Hamilton
INTRO
"The City of Waterfalls" is the nickname of the Canadian city Hamilton because of the abundance of waterfalls that dot its region. But Hamilton is not only waterfalls. A romantic and truly beautiful modern city with a rich historical heritage, Hamilton is an exciting, culturally and naturally rich place that will charge you with energy and help you to better understand the Canadian spirit.
City Profile
City: Hamilton
Country: Canada
Area: 1,138.11 km2
Population: 504,559
Districts: 200
Mayor: Fred Eisenberger
Language: English, French
LOCATION
Hamilton is located in the southern part of the Canadian Ontario Province, just south of Toronto. It is the third largest city in the province and has served as a significant port at the west part of Lake Ontario, which is recognised as the Golden Horseshoe. The city's proximity to the Niagara Peninsular and the United States of America as well as its convenient accessibility through by various means of transportation make it a preferable destination for many travelers.
TIME TO VISIT
Due to its location, the weather in Hamilton is much milder than that of other Canadian regions. Basically, the city has a humid continental climate that is influenced by the Great Lakes and the nearby Ontario Lake. The summers are warm with average temperatures of 24 degrees Celsius in June and July, while the winters are cold with abundance of snowfall. It is possible to get as cold as minus ten degrees Celsius in February even though the average temperatures vary around the zero. Therefore, the most appropriate time to visit Hamilton is during the summer when the weather is suitable for outside strolls and sightseeing, and especially favourable for the blooming of the Botanical Gardens' plants.
POPULATION
The people who live in Hamilton can generally be characterised as belonging to various ethnic groups. Even though the majority of the population are White, almost 90%, small percentages of Black and Asian can also be encountered. Overall, one-fourth of the city's citizens were not born in Canada. Hamilton is the home of a high number of British, Scottish and Irish people, as well as others who have some foreign ancestry, including people from Yugoslavia, Poland, China, Iraq, Philippines, France, Germany, Italy and India. The official language in the city is English but various English accents and other European languages can also be heard.
DISTRICTS
The present structure of Hamilton consists of six municipalities: Ancaster, Dundas, Flamborough, Glanbrook, Hamilton and Stoney Creek, that used to be separate but amalgamated in the year 2001. Today, these regions are divided into numerous neighbourhoods, which are around 200 for the whole city.
- Downtown Hamilton is where the original settlement of the city took place. It is situated right next to the Hamilton Port and used to be referred to as Barton Township. Here is the Bayfront Park, the waterfront, the Dundurn Castle and Park as well as most of the government buildings and business centres
- Ancaster is where a couple of the city's most prestigious universities are situated: Redeemer University and McMaster University.
- Flamborough is predominantly located on top of the Niagara Escarpment and thus providing several of the city's natural attractions, including the Webster's Falls Conservation Area and the African Lion Safari
- Stoney Creek
- Glanbrook is the site of the Hamilton's International Airport and the adjacent Warplane Heritage Museum.
- Dundas
SIGHTS & ATTRACTIONS
Hamilton is a vibrant cultural and tourist city with a wealth of historic heritage that is respectfully preserved and displayed in its museums. Millions of tourists come here every year and enjoy all of what the city has to offer. Here are some suggestions for spending your leisure time in Hamilton:
- African Lion Safari: around 30 endangered species and 20 more that are considered threatened can be observed while riding in a caged car for about an hour through a safari trail. Prides of lions, troops of baboons, zebras, giraffes and many other exotic species walk freely inside the park and attract the curious eyes of the visitors. Animal performances such as Birds of Prey flying demonstration, Parrot Paradise show, and Elephant Round-Up are also a part of the Safari. It is possible to take a boat ride around Water Safari Lake and see species like the Ring-Tailed lemur, Angolan Colobus monkeys, macaques, etc. http://www.lionsafari.com
- Dundurn Castle was nicknamed a castle by the local citizens, while it actually was the home of Sir Allan MacNab, one of the first prime ministers of Canada. The castle is a National Historical Site and was turned into a museum when it became a civil property in the late 1960s. It dates back to 1835, designed by a young English architect and represents the classic regency style villas. The Dundurn Castle is one of Hamilton's most outstanding landmarks. www.city.hamilton.on.ca/culture-and-rec/MUSEUMS/dundurn/default.asp
- Royal Botanical Garden is gorgeous during both summers and autumns. It consists of five gardens, including the Royal Botanical Garden Centre, Hendrie Park, Laking Garden, Rock Garden and the Arboretum as well as of four nature sanctuaries i.e. Cootes Paradise, Hendrie Valley, Rock Chapel and Berry Tract. A stunning amount of species are meticulously taken care of here as this is the largest and most renown botanical garden in Canada. www.rbg.ca
- Warplane Heritage Museum is situated at Hamilton International Airport and exhibits warplanes of the Royal Canadian Air Force from the First World War till present days. Most of the older planes have been restored or are being restored at the moment so it is possible to witness the process. Several of the restored airplanes can still fly and in exchange of 200 Canadian dollars per person, you could feel the air blowing into your face. http://www.warplane.com
- Confederation Park lies on the banks of Lake Ontario and is an amalgamation of entertainment activities, especially for the younger generation. Having a picnic here is among the most popular activities apart from the remaining waterworks, skating, bike riding, carting and camping. Here is the largest wave pool in Canada and the most exciting water slides in the region. http://www.hamrca.on.ca/
AIRPORT
Many domestic and international flights are available to and from Hamilton's International Airport.
- John Munro Hamilton International Airport is located 20 minutes from the city and offers a number of travel possibilities to reach the centre. Public transportation that includes buses and rail connect the city to the terminals, taxis and limousine services provide faster transfer to the downtown area and several car rental agencies offer reasonable car rental prices. More info at: http://www.flyhi.ca/index.shtml
LOCAL TRANSPORTATION
Transportation in Hamilton as in almost all bigger cities in Canada is very well arranged and allows you to choose from several modes.
- Hamilton Street Railway is the public transit bus system that covers most of the city area and is probably the most reliable means of transportation in Hamilton. An individual ride for adults costs 2.25 Canadian dollars while 5 tickets can be purchased for $8.75.
- Taxis are plenty and easy to find.
- Cars can be rented from the airport and are a fast way of moving around the city. Bare in mind that most of the streets in Hamilton are one-way streets.
- Bicycles are a wonderful way of getting around the city as it is supplied with long and convenient bicycle trails both within the city and along the waterfront.
HISTORY
The territory of present Hamilton had been inhabited for more than 700 years before the first European settlement took place in 1784. It was at that time when a huge number of United Empire Loyalists moved to live here and subsequently attracted more settlers from America who were mainly lured by the cheap lands in this region. Not long after the War in 1812, the city of Hamilton was born when George Hamilton purchased the farm of James Durand, which was the site of the future city of Hamilton, named after its conceiver. At first, the city was not among the important industrial and business centres in the region but it gradually managed to gain its significance. Thus in 1846 it officially received its city status, which was followed by the construction of prominent buildings as well as by the development of the local economy. In 2001, the city limits expanded drastically with the amalgamation of six regional municipalities and since that day, Hamilton has been the third largest city in the Province of Ontario.
CITY LINKS
- The Spec: A Daily Online Newspaper: http://www.thespec.com/
- Things to do in Hamilton: http://www.visithamilton.co.nz/page/pageid/2145833847/Things_to_do
- Tourist Information: http://www.tourismhamilton.com/servlet/pagedetail/id/45
- Hamilton Official Website: http://www.myhamilton.ca/myhamilton/CityandGovernment/
UNIVERSITY LINKS
- McMaster University: www.mcmaster.ca
- Mohawk College: http://www.mohawkcollege.ca
- Hamilton University: www.hamilton-university.edu/
- Columbia International College: http://www.cic-totalcare.com/2/english/
- Redeemer University College: http://www.redeemer.ca/