The North Waterloo Region branch was formed in 1980, and serves five municipalities in the northern part of the Region of Waterloo: Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich Townships, and the cities of Kitchener and Waterloo. The North Waterloo Region branch is part of the larger provincial organization — Architectural Conservancy Ontario – which was founded in 1933. To learn more about the ACO's activities and resources, visit the provincial website here.



Through education and advocacy, the ACO encourages the conservation and reuse of structures, districts and landscapes of architectural, historical and cultural significance. The Branch logo shows the Governor’s House and Gaol, designated heritage buildings which have been conserved and adaptively re-used as the Provincial Offences Court. The 1852 Gaol is the oldest existing government building in Kitchener. Governor’s House was added in 1878 by local architect David W. Gingerich. ACO NWR members helped save the buildings from demolition in 1981, and assisted the Friends of the Governor’s House and Gaol to transform the former prisoners’ exercise yard into a millennium garden.

ACO North Waterloo Region Branch closes October 31, 2026

Important information about the closure of the branch

This website will be available until July 2027.


The province-wide ACO will continue and current members will be able to renew, but not as branch members; branch activities will cease


We encourage those who are interested in heritage preservation to consider joining the Waterloo Historical Society (https://www.whs.ca/). The WHS lists heritage preservation as one of its goals/mandates and many of ACO’s local members are already members of the WHS.


ACO will continue to work toward the goals of heritage preservation at a provincial level across Ontario


We thank all members and supporters of heritage preservation, past and present!


For further information, see statements from Marg Rowell, President of the ACO North Waterloo Region Branch and from Deb Crawford, President of the ACO Provincial Office and which explain the reasons for the closure.

Statement from Marg Rowell, President of the ACO North Waterloo Region Branch

Statement from Deb Crawford to ACO members