Revitalization

An Eye-Opening View of Hamilton

By RTH Staff
Published January 28, 2008

(This blog entry has been updated)

The mighty Skyscraper Page has a jaw-dropping photo tour of Hamilton from a photographer with an eye for urban details, facetiously titled, "Shunned by the NHL, spurned by top retailers, scorned by its own citizens, scoffed at by everyone else...Downtown in Canada's Worst Major City." In the introduction to the tour, "flar" wrote:

Downtown Hamilton is a bit of an enigma. It is considered dead by most, it is almost completely lacking in quality retailers, beautiful historic buildings sit empty, threatened with demolition, and potential developers are unable to secure financing for their projects. Yet there are over 30,000 downtown workers, a healthy streetlife and plenty of high density residential nearby.

Downtown Hamilton: Image Source: Skyscraper Page
Downtown Hamilton: Image Source: Skyscraper Page

Too bad City Council, the Chamber and local daily newspaper don't see the vast potential and great framework already in place in our downtown.

Update: This blog entry was originally titled, "An Outsider's View of Hamilton", but as an astute reader noted in the comments, the photographer lives in Dundas. RTH regrets the error.

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By Frank (registered) | Posted January 29, 2008 at 10:12:45

I'd advise everyone who thinks our downtown has no life or is entirely useless to go visit the photo tour page and read the comments. Excellent pics and some very interesting comments. Downtown has killer potential. Now...what to do with the high speed traffic on Main? I don't think there were very many pics of that. Would've been funny to take a slow exposure to show vehicles streaking past a really interesting building.

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By mp (anonymous) | Posted January 29, 2008 at 11:58:10

I don't know if outsider is the right term, flar's bio says he lives in Dundas (Hamilton), Ontario.

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By jason (registered) | Posted January 29, 2008 at 12:47:28

flar is from here, but read all the comments by people from all over the world. It's easy to see the beauty and potential of our downtown. Sadly, folks in LA and Brisbane can see it, but the folks at 71 Main West (or wherever they are now) and Frid Street can't.

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By johnpiercy (registered) | Posted February 10, 2008 at 19:41:40

Hamilton has lots of beauty in its Core . Sure the City has seen its fairshare of changes and urban decay . But what city hasnt !

Hamiltons downtown is enjoying a revival in many areas . The Arts Studios on James St now have a Art Studio Tour on friday Night . Has anyone ventured down toward Ferguson Avenue to see all the various types of restaurants , I beleive its called the International Village.

The Waterfront at Pier 4 now is attracting many new visitors to the City .

Hamilton may need some help in certain areas ,but get out of your cars and walk around and see the changes that are happening in Hamilton .

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By Dundasguy (anonymous) | Posted March 10, 2009 at 23:35:05

Any Meathead with a camera can take those photos.

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By highwater (registered) | Posted March 11, 2009 at 11:54:52

It's easy to be a critic.

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By reuben (registered) - website | Posted March 11, 2009 at 13:38:32

"Any Meathead with a camera can take those photos."

lets see some of yours, then.

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By BE (anonymous) | Posted March 11, 2009 at 14:05:37

Bah. He's just angry because the photographer banned him from the Skyscraper page forums.

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