Known as the jewel of the city, Waterloo Park has a lake, animal farm, picnic areas, splash pad, sports fields, playgrounds and more. Download the park map.
Visit the City of Waterloo Museum's virtual history exhibit, A Walk in the Park.
On this page
- Park location, hours and directions
- Amenities, attractions and rentals
- Improvement plans and projects
- Friends of Waterloo Park volunteer group
- O:se Kenhionhata:tie Land Back Camp
Park location, hours and directions
Waterloo Park is open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Free vehicle parking is available at the Westmount Road North and Yonge Street entrances to the park. Follow roads into the park and watch for signage.
View a map of Waterloo Park
Take the ION
There is an ION stop in Waterloo Park and there are two stops nearby in uptown Waterloo:
- Route 301 stops right in the park, at the Waterloo Park/Laurier station near Seagram Drive
- the uptown Waterloo ION stations, Waterloo Public Square and Willis Way, are a short walk from the Erb and Caroline park entrance
Take the bus
Several bus routes stop near Waterloo Park:
- Route 5 (Erb) – stops near Erb and Caroline park entrance
- Route 12 (Westmount) and Route 29 (Keats-University) – stop near Westmount Road and Seagram Drive entrances
- Route 202 (University) – stops near the Seagram Drive entrances
Plan your trip on the Grand River Transit website
We have limited vehicle parking inside the park. Please leave the few parking spots for those who need them most and park near the park instead.
Accessible parking
Accessible parking spaces are available at all lots listed below. Accessible parking permit holders don't have to pay parking fees in municipal lots.
Park near the park
Here are your parking options:
Evening and weekends – free
Weekdays – free
Weekdays – paid
Check our Uptown Parking Map for more nearby parking options.
Park inside the park
Park in the lots and not along the roadways to avoid a ticket. Here are the available lots:
Westmount Road entrance
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2 lots on the east side of the park
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near the bandshell, picnic shelter, servery and baseball diamonds
Get directions to the Westmount Road entrance on Google Maps.
Central Street entrance
Get directions to the Central Street entrance on Google Maps.
Young Street lot
- 1 lot on the west side of the park
- near the Park Inn concession stand, Log School House, playgrounds and shoreline area
Get directions to the Young Street lot on Google Maps.
Amenities, attractions and rentals
Waterloo Park sits on 119 acres in uptown Waterloo. Many areas are available for rent. Learn more about hosting an event at a City of Waterloo park.
There are accessible washrooms on the east and west sides, open daily from May 1 to Thanksgiving Day. The east side washrooms are open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. during winter.
Propane BBQs are permitted in rented picnic areas, with the exception of the east gazebos. Charcoal BBQs are not permitted per the city's open air fire bylaw.
There is public wifi service at the baseball diamonds and the skate park.
General amenities and attractions include:
- forests, trails and large green spaces (view city trail map for details)
- picnic shelters and gazebos
- Silver Lake and Laurel Creek
- accessible playground, swings and a splash pad
- Silver Lake boardwalk
- fountains, spray jets and beach area along the Silver Lake shoreline
- four baseball diamonds and a cricket pitch
- single net basketball court
- one rugby field and two soccer fields
- skatepark
- Victorian-style gardens
- Abraham Erb's Grist Mill
- Park Inn concession stand
- Waterloo's first schoolhouse
- Public Art and large harvest-style picnic tables
Waterloo Park's splash pad is located off Father David Bauer Drive, next to the skate park. Free parking is available on the street or in lots surrounding the park. Admission is free.
The splash pad is open daily from May 31 to Labour Day weekend in September from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Accessible onsite change rooms, washrooms, picnic and shaded areas are nearby. While the splash pad is not available for rent, the nearby picnic areas are able to provide privacy and shade for your event.
There are 3 display fountains along the shoreline of Silver Lake, including:
- a circular fountain at the top of the stairs, with seating all around the edge and large metal letters spelling out Waterloo Park
- a cascading water fountain leading towards the shoreline, decorated with rocks and pebbles
- another larger circular fountain at the edge of the shoreline with seating around the edge and misting trees in the middle
Do not enter the fountains or drink the water from them.
The interactive spray jets in front of the misting tree fountain help visitors stay cool from May to September.
Enjoy scenic views of Silver Lake at the sandy beach area under a blue beach umbrella.
Do not fish, swim or throw sand in Silver Lake.
Visitors can walk over the lake and experience Waterloo Park from a different perspective. The city closes the boardwalk during icy conditions.
The Skatepark is located off Father David Bauer Drive and offers ramps, stairs and vertical elements. It is not lit and closes at dusk. Learn more on the bike and skate park page.
Abraham Erb's Grist Mill is a replica of the first mill built in Waterloo.
The Grist Mill is available for wedding ceremonies from May to October. Please contact Waterloo Park customer service at 519-886-2310 for availability, viewings and booking.
Built in 1820 by Pennsylvania German settlers and designated as a heritage site in 2012, the Waterloo Park Log School House is located near the main park parking lot off Young Street. It is the oldest standing school in the Region of Waterloo and the oldest known log house in Ontario.
The Park Inn concession is open 7 days a week from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., weather permitting from June until Labour Day.
It is located near the Young Street parking lot and offers a range of drinks, snacks, ice cream and lunch items such as sandwiches, burgers and fries. Cash, debit and credit are accepted.
Improvement plans and projects
Created in 2009, the Waterloo Park Plan provides a 20-year vision that identifies new park trends, expands on traditional roles and involves the public through an advisory committee.
Silver Lake will undergo renovation from 2019 to 2021. Improvements may include reconfiguration of the footprint and shoreline, changing depth and sediment management. Learn more on our studies page.
Friends of Waterloo Park volunteer group
This group works with the Waterloo Park Advisory Committee to promote the goals of the Waterloo Park Plan. Their goals include:
- raising the park's profile
- supporting development of new programs and events
- raising funds to accelerate implementation of key features of the plan
- proposing ways of recognizing donations, initiatives and achievements in the park
- promoting volunteerism and engaging residents in community building
Catch up with Friends of Waterloo Park on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or email them at fowp@waterloo.ca.
Our mission
The Friends of Waterloo Park is a volunteer group that works in cooperation with the Waterloo Park advisory committee and the City of Waterloo to fulfill the goals of the Waterloo Park Plan. The Friends of Waterloo Park organize, promote and participate in events in the park and fundraise to enhance and accelerate improvements to Waterloo Park.
Our goals
- foster community awareness of and appreciation for Waterloo Park
- promote and encourage the use of newly implemented features as well as existing park features
- raise funds for new projects, park enhancements and community activities
- promote volunteerism to engage residents in barn-raising activities
A brief history
The Friends of Waterloo Park was established in April 2015 as a subcommittee of the Waterloo Park advisory committee of council (WPAC). In 2017, the subcommittee was re-designated as a volunteer group (City of Waterloo committee policy, 2007).
Structure
The Friends of Waterloo Park consists of a chair, a finance team, multiple specialty teams each coordinated by a team lead, a WPAC liaison and a City of Waterloo staff liaison.
Meetings
The Friends of Waterloo Park meet in the evenings, once or twice a month, and work in the park once or twice each season.
Appointment
- when a position vacancy exists, a volunteer recruitment notice will be published on the city website and other sources
- interested applicants will contact volunteer services with a resume and two references before the deadline
- volunteer services and the city staff liaison will review all applications, carry out interviews and reference checks and recommend appointments
Qualifications for Friends of Waterloo Park
The list below outlines the requirements for being a member of the Friends of Waterloo Park.
- must be 18 years of age or older
- have good organizational skills, written and verbal communication
- show an interest or experience in finance, fundraising, sponsorship, communication, or event and program planning
- be willing to work cooperatively in partnership with city staff and other Friends and delegates
- be capable of fulfilling the responsibilities of the position held
- commit to a minimum of one year is required, subject to review with the city staff liaison at any time
- attend a minimum of four meetings and four activities over the course of one year
O:se Kenhionhata:tie Land Back Camp
In 2020 members of the Indigenous community gathered in Victoria Park (in Kitchener) and Waterloo Park. Both places are important to local Indigenous history and traditions.
Known as the O:se Kenhionhata:tie Land Back Camp, the group gathered peacefully to advance reconciliation actions.
For more information visit the O:se Kenhionhata:tie Land Back Camp Facebook page and our Indigenous reconciliation page.
