Berlin Ablaze!

Fires have the power to transform a city in both subtle and dramatic ways. See how downtown Kitchener has changed as the result of some historic fires.

Berlin (Kitchener) Firehall 1913

Fires have the power to shape a city’s history and development in dramatic ways. Our early city of Berlin, and present-day Kitchener, suffered fires that destroyed barns, several hotels, an auditorium, a church, and one that destroyed almost an entire block!

Hear about Kitchener’s most famous fire, its most damaging fire, narrow escapes, the history of firefighting, and some stories of those who fought the fires.

Led by: Todd Bowman

Accessibility: The walk follows city sidewalks and the route is adapted around construction.

Berlin Ablaze Walking Tour Details

Of course, we have the obligatory Liability Waiver and Release form that must be signed by each person in advance of joining the walk.  Why a waiver for a walking tour, you ask? Couldn’t get insurance without it. Stroll pays insurance… you sign the waiver. 

A sense of curiosity, a few questions and a willingness to learn something you didn’t know before.

Of course, dress for the weather; bring a hat, water bottle, umbrella, solid walking shoes (no flip flops!) and anything else you need to be comfortable on the walk. 

We walk rain or shine or snow! 

However, we do heed storm watches and warnings and would never put you in danger. Stroll may cancel and reschedule a walk due to an issued weather advisory. 

We don’t make scheduled bathroom breaks along the walking route. Please attend to personal needs before or after the walking tour. 

Twice a year Stroll hosts a series of public walking tours in the spring and fall. Make sure you are on the Stroll newsletter list so you know when they are available! 

Absolutely! The walking tour guides have chosen routes with the best possible accessibility in order to accommodate as many people as possible. However, construction happens and we do our best to re-route safely.

If you have any questions about the accessibility of a specific walk, please contact us in advance of booking. 

We’ll say it again… Always arrive 10-15 minutes ahead of time! If you arrive exactly at departure time, you’re already late! If you arrive really late, your walking tour will likely be shorter than you planned for. 

Public Tours: We start on time so you might miss the introduction. If you’re really late, you might miss the tour if we’ve already moved on. 

We know you’re a curious bunch so we’ve been preparing blog posts with additional resources from many of the walking tours. Happy reading!

My stepfather was a 35 plus year member of our Kitchener-Fire Department. It was interesting to learn about all the fires that have occurred in either downtown Berlin or downtown Kitchener. Most have been quite devastating. If you interested in history, want to learn more about our wonderful city - highly recommend a stroll with Stroll Tours. We had a lot a fun and we learned alot.
Donna D.

NEW STROLL! St. Jacobs Market Food Tour BOOK NOW ⟶

X