Seventy-five years of work is not defined by a single moment. It is shaped by the projects and partnerships that quietly changed how people live, gather, and connect.
As part of our 75th anniversary, we are looking back at the early work that helped shape WalterFedy. Not just as a practice, but as a way of thinking about community, design, and impact.
In the 1980s and early 1990s, our work was already expanding in both scale and complexity. The Combined Air Navigation Systems Facility at Ottawa International Airport, brought together active air traffic control, radar operations, and a dedicated research and experimentation centre within a single, highly specialized environment. One of only a few facilities of its kind in the world, it reflects an early ability to deliver complex, integrated infrastructure that supports both real-time operations and future innovation.
That same spirit of forward thinking extended into community spaces. The A.R. Kaufman Family YMCA, completed in 1982, introduced a new model for recreation. Moving beyond traditional institutional design, the facility brought together leisure, wellness, and social connection in a way that was ahead of its time. Decades later, it continues to evolve and serve the community.
At the same time, long-term partnerships were beginning to take shape. Our work with Conestoga Cold Storage began in the late 1970s with the design of an expansion that doubled the capacity of their Kitchener facility. The high rack structure, where the storage system also serves as the building’s frame, reflects a highly specialized and performance-driven approach to industrial design. Over the decades that followed, this relationship grew alongside Conestoga’s operations, with ongoing work across facilities in Kitchener, Mississauga, Montreal, and Calgary. It is a reflection of trust built over time, and a shared commitment to performance, reliability, and continuous evolution. Photo Courtesy of Conestoga Cold Storage 
This balance of performance and people carried into civic work. The Lindsay Community Policing Facility, completed in 1995, was designed to reflect both its function and its setting. Positioned alongside a historic park, library, and town hall, the building balances security with openness. Its scale, materials, and layout respond carefully to its surroundings while supporting the demands of a full-service police operation.
Looking back, these projects are more than milestones. They represent the foundation of a 75-year legacy shaped by community, context, and care.
This is where our story begins. And where the next 75 years take shape.