Hamilton, Ontario
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
|
Related e |
|
Featured: |
Hamilton is an important Canadian steel-producing city in Ontario, located on the western end of Lake Ontario. It was previously known for its polluted air and water, but the environmental conditions have been improving since the late 1990s. The population of the metropolitan area is 680,600 (2001) and that of the city proper 490,268.
The first European to visit what is now Hamilton was probably Étienne Brûlé in 1616.
The United Empire Loyalists moved into the Hamilton area during and after the American Revolution. The town of Hamilton took its name from George Hamilton, a local politician.
Scenic Burlington Bay is a canal built in 1827 which helped new industries get started in the area. In 1840 Hamilton officially became a city, and by the early 1900s the "Ambitious City" became important as an iron and steel city. Soon the city expanded onto "The Mountain", which is the name that Hamiltonians give to the land on top of the Niagara Escarpment.
In the 1980s Hamilton had entered the economic downturn common to most steel towns in the developed world, though up until recently, the largest of the local steel companies, Stelco and Dofasco, have done very well relative to other North American firms. Since then, considerable effort has been put into diversifying the economy and revitalizing the moribund city centre. Recent efforts have been concentrating on emphasizing Hamilton's impressive natural landscape, and moving the city's economy away from the heavy industry represented by the two main steel corporations, Stelco and Dofasco.
In 1964, the first Tim Hortons ever was opened in Hamilton, at 64 Ottawa Street North.
In 2001 the former Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth was amalgamated into a unified City of Hamilton. This amalgamation included the former City of Stoney Creek, Towns of Dundas, Flamborough and Ancaster along with the Township of Glanbrook. Prior to amalgamation the population of the City of Hamilton was 331,100.
Some residents of the former region, particularly in rural areas, were highly opposed to amalgamation, and many efforts were made to prevent its adoption, or to later reverse it. None have achieved notable success, however.
Tourist attractions include Dundurn Castle, the Royal Botanical Gardens, the Museum of Steam and Technology, Whitehern and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
McMaster University and Mohawk College are located in Hamilton.
Hamilton is the birthplace of Florence Lawrence, Hollywood's first movie star, and of Robert Beatty a successful actor on television, radio and films.
Hamilton is also the birthplace of TV and film actors Martin Short and Eugene Levy.
