Grand River Transit’s new $118.8 million maintenance facility is officially open in Waterloo.
The 305,000 sq. ft. Northfield Drive building can house 200 buses, including larger articulated vehicles.
It also has 22 maintenance bays, wash stations, and eco-friendly features like a vegetative green roof and rain capture and storage. There’s also space for future electric bus charging and solar panels.
Grand River Transit says it needs the extra room as it expands transit frequency and service.
“The Northfield maintenance facility will help us meet the demand,” regional chair Karen Redman said at the building’s grand opening. “It’s not just about more buses, Northfield makes space for greener buses, buses with more capacity and eventually a zero emission fleet.”
Twenty-seven per cent of the facility’s $118.8 million cost was paid for by the region. The remainder came from the federal and provincial governments.
Project construction began in March 2020. Despite the challenges caused by the pandemic, the building was complete on time, the region says.
