Walser funeral home expansion issue deferred again

A vote on the proposal to expand the Henry Walser Funeral Home in Kitchener has been deferred again, to the Feb. 27 council meeting.

The issue was to be discussed this coming Monday at council, following a deferral at a committee meeting earlier this month.

In an email sent this week to those who’ve provided written comments or had spoken at the committee meeting, interim planning director Garett Stevenson said the applicant had asked for another deferral, and that all parties needed more time to review options.

The proposal to expand the funeral home and install a crematorium would demolish nearby homes owned by Walser on Becker Street for more parking.

Tenants in the Becker Street properties pay affordable rents. At the Jan. 9 meeting, councillors heard from 12 delegations, all opposed to the expansion plan and the displacement of the tenants.

Councillors asked city staff to return with more information on how the expansion could proceed without tearing down those homes, including amending parking rules.