Who’s YOUR City? Blog

I moved to Hamilton in 2004, from Toronto. Born and raised in the east end of Toronto; but after 50 years, I saw the destruction of its history and grand structures, for the sake of profit. We know if there is no trace of where we came from, we cannot truly move forward. It could have been much more than what it is.

Hamilton is rather hidden from those that pass it, by the thousands, on the nearby Burlington Skyway bridge. From the Skyway, it seems dominated only the chimneys of the steel industries. The city beyond is a vast lush, green area, populated by fabulous older, solid, well-designed brick houses, from the turn of the last century. It has over 100 documented waterfalls. In the first months of shopping at the local super markets, I noticed many over-flowing containers for local food banks; a similar generosity, I never witnessed in Toronto. Apparently Hamilton does not have an affluent reputation, but it is obvious to me that generosity is very much a part of Hamiltonians. My small two-story brick house is near a very large, beautiful public park. It is very similar in street-scape and house styles to the Beaches in Toronto, but one third the price. It seems to me, Hamilton still has a visible architectural heritage that Toronto lost over the past forty years. This town is great, and I foresee a varied, strong and diverse community, rising from what used to be only a steel town.

Sent by Doug from Hamilton

Having lived in several creative cities I would have to say that Hamilton, ON (where we now live) compares favorably. Things I like: access to nature, gritty industrial past and future, easy access to Toronto (which is a very open, creative city), zero social pretension, friendly neighbours, the Niagara Escarpment, waterfalls, Lake Ontario, and enormous potential to take photographs of all of the above and upload them onto Flickr!

Sent by Michael from Hamilton, ON, Canada

I live in Hamilton. I moved from Vancouver to Hamilton. I love how everything in Hamilton is hidden by the gritty nature of the steeltown and the working class nature. What people don’t easily see is how beautiful and creative Hamilton is.

Sent by Ian from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada