Imagine a neat, light-rail commuter train running from Cambridge in the south, through Kitchener, uptown Waterloo, the University of Waterloo's north campus, that city's high-tech business park and on to the Waterloo Farmers' Market, St. Jacobs and finally, Elmira.
Imagine stations and stops along the way, within easy walking distance of high-density housing and workplaces.
Imagine an environmentally clean, well-functioning transit system that attracts so many riders that people will willingly leave their cars at home.
Much of that may not happen for years, but Waterloo Region officials are excited to have taken the first big step by purchasing 20 kilometres of CN Rail line, in a plan to reduce auto use and emissions by seven per cent by the year 2016.
The $1.1-million purchase is expected to be completed by May 31. Region Chairman Ken Seiling, Coun. Tom Galloway who is head of the finance committee, chief administrative officer Gerry Thompson and Graham Vincent, director of transportation planning, all agree it's a good buy.
"Given all the elements of the deal, it's a very fair price," Thompson said yesterday.
Because the purchase is not yet final, Thompson, who formerly worked in transportation planning, would not give details. But he could not hide his delight at the deal.
"This is exciting. It's a win-win situation and is an eventful and major first step in realizing our long-term goal," he said.
The master plan for a transportation corridor that links Elmira in the north to Cambridge in the south has been developing for 26 years, practically the life of the region, which was established in 1973.
Called Smart Growth, the plan calls for a balance; "economic growth without encroaching on a high-quality rural environment, so that land use and transportation are mutually supportive," Thompson said.
However, "we have not managed, as a region or as municipalities, to make significant progress evolving the land use part of the plan. The opportunity to purchase the Waterloo spur presented itself, and sometimes you must take a leap of faith. And this is a leap of faith."
Thompson said various transit technologies will be looked at, including light rail, usually used for subway cars but with overhead wires and not the potentially dangerous third middle rail used by below-ground systems.
But, before that is decided, some of the existing rail may be pulled up to provide for express bus routes, which will not rule out a future rail system, he said.
Of the $1.1-million purchase price, $300,000 is already included in this year's capital budget, with the remaining $800,000 to be debentured over time. There will be no impact on property taxes, Thompson added.
The 20-kilometre Waterloo rail spur starts at Breithaupt Street in Kitchener and goes as far as Elmira. It's about 20 metres wide and incorporates bridges, culverts, public road crossings and farm crossings.
Environmental assessments will start this year, he said, and there's no going back.