York Boulevard (Hamilton, Ontario)
Encyclopedia
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...
. Formerly known as Highway 2
Highway 2 (Ontario)
King's Highway 2, usually referred to simply as Highway 2 is a provincially maintained highway in Ontario. Once the primary east–west route across the southern end of the province, Highway 2 became mostly redundant in the 1960s following the completion of Highway 401, which more or less...
and Highway 6
Highway 6 (Ontario)
King's Highway 6, also known as Highway 6, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. It crosses a distance of between Port Dover on the north shore of Lake Erie and Espanola on the northern shore of Lake Huron, ending at the Trans-Canada Highway in McKerrow.- Port...
,starts off in Burlington, Ontario
Burlington, Ontario
Burlington , is a city located in Halton Region at the western end of Lake Ontario. Burlington is part of the Greater Toronto Area, and is also included in the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area. Physically, Burlington lies between the north shore of Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment...
at Plains Road West as a two-way arterial road that wraps around and over the Hamilton Harbour and enters the city of Hamilton in the West-end past Dundurn Park. York Boulevard switches over to a one-way street from Queen Street
Queen Street (Hamilton, Ontario)
Queen Street, is a Lower City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off at Beckett Drive, a mountain-access road in the city and is a two-way street up to Herkimer Street and a one-way street the rest of the way north up to the Canadian National Railway Yard where the road turns...
eastward and ends at James Street North
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...
, but on December 10th, 2010 it became a two-way street once again. (Note: This road continues East of James Street North as Wilson Street
Wilson Street (Hamilton, Ontario)
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...
.)
History
York Boulevard, was part of the military road that connected the chain stations lying between KingstonKingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
and the Niagara River
Niagara River
The Niagara River flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the Province of Ontario in Canada and New York State in the United States. There are differing theories as to the origin of the name of the river...
, this road was the main route to York (Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
). As a result, it became known as York Street. In 1976, the road was closed for construction, over the protests of residents and businessmen, widened and renamed York Boulevard November 29, 1976 at a final cost of $5.5-million.
No street runs parallel with York Boulevard. George Hamilton
George Hamilton (politician)
George Hamilton was a Canadian merchant and politician, who founded the city of Hamilton, Ontario.Hamiliton was born on October 1788 in Queenston Heights...
, a settler and local politician, established a town site in the northern portion Barton Township after the war in 1815. He kept several east-west roads which were originally Indian trails, but the north-south streets were on a regular grid pattern. Streets were designated "East" or "West" if they crossed James Street
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...
or Highway 6. Streets were designated "North" or "South" if they crossed King Street or Highway 8. York Street originally was one of those Indian Trails and it cuts through the Strathcona and Central neighbourhoods diagonly and does not conform to that grid pattern set out by George Hamilton.
In 1857, 57 passengers were killed when a train derailed near the Desjardins Canal
Desjardins Canal
The Desjardins Canal, named after its promoter Pierre Desjardins, was built to give Dundas, Ontario, easier access to Lake Ontario and the Great Lakes system of North America...
.
The Old city hall, with its 38-metre clock tower, was demolished in 1961 (corner of York and James Street
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...
) to allow expansion of Eaton's department store. The clock and bell went into the tower of the 1990 Eaton Centre. Hamilton's Central Library was opened in 1980 by Prince Philip. Copps Coliseum
Copps Coliseum
Copps Coliseum is a sports and entertainment arena, on the corner of Bay Street North and York Boulevard, in Hamilton, Ontario. Depending on event, the Copps Coliseum has a capacity of up to 19,000.It is named after the former Hamilton mayor, Victor K...
, sports and entertainment arena with a capacity of up to 19,000 (depending on event type and configuration) opens its doors for business in 1985. It is named after the former Hamilton mayor, Victor K. Copps.
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 10am on December 10, 2010.
Parks
Richard Beasley
Richard Beasley was a soldier, political figure, farmer and businessman in Upper Canada.He was born in New York in 1761 and moved to Quebec in 1777. In 1783, he formed a partnership with Peter Smith in the fur trade. In 1788, he settled in Barton Township on Lake Ontario near the current city of...
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
Ancaster, Ontario
Ancaster is a picturesque and historic community located on the Niagara escarpment, within the greater area of the city of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. This former town was founded officially in 1793 and was one of the oldest European communities established in present day Ontario along with Windsor...
. He was a member of the legislative assembly of Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
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 it was purchased in 1832 by Sir Allan Napier MacNab
Allan MacNab
Sir Allan Napier MacNab, 1st Baronet was a Canadian political leader and Premier of the Province of Canada before Canadian Confederation .-Biography:...
who built Dundurn Castle
Dundurn Castle
Dundurn Castle is a historic neoclassical mansion on York Boulevard in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The house took three years and $175,000.00 to build, and was completed in 1835....
on foundations of Bealsey's brick home. Richard Beasley was a United Empire Loyalist who preferred to stay British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
and came to Canada following the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
of 1776.
Sir Allan Napier MacNab, (1798-1862), was a businessman, land speculator and soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
, Allan MacNab employed a very public life. He was a successful lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and was appointed Upper Canada's
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
first Queen's Councel. In 1838 was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed for his role in suppressing the rebellion
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
of Upper Canada. The profit
Profit (economics)
In economics, the term profit has two related but distinct meanings. Normal profit represents the total opportunity costs of a venture to an entrepreneur or investor, whilst economic profit In economics, the term profit has two related but distinct meanings. Normal profit represents the total...
s from his extensive land speculation were fed into a varirty of projects, including construction of his monument, Dundurn. He was influential in establishing the Gore Bank and in promoting the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
. During a political career spanning three decades, he was three times Speaker and, from 1854 to 1856 Prime Minister of Canada.
Dundurn Castle was built between 1832-1835 for Sir Allan Napier MacNab. Named after his family ancestral seat in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. 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
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
motifs, French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
windows, broad verandah
Verandah
A veranda or verandah is a roofed opened gallery or porch. It is also described as an open pillared gallery, generally roofed, built around a central structure...
s, and a panoramic view of Burlington Bay
Burlington Bay
Burlington Bay, known more commonly as Hamilton Harbour, lies on the western tip of Lake Ontario, bounded on the northwest by the City of Burlington, on the south by the City of Hamilton, and on the east by Hamilton Beach and Burlington Beach...
. With its outbuildings and grounds, Dundurn Castle stands as an important example of the Picturesque Movement of Canada. After years in private hands, the property was purchased by the city and from 1964 to 1967 was restored to its former splendour.
John Harvey (governor)
Lieutenant-General Sir John Harvey, KCB KCH was a British Army officer and a Lieutenant Governor.He was commissioned into the 80th Foot in 1794 and served in several different locations, including France, Egypt, and India...
, a British Officer during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. The name was accepted by Hamilton City Council 11 June, 1894. From Harvey Park Lieutenant-Colonel John Harvey set out to 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
Stoney Creek, Ontario
Stoney Creek is a community in Ontario, Canada.Note: This article will only deal with matters up to its amalgamation with Hamilton.-Geography and population:...
. 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 List of Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick
Lieutenant-Governors of New Brunswick
The following is a list of the Lieutenant Governors of New Brunswick. Though the present day office of the lieutenant governor in New Brunswick came into being only upon the province's entry into Canadian Confederation in 1867, the post is a continuation from the first governorship of New Brunswick...
, (1834-1841), Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland, (1841-1846), and Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia, (1846-18851).
A walk through Cootes Paradise
Cootes Paradise
Cootes Paradise is the largest wetland at the western end of Lake Ontario, on the west side of Hamilton Harbour. It is bordered by the cities of Hamilton and Burlington, Ontario, Canada. It is owned and managed by the Royal Botanical Gardens , a private charitable status organization. These lands...
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 taking the stairs down at the Thomas B. McQuesten High Level Bridge.
Festivals and events
Around the Bay Road Race
Around the Bay Road Race, is the oldest long distance road race in North America, held in Hamilton, Ontario since 1894, nearly three years before the Boston Marathon, though is not marathon length...
, is the oldest long distance road races in North America, held 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...
since 1894, 3-years before the Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
. This 30-kilometre race is also known as the Billy Sherring
William Sherring
Billy Sherring was an Irish Canadian athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1906 Intercalated Games ....
Memorial Road Race. All races start on York Boulevard, one block west of the Copps Coliseum
Copps Coliseum
Copps Coliseum is a sports and entertainment arena, on the corner of Bay Street North and York Boulevard, in Hamilton, Ontario. Depending on event, the Copps Coliseum has a capacity of up to 19,000.It is named after the former Hamilton mayor, Victor K...
. All races finish inside Copps Coliseum. On Sunday, March 30, 2008, a record 8,500 participants crossed the finish line.
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
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
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
Thomas McQuesten
Thomas Baker McQuesten was a Canadian athlete, militiaman, lawyer, politician and government appointee who lived in Hamilton, Ontario....
.
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. 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 plus day camp for kids.
Waterfront Shuttle
The Waterfront Shuttle is a free service offered by the Hamilton Street RailwayHamilton Street Railway
The Hamilton Street Railway Company is the Transit Division of the City of Hamilton, Public Works Department in Ontario, Canada. The name is a legacy of the days when the majority of public transit vehicles were streetcars; the present-day Hamilton Street Railway is in fact a bus operator...
. It has a seasonal schedule that runs weekends from May-to-October connecting Hamilton's downtown core to the waterfront and attractions that can be found there like HMCS Haida and the Parks Canada Discovery Centre. The route circles Hamilton's downtown core around York Boulevard (north), Bay Street South
Bay Street (Hamilton)
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...
(west), King Street West (south) and James Street North
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...
(east). Then it travels north along James Street and the Art District until it reaches the waterfront at Guise Street past the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club
Royal Hamilton Yacht Club
The Royal Hamilton Yacht Club is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, at the west end of Lake Ontario, and has been in existence since 1888. When the yacht club first opened, it was located at the foot of James Street North and then later moved to the foot of Bay Street...
, Hamilton Chamber of Commerce and the Harbour West Marina Complex. Then the route hangs a left on Discovery Drive, the site of the Parks Canada Discovery Centre. Also at this site is the Hamilton Harbour Queen (cruise boat), Hamiltonian (tour boat) and the Hamilton Waterfront Trolley.
See also
- Botanic Gardens Conservation InternationalBotanic Gardens Conservation InternationalBotanic Gardens Conservation International is a plant conservation charity based in London, England. It is a membership organisation, working with 800 botanic gardens in 118 countries, whose combined work forms the world's largest plant conservation network.Founded in 1987, BGCI is a registered...
- James Street (Hamilton, Ontario)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...
- Locke Street (Hamilton, Ontario)Locke Street (Hamilton, Ontario)Locke Street, is a Lower City collector road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off at Aberdeen Avenue as a two-way street going through the Locke Street shopping district up to Main Street where it then becomes a one-way street until it crosses King Street and becomes two-way again going...