Canada's most unloved and least known big city

flar · #1 Posted **Sep 7, 2012, 3:25 PM**

Digging into the archives, here are a bunch of pics from about 2006-07, a lot of these are from before I had a DSLR.

(Click to enlarge)

Beedok · #2 Posted **Sep 7, 2012, 3:35 PM**

Lovely! Totally makes me homesick.

isaidso · #3 Posted **Sep 7, 2012, 4:00 PM**

Always nice to see threads on Hamilton. I'm surprised that Hamilton just doesn't seem to share in the prosperity right next door. I guess Hamilton will prosper eventually. It's just bizarre that it seems to flat line like it does.

xzmattzx · #4 Posted **Sep 7, 2012, 4:25 PM**

Nice pictures! I think I remember some of these, but it's good to see them again.

What do you know about the Hamilton Port Authority? Where is it and when was it built? I also wanted to know the same about the Custom House. Finally, what is that building at James & Mulberry?

I love your summer pictures along the waterfront. Some time, I think you should do a composite thread of pictures in different cities, towns, and places on Lake Ontario, and showcase the waterfronts instead of the cities.

matt602 · #5 Posted **Sep 7, 2012, 4:29 PM**

Amazing to see the changes that have happened over the last 6 years. The King William shot would be completely different now with the restored Lister Block, streetscaping, loss of 2 buildings, Homegrown Hamilton patio. I think on the whole downtown has definitely improved a lot but we have also had some losses. Poor Lyric Theatre.

flar · #6 Posted **Sep 7, 2012, 5:05 PM**

@isaidso: Hamilton is now doing quite well economically, it just hasn't translated much to the lower city, and especially downtown--yet. But there are finally a few big projects happening downtown, with actual shovels in the ground. Small condos projects are popping up, with actual buildings being renovated and built. I still think it will be a long time before there is a wholesale change of fortune for downtown Hamilton.

Like Matt602 says, there are still a lot of historic buildings being lost. And there is still a negative mentality and unwillingness by the city to make simple changes for the better (like eliminating now-unecessarily-huge one-way streets through residential areas that were built to move thousands of factory workers quickly through the city)

@xzmattzx: Custom House and the Port Authority are in the North end. They're both tucked away in places you won't notice them. Custom House is on Stuart St. between MacNab and Bay. The Port Authority building is a beauty, located at the very end of James North near the West Harbour. The big building at James and Mulberry is the Armoury, where the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry is based. So basically there is an army base in the middle of the arts district.

Urbanguy · #7 Posted **Sep 8, 2012, 1:17 AM**

Those street level shots are fantastic! Thanks for sharing.

volguus zildrohar · #8 Posted **Sep 8, 2012, 1:36 AM**

Oh, come on. What's not to love?

Dr Awesomesauce · #9 Posted **Sep 8, 2012, 1:58 AM**

Man, that seems like a very long time ago...a lifetime ago for me.

I think the fortunes of DT Hamilton have been summed up pretty well already. There has been some improvement, though outside of James North, I'm not sure much of any worth has occurred. And yes, for every step forward the downtown makes, there's a step back - or two - in the form of demolished heritage.

Basically, what inhibits Hamilton's progress is a largely ignorant and status-quo loving City council and a populous that is only too happy to oblige.

whatsthepoint13 · #10 Posted **Sep 8, 2012, 2:06 AM**

There is quite a nice variety in here. Man, Hamilton has missed you! Thanks for the tour.

DetroitSky · #11 Posted **Sep 8, 2012, 4:19 AM**

Well, that was amazing.

Centropolis · #12 Posted **Sep 8, 2012, 4:40 AM**

all hail the hammer!

mhays · #13 Posted **Sep 8, 2012, 4:48 AM**

I got all the way through this thinking it was Ottawa. Only in the comments did I find otherwise. Though I did think Ottawa was looking a lot like Hamilton based on another thread. If I'd thought about it the lack of capitol stuff should have tipped me off...

If I'm any indication, Ottawa is known in the US for being the capital but not much else. I was surprised to hear it's over a million people or 1.5 or whatever.

Hamilton I never heard about until SSP, aside from misc. looking at maps and presumably occasional references that didn't stick. As usual for Canada, impressive number of downtown apartment highrises.

Private Dick · #14 Posted **Sep 8, 2012, 4:51 AM**

Hamilton depresses the hell out of me for some reason... very familiar in a foreign sort of way.

Great pics

isaidso · #15 Posted **Sep 8, 2012, 5:01 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Private Dick

Hamilton depresses the hell out of me for some reason... very familiar in a foreign sort of way.

Great pics

I can see that, but it has the complete opposite effect on me every time I'm there. Living in Toronto, it's refreshing going to a city like Hamilton where the people are real, down to earth, and say hello to you.

On that note, going to cheer on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (founded in 1869) at Skydome tomorrow with my football league. Oskie Wee Wee! Thought this was amusing:

Razor · #16 Posted **Sep 8, 2012, 1:22 PM**

Great shots Flar!..These pics truly did remind me of Ottawa until the Dofasco sign give-away.The two cities share a lot of the same housing styles..Like a lot of the Great lakes/Eastern older cities, Hamilton definitely has character which is something you just can't plan...I challenge you to pull a "Mr. John" on Hamilton and Ottawa sometime Flar If that's possible.

Private Dick · #17 Posted **Sep 8, 2012, 5:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by isaidso

I can see that, but it has the complete opposite effect on me every time I'm there. Living in Toronto, it's refreshing going to a city like Hamilton where the people are real, down to earth, and say hello to you.

Oh, I like Hamilton... I grew up not too far away. There's just a certain sad beauty that exists in this area of the US/Canada that is familiar and comforting, but also depressing for some reason.

Mister F · #18 Posted **Sep 8, 2012, 5:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by isaidso

I can see that, but it has the complete opposite effect on me every time I'm there. Living in Toronto, it's refreshing going to a city like Hamilton where the people are real, down to earth, and say hello to you.

Am I the only one who notices absolutely no difference between how friendly people are between the two cities? People say hi to me when I'm in Toronto all the time.

Austinlee · #19 Posted **Sep 8, 2012, 6:02 PM**

Winnepeg? Edmonton? Oh.. Hamilton!

Whirlwind tour of the city. Nice work.

flar · #20 Posted **Sep 8, 2012, 6:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Razor

Great shots Flar!..These pics truly did remind me of Ottawa until the Dofasco sign give-away.The two cities share a lot of the same housing styles..Like a lot of the Great lakes/Eastern older cities, Hamilton definitely has character which is something you just can't plan...I challenge you to pull a "Mr. John" on Hamilton and Ottawa sometime Flar If that's possible.

Some of the buildings are similar, but I don't think anyone could mistake the two cities on the ground. They're built very differently.

Hamilton neighbourhoods are jam packed grids with uniform houses; Ottawa is irregular and eclectic.

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Here's a bit of a synopsis of the notable districts around Hamilton:

Lock St South:

Ottawa Street (Textile District):

Hess Village:

Westdale Village:

Barton Village:

Concession Street:

The Delta:

Corktown:

Kenilworth Ave:

James North:

Old Stoney Creek:

Dundas:

King East: