A trailer has been released for an upcoming documentary about the effects of the development of the ION system on the Region of Waterloo.
Growing Up: The Story of ION Light Rail in Waterloo Region is also intended to tell the story behind the project, which was first approved by regional council seven years ago.
“We have a strong history here in the region of planning for the future, of making the right decisions to ensure we leave behind a community that is economically sound for future generations,” Coun. Tom Galloway said in a statement. “ION light rail is already a major part of Waterloo Region’s story, and this documentary captures that narrative.”
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Those who hear the narration in the trailer may detect a hint of an Irish accent. That voice actually belongs to TJ Flynn, ION’s community relations manager.
“The documentary is about the shaping the community element of light rail transit,” he explained.
He hopes the documentary will create a time capsule of ION’s effect on Kitchener, Waterloo and the whole region.
“We wanted to capture that this is such an important moment in the community’s history and we felt that a full-length documentary was the best way to do that,” Flynn said.
He says that a “small team” has been slowly piecing the documentary together for three years now.
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Flynn describes the project as a “labour of love,” as he has resided in the region for close to five years, and is proud of his new home and its future.
“I’m amazed at how much the community has changed over the past five years,” he said.
The documentary is not finished yet and Flynn says they are unsure when it will be released.
“We are looking at several options surrounding the documentary,” he said.