert also shines in terms of its incredible location, and all the conveniences it allows for.
Not only is central Uptown mere blocks away (with all of its shops and restaurants), and Waterloo Park quite literally next door; MacGregor-Albert residents can even head east on Bridgeport Road to get to a commercial area with multiple chain stores, large and small (including a Walmart Supercentre and a Sobeys).
If you’re interested in buying a home in Waterloo, and you’re intrigued by the prospect of MacGregor-Albert’s location and its history (maybe you’re a big fan of Abe Erb’s Grist Mill?) – please contact us, as we’d be happy to play a part in your real estate journey.
Written by Will Kummer