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HomeMy WebLinkAboutKitchener Public Utilities City of Kitchener Corporate Archives Kitchener Utilities fonds 1879-2013 Prepared by: Hilda Sturm October 2012 KITCHENER UTILITIES fonds - 1879-2013. –367cm of textual records, 17cm of videos, film and photographs, 16cm of drawings and blueprints. th With the advent of various utilities in the 19 century, the wave of change began and st continues in the present day in the 21 century. It began in Berlin Ontario in the early years, when affluent home owners and progressive businesses converted to gas. In the late 1880’s horse drawn streetcars were the beginning of a public transit system. Gas Gas power was first introduced in Berlin in 1879, when Dominion Buttons Company, installed the first gas-lighting system. A few years later, the privately owned Berlin Gas Company, built a coal-burning plant on Gaukel Street to produce flammable gas. The Town installed street lights and several companies and households converted to gas. When the owners of the company wanted to sell, Berlin was willing to purchase the gas company as it had previously purchased the water company in 1898. The Town of Berlin took over running the Berlin Gas Company on June 1, 1903. The Berlin Light Commission was set up and gas and electric customers were served by the Commission. The commission began upgrading the utility’s system to provide a more reliable system to its customers. In 1920, the Kitchener Light Commission opened a modern gas production facility which was known as a carbureted water gas production plant. The new system ensured customers had a regular supply of gas. The gas plant was enlarged and upgraded in 1930. Architect B. A. Jones designed, the Kitchener Public Utilities Commission building which became the base for the gas, electric and transit operations. The stately art deco building built in the same style as the former City Hall, opened in 1933 and still stands today at the corner of Gaukel and King Streets. During the 1950’s, natural gas was moving east with the installation of the TransCanada pipeline. Many miles of new pipelines were laid in Kitchener to accommodate the use of natural gas. In 1958, natural gas was distributed to Kitchener customers and the old manufactured gas plant on Gaukel St. was dismantled. With the introduction of Regional government in 1973, gas distribution was no longer under the Kitchener Public Utilities Commission. Gas distribution became a division of the City of Kitchener under the name Kitchener Utilities. In 2003, Kitchener Utilities celebrated 100 years of Community Ownership. Today, Kitchener Utilities is a publicly owned utility which delivers natural gas and water to its citizens and maintains the city’s’ underground system of pumps, valves and pipes. Kitchener Utilities offers programs to help increase energy efficiency such as natural gas heater rentals, protection plans, financing and repair services on appliances. Public Transit The privately owned, Berlin Gas Company began running horse drawn streetcars in Berlin in 1887. June 13, 1889, the first street car ran between Waterloo and Berlin. From 1894 - 1906, the Berlin Street Railway began operating electric streetcars in replace of the horse drawn streetcars. The single car line that ran from Cedar Street (Bridgeport Rd.) in Waterloo to Scott Street in Berlin was extended to Albert Street (now Madison) where a new car barn and power house was built. In 1895, new electric cars were run. In 1902, service was extended to Bridgeport (which later annexed and became part of Kitchener), by the Berlin & Bridgeport Railway Company. The Berlin Light Commission took over the operation of the street railway system in 1907. In 1910, hydro-electric power from Niagara Falls was turned on in Berlin and on April 1, 1911 hydroelectric power was used for the street railway. In 1922, the first centre-exit steel cars were purchased. Gasoline powered buses provided cross town bus service beginning in 1939 run by the Public Utilities Commission. On December 27, 1946, 59 years after streetcar service began, a severe ice storm damaged to overhead wire, which caused the service to end a few days prematurely as repairs could not be justified when trolley service was to begin on January 1, 1947 using the new overhead electric lines. A new terminal building and operations base was erected in 1951 on King St. E. In 1967 the first diesel-powered buses were purchased. An exact cash fare system was implemented in 1971. With the advent of Regional Government in 1973, the City of Kitchener took over the running of the transit system from the Public Utilities Commission under the name Kitchener Transit. New larger buses were purchased to replace the trolley buses which ended their reign on March 26, 1973. In the mid 1970’s, more large buses were purchased to replace the smaller buses as they were phased out. A central transit terminal opened in 1974 on Duke Street and a new transit centre on Strasburg Rd. opened in 1976. By 1998 there were a fleet of 116 buses. The computer age arrived in 1982 with the introduction of Teleride, a computer system that allowed customers to phone the bus stop number and the computer system would inform them when the next bus was expected. The current transit terminal on Charles St. opened in 1988. Kitchener Transit merged with Cambridge Transit on January 1, 2000 becoming the newly created Grand River Transit (GRT) under the Region of Waterloo. Electricity In 1882, the Berlin Gas Company, a private firm, built a coal-burning plant on Gaukel Street to produce electricity. In 1903, the privately owned plant was taken over by the town. The founding fathers of Hydro in Ontario were Adam Beck, Daniel Snider and Elias Detweiler. These men believed that hydro-electric power would provide the least expensive power source which would support growth and prosperity in their community. They promoted electricity from Niagara Falls throughout southwestern Ontario. The Hydro-Electric Power Commission was founded in 1906 to build transmission lines to supply municipalities with power generated at Niagara Falls. It was a crown corporation and municipal cooperative and the first public-owned utility. The first chairman for the commission was Sir Adam Beck who was born in Baden Ontario, near Kitchener. He passionately believed that electricity should be made available and affordable for everyone not just the wealthy. Sir Adam Beck was on hand on October 11, 1910 when he turned on the switch to make Berlin the first town to receive hydro-electric power generated at Niagara Falls. Electricity for Berliners was distributed by the Berlin Light Commission from 1906-1916 and the Kitchener Light Commission from 1917-1924. In 1925 the Public Utilities Commission took over the distribution. A new office building for the commission opened in 1933 and still stands today. The building was a three-storey Art Deco building constructed with cut granite and sandstone, in the same style of the former City Hall. In 1978, the commission became the Hydro-Electric Commission of Kitchener – Wilmot and was incorporated in 2000. The current hydro headquarters was erected in 1985, with additions built in 1995 and 2004. This fonds consist of correspondence, historical information, blueprints, committee minutes, agreements, annual reports, financial information, contracts, photographs, videos, and drawings. The records consist of six series. Title based on contents of fonds. 1: Correspondence/Historical information – 1888 – 2011. 166cm This series consists of correspondence, reports, agreements, contracts, insurance policies, and registers. An index is available in Appendix A. 2: Financial Information – 1908 – 1973. 70cm This series consists of ledgers, financial statements, and financial information. An index is available in Appendix B. 3: Committee Minutes – 1886 – 1961. 117cm This series consists of minutes of standing committees and special committees. An index is available in Appendix C. 4: Blueprints/Drawings – 1918 – 1995. 16cm This series consists of blueprints and drawings of facilities and Public Utilities Commission building. An index is available in Appendix D. 5: Photographs/Videos/Film – 1908 – 1991. 17cm This series consists of photographs, videos and film of the Public Utilities Commission and Transportation Centre. An index is available in Appendix E. 6: Annual Reports – 1910 – 1995. 14cm This series consists of annual reports of the Utilities, Transportation and Railway of the City of Kitchener. An index is available in Appendix F. Appendix A Series 1: Correspondence Title Date Volume/Item Box Correspondence 1966 1-3 9907 Canadian Transit Association 1961 1-4 9907 brief Public Utilities Commission 1967-1969 1-5 9907 files P. U. C., Gas Division 1905 1-6 9907 operation review Kitchener & Waterloo Street 1930-1954 1-7 9907 Railway (fuel needs) Kitchener & Waterloo Street 1928-1933 1-8 9907 Railway (maintenance) Proceedings of American 1948 2-1 9908 Transit Assoc. Proceedings of Canadian 1921-1956 2-3 9908 Electric Railway Assoc. Agreements of P.U.C. 1957-1966 3-1 9913 Construction Contract – 1958-1967 3-2 9913 Natural Gas Pipeline Proposal for Specifications – 1958 3-3 9913 P.U. C. Report – Gas Department 1957 3-4 9913 Operating and Maintenance 1961-1970 3-5 9913 Procedures Gas System Changeover 1958 3-6 9913 Report Miscellaneous 1916-1924 3-7 9913 Correspondence 1912-1924 3-8 9913 Proposals 1913-1924 3-9 9913 Contracts 1912-1924 3-10 9913 Gas Dept. Insurance Policies 1962-1970 3-11 9913 American Gas Assoc. Gas 1972 4-1 9915 Industry Training Directory Proceedings National 1970 4-2 9915 Conference Kitchener Utilities 100 years 2006 4-4 9915 Public Transit Studies 1971-1972 4-5 9915 Transit 1894-1922 4-9 9915 Waterloo Transportation 1971 4-10 9915 Franchise Agreement Correspondence 1961-1971 4-11 9915 Miscellaneous 1959-1966 4-12 9915 Coach Line Material & Care n.d. 4-14 9915 Equipment Brochure Transportation Peter Barnard 1971-1972 5-1 9917 Study Union Agreements 1944-1971 5-2 9917 Agreement – City of Waterloo 1946-1971 5-4 9917 & P.U.C. Transportation Special Reports 1968-1972 5-5 9917 Miscellaneous 1954-1972 5-7 9917 Transportation Department 1954-1964 5-8 9917 Monthly reports Transportation Department 1958-1975 5-9 9917 Insurance Policies Miscellaneous 1918-1924 5-10 9917 B.F. Goodrich Gas Agreement 1960-1970 6-1 9919 Gas Department Monthly 1954-1968 6-2 9919 Reports P.U.C. history 1958-1969 6-3 9919 Agreements 1929-1953 6-4 9919 Union Gas Company 1954-1972 6-5 9919 Natural Gas 1955-1958 6-6 9919 Ontario Fuel Board 1954-1962 6-9 9919 Trans-Canada Pipe Lines 1951-1955 6-11 9919 Miscellaneous 1957-1968 6-14 9919 Miscellaneous Gas Reports 1968-1973 6-15 9919 Gas Department Information 1945-1968 6-16 9919 St. Mary’s General Hospital 1970-1972 6-18 9919 Gas Sales Contract B & W Heat Treating Co. 1966-1970 6-19 9919 Waterloo Public Utilities 1957-1958 6-20 9919 Commission Agreement Ontario Natural 1957 6-22 9919 Gas Storage and Pipelines Ltd. Annual Statements Gas 1929-1972 6-23 9919 Department Newspaper Article - Transit 1976 7-1 10937 Coach Material 1945-1959 12-1 12729 Textual Material 1907-1918 14-1 12721 Gas Department Work Order 1948-1972 16-1 12748 Summary Work Order Summary – Bus 1942-1969 20-1 12744 Department Kitchener Wilmot Hydro 1915-1967 29-1 10141 Kitchener Utilities 2003-2011 31-1 11193 Pumping Register 1888-1898 36-1 13606 Ontario Hydro History 1956-1998 37-1 11193 Kitchener Gas Works 1906 37-2 11193 Berlin & Waterloo/Wellington 1888-1947 39-1 10142 Street Railway By-Laws Agreements 1907-1987 40-1 8118 Transit/Terminal 1980-1990 81-1 12598 data/studies/options Transit Mall/Terminal studies 1978-1993 82-1 12610 Plans – Downtown 1983-10987 83-1 8098 Transportation Centre Newspaper Articles 1988-1994 84-1 10934 P.U.C. Building Administration 1984-1987 85-1 10169 Appendix B Series 2: Financial Information Title Date Volume/Item Box Billing book for transportation 1962-1969 1-1 9907 Gas accounts receivable 1967-1968 1-2 9907 Miscellaneous 1946-1969 4-3 9915 Bank Statements 1961-1973 4-6 9915 Debentures 1964-1972 4-7 9915 Financial Statements (Gas and 1947-1972 4-8 9915 Transportation) Financial Information P.U.C. 1962 4-13 9915 Union Gas Company 1954-1966 6-6 9919 Natural Gas 1955-1958 6-7 9919 Ontario Fuel Board 1954-1962 6-8 9919 Gas Budget 1970 6-10 9919 Gas 1913 6-12 9919 Miscellaneous 1957-1968 6-13 9919 Gas Department 1965-1969 6-21 9919 Transportation Department 1946-1973 8-1 12703 Ledger Ledger – Bus Division 1970-1972 9-1 12711 Railway Ledger 1917-1925 10-1 12716 Transportation Department 1967-1972 11-1 12701 Ledger Street Railway Ledger 1942-1947 13-1 12708 Berlin & Waterloo Street 1914-1923 15-1 12726 Railway Ledger Gas Department Ledger 1942-1973 17-1 12738 Cash Voucher Ledger -1924-1965 18-1 12747 Transportation Gas Department Transfer 1942-1970 19-1 12741 Ledger Street Railway Ledger 1921-1941 21-1 12727 Transfer Ledger- Street 1919-1939 22-1 12733 Railway Department Berlin Light Commission 1913-1915 23-1 12714 Ledger- Gas Department Berlin Light Commission 1919-1924 24-1 12707 Ledger – Street Railway Department Berlin Light Commission 1919-1923 25-1 12713 Daybook Ledger – Street Railway Department Berlin Light Commission 1923-1929 26-1 12706 Daybook Ledger – Street Railway Department Berlin Light Commission 1908-1914 27-1 12712 Daybook Ledger- Street Railway Department Transportation Transfer 1947-1970 28-1 12745 Ledger Journal of the Town Planning 1909-1919 35-1 13511 Institute Appendix C Series 3: Committee Minutes Title Date Volume/Item Box Minutes of Standing 1911-1912 41-1 10127 Committees Minutes of Standing 1913-1914 42-1 11060 Committees Standing Committee Minutes & 1915-1916 43-1 11058 Reports Standing Committee Minutes & 1917-1918 44-1 11056 Reports Railway and Traffic 1917-1941 45-1 11054 Committees Standing Committee Minutes & 1919-1922 46-1 11057 Reports Standing Committee Minutes & 1922-1923 47-1 11055 Reports Standing Committee Minutes & 1924-1925 48-1 11053 Reports Standing Committee Minutes & 1926-1927 49-1 13000 Reports Standing Committee Minutes & 1928-1929 50-1 12096 Reports Standing Committee Minutes & 1930-1931 51-1 12092 Reports Standing Committee Minutes & 1932-1933 52-1 12090 Reports Standing Committee Minutes & 1934-1935 53-1 12097 Reports Standing Committee Minutes & 1936-1937 54-1 12093 Reports Standing Committee Minutes & 1938-1939 55-1 12089 Reports Standing Committee Minutes & 1940-1941 56-1 12086 Reports Standing Committee Minutes & 1942-1943 57-1 12082 Reports Railway & Traffic Committees1942-1949 58-1 12078 Standing Committee Minutes 1944-1945 59-1 12076 & Reports Standing Committee Minutes 1946-1947 60-1 12083 & Reports Standing Committee Minutes 1948-1949 61-1 12079 & Reports Standing Committee Minutes 1950-1951 62-1 12077 & Reports Railway and Traffic 1950-1952 63-1 12074 Committees Standing Committee Minutes 1952 64-1 12072 & Reports Fire & Light and Railway & 1953 65-1 12070 Traffic Committees Fire & Light and Railway & 1954 66-1 12066 Traffic Committees Fire & Light and Railway & 1955 67-1 12062 Traffic Committees Railway & Traffic Committees 1955-1958 68-1 12073 Fire & Light and Railway & 1956 69-1 12069 Traffic Committees Fire & Light and Railway & 1957 70-1 12063 Traffic Committees Fire & Light Committees 1958 71-1 12061 Railway & Traffic Committees 1959 72-1 12056 Fire & Light Committees 1959 73-1 12054 Fire & Light Committees 1960 74-1 12050 Railway & Traffic Committees 1960 75-1 12048 Fire & Light Committees 1961 76-1 12057 Railway & Traffic Committees 1961 77-1 12055 Berlin Fire & Water – Minutes 1886-1911 78-1 12051 & Reports Berlin Fire & Light Committee 1900-1908 79-1 12036 Minutes Appendix D Series 4: Blueprints/Drawings Title Date Volume/Item Box Blueprints 1918-1924 5-11 9917 Gas Department Information 1945-1968 6-17 9919 Kitchener Transit Route Guide 1995 29-2 10141 Public Utilities Commission 1932-1961 32-1 11447 Building Facility Drawings 1946 38-1 13889 Appendix E Series 5: Photographs/Videos/Film Title Date Volume/Item Box Official Opening Kitchener 1984 30-1 10140 Wilmot Hydro P.U.C. film 1946-1953 34-1 13442 Hydro photograph n.d. 37-3 11193 Acrylic reproduction on marble 1908 80-1 13067 – Preston & Berlin Railway Concept Photographs 1983-1985 81-2 12598 Transit Mall photographs 1984-1991 82-2 12610 Appendix F Series 6: Annual Reports Title Date Volume/Item Box Berlin and Waterloo Street 1910-1915 1-9 9907 Railway Kitchener and Waterloo Street 1916-1920 1-10 9907 Railway Committees & Canadian 1948 2-2 9908 Transit Assoc. Transportation Annual 1940-1972 5-3 9917 Statements Transportation 1970-1972 5-6 9917 Annual Report – Public Works 1995 33-1 14387 Department