City of Hamilton
The City of Hamilton provides most of the funding to ensure the operation of the Hamilton Public Library. The funding is directly related to the City Land taxes. In 2001/2002 the City of Hamilton amalgamated several smaller surrounding cities into the now larger City of Hamilton. The libraries also amalgamated branches in rural and urban areas.
Hamilton is a community of rich cultural heritage and home to both natural and man-made wonders. Although its history goes back much further, the City was founded shortly after the war of 1812 by George Hamilton, a merchant, soldier and politician. It has a long history of hard work and ingenuity, and while it has changed and grown significantly over the past few centuries, the City has not lost its down-to-earth and spirited attitude towards life.
The City is bisected into the upper and lower city by a ribbon of wild, green space known as the Niagara Escarpment. The escarpment is a 90 metre cliff, which was recently named a World Biosphere Reserve. In the area, more than 80 waterfalls have been identified, plunging over the edge of this natural wonder, which led to the city being nicknamed "The City of Waterfalls". While the escarpment runs from New York to Owen Sound and beyond, no one is more proud of this geological feature than Hamiltonians, who lovingly refer to it as "the mountain." No one can resist the breathtaking view of the lower city and Lake Ontario from the edge. It's probably this feature that has inspired the city to preserve even more green space. Despite being known as an industrial town, the city also has hundreds of parks and conservation areas for residents to enjoy. In addition to natural attractions, the city is home to a wide variety of activities truly encompassing its multicultural roots. From the Art Gallery of Hamilton and the city's five museums to Hamilton Place, Copps Coliseum and hundreds of festivals and local events, there's always something going on.
Within the core of Hamilton, there are four distinct communities: Central/North Hamilton. This part of Hamilton is home to the city's living history. Travel down any road in the core and you'll find evidence of our past in the architecture of homes and businesses alike. The East End - growth in this area began after Stelco and Dofasco came to town in the early 1900s. It expanded significantly after the Second World War, creating a community built around families. It's home to dozens of parks, schools recreation facilities, as well as a wide variety of businesses. The West End is centered around McMaster University, this area is widely known as home to the city's future, as hundreds of university students flood its ranks in September. But it's also home to Cootes Paradise, a large wetland at the west end of the Hamilton Harbour and the trendy shopping district of Westdale Village. Westdale was one of Canada's first planned communities, with work beginning in the 1920s. Hamilton Mountain - Living "on the mountain" has always given residents a feeling of distinction. That's probably because some of Hamilton's most prestigious families built their manors on the top of the escarpment, overlooking the city. In the present day, it's a sprawling community with a balanced mix of residential, commercial and light industrial.
Visit www.hamilton.ca to learn more.
Live, Work and Play
Nature and Environment
Hamilton is defined by its geography. The Niagara Escarpment, a United Nations World Biosphere runs through the middle of the city, providing outstanding vistas, trails, and the more than 60 waterfalls giving Hamilton the title of “City of Waterfalls”. Hamilton Harbour and Lake Ontario provide great recreational pursuits, from boating to parks to trails. Located at the head of Lake Ontario, Hamilton is a key location for bird migration – a birders delight. The rich natural environment in and around Hamilton makes the city an attractive destination for anyone who loves outdoor activities. The City of Hamilton boasts some 2,662 acres of parkland at 310 locations, 1,356 acres of natural areas at 32 locations, and 137 kilometres of trails, offering many opportunities for people of all ages to get outdoors and explore nature. For more information please visit www.cityofwaterfalls.com.
Education
Hamilton is home to one of the Top 100 universities in the world, McMaster University (Shanghai Jiao Tong University ranking of world universities). In their teaching, research, and scholarship, they are committed to creativity, innovation, and excellence. McMaster values integrity, quality, and teamwork in everything they do. We inspire critical thinking, personal growth, and a passion for learning. We serve the social, cultural, and economic needs of our community and society. For more see www.mcmaster.ca.
Mohawk College is also located in Hamilton. Mohawk’s mission is “Inspiring learning, leadership, citizenship and innovation.” Students and learning are at the heart of all that they do. Their values guide their actions and decisions, define their innovation culture, and focus on students, staff and community. For more see www.mohawkcollege.ca.
Redeemer University College is an undergraduate Christian liberal arts and science university committed to academic excellence and to enabling students to discover their unique gifts and callings in life. Situated in Hamilton, Ontario, the campus provides a beautiful environment in which to study and learn. For 25 years, Redeemer has been enjoying theatre events, concerts, art exhibitions, sporting events, and lecture series as well as conferring degrees and diplomas. At Redeemer, there is always something happening to challenge the mind and the senses, and to bring glory to God. For more see www.redeemer.ca.
Arts, Culture and Entertainment
The arts in Hamilton make it an exciting place to live and visit. Thanks to the creative energy of hundreds of Hamiltonians, areas such as James Street North have become a destination for artist and art aficionados. Hamilton’s opera and symphony draw residents and visitors alike. And the City’s theatre scene offers tremendous variety, from international productions to world-class professional local theatre to first-rate amateur performances. The City is also home to 9 museums including 4 National historic sites and the Art Gallery of Hamilton has over $160 million worth of art and is regarded as one of Canada's finest art museums.
Sports and Recreation
Hamilton is a big sports city and is famous for its love of just about every professional and amateur sport going. As a testament to the city's commitment to promoting sport, Hamilton has a great number of hockey arenas, pools, soccer fields, baseball diamonds and even cricket pitches throughout the city. Other Hamilton pastimes include golfing, fencing, mountain biking, swimming, mountaineering, curling and martial arts. The city is also home to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Hamilton has hosted the prestigious Canadian Open PGA golf championships - four times, most recently in 2006, has one of North America's oldest running races, the Around the Bay Race held every March, and was host to the 2003 Canadian and World Cycling Championships.
Closest to the hearts of many locals are Hamilton's beloved Ti-Cats, the Tiger-Cats Football team of “Eat ‘em raw!” fame that has been cheered and jeered but never ignored in its over 135 years of games, many of them played at Ivor Wynne Stadium. Now owned by Red Hat and Lulu entrepreneur Bob Young, the team is hoping to add another Grey Cup win to the fifteen championships they already hold.
The Calder Cup Champion Hamilton Bulldogs are the local American Hockey League team that has brought hockey excitement to the City, they play regular season games at Copps Coliseum.
Economically Speaking
Hamilton, with a population of over 500,000 is one of Canada's major cities and is one of Ontario's most economically diverse. Our major economic sectors include: advanced manufacturing, health care and life sciences, film and television production, agriculture and education. Hamilton was rated the 3rd best place in English Canada and the 7th best place overall to do business by Canadian Business Magazine in 2008 and in 2009 FDI Magazine (a publication of the world-famous Financial Times) ranked Hamilton as the third top large city in North America for quality of life. With an educated workforce, stunning natural amenities and a diverse, resilient economy, Hamilton is a prime choice for future economic opportunity. Quite simply, it's time to invest in Hamilton.
Transportation
Situated in the cluster of highways, train lines and airports that service Southern Ontario, Hamilton is a city that can be reached with ease by many different means. By road, Hamilton is just a short detour from the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW). Travelers from Buffalo, Fort Erie and St. Catharines can take the QEW over the Skyway Bridge to Highway 403 which will take you into the centre of the city. Those coming from Toronto will exit at Highway 403 in Burlington, before the Skyway Bridge. If you are traveling by air, John C Munro International Airport will come as a very pleasant surprise. It’s one of the easiest airports to navigate, with ample and affordable parking, short walking distances and quick exit times. There is an Airport Shuttle Service, taxis and a limousine-on-demand service, as well as car rentals that will make the approximately twenty minute trip into Hamilton from the airport easy. Hamilton is also within a 45 minute drive of Pearson International Airport in Toronto, and an hour’s drive from Buffalo International Airport. Bus/train lines like GO Transit (www.gotransit.com), VIA Rail (www.viarail.ca) and The Hamilton Street Railway (www.hamilton.ca) offer regular service to Hamilton from many different locations.
