A hot afternoon, sweet treats and a curious crowd usually mean summer’s arrived in downtown Kitchener. But on Wednesday, they marked the beginning of something bigger.

Communitech opened its doors for a community Open House, inviting the public in for a first look at its refreshed Hub inside the historic Tannery building, a space that’s seen its share of reinvention over the past 170 years.

“The energy here is amazing,” said Tom Olajide, Communitech member and founder of MissionSync. “A lot of work has gone into this. It’s exciting to invite everyone else to come see.”

The Hub features bright new shared areas, meeting rooms, flexible hot desks, a weight room and a half basketball court. The idea is to offer a modern, flexible space where it’s easy to bump into ideas (and each other).

“It feels more community-focused,” said Jennifer Appleby Vines, CEO at Georgette Packaging, which has been using the coworking space at the Hub for the past two years. “You see people more often, you get to know faces around the building. They’re always putting on events and finding ways to bring tenants together.”

That sense of community connection is something the City of Kitchener has been building with Communitech for more than two decades. Founded in 1997, Communitech has called the Tannery in downtown Kitchener home since 2010, and the city has been a partner since the very beginning.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to see this new space that Communitech has opened in the Tannery in the heart of downtown Kitchener,” said Mayor Berry Vrbanovic, who dropped by the event. “We’ve been incredible partners since 1999. When I think back to everything that we’ve achieved, and then I think about all the possibilities going forward, there’s so much potential. The City of Kitchener is proud to continue being a partner, with our Digital Innovation Lab and other joint projects going forward.”

The Open House was a casual, drop-in event featuring tours, meet-and-greets with the Communitech team and the new CEO, Sheldon McCormick, and a look at the founder-first programs that help local companies grow and scale.

Visitors also explored the Hub’s newly themed spaces, each with its own vibe and purpose. On the first floor, ‘The Pit’, is a reimagined version of the former Velocity Garage, which now features open-concept workspaces, meeting rooms and a fitness space. Upstairs, ‘The Lab’ on the second floor is all about collaboration, with coworking areas, meeting rooms, and yes, the beloved ping-pong table is still holding court. And on the third floor, ‘The Launch Pad’ lives up to its name, housing private workspaces and the Communitech team as they help founders take flight.

“Communitech truly is at the heart of our community,” said Christine Frim, Supervisor of Marketing and Communications at the Children and Youth Planning Table of Waterloo Region, who stopped by the Open House. “Throughout my time working in the building, I’ve met lots of amazing people, participated in fun events, and learned so much. It’s wonderful to be a part of the energy at this Open House today, and to see everyone experiencing that same connection I feel to Communitech.”

Communitech supports more than 1,000 innovation companies, from startups to scale-ups and global giants. That founder-first mindset was on full display at the Open House.

“I'm an early-stage founder and I love networking,” said Shreyonshi Mishra, founder of Saga, and a Communitech Startup Bootcamp graduate. “Community has played a pivotal role in my life, in connecting with the right people.”

Interested in checking out the new space? Connect with us here.