The Rise, Fall, and Potential Revival of Cambridge's Hespeler Road Fountain

CTV Newscast on the Fountain - https://www.ctvnews.ca/kitchener/article/should-a-cambridge-landmark-be-revitalized/ 

For over three decades, a distinctive waterfall fountain has stood at the corner of Hespeler Road and Pinebush Road in Cambridge, Ontario. Once a flowing landmark that softened the commercial sprawl of one of the city's busiest corridors, the fountains have sat dormant for years. But its story—from ambitious retail spectacle to neglected relic to potential civic treasure—reflects the changing face of Cambridge and the need for more persistent community advocacy.

The Knob Hill Farms Era (1991-2000)

The fountain's origins trace back to August 21, 1991, when Knob Hill Farms opened its massive "Food Terminal" at the Hespeler and Pinebush location.[1] At 340,000 square feet, this was the world's largest grocery store at the time, part of Knob Hill Farms' revolutionary approach to big-box retail that transformed Canadian grocery shopping.

The waterfall fountains were just decorative—it was a signature element of the Knob Hill Farms brand. Their Weston location featured a similar man-made waterfall with three structures that became so iconic it appeared at the end of their television commercials.[2] Built in the mid-1980s, the Cambridge fountain was designed as a gateway feature to the city, operating seasonally and adding an unexpected touch of tranquility to the bustling commercial intersection.

The Knob Hill Farms era came to an end in August 2000, when the chain closed all its stores after 47 years of operation.[3] The Cambridge site was sold and redeveloped, with Home Depot and Canadian Tire taking over portions of the property.

The Home Depot Years: From Operation to Abandonment (2001-2026)

When Home Depot inherited the fountains with the land purchase, they made an immediate change that diminished its appeal: they placed a large corporate sign in the middle of the waterfall feature. Still, the fountain continued to operate for several years, with water cascading among the rocks. Occasionally, pranksters would add soap to the water, causing it to bubble—a sight that brought smiles to weary drivers passing by.

The fountains were briefly revived by Home Depot after sitting dormant for some years, but following a change in store management, it shut down again and remained non-operational.[4] By 2014, the pumps had failed, and Home Depot cited expensive repairs as justification for leaving the fountain dry, despite the company's substantial financial resources—net profits of $14 billion in 2024 alone.

I wrote the first of my Letters (2014)

In 2014, I wrote a letter to the editor highlighting the sorry state of Hespeler Road—"one of the ugliest roads in Ontario"—with its strip malls, proliferation of signs, chain stores, and traffic gridlock. But he noted one redeeming feature: the waterfall fountain, which when working, "softens the nightmare of the road."

I challenged Home Depot's excuse that repairs were too expensive and called on the company to either fix the fountain or sell the land to the City of Cambridge. I advocated for removing the "ugly HOME DEPOT sign" and replacing it with a "Welcome to Cambridge" message, reclaiming the fountains as a civic landmark rather than corporate property. I wrote a couple more letters to the editor over the years, but it was the late Councillor Frank Monteiro who would take the lead in turning public concern into political action.

Political Momentum: Councillor Monteiro's Persistent Campaign (2018)

Cambridge Councillor Frank Monteiro took up the cause, becoming "like a dog with a bone" in his determination to restore the fountains. For months in 2018, Monteiro faced the cold shoulder from Home Depot's corporate offices. His frustration led him to speak publicly to the Cambridge Times about his inability to get anyone from the company's U.S. head office to engage.[4]

The publicity worked. Within a day and a half of the article's publication, Monteiro received calls and emails from Home Depot Canada's communications manager, and negotiations began in earnest.

By September 2018, talks between city staff and Home Depot had produced a tentative agreement. The terms were straightforward but politically complex: Home Depot would transfer the land to the city for $2, but they wanted to keep their corporate sign on the property.[4]

This created significant challenges. Municipal regulations don't typically allow corporate signage on city-owned property, and the city would need to develop a landscaping plan that incorporated the Home Depot sign in a way acceptable to both parties.

"There is going to have to be some compromises here," Monteiro said at the time. "We have to find that place in the middle of the road that we can both agree upon and I'm confident we can do that."[4]

Monteiro also explored alternative solutions if mechanical repairs proved too costly, including potentially working with Christie Digital to create a light show that would simulate running water—similar to what had been done with the old Galt post office.

However, the tentative deal required approval from the newly elected council following the October 2018 municipal election, with a staff report expected later that year. Unfortunately, despite Monteiro's tenacity, no final deal was reached, and the fountain remained dry.

The Long Silence (2018-2025)

For several years, the fountains issues seemed to fade from public discussion. The landmark continued to deteriorate, its dry basins and weathered rocks serving as a reminder of what once was—and what might have been.

Renewed Hope: A Fresh Push for Revival (2026)

Link to CTV news report - https://www.ctvnews.ca/kitchener/article/should-a-cambridge-landmark-be-revitalized/

In January 2026, more than a decade after my original letter and blog post trying to get the fountains saved and seven years after Monteiro's near-breakthrough, the fountains are back in the spotlight. A Cambridge councillor, Scott Hamilton has launched a new initiative to revitalize the landmark, sparking fresh hope that water may once again flow at this gateway to the city.[5]

The timing of this renewed interest is significant. As Cambridge continues to grow and grapple with questions of urban identity and quality of place, the fountain represents something increasingly valuable: a distinctive local landmark with history and character in a corridor dominated by generic chain retailers and parking lots.

Why the Fountain Matters

At first glance, fighting for a defunct fountains might seem quixotic. But the persistence of advocates like the late Councillor Frank Monteiro reflects something deeper about what communities need.

Hespeler Road, for all its commercial success, lacks soul. It's a textbook example of automobile-oriented development—hostile to pedestrians and cyclists, visually chaotic, and aesthetically monotonous despite the proliferation of competing signs and storefronts. The fountains, when operational, provided a rare moment of beauty and surprise in this landscape.

Hopefully, Home Depot will sell that section of the property to the City of Cambridge, remove their Home Depot sign, and get the fountains working again.

The Road Ahead

As of January 2026, the fountain's future remains uncertain. Key questions persist:

• Will the City of Cambridge and Home Depot finally reach an agreement on land transfer and signage?
• Can the mechanical systems be repaired, or will an alternative solution like digital projection be necessary?
• Will the new generation of city councillors prioritize this project?
• How will it be funded and maintained long-term?

What's clear is that the fountain's advocates have demonstrated remarkable persistence. From concerned citizens like myself writing letters in 2014 to Frank Monteiro's 2018 negotiations to the latest 2026 revival effort, the desire to restore this landmark has endured through multiple election cycles and changing city councils.

Conclusion: More Than Just a Fountain

The story of the Hespeler Road fountains is ultimately about community identity and the small battles that shape the character of our cities. It's about refusing to accept that commercial corridors must be uniformly ugly, that corporate interests always prevail over civic beauty, and that once something is lost, it's lost forever.

After 35 years of rising, falling, and waiting, perhaps the fountain's most important chapter is yet to come.

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References

1. Varga, D. (2000). "Knob Hill Farms closes all stores." Toronto Star, August 2000.
2. Historical accounts of Knob Hill Farms waterfall features at Weston and Cambridge locations, referenced in community discussions about the fountains' origins.
3. Varga, D. (2000). "Knob Hill Farms closes after 47 years." Toronto Star, August 2000.
4. Martin, R. (2018). "Tentative deal in the works for Cambridge fountains." Cambridge Times, September 27, 2018.
5. Simpson, K. (2026). "Should a Cambridge landmark be revitalized?" CTV News Kitchener, January 12, 2026. Available at: https://www.ctvnews.ca/kitchener/article/should-a-cambridge-landmark-be-revitalized/
6. Langan, P. (2014). Letter to the editor regarding Hespeler Road fountain. Cambridge Times, 2014.