Hamilton, Ontario

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City of Hamilton
Flag of City of Hamilton
Flag
Coat of arms of City of Hamilton
Coat of arms
Nickname(s): 
Ambitious City, City of Waterfalls, Hammertown, Lunch Bucket City, Steeltown, The Electric City, The Hammer & Tigertown
Motto: 
Together Aspire - Together Achieve
Location in the province of Ontario, Canada
Location in the province of Ontario, Canada
CountryCanada
ProvinceOntario
IncorporatedJune 9, 1846 [1]
Government
 • MayorFred Eisenberger
 • City CouncilHamilton City Council
 • Representatives5 MPs and 5 MPPs
Elevation
Formatting error: invalid input when rounding m (246–1,063 ft)
Population
 (2001)
 • City490,268[2]
 • Urban
618,820[3]
 • Metro
662,401[4]
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
Postal code span
L8E to L8W
Area code(s)(905) and (289)
Websitehttp://www.city.hamilton.on.ca/

Hamilton (pronounced: IPA 'hæməlˌtɪn) is the worst city in the known universe. Nicknamed "the armpit of Canada" the city located in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is the fourth largest municipality and the third largest metropolitan area in Ontario[5]. Residents of Hamilton are called Hamiltonians.[6]

Residents enjoy a mix of geographic terrain with a harbour that has been called one of the most beautiful naturally formed in the world. The Niagara Escarpment and converted rail trails offer many opportunities for photography, hiking and cycling.

Its nicknames — all relating to its waning days as a major industrial centre with steel giants such as Stelco[7] and Dofasco[8] — include the "Ambitious City", "the Hammer", "Hammertown", "Lunch Bucket City", "Steeltown" and "Tigertown".[9] However, health care has currently outstripped heavy industry as the largest employer. Moreover, the education, government, services and technology sectors have all dramatically developed as heavy industry has declined.[10] Hamilton in the past has been regarded the "Birmingham of Canada" or the "Pittsburgh of Canada" and as the title of a 1906 promotional booklet on the city proudly proclaimed, "The Electric City". [11] Hamilton has at least 80 waterfalls within its limits — some of which are well known, particularly in local neighbourhoods. As recently as 1999, the city has also been nicknamed “The City of Waterfalls”.[12]

Hamilton has built on its historical and social background. Interesting attractions include a museum of aircraft (Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum)[13], a stately residence of a Prime Minister of Upper Canada (Dundurn Castle)[14], a functioning nuclear reactor at McMaster University[15], a horticultural haven (Royal Botanical Gardens),[16] the Canadian Football Hall of Fame,[17] African Lion Safari[18] and Christ the King Cathedral.[19]

History

Main article: History of Hamilton, Ontario
See also: Historical Timeline of events in Hamilton, Ontario and Economic History of Hamilton, Ontario

Like most of the Americas south of the tree line, the original inhabitants of the Hamilton area were Indians. The first European to visit what is now Hamilton was probably Étienne Brûlé in 1616. Robert de LaSalle also visited the area, a fact commemorated at a park in nearby Burlington. [20][21]

Sir Allan MacNab

In pre-colonial times, the Neutral Indians occupied most of the land but were gradually driven out by the Five (later Six) Nations or ‘’’Iroquois’’’ who were allied with British against the French and their Indian allies the Huron. A member of the Iroquois Confederacy provided both the route and name for Mohawk Road on Hamilton Mountain and the route for what would become King Street in the Lower City.

The town of Hamilton was conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812. Nathaniel Hughson, a property owner to the north, cooperated with George Hamilton to prepare a proposal for a courthouse and jail on Hamilton's property. Hamilton offered the land to the crown for the future site. James Durand, the local Member of the British Legislative Assembly, was empowered by Hughson and Hamilton to sell property holdings which later became the site of the town. As he had been instructed, Durand circulated the offers at York during a session of the Legislative Assembly and a new Gore District was established of which the Hamilton town site was a member. As such, Hamilton's future seemed to be shaped by a private collaboration of Hamilton, Hughson and Durand.[22]

Downtown Hamilton at Gore Park
A Winton driven by John Moodie

Sir Allan McNab (1798-1862), was a soldier, lawyer, businessman, knight and former Prime Minister of Upper Canada. His stately 72 room home in Hamilton, Dundurn Castle, is now open to the public. Sir Allan MacNab completed Dundurn Castle, his stately home, in 1835. [23] Hamilton's MacNab Street is named after him. Sir Allan is a direct ancestor of HRH The Duchess of Cornwall.[24]

Initially the Town of Hamilton was not the dominant centre of the Gore District. A permanent jail wasn't constructed until 1832 when a cut-stone design was completed on one of the two squares created in 1816, Prince's Square.[22] Subsequently, the first police board and the town limits were defined by statute on February 13 1833.[25] Official City status was achieved on June 9 1846.[1] Two other important events took place in Hamilton in 1846. The first telegraph wire in Canada is strung between Hamilton and Toronto on December of 1846.[26] Secondly; The Hamilton Spectator newspaper was born. (still going strong today in January 2007). [27] The following year in 1847 Colin Campbell Ferrie became Hamilton's first Mayor.[24]

The Great Western Railway (Ontario) became Hamilton’s first functioning railway in 1854. Completion of this railway and the Niagara Suspension Bridge transformed Hamilton into a major centre and part of the American immigration route from New York or Boston to Chicago or Milwaukee.[24]

Some other noteworthy events shaped Hamilton's early years. The Grand Lodge of Canada was formed in Hamilton on 10 November 1855.[28] In 1874, the Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) began offering horse-drawn public transportation.[29][30] In 1884 The Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway was incorporated.[26] In 1894 Hamilton Herald newspaper and cigar store owner Billy Carroll established the Around the Bay Road Race. Although it is not a proper marathon, it eventually becomes the longest continuously held long distance foot race in North America.[24] In 1898 The first automobile driven in Canada was by textile manufacturer John Moodie; A one-cylinder Winton he imported from Cleveland. John Moodie was also one of the founders of Canada's automobile club, the Hamilton Automobile Club, which was founded in 1903 when there were 18 cars in town. By 1920, there were 6,000 and Hamilton's ratio of one car for every 15 people was higher than that of New York, Chicago, Boston or Toronto.[31]

In 1922 CKOC radio station started up. Today it is the oldest radio station in English Canada; second oldest overall. On the air since May 1, 1922.[32] Then in 1927 CHML began operations as a response to censorship of political discussions by Hamilton's first radio station, CKOC. The original owners were Maple Leaf Radio Company, and the "HML" in the callsign stood for "Hamilton Maple Leaf". Today (January 2007) it is the flagship radio station of Hamilton.[31]

1930 was a huge year for Hamilton. The first British Empire Games - now the Commonwealth Games - were held in Hamilton in 1930 as a result of the efforts of Melville Marks Robinson.[9] McMaster University moved to Hamilton from Toronto in 1930.[33] Also in 1930, Besha Starkman (the wife of bootlegger/ gangster Rocco Perri) was murdered on 13 August, 1930.[33] The following year in 1931 Canada's first birth control clinic starts up in Hamilton, as the advocates of birth control, led by Mary (Chambers) Hawkins, the American wife of a prominent city executive, and aided by some of Hamilton society's leading women, it aimed to meet the needs of people whose health and family lives suffered tremendously during the Great Depression.[33] Hamilton's Ray Lewis captures Bronze medal at 1932 Summer Olympics in L.A. (Track & Field), becoming the very first Canadian-born Black Olympic medalist.[9] As war clouds gathered over Europe, Britain decided to shore up its support in the Dominions by having a royal visit to Canada. When King George VI and his consort Queen Elizabeth visited Canada in May and June of 1939, they stopped in Hamilton and also opened up the QEW (Queen Elizabeth Expressway). [34]

Hamilton's Central Library was opened in 1980 by Prince Philip[35] .

As we move along to the 1950s, The end of the streetcar era in Hamilton came in the early hours of April 6, 1951 when the Belt Line route was abondoned, car 519 making the last revenue run. Even though it no longer operated on railway tracks, the name Hamilton Street Railway continued to be used, and is still used today.[29][30] In 1954 CHCH TV began broadcasting as a CBC affiliate from a transmitter located at 481 First Road West in Stoney Creek. At the time, all private stations were required to be CBC affiliates. [36] Then in 1961 CHCH disaffiliated from the CBC and became an independent TV station.[36] The Burlington Bay James N. Allan Skyway, originally called the Burlington Bay Skyway Bridge and referred to locally as simply the Skyway Bridge, is located in Hamilton and Burlington. The Skyway, as it locally known, is part of the Queen Elizabeth Expressway (freeway) linking Fort Erie with Toronto in Ontario. The first bridge was completed in 1958.[37]

Four well known Canadian businesses got their start in Hamilton. First, In 1847, Hugh Cossart Baker, Sr. establishes the first life insurance company in Canada; the Canada Life Assurance Company.[24] second, in 1934 Hamilton is the birthplace of Canadian Tire Corporation. Two brothers John W. Billes and Alfred J. Biles with a combined savings of $1,800, buy Hamilton Tire and Garage Ltd. and rename it "Canadian Tire" because it sounds big. (1934-first official associate store opens up in Hamilton Ontario).[31] Third, In 1956 Hamilton was the birthplace of the Pioneer gas station. November 29, 1956, on Upper James street. Today (January 2007) there are over 140 locations across Ontario (8% market share in Ontario) making it one of Canada's largest independent gasoline retailers.[31] Fourth, Hamilton became the birthplace of the Tim Hortons chain in 1964. The original store ("Store #1") still operates on Ottawa Street. [38]

The Hamilton's Central Library has one of the nation's largest history department. It is home to ever expanding archives full of relics, yearbooks, trophies and maps of Hamilton. The Library opened up in 1980. Hamilton is also home to seven historical societies. They are: Beverly Heritage Society, Dundas Valley Historical Society, Glanbrook Heritage Society, Hamilton Mountain Heritage Society, Head-of-the-Lake Historical Society, Stoney Creek Historical Society and Waterdown East-Flamborough Heritage Society.[39][40][41][42][43]

Geography

Main article: Geography of Hamilton, Ontario
See also: Infrastructure of Hamilton, Ontario and List of neighbourhoods in Hamilton, Ontario
Lake Ontario and the other Great Lakes
File:Onthamgglmap.PNG
Satellite image of Hamilton. From Google Earth.

Hamilton is located on the western end of the Niagara Peninsula and wraps around the westernmost part of Lake Ontario, most of the city including the downtown section are on the south shore. Situated in the geographic centre of the Golden Horseshoe and is roughly the midway point between Toronto and Buffalo. The two major physical features are Hamilton Harbour marking the northern limit of the city and the Niagara Escarpment running through the middle of the city across its entire breadth, bisecting the city into 'upper' and 'lower' parts. [44]

Burlington Bay is a natural harbour with a large sandbar called the Beachstrip. This sandbar was deposited during a period of higher lake levels during the last ice age, and extends southeast through the central lower city to the escarpment. Hamilton's deep sea port is accessed by ship canal through the beach strip into the harbour and is traversed by two bridges, the QEW's Burlington Bay James N. Allan Skyway and the lower Canal Lift Bridge.[45]

Climate data for Hamilton, Ontario
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Source: Weatherbase [46]
The climate of Hamilton is humid continental (Dfa type) and relatively mild compared with most Canadian cities.


Between 1788-and-1793 The townships at the Head-of-the-Lake were surveyed and named. The area was first known as The Head-of-the-Lake for its location at the western end of Lake Ontario.[26] John Ryckman, born in Barton township (where present day downtown Hamilton is), described the area in 1803 as he remembered it: "The city in 1803 was all forest. The shores of the bay were difficult to reach or see because they were hidden by a thick, almost impenetrable mass of trees and undergrowth...Bears at pigs, so settlers warred on bears. Wolves gobbled sheep and geese, so they hunted and trapped wolves. They also held organized raids on rattlesnakes on the mountainside. There was plenty of game. Many a time have I seen a deer jump the fence into my back yard, and there were millions of pigeons which we clubbed as they flew low."[47]

Below Webster's Falls
Webster Falls in Waterdown.
Tew's Falls in Waterdown.

George Hamilton, a settler and local politician, established a town site in the northern portion Barton Township after the war in 1815. He kept several east-west roads which were originally Indian trails, but the north-south streets were on a regular grid pattern. Mr. Hamilton named many of the streets after his offspring, including James, John, Catherine and Mary. Streets were designated "East" or "West" if they crossed James Street or King’s Highway No. 6. Streets were designated "North" or "South" if they crossed King Street or King’s Highway No. 8. [24] The overall design of the townsite, likely conceived in 1816, was commonplace. George Hamilton employed a grid street pattern used in most towns in Upper Canada and throughout the American frontier. The eighty original lots had frontages of fifty feet; each lot faced a broad street and backed onto a twelve foot lane. It took at least a decade for all of the original lots to be sold, but the construction of the Burlington Canal in 1823, and a new court-house in 1827 encouraged Hamilton to add more blocks around 1828-9. At this time, he included a market square in an effort to draw commercial activity onto his lands, but the natural growth of the town was to the north of Hamilton's plot.[48]

There are a number of parks found along the Niagara Escarpment, of which Hamilton Mountain is a part of. This ridge which runs from Tobermory at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula in the north, to Queenston at the Niagara River in the south, provides spectacular views of the cities and towns at the western end of Lake Ontario. Many of the escarpment parks include picturesque waterfalls that plummet over the cliffs. All are connected at the Bruce Trail, a hiking path which runs the length of the escarpment.[49] Some of the parks and conservation areas found along the Niagara Escarpment in Hamilton include the following; Borer's Falls,[50] Devil's Punch Bowl,[51] Dundas Valley,[52] Felker Falls,[53] Iroquois Heights,[54] King's Forest,[55] Mount Albion Conservation Area,[56] Mountain Face Park,[57] Sam Lawrence Park,[58] Spencer Gorge Wilderness Area,[59] Tew's Falls,[60] Tiffany Falls,[61] Vinemount Conservation Area,[62] Webster's Falls[63] and Winona Conservation Area.[64]

Demographics

Ethnic Origin[65] Population
Canadian 193,580
English 186,815
Scottish 125,490
Irish 102,955
Italian 67,885
German 55,055
French 52,830
Polish 33,065
Dutch 32,330
Ukrainian 24,070
Portuguese 14,110
Hungarian 12,925
American Indian 11,295
East Indian 11,290
Welsh 10,880
Chinese 10,385
Croatian 9,710
Serbian 6,790
City of Hamilton[31][24][66]
Population by year
1816 668
1833 1,000
1841 3,000
1846 6,832
1850 10,248
1861 19,096
1871 26,716
1880 35,009
1890 44,643
1900 51,561
1910 70,221
1914 100,808
1920 108,143
1929 134,566
1939 155,276
1945 175,364
1950 192,125
1960 258,576
1970 296,826
1980 306,640
1990 307,160
2002 490,268
†2002=Post-Amalgamation.

Immigration

One-fourth of the population was not born in Canada. This is the third highest such proportion in Canada after Toronto, and Vancouver. Hamilton also had a high proportion of British Isles origins (English, Scottish and Irish). Nearly three in 10 residents reported English as their sole ethnic origin, or as one of their ancestral origins. Nearly one in five (19%) reported Scottish ancestry either alone or in combination with another ethnic origin. The top countries of birth for the newcomers living in Hamilton in the 1990s were: former Yugoslavia, Poland, India, China, the Philippines, Iraq, and Bosnia Herzegovina. Hamilton was home to 64,400 visible minorities in 2001, representing 10% of its population, up from 7% in 1991. Visible minorities comprised 19% of Ontario’s population, primarily due to high proportions in Toronto.[67] The population is 90% White. It has very small numbers of South Asian/East Indian: 2.10%, Black: 2.00%, Chinese: 1.29% and mixed race: 1.03%.[4]

Age and Gender

The 2005 post census estimates there were 714,900 people residing in the Hamilton metro area as of 2005[68]. Children under fourteen account for approximately 19.3% of the resident population of Hamilton, compared to the 14.26% of the resident population in Hamilton who are of retirement age (65 and over for males and females), resulting in an average age of 37.6 years. In the five years between 1996 and 2001, the population of Hamilton grew by 6.1%, compared with an increase of 6.1% for Ontario as a whole. Population density of Hamilton averaged 482.9 people per square kilometer (1,250.7/sq mi), compared with an average of 12.6 people per square kilometer (32.6/sq mi), for Ontario as a whole.[69]

Religion

The most described religion in Hamilton is Christianity though other religions brought by immigrants are also growing. The 2001 census indicates that 77.56% of the population adheres to a Christian denomination, Protestants constituting 37.08% of the population, while Roman Catholics number 35.48% (significantly lower than the national average), while Christ the King Cathedral is the seat of the Diocese of Hamilton. The remaining 5.0% consists of Orthodox, and independent Christian churches. The largest non-Christian religion is Islam with 12,880 adherents or 1.96% of the total population. Other religions including Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and other consistitute less than one percent each. Those with No religious affliliation account for 115,510 (17.63%) in 2001.[70]

The Future

Environics Analytics,[71] a geodemographic marketing firm that created 66 different "clusters" of people complete with profiles of how they live, what they think and what they consume sees a future Hamilton with younger upscale Hamiltonians - who are tech savvy and university educated - choosing to live in the downtown and surrounding areas rather than just visit intermittently. More two- and three-storey townhouses and flats will be built on downtown lots; small condos will be built on vacant spaces in areas such as Dundas and Westdale to accommodate newly retired seniors; and more retail and commercial zones will be created. The city is also expected to grow by more than 28,000 people and 18,000 households by the year 2012.[72]

Economy

Main article: Economy of Hamilton, Ontario
See also: List of films shot in Hamilton, Ontario and List of Hamilton, Ontario Head Offices
File:Goldhorse.PNG
The census divisions that constitute the original Golden Horseshoe appear in red on the map. The divisions in green are more recently considered part of the "Greater" Golden Horseshoe, formerly a region known as South Central Ontario.

The most important economic activity in Ontario is manufacturing, and the Toronto-Hamilton region is the most highly industrialized section of the country. The area from Oshawa, Ontario around the west end of Lake Ontario to Niagara Falls is known as the “Golden Horseshoe” and the centre of it is Hamilton.[73] Under the 2001 StatsCan definition, the population was 6,704,598 in the 2001 census.[74] Major industrial products include motor vehicles and parts; iron, steel, and other metal products; foods and beverages; electrical goods; machinery; chemicals; petroleum and coal products; and paper products.

"Golden Horseshoe" The phrase was first used by Westinghouse President, Herbert H. Rogge, in a speech to the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, on January 12, 1954. “Hamilton in 50 years will be the forward cleat in a “golden horseshoe” of industrial development from Oshawa to the Niagara River”...150 miles long and 50 miles wide”...”It will run from Niagara Falls on the south to about Oshawa on the north and take in numerous cities and towns already there, including Hamilton and Toronto."[75]

Steel Industry

Hamilton is the largest steel manufacturing city in Canada and home of the two Steel Giants; Stelco and Dofasco where 60% of all the steel in Canada is produced. It is the steel and metals manufacturing Capital of Canada.[76] In the last decade, Hamilton's heavy industry reached a stable level, Stelco has returned to profitability.[77] Dofasco in 1999 was the most profitable steel producer in North America and in 2000 it was the most profitable in Canada. It currently has approximately 7,300 employees at its Hamilton plant and produces over four million tons of steel annually, representing about 30% of Canada's flat rolled sheet steel shipments. Dofasco is likely to be bought by a foreign company and in addition to being one of North America's most profitable steel companies, Dofasco has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index seven years in a row. Dofasco’s wide range of steel products is sold to customers in the automotive, construction, energy, manufacturing, pipe and tube, appliance, packaging and steel distribution industries.[8]

Hamilton is also the home of National Steel Car Ltd., North America's leader in freight and passenger train cars and equipment on Kenilworth Avenue north. They are builders of reliable rail transport since 1912.[78] National Steel Car recently won (January 2007) a contract for 1,200 custom-made railcars for TransLoad America, a New Jersey based waste transport firm.[79]

Hamilton City Hall.

Government

Main article: Politics of Hamilton, Ontario
See also: List of politicians in Hamilton, Ontario and Category:Mayors of Hamilton, Ontario

Criminal Law in Hamilton is enforced by the Hamilton Police Service.

Education

See also: Category:McMaster University

The growth of post-secondary education; heralded by the arrival of McMaster University in 1930 and the foundation of Mohawk College in 1967; led to numerous direct and indirect jobs in education and research. Total student population at McMaster University is well over 27,000.[80] Almost two-thirds of the students come from outside the immediate Hamilton region. The addition of a medical school at McMaster in the late 1960s built upon local health care strengths to such an extent that health care has outstripped industry as the region's primary employer.[81] A massive McMaster University research campus called McMaster Innovation Park is planned for development on the former Camco lands near Westdale.[82]

File:Universityhall.jpg
McMaster University

McMaster Divinity College is a Christian seminary in Hamilton, Ontario. It is affiliated with the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec, although in practice it is interdenominational, and could be said to more closely align with the broader Evangelical tradition[83]

Post-secondary education in the area is also offered by Redeemer University College located in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada, is an undergraduate university of classical Christian conviction with over 850 students and faculty. Redeemer offers several degrees certified by the Council of Ontario Universities. Besides its undergraduate degree in various disciplines of the Natural Sciences and Mathematics leading to the Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.), Redeemer also offers degree programs leading to a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.).[84]

Also, Columbia International College of Canada is a private school in Hamilton, Ontario which is inspected and registered with the Ontario Ministry of Education. It was founded in 1979 as a response to a need by international students wanting to graduate from a North American secondary school. Its west end campus is located at the former Ainslie Wood School operated by the Hamilton Board of Education. It is the largest private boarding university-preparatory school in Canada, with 1,200 students from 48 countries. [85]

Brock University is a modern comprehensive university located in St. Catharines, Ontario. It was named for Major General Sir Isaac Brock, who lost his life during the Battle of Queenston Heights in the War of 1812, fought 30 km from the present-day site of the campus. His last words, "Surgite! Push on!", are the official university motto. A satellite campus used primarily for teacher education is located in Hamilton, Ontario.[86]

Public education for students from kindergarten through high school is administered by three school boards. The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board manages approximately 120 public schools, while the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board operates 60 schools in the greater Hamilton area.[87] The Conseil scolaire de district du Centre-Sud-Ouest offers two french emmersion schools. Hillfield Strathallan College is the only private K-12 school in the area.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Hamilton, Ontario
See also: List of attractions in Hamilton, Ontario and People from Hamilton, Ontario

Growth in the arts and culture sector has garnered high level media attention for Hamilton. A Globe and Mail article in 2006, entitled "Go West, Young Artist," focused on the growing art scene in Hamilton. The Hamilton Media Arts Group (The Factory)[90], opened up a new home on James Street North in 2006. Art galleries are springing up on many streets across the City: James Street, Locke Street and King Street, to name a few. This, coupled with growth in the Downtown condo market which is drawing people back to the Core, is having a strong, positive impact on the cultural fabric of the City. The opening of the Downtown Arts Centre[91] on Rebecca Street has spurred further creative activities in the Core. The Community Centre for Media Arts[92] (CCMA) continues to operate in Downtown Hamilton. The CCMA works with marginalized populations and combines new media services such as website development, graphic design, video, and information technology, with arts education and skills development programming.[93]

Le Centre français Hamilton has been pursuing plans to make the 70-seat Staircase Cafe Theatre[94] on Dundurn Street North into a Francophone cultural centre. The Staircase originally was opened by Hugh MacLeod in 1998 and closed down in the summer of 2006. It is scheduled to re-open in the spring of 2007. The Staircase evolved and expanded from an improvisational comedy workshop to include an artist's gallery, a cafe, a theatre for film and live acts, and a rehearsal space. A former variety store next door was also acquired. It will also be hosting a Francophone Film Festival in early spring 2007.[95]

The Sonic Unyon label started and fostered the Hamilton sound in the early 1990s and continues today as one of Canada's most successful independent record labels and distributors.[96] In 1985 Daniel Lanois, opened up Grant Avenue Studios a landmark in Hamilton.[97] A solo artist in his own right he's made his mark as a producer for some of the world's biggest musical acts. Some of these include Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel and U2.[98]

Sports

Main article: Sports in Hamilton, Ontario
See also: Sports venues in Hamilton, Ontario and Category:Sport in Hamilton, Ontario

Current Pro & Amateur teams

Copps Coliseum
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame
File:RussJacksonRoughRiders.jpg
Russ Jackson
Club League Venue Established Championships
Hamilton Tiger-Cats Canadian Football League Ivor Wynne Stadium 1950 8
Hamilton Bulldogs American Hockey League Copps Coliseum 1996 0
Hamilton Wildcats Ontario Australian Football League Mohawk Sports Park 1997 0
Hamilton Thunderbirds Intercounty Baseball League Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium 2005 0

Football

Hamilton is also home to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame museum.[99] The museum hosts an annual induction event in a week-long celebration that includes school visits, a golf tournament, a formal induction dinner and concludes with the Hall of Fame game involving the local CFL Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Ivor Wynne Stadium.[100][101]

On Wednesday, November 3rd, 1869, in a room above George Lee's Fruit Store, the Hamilton Football Club was formed. Hamilton Football Clubs have captured the Grey Cup in every decade of the 20th century, a feat matched in pro sport by only one other franchise, the Montreal Canadiens. In 1908, the Tigers won the Dominion Championship, a year before the Grey Cup was presented. Prior to World War II, the football team of the City of Hamilton was known as the Tigers. The only time that football was interrupted in Hamilton as a spectator sport was during the First and Second World Wars. After World War II the Tiger Football Team started competition once again. At the same time a new group in the City was formed and they became known as the Hamilton Wildcats. The competition for fan participation was so great that both teams were unable to operate on a sound financial basis. it was decided that the two Clubs should amalgamate and form one representative team for Hamilton. The present name, TIGER-CATS, and what is known as the modern era of football started in 1950. [102]

Hamilton based football teams have captured the Grey Cup a total of 15-times, which is second best among Canadian cities (Toronto teams have won 21-times). Hamilton Tiger-Cats-8, Hamilton Tigers-5, Hamilton Flying Wildcats-1 and the Hamilton Alerts-1. The Hamilton Alerts were the first team from Hamilton to win the Grey Cup back in 1912 against the Toronto Argonauts in Hamilton at the old A.A.A. Grounds.[103] The city of Hamilton has hosted the Grey Cup Finals a total of 10-times, the last one being in 1996 (84th Grey Cup) in the "Snow Bowl" where the Toronto Argonauts defeated the Edmonton Eskimos by a score of 43-37.[104]

Ivor Wynne Stadium is the home of the CFL Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The stadium originally known as Civic Stadium was constructed in 1930 to host the 1930 British Empire Games; Canada's first major international athletic event, held in Hamilton from August 16 to 23, 1930.[105] Notable residents and former players include "King Kong" Angelo Mosca.

The CFL's annual Eastern Division Labour Day Classic pits the Hamilton Tiger-Cats against perennial rivals the Toronto Argonauts. This particular weekend, typically the tenth or eleventh week in the season, is known for its fixtures that do not change from year to year. Oddly, for many years before his death, Harold Ballard owned both the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Toronto Maple Leafs, the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise in rival city Toronto. The team's prowess has fallen dramatically from its glory days in the 1960s and early 1970s, when it was a powerhouse. [106]

The Hamilton region has produced a number of star football players over the years and some of these include; Steve Christie ex-placekicker in the NFL, who holds a Super Bowl record for longest field goal kicked at 54 yards, Bernie Faloney, Tony Gabriel, Russ Jackson and the 1946 Lou Marsh trophy winner as Canada's top athlete Joe Krol.[9]

Sister Cities

Hamilton is twinned with Flint, Michigan, and its amateur athletes compete in the Canusa Games, held alternatively there and here since 1958. [9] Flint and Hamilton hold the distinction of having the oldest continuous sister-city relationship between a U.S. and Canadian city, since 1957.[107]

Cities that are "twinned" with Hamilton include:[108]


Other City Relationships:[108]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Provincial Statutes of Canada 1846 9° vict. pg 981 Chapter LXXIII. An Act to ammend the Act incorporating the Town of Hamilton, and to erect the same into a City.
  2. ^ a b c "Community Highlights for Hamilton (City)" (html). 2001 Canadian Census. Retrieved 2006-12-04.
  3. ^ "Population and Dwelling Counts and Population Rank, for Canada, Provinces and Territories, and Urban Areas (CMA)" (html). 2001 Canadian Census. Retrieved 2006-12-04.
  4. ^ a b "Community Highlights for Hamilton (CMA)" (html). 2001 Canadian Census. Retrieved 2006-12-04.
  5. ^ "Population of census metropolitan areas". 2001 Census. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
  6. ^ Houghton, Margaret (2003). The Hamiltonians, 100 Fascinating Lives. James Lorimer & Company Ltd., Publishers Toronto. ISBN 1-55028-804-0. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help); Unknown parameter |pg= ignored (help)
  7. ^ "Stelco". Retrieved 2006-12-31.
  8. ^ a b "Dofasco". Retrieved 2006-12-31. Cite error: The named reference "dofasco" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b c d e ""Tigertown Triumphs"" (Press release). The Hamilton Spectator-Memory Project (Souvenir Edition) page MP56-MP68. 2006-06-10. {{cite press release}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help) Cite error: The named reference "memproj2" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  10. ^ "Top 100 Employers in Hamilton, Ontario". Retrieved 2006-12-29.
  11. ^ Bailey, Thomas Melville (1991). Dictionary of Hamilton Biography (Vol II, 1876-1924). W.L. Griffin Ltd. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help); Unknown parameter |pg= ignored (help)
  12. ^ "Hamilton - The City of Waterfalls". Retrieved 2007-01-18.
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  23. ^ Bailey, Melville (1987 (reprint)). The History of Dundurn Castle and Sir Allan MacNab. pp. 1–38. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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  25. ^ Statutes of Upper Canada, 1833 3° William IV pg. 58-68. Chapter XVII An act to define the Limits of the Town of Hamilton, in the District of Gore, and to establish a Police and Publice Market therein.
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External links

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