[flar]

The Industrial North End

Hamilton is unique among Canadian cities for its high level of urban decay. This "rust belt" character is a major source of the city's poor reputation. Personally I find it endlessly fascinating when I walk these streets and imagine how they looked years ago when these factories churned and these houses were new and filled with workers and their families. The neighbourhoods pictured here are the most decayed in Hamilton. Most of the homes pictured are less than a stone's throw from the most intense concentration of heavy industry in Canada.

 

[Jayomatic]

wow. Thats amazing. It makes me sad seeing my hometown in such a state.

 

[Hipster Duck]

The second greatest city in Ontario.

 

[smuncky]

great pictures. reminds me somewhat of buffalo.

 

[ShonTron]

This pic is the bleakest I've seen Hamilton.

Parts of the far north end are pretty bleak - I recognize the old Westinghouse plant tower and a few other buildings, along with some Barton Street storefronts (Barton between James and Ottawa is something else). Downtown (which I am sure you'll get to) seems to be on a very slow revitalization trend - after bottoming out around 1995 or so.

The worst of it really reminds one of the US Rustbelt, which makes its mark in Ontario though Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Hamilton, Brantford and Windsor.

 

[Observer Walt]

Flar, thank you for the pictures. Hamilton is a city very much in transition from the heavy industry of its past to a newer model. The change is coming later than it did to other cities and it's been slow and difficult.

Some of the houses in the north end should just be razed (and that's something I would not normally say!) There's not much hope to have real valid neighbourhoods, almost literally in the shadow of the steel mills.

Interesting to see a touch of humour (the scarecrow) in the middle of the desolation.

 

[indense]

Wow, I had no idea. Very sad. And yet, for some reason, I find this picture to be very pretty.

 

[Urban Shocker]

Nowhere to go but up. Lots of Richard-Florida-Torontonians buying and fixing up old houses - the 'gay index' should be astronomical in 20 years time.

 

[flar]

^^Nobody would move to these neighbourhoods if they had a choice, but there are plenty of neighbourhoods in Hamilton ripe for Richard-Florida-Torontonians.

I have to agree with Observer Walt, the best thing for some of this is demolition. Many of these places are just too close to industry (literally next door) so they're covered with grime and soot. Many of the buildings are rotten and in such disrepair they would be condemned anyway.

And Hamilton is finally going post-industrial, with lots of hospital expansions and the McMaster Innovation Park starting to create new kinds of jobs.

@SeanTrans: that picture is from Sherman Ave. just north of the rail corridor. People are still living in those buildings (I heard music coming from one of them)!

 

[smuncky]

a lot of the houses have satellite dishes installed on the front. is it that bad that don't they have cable in those areas?

 

[GregWTravels]

I grew up in Burlington, just a couple blocks from Lasalle Park. I remember looking out many a night at the steel mills across the bay and them looking just like this. It always reminded me of the Road Warrior or Blade Runner - like we were living in some super-dysfunctional future.

 

[Bogtrotter]

Just got back from a visit to the 'Hammer today actually- sort of like a solid hit to the sternum. Thanks for the pics.

 

[MBZitch]

great pics.
cheers

 

[brettrobinson]

well the good news is that all of Hamilton does not look this way!!!

 

[urbandreamer]

The good news: most people hate hamilton and this kind of decay. The bad news: I love it and am slowly buying up all of hamilton for 10 cents on the dollar