As part of its vision to support the future growth of Waterloo Region’s creative culture, HIP Developments will devote five floors of its latest development project in Uptown Waterloo to growing and celebrating creative culture in Waterloo Region.
LAUNCH Waterloo will be a community focused space designed to become a location where creativity, curiosity and innovation thrive. LAUNCH will provide STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) programming, host events for kids, youth and adults, and connect STEAM initiatives throughout our community.
The vision for the space includes creative exploration spaces, opportunities to showcase Waterloo Region’s STEAM success stories, and uniquely designed program space for new models of outreach to all ages.
“Waterloo Region is known for innovation” said Scott Higgins, President of HIP Developments. “It takes creativity to be innovative. Whether you are an artist, an engineer or a chef, it’s your creativity that makes you successful. We want to build a place that fosters creativity and sparks curiosity. We want to create a space where our children can imagine the next big thing. We want to take the creative culture we have here in our region and take it to the next level. I see LAUNCH as building a unique culture that breeds more creativity and confidence in our children.”
Modelling its STEAM program after minor sports, LAUNCH Waterloo aims to build on a model that has generated superstars and has become part of the fabric of Canadian culture. The programs at LAUNCH Waterloo will build an infrastructure similar to hockey arenas found across the country.
Children will enrol in seasons of STEAM programming. Just like gymnastics, dance, hockey or soccer programs, LAUNCH Waterloo programs will run throughout the year fostering children’s creativity and curiosity over time. Teams, divisions and tournaments will grow as enrolments grow building a community of STEAM enthusiasts.
“We build hockey arenas everywhere across Canada. It’s our culture. We rally around our kids and their games in hopes of the next star coming from our hometown,” says Higgins. “We need to put the same effort and structure into the things that will matter most in the future – creative thinking and STEAM. We need to be build our arena of creativity and support it with the programming, mentorship, team building and volunteerism we see in minor sports. Imagine our children being the stars of the innovation economy and changing the world from right here at home.”
LAUNCH Waterloo will be located in HIP Developments' latest project, STRATA, at the corner of King Street and Bridgeport Road in Uptown Waterloo.
On May 12, LAUNCH Waterloo will be getting an early start in engaging the community with “LAUNCH DAY” - a STEAM-filled event for students in grades 6 through 8. LAUNCH Day will feature role models from across Waterloo Region, hands-on activities and a STEAM show.
LAUNCH Day will inspire students to explore a variety of options as they look towards high school and beyond. The event will be held at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI).
More information on LAUNCH Day is available at launchwaterloo.ca.
About LAUNCH Waterloo
Inspired by Waterloo's tech and arts culture, LAUNCH Waterloo will provide STEAM-powered programming to harness the creativity and curiosity of our young people. With a bold objective to build a place that will foster a creative culture in the heart of Uptown Waterloo, LAUNCH will curate and collaborate on programming in STEAM: science, technology, engineering, arts and math. STEAM programs help raise creative problem-solvers - no matter what area of study or profession young people choose. launchwaterloo.ca
About HIP Developments
HIP Developments - dream big, stay creative, lead... passionately building more than just real estate. hipdevelopments.com
Media Contacts
Scott Higgins President, HIP Developments P: 886 - 8855 x 101 E: scott@hipdevelopments.com
Tobi Day-Hamilton Co-founder, LAUNCH Waterloo P: 519-590-3551 E: tobi@launchwaterloo.ca
