Fennell Avenue (Hamilton, Ontario)
Encyclopedia
Fennell Avenue, is an Upper City (mountain) arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It starts of just West Garth Street
Garth Street (Hamilton, Ontario)
Garth Street is an Upper City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off at Beckett Drive, a mountain-access road in the north, and extends southward where it ends at Twenty Road just east of the Glancaster Golf and Country Club...
on the West mountain and is a two-way street
Two-way street
A two-way street is a street that allows vehicles to travel in both directions. On most two-way streets, especially main streets, a line is painted down the middle of the road to remind drivers to stay on their side of the road. Sometimes one portion of a street is two-way, the other portion one-way...
throughout that extends eastward and ends at Mountain Brow Boulevard, a road that wraps around the edge of the Niagara Escarpment
Niagara Escarpment
The Niagara Escarpment is a long escarpment, or cuesta, in the United States and Canada that runs westward from New York State, through Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois...
on Hamilton mountain
Hamilton Mountain
Hamilton Mountain is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968. The riding is located in the Hamilton, Ontario region....
.
History
Fennell Avenue, is named after Joseph FennellJoseph Fennell
Joseph Fennell, born: 16 March, 1835 at Cobourg, Upper Canada. died: February, 1919. Anglican priest. Graduated from Victoria College, Cobourg, and from Trinity College, Toronto. Excellent horseman and involved himself with the farm activities of his parishioners. He knew crops and livestock....
, (1835–1919), Anglican priest.
Auchmar, the fabled estate of the Honourable Isaac Buchanan
Isaac Buchanan
Isaac Buchanan was a businessman and political figure in Canada West. He was also an international merchant, first president of the Hamilton Club, founder of Hamilton and Toronto boards of trade - forerunners to modern chambers of commerce - and founder of the regiment that later became the Royal...
, one of Hamilton's most influential citizens, was built between 1852 and 1854 on a private estate on 86 acres (348,030 m²) on the Hamilton mountain that he called Clairmont Park. Located at what is now the corner of Fennell and West 5th
West 5th Street (Hamilton, Ontario)
West 5th Street is an Upper City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off in the north at James Mountain Road, a mountain-access road, and extends southward past Rymal Road where it ends just south of Christopher Drive...
, the manor house, and its intact outbuildings, and stone wall-surrounded orchard sit on 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) of land that include the original landscaped grounds. Auchmar is a unique, heritage asset owned by the citizens of Hamilton. Auchmar is recognized by the Ontario Heritage Trust
Ontario Heritage Trust
The Ontario Heritage Trust is a non-profit agency of the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture, responsible for protecting, preserving and promoting the built, natural and cultural heritage of Canada's most populous province. It was initially known as the Archaeological and Historic Sites Board...
as having significant historical value. Isaac Buchanan, was an international merchant, first president of the Hamilton Club, founder of Hamilton and Toronto boards of trade - forerunners to modern chambers of commerce - and founder of the regiment that would later become the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry.
In 1945, there was talk of constructing a tunnel
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
on James Street South
James Street (Hamilton, Ontario)
James Street is a Lower City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off at the base of the Niagara Escarpment from James Mountain Road, a mountain-access road in the city, originally was a one-way street going south throughout but now has sections of it that are two-way...
, in the Lower city to a surface point just south of Fennell Avenue. The cost was an issue but some city officials at the time felt it was necessary for the city to grow south, instead of their present unbalanced east-west development. The population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of Hamilton Mountain
Hamilton Mountain
Hamilton Mountain is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968. The riding is located in the Hamilton, Ontario region....
at the time was 20,000 but some felt the numbers were actually larger because many tenants were not listed on voters' lists.
On June 1, 1949 the city of Hamilton issued 61 building permits on East Twenty-Seventh and East Twenty-Eighth Streets between Queensdale and Fennell Avenues. At the time it was the largest number of building permits issued at one time in the city by the City's building department and was described as "the biggest unsubsidized housing scheme in Canada.
Today
Mohawk College
Mohawk College is a public College of Applied Arts and Technology located in the Golden Horseshoe of Ontario, Canada. Mohawk has three main campuses: the Fennell Campus located in Hamilton, the Brantford Campus located in Brantford and the STARRT Institute located in Stoney Creek, as well as the...
is located at 135 Fennell Ave West (intersection of West 5th Street
West 5th Street (Hamilton, Ontario)
West 5th Street is an Upper City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off in the north at James Mountain Road, a mountain-access road, and extends southward past Rymal Road where it ends just south of Christopher Drive...
). It was founded in 1966 and has led to numerous direct and indirect jobs in education and research. Mohawk first started granting diplomas in 1966, and has since grown into one of the largest provincially funded colleges in the province of Ontario. Each year averages approximately 10,000 full-time students, and 40,000 part-time students. The most popular programs continue to be in Engineering Technology and Business. Mohawk College also has a well known nursing program, a joint program with McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
.
Hillfield Strathallan College
Hillfield Strathallan College
Hillfield Strathallan College is a Canadian private, co-educational day school in Hamilton, Ontario. The academic program runs from Junior Kindergarten or Montessori, until Grade 12. The current headmaster is Mr...
is also located on Fennel Ave West (west of Mohawk College) the only private K-12 school in the area. Founded in 1901 as Highfield School for Boys, this school was the first private residential and day school for boys in the city of Hamilton. It was a prep school
University-preparatory school
A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...
for boys planning to enter the Royal Military College of Canada
Royal Military College of Canada
The Royal Military College of Canada, RMC, or RMCC , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC was established in 1876. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers...
. Many graduates played key roles in the Canadian military. A series of name changes, reconstructions, new construction, and amalgamations with other institutions have since occurred, resulting in a single modern co-educational facility. Alumni from all founding organizations attended the centennial anniversary in 2001. Famous alumni include Henry Duncan Graham Crerar, Canada's leading Field Commander during the Second World War, Steve Paikin
Steve Paikin
Steve Paikin is a Canadian journalist, author, and documentary producer at TVOntario . He is currently anchor and senior editor of TVO's flagship current affairs program The Agenda with Steve Paikin, and previously hosted TVO's Studio 2 and Diplomatic Immunity.A native of Hamilton, Ontario,...
, host of TVOntario’s Studio Two, Kathleen Robertson
Kathleen Robertson
Kathleen Robertson is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her role as Clare Arnold in Beverly Hills, 90210 .-Career:Robertson started taking acting classes when she was ten, and had roles in local theater productions...
, actress, played the role of Clare Arnold on Beverly Hills, 90210
Beverly Hills, 90210
Beverly Hills, 90210 is an American drama series that originally aired from October 4, 1990 to May 17, 2000 on Fox and was produced by Spelling Television in the United States, and subsequently on various networks around the world. It is the first series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise...
and Gema Zamprogna
Gema Zamprogna
Gema Zamprogna , is a Canadian actress. She best known for her role as Felicity King on Road to Avonlea and Mackie "Mac" Daniels in The Challengers.- Personal life :...
, actress, played the role of Felicity Clark on Road to Avonlea
Road to Avonlea
Road to Avonlea was a television series which was first broadcast in Canada and the United States between 1990 and 1996. It was created by Kevin Sullivan and produced by Sullivan Films in association with CBC and the Disney Channel, with additional funding from Telefilm Canada.It was adapted from...
.
Uli's Stairs are stone steps that connect the mountain brow to the Rail Trail. They were made by a local man named Ulrich, otherwise known as Uli. The city sees his steps as a risk to public safety. These steps are also the only steps connecting the Lower City of Hamilton to the Upper City in East Hamilton. The city has a set of steps made of steel nearby at the end of Kimberly Drive near Kenilworth Avenue but they only go halfway up to the Escarpment Rail Trail and the Bruce Trail
Bruce Trail
The Bruce Trail is a hiking trail in southern and central Ontario, Canada.-General:The trail follows the edge of the Niagara Escarpment, one of the thirteen UNESCO World Biosphere Reserves in Canada, for almost...
. Uli's steps makes up the final link between the Rail Trail and the mountain brow on top. The city of Hamilton plans on building a set of metal stairs near Margate Avenue which will cost the city $425,000 to install, just a few metres from Uli's steps but it has been met with opposition from residents at the top of the planned stairs.
The Mountain Plaza Mall at Fennell Avenue and Upper James Street
Upper James Street (Hamilton, Ontario)
Upper James Street, is an Upper City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts at the Claremont Access, a mountain-access road in the north, and extends southward towards the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport where it then changes its name to the Hamilton Port Dover Plain...
has been rebuilt in a $50-million project, with Walmart Canada as an anchor tenant. Announcement made on October 4, 2007 by Flavio Volpe, spokesperson for Smart Centres Ltd., Vaughan, Ontario
Vaughan, Ontario
Vaughan is a city in York Region north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Vaughan is the fastest growing municipality in Canada achieving a population growth rate of 80.2% between 1996–2006, according to Statistics Canada having nearly doubled in population since 1991. Vaughan is located in Southern...
-based company that bought the Mall on November 2006.
Major intersections
Note: Listing of streets from West to East.- Garth StreetGarth Street (Hamilton, Ontario)Garth Street is an Upper City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off at Beckett Drive, a mountain-access road in the north, and extends southward where it ends at Twenty Road just east of the Glancaster Golf and Country Club...
- West 5th StreetWest 5th Street (Hamilton, Ontario)West 5th Street is an Upper City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off in the north at James Mountain Road, a mountain-access road, and extends southward past Rymal Road where it ends just south of Christopher Drive...
- Upper James StreetUpper James Street (Hamilton, Ontario)Upper James Street, is an Upper City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts at the Claremont Access, a mountain-access road in the north, and extends southward towards the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport where it then changes its name to the Hamilton Port Dover Plain...
- Upper Wellington StreetUpper Wellington Street (Hamilton, Ontario)Upper Wellington Street is an Upper City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts at the Jolley Cut, a mountain-access road to the north, beside Sam Lawrence Park and extends southward past Rymal Road where it ends at the Mount Hamilton Cemetery...
- Upper Wentworth StreetUpper Wentworth Street (Hamilton, Ontario)Upper Wentworth Street is an Upper City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off at Concession Street in the north and extends southward past Rymal Road. It is a two-way street throughout.-History:...
- Upper Sherman AvenueUpper Sherman Avenue (Hamilton, Ontario)Upper Sherman Avenue is an Upper City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off north of Concession Street at Mountain Brow Avenue and extends southward where it ends at Rymal Road. It is a two-way street throughout.-History:...
- Upper Gage AvenueUpper Gage Avenue (Hamilton, Ontario)Upper Gage Avenue is an Upper City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off at Concession Street in front of Mountain Drive Park and works its way southward and ends just past Rymal Road beside Broughton West Park 2...
- Upper Ottawa StreetUpper Ottawa Street (Hamilton, Ontario)Upper Ottawa Street is an Upper City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off at Mountain Brow Boulevard in the north and extends southward where it ends just past Rymal Road at the South Hamilton Industrial Park...
- Upper Kenilworth AvenueUpper Kenilworth Avenue (Hamilton, Ontario)Upper Kenilworth Avenue is an Upper City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off at Fennell Avenue in the north and extends southward just past Limeridge Road where it ends north of the Lincoln M...
- Mountain Brow Boulevard