Hamilton is a big city. It’s also a small town. It’s also a suburb. It’s also farmland.
Hamilton has beautiful, walkable heritage neighbourhoods in the lower city that surround the core, such as Corktown and Durand, post-war suburbs on the Mountain, and idyllic streets within the small towns of Ancaster, Dundas, Stoney Creek and Waterdown.
Hamilton is also huge picturesque rural swaths in Flamborough and Glanbrook.
It’s all Hamilton – a city of communities. In fact, the city features more than 200 designated neighbourhoods.
“Each neighbourhood has its own flavour, personality and history. We can easily say that there is something that would appeal to everyone in Hamilton,” says Judy Lam, manager of commercial districts and small business for Economic Development at the City of Hamilton.
From east to west and north to south, Hamilton is a dynamic, creative, culturally and economically diverse place. It offers an enviable quality of life, a heart and soul and an authenticity that few cities can rival.
Thousands of units in interesting condo and rental developments are on the rise in downtown Hamilton, which is also home to a growing list of one-of-a-kind restaurants, art galleries, entertainment venues and boutique shopping, many in beautifully restored historic buildings.
A huge investment in the Downtown Entertainment Precinct, along with a future light-rail transit line, are part of the ongoing transformation of Hamilton’s downtown.
“There is an energy and excitement that is drawing so many to the downtown. Hamilton is building toward its future,” says Lam.
“We are very fortunate to see developers in our city building a mix of rentals and condos. Hamilton’s housing mix is very strong.”
Hamilton’s waterfront will also soon be home to a vibrant community, while newly built suburban subdivisions are appealing to everyone from young families to empty nesters.
Across the city are neighbourhoods surrounding bustling business improvement areas and dining and shopping corridors, including James Street, Ottawa Street, Locke Street, Concession Street and Westdale.
Here are some highlights of the six major communities that make up Hamilton:
ANCASTER – home to some of the most beautiful homes and streets in Hamilton. Established in 1792, it is also one of the most historic communities in Canada. Ancaster features gracious older homes, new subdivisions, a large power centre, Redeemer University, museums, waterfalls and the Hamilton Golf and Country Club, which has hosted the Canadian Open several times.
DUNDAS is a beautiful valley town bounded north and south by two sides of the Niagara Escarpment with Cootes Paradise wetlands on the east and conservation lands to the west. It boasts a beautiful downtown streetscape that epitomizes small-town charm, along with gorgeous historic homes.
FLAMBOROUGH is made up of more than 15 communities over its 191 square miles, including urban Waterdown and more rural areas such as Greensville. It is surrounded by conservation and recreation areas and scenic waterfalls and is home to the African Lion Safari, one of Ontario’s key tourist attractions, along with major employment parks.
GLANBROOK is largely rural but includes the towns of Binbrook and Mount Hope. It houses the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport and major industrial, logistics and agrifood employers. Major new housing developments are attracting young families.
HAMILTON has a long and fascinating history and is enjoying a renaissance as a city built on education, health care, technology and the arts. The city is bisected into its upper and lower halves by the Niagara Escarpment or the Mountain to Hamiltonians. The escarpment is a 90-metre cliff, which is a World Biosphere Reserve. Thanks to the escarpment, and the rivers, streams and creeks that plunge over it, Hamilton is known as “the city of waterfalls.”
Though Hamilton was founded and flourished on industry, the city also has hundreds of parks, green spaces and conservation areas. Its major cultural amenities include the Art Gallery of Hamilton, the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, Theatre Aquarius, a range of museums, and FirstOntario Centre and FirstOntario Concert Hall. There are hundreds of festivals and events, including Supercrawl that attracts hundreds of thousands to James Street North.
McMaster University is a globally recognized institution, Redeemer University, a private Christian university, just celebrated its 40th anniversary and Mohawk College is a key pipeline of talent for the city’s employers, the largest of them being the renowned Hamilton Health Sciences. McMaster Innovation Park in the city’s west end is emerging as a key anchor of Canada’s Innovation Corridor.
STONEY CREEK is another area within the City of Hamilton with a deep history. It is home to a charming village, well-established neighbourhoods and the Battle of Stoney Creek National Historical Site. Stoney Creek sits both above and below the escarpment. A mix of housing options is being built in upper Stoney Creek, while lower Stoney Creek features strong employment corridors along the QEW, along with an enviable and gorgeous lakefront.
