York Boulevard is a Lower City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Formerly known as Highway 2 and Highway 6, it starts in Burlington, Ontario, at Plains Road West as a two-way arterial road that wraps around and over Hamilton Harbour, enters the city of Hamilton in the west end at Dundurn Park, and ends at James Street North. It has a one-way section from Queen Street to Bay Street North, and continues east of James Street North as Wilson Street.)
York Boulevard was part of the military road that connected the chain stations lying between Kingston and the Niagara River, and was the used as the main road to York, Upper Canada (present-day Toronto). As a result, it became known as York Street. In 1976, the road was closed for construction, over the protests of residents and businesspeople, widened and redesignated York Boulevard on November 29, 1976, at a final cost of $5.5-million. [1] [2]
No street runs parallel with York Boulevard. George Hamilton, a settler and local politician, established a town site in the northern part of Barton Township after the war in 1815. He kept several east–west roads which were originally Indian trails, although the north–south streets were on a regular grid pattern. Streets were designated "East" or "West" if they crossed James Street or Highway 6, and "North" or "South" if they crossed King Street or Highway 8. York Street was originally one of those Indian trails; it runs along a ridge of elevated ground (a former sandbar), cutting through the Strathcona and Central neighbourhoods diagonally. [3] [4]
In 1857, 57 passengers were killed when a train derailed near the Desjardins Canal. [5]
The old City Hall, with its 38-metre clock tower, was demolished in 1961 (corner of York and James Street) to allow expansion of Eaton's department store. The clock and bell went into the tower of the 1990 Eaton Centre. [6] Hamilton's Central Library was opened in 1980 by Prince Philip. FirstOntario Centre, a sports and entertainment arena with a capacity of up to 19,000 (depending on event type and configuration) opened its doors for business in 1985. It was originally named Copps Coliseum after the former Hamilton mayor, Victor K. Copps, [7] and was renamed in 2014.
As part of the Hamilton master transportation plan, York Boulevard was converted from a one way street to allow two-way traffic. This change came into effect at 10 am on December 10, 2010. [8]
In 1790, Richard Beasley occupied Burlington Heights (now the site of Dundurn Park and Harvey Park) and was granted land by the Crown in 1799. A local entrepreneur, Beasley's business ventures included fur trading, land acquisition and establishment of a grist mill in Ancaster. He was a member of the legislative assembly of Upper Canada from 1791 to 1804 and was appointed colonel of the 2nd regiment of the York militia in 1809. Financial difficulties forced Beasley to sell lands at Burlington Heights, but they were purchased in 1832 by Sir Allan Napier MacNab who built Dundurn Castle on the foundations of Beasley's brick home. [3] Richard Beasley was a United Empire Loyalist who preferred to stay British and came to Canada following the American Revolution of 1776.
Sir Allan Napier MacNab, (1798–1862), was a businessman, land speculator and soldier, and was active in public life. He was a successful lawyer and was appointed Upper Canada's first Queen's Council. In 1838 he was knighted for his role in suppressing the rebellion of Upper Canada. The profits from his extensive land speculation were fed into a variety of projects, including construction of his monument, Dundurn. He was influential in establishing the Gore Bank and in promoting the Great Western Railway. During a political career spanning three decades, he was three times Speaker and, from 1854 to 1856 Joint Premier of the Province of Canada.
Dundurn Castle was built between 1832 and 1835 for Sir Allan Napier MacNab, and named after his family ancestral seat in Scotland. Incorporating an existing farmhouse, it was designed by local architect Robert Wetherell as a statement of its owner's place in society. The house features classical and Italian motifs, French windows, broad verandahs, and a panoramic view of Burlington Bay. With its outbuildings and grounds, Dundurn Castle stands as an important example of the Picturesque movement in Canada. After years in private hands, the property was purchased by the city and from 1964 to 1967 was restored to its former splendour.
Harvey Park was named after Colonel John Harvey, a British officer during the War of 1812. The name was accepted by Hamilton City Council June 11, 1894. From Harvey Park Lieutenant-Colonel John Harvey set out with about 700 men on the night of June 5, 1813, to launch a surprise attack on an invading United States force of some 3,000 men camped in Stoney Creek. His rout of the troops commanded by Brigadier-General John Chandler under cover of darkness in the early hours of June 6 is generally credited with saving Upper Canada from being overrun by the enemy. Harvey was knighted in 1824, served as Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick (1834–1841), Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland (1841–1846), and Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia (1846-18851). [9]
Cootes Paradise is a haven for naturalists. Close to the downtown, this sanctuary provides an undisturbed refuge for birds, fish and animals of all types and can be reached from York Boulevard by following the Harvey Park Trail west and descending the stairs at the Thomas B. McQuesten High Level Bridge. [10]
The Around the Bay Road Race is the oldest long-distance road race in North America, held annually in Hamilton, Ontario, since 1894, three years before the Boston Marathon. This 30-kilometre race is also known as the Billy Sherring Memorial Road Race. All races start on York Boulevard, one block west of FirstOntario Centre, and finish inside FirstOntario Centre. On Sunday, March 30, 2008, a record 8,500 participants crossed the finish line. [11]
The City's Parks Board drew up plans in 1927 for the construction of a full-scale botanical gardens. By 1930 work had started on the project which converted an ugly stone quarry into a horticultural showcase, known as the Royal Botanical Gardens. A decade later a bill was introduced in the Provincial Legislature calling for an even more ambitious project which when completed would become the "Mecca of flower lovers from all parts of North America" its supporters claimed. The sponsor of the legislation was the Minister of Highways in the Provincial Government, and native Hamiltonian, T.B. McQuesten. [12]
The Royal Botanical Gardens was established as an independent entity in 1941 by an act of the provincial government, but the project traces its origins to the late 1920s when the City of Hamilton began acquiring land for the beautification of the city's northwest entrance. [13] Breathtaking gardens and spectacular nature sanctuaries plus three on-site restaurants and gift shop, over 30 kilometres of nature trails, and more can be found here. The Royal Botanical Gardens also plays host to a number of festivals throughout the year. Some of these include the Tulip Celebration, Lilac Celebration, Iris Festival, Rose Celebration and Music @ the Gardens. In addition to the festivals, hundreds of educational programs are offered for all ages as well as day camps for children.
The Waterfront Shuttle is a free service offered by the Hamilton Street Railway. It has a seasonal schedule that runs daily from late June to early September connecting Hamilton's downtown core to the waterfront and attractions that can be found there, such as HMCS Haida, Bayfront Park, Pier 4 Park, and the Hamilton Waterfront Outdoor Rink. The bus leaves the loop point on King Street West opposite Summers Lane and circles Hamilton's downtown core on Bay Street North, York Boulevard, and James Street North, where it travels through the Art District until it reaches the waterfront at Guise Street and passes the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club, Hamilton Chamber of Commerce and the Harbour West Marina Complex, ending on Discovery Drive at Pier 8. Also at this site is the Hamilton Harbour Queen (cruise boat), Hamiltonian (tour boat) and the Hamilton Waterfront Trolley. [14]
The Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) is a 400-series highway in the Canadian province of Ontario linking Toronto with the Niagara Peninsula and Buffalo, New York. The freeway begins at the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie and travels 139.1 kilometres (86.4 mi) around the western end of Lake Ontario, ending at Highway 427 as the physical highway continues as the Gardiner Expressway into downtown Toronto. The QEW is one of Ontario's busiest highways, with an average of close to 200,000 vehicles per day on some sections. Major highway junctions are at Highway 420 in Niagara Falls, Highway 405 in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Highway 406 in St. Catharines, the Red Hill Valley Parkway in Hamilton, Highway 403 and Highway 407 in Burlington, Highway 403 at the Oakville–Mississauga boundary, and Highway 427 in Etobicoke. Within the Regional Municipality of Halton the QEW is signed concurrently with Highway 403. The speed limit is 100 km/h (62 mph) throughout most of its length, with the exceptions being between Hamilton and St. Catharines where the posted limit is 110 km/h (68 mph).
Thomas Baker McQuesten was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1934 to 1943 who represented the riding of Hamilton—Wentworth. He served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Mitchell Hepburn and Gordon Conant.
King's Highway 2A, commonly referred to as Highway 2A, was the designation of five separate provincially maintained highways in the Canadian province of Ontario. Highway 2A was an alternate route to Highway 2 in Chatham, London and Cornwall; these routes were all eventually redesignated. Highway 2A was also a highway that extended from Windsor to Tilbury, which was redesignated as Highway 98 in 1938.
Richard Beasley was a soldier, political figure, farmer and businessman in Upper Canada.
Cootes Drive, formerly known as the Dundas Diversion, is a city street in Hamilton, Ontario. The route connects York Road and King Street in Dundas with Main Street to the southeast, and is considered one of the first divided highways in Canada. Originally constructed as the Dundas Diversion, the route served to bypass several sharp turns along the nearby Highway 8, as well as to demonstrate the new dual highway concept that would soon thereafter evolve into the 400-series highway network. Construction began in 1936, and the route opened on the weekend of September 11, 1937.
Transport in Hamilton, Ontario consists of a variety of modes.
Hamilton is located on the western end of the Niagara Peninsula and wraps around the westernmost part of the Lake Ontario. Most of the city including the downtown section lies along the south shore. Situated in the geographic centre of the Golden Horseshoe, it lies roughly midway 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.
Below is a timeline of events in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Bay Street is a lower city arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts at Inglewood Drive, just South of Aberdeen Avenue, as a collector road with only two lanes, then eventually becomes a six lane thoroughfare at its peak. Bay Street also passes through downtown Hamilton, where many high-rise buildings are found. Bay Street is a one-way street from Aberdeen Avenue to Cannon Street West. Bay Street continues as an arterial route to Strachan Street, where it is downgraded to a neighbourhood collector and eventually ends at a curb at Pier 4 Park at Burlington Street in the city's North End.
MacNab Street is a Lower City collector road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts in the Durand neighbourhood on Markland Street, as a one-way street going north to Bold Street, where it becomes two-way for one block until Hurst Place where it's cut off by a wall for the Hunter Street railway bridge. Pedestrians may cross Hunter Street at an underpass. MacNab Street starts again north of the Railway line on Hunter Street as a two-way street but is cut off again at King Street where the Lloyd D. Jackson Square mall and Stelco Tower are situated. MacNab Street continues north of this Mall on York Boulevard, in front of the Hamilton Public Library & the entrance to the Hamilton Farmer's Market, again as a two-way street right through the city's North End to Burlington Street. It continues as a one-way street to the waterfront where it ends at Guise Street West, the site of the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club and Pier 5.
Dundurn Street is a Lower City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It is a two-way street that starts off at Mountain Face Park, Niagara Escarpment in front of the Bruce Trail as a collector road, right behind Hillcrest Avenue and then turns into a four lane thoroughfare from Aberdeen Avenue northward to York Boulevard where it ends in front of Dundurn Park.
Wilson Street is a Lower City collector road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off at James Street North and works its way East and ends at Sherman Avenue North. The section between James Street and Ferguson Avenue was a one-way road, but was converted to a two-way street at 10 am on December 10, 2010.
King Street is a Lower City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, also known as Highway 8. The western-end starts off beside McMaster University Medical Centre as a two-way street and passes through Westdale. At Paradise Road, King Street switches over to a one-way street (westbound) right through the city's core up to "the Delta", a spot in town where King and Main streets intersect. From the Delta onwards, King Street then switches over to become a two-way street again and ends at Highway 8 in Stoney Creek.
Beasley is a neighbourhood in the Lower City area of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The Beasley neighbourhood is bounded in the north by the Canadian National Railway tracks just north of Barton Street, James Street (west), Main Street (south) and Wellington Street (east).
Burlington Heights refers to a promontory or area of flat land sitting elevated above the west end of Hamilton Harbour in the city of Hamilton, Ontario which continues as a peninsula to the north toward the city of Burlington, Ontario. It separates Cootes Paradise Marsh on the west from the harbor on the east. Geologically the Burlington Heights is a sand and gravel bar formed across the eastern end of the Dundas Valley by Glacial Lake Iroquois. It is the northern continuation of the longer Iroquois Bar which extends south into Hamilton.
Beach Boulevard is a Lower city street in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, east of the Hamilton Harbour on a thin piece of land that crosses over Lake Ontario and stretches from where Woodward Avenue becomes Eastport Drive in the south to near the Lift Bridge in the north at Eastport Drive (again). It runs parallel with the QEW and the Burlington Bay James N. Allan Skyway Bridge.
Lakeshore Road is a historic roadway in the Canadian province of Ontario, running through the city of Burlington and the town of Oakville in Halton Region, as well as the city of Mississauga in Peel Region. As its name implies, the road closely follows the shoreline of Lake Ontario, although the lake itself is not visible from the road in most areas. Lakeshore Road was once a key section of the historic Highway 2, which traversed the province, but has since been downloaded to local municipalities. Despite this historical role as a major route, however, most of the road is a lower-capacity picturesque residential and historic commercial street with only two through lanes until it becomes a four-lane, higher-volume artery after it enters Mississauga and jogs to the north.
This Friday, December 10 at 10:00 am York Boulevard/Wilson Street between Bay and Ferguson will be permanently converted to a two-way street.
