• HSR Next
• Upcoming Overnight Closure on York Boulevard
• Orange Shirt Day
• Open House regarding 276 Aberdeen
• Infrastructure Updates
• Don't Be An Idle Idler!
• Serve on City of Hamilton Sub-Committees and Boards
• Visit the Fall Garden and Mum Show
• Team Up to Clean Up This Fall
• Opportunities to Participate with Engage Hamilton
• Events

HSR Next

Successful cities have more public transit, not less. Public transit is an investment in our community—one that creates wealth and opportunities.

Public transit generates a return on investment that far exceeds original investments and helps keep household finances more manageable. A 2014 study conducted for the Canadian Urban Transit Association found that every one dollar invested in transit capital costs would return $3.37 in benefits to the community. This value is derived from diverse benefits, including job creation, reduced vehicle operating costs for households, fewer traffic collisions, and significant environmental and health benefits.

CUTA's 2019 reports indicated that transit reduces vehicle operating costs for Canadian households by at least $12 billion annually. At a time when transportation is the second-largest expense, after shelter, for Canadians, investing in transit is a fiscally responsible way to ensure timely and efficient access to major employers, educational institutions, and recreational activities, placing less direct burden on individuals and families. 

The recently announced HSR Next plan is how Hamilton is pursuing meaningful investments in public transit.

This plan will see every transit line in Hamilton change to meet growing demand. Unlike other major transit systems in Canada, Hamilton's HSR has not only seen its ridership bounce back after the COVID-19 pandemic but also increase. The HSR Next plan would add 583,650 service hours, six new routes, 79 new transit vehicles, 13 new hubs, and expansions at two GO Stations.

Ward 1 will be served well by the HSR Next plan. By 2032, new major routes will run through the ward, including express buses between Lime Ridge Mall and Waterdown, Mohawk College and the Meadowlands, and downtown and Dundas. Direct routes from the mountain to McMaster University and the hospital will provide timely access to a major employer and educational institution. Previously, residents of the mountain had to make multiple bus changes, which added to their transit time and often made it a less desirable option. However, with regular one-bus service, it reduces time and costs for those seeking an alternative to paying for gas, parking, insurance, and maintenance of multiple vehicles. 

Gaps in service will be addressed through the addition of service along the length of Dundurn St, as well as more regular service along Aberdeen Ave and York Blvd. Every neighbourhood in Ward 1 will be well-served by more frequent, more reliable, and more efficient HSR routes. 

The HSR Next plan responds to the needs of more Hamiltonians. It ensures transit routes align with growth patterns and helps us take advantage of the proven benefits of greater transit investment.

Upcoming Overnight Closure on York Boulevard

From October 1-3, 2025, York Blvd - from Queen St N to Dundurn St N - will be closed each night from 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM. These overnight closures are scheduled to minimise the impact on commuters and ensure that work can proceed safely and efficiently.

During this time, the intersections of York Boulevard and Locke Street North, as well as the intersection of York Boulevard and Queen Street North, will be temporarily closed as work proceeds along York Boulevard. All side streets that connect to or intersect with York Blvd will not have access to York from 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM. Detour routes will be posted, redirecting traffic along Main St W, connected by Dundurn St N and Bay St N.

More information has been posted on the City's York Boulevard Story Map.

Residents are encouraged to plan, use alternate routes during this time, and expect delays and increased traffic on surrounding roads. Motorists are reminded to follow posted detour signs and take extra caution in construction zones. For more information, please visit the City of Hamilton's York and Cannon Improvements storyboard.

Orange Shirt Day

September 30 marks Canada's National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This year, the community is invited to a day of ceremony and teaching to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Join elders, survivors, and neighbours on Tuesday, September 30, to honour Survivors of residential schools, their families, and the children who never returned home. It is an opportunity for all of us to learn, reflect, and take meaningful steps on the path to reconciliation.

Sunrise Ceremony – 6:00 AM

Afternoon Gathering – 1:00-4:00 PM

Location: West Harbour James St Plaza at James St N and Guise St E, between Piers 6 and 7. 

More learning opportunities:

• Orange Shirt Day Society
• Phyllis' Story - Orange Shirt Day [Video]
• Woodlands Cultural Centre
• National Film Board Shorts - Residential Schools [Video]
• Residential Schools Canada: A Timeline [Video]
• City of Hamilton Urban Indigenous Strategy

Keep on Learning. 

Ward 1, in partnership with the City of Hamilton Indigenous Relations team, will host two outstanding First Nations historians leading up to and during Treaty Week.

Rick Hill is a citizen of the Beaver Clan of the Tuscarora Nation and a member of the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. Rick is a historian, artist, writer, and curator whose career spans leadership, teaching, and advisory roles with major Indigenous cultural and educational institutions across North America. 

October 14, 2025; 7:00 PM at "The Westdale" Theatre, 1014 King St W, Hamilton

Brian Charles is an off-reserve Band member of the Chippewas of Georgina Island and has worked collaboratively with a small group of knowledge keepers to research and assemble a physical repository of wampum belts connected to Ojibwa history. The presentation "Wampum Belts Woven Through Anishinabbe History" will illuminate how wampum was used to record not only relationships and treaties between the First Peoples of the Eastern Woodland but also with settler societies in Canada.

November 5, 2025; 7:00 PM at "The Westdale" Theatre, 1014 King St W, Hamilton

A special email will be sent to Ward 1 residents next Friday with more information, including registration details. Tickets are free and all are welcome.

Infrastructure Updates

As the summer construction season winds down, we have some important updates on outstanding projects at Alexander Park in Ainslie Wood and a notice of lane restrictions on the Queen Street Hill/Beckett Drive. You can always find up-to-date information on all the infrastructure projects happening in Ward 1, at the Ward 1 Infrastructure Projects webpage.

Alexander Park Community Hub Renovations 

We are pleased to report that construction at the Alexander Park Clubhouse is now underway, with site investigations and demolition ongoing. The community hub is projected to be ready in Q2 2026. For a refresher on what the project entails, please visit the public engagement page.

Unfortunately, the playground will be blocked from public use until October 25, 2025 while excavation takes place for the purpose of install ing new site servicing connections.

Alexander Park Skate Park

Construction on the Alexander Park Skate Park is expected to resume in the Spring of 2026. The delays are due to the discovery of a higher-than-expected water table, which has not returned to its historic levels. Additional hydrological testing indicated water mitigation was required, leading to changes to the original skate park design. Follow the project page for updates.

Queen Street Hill/Beckett Drive Lane Restrictions

Beckett Drive, between Queen Street and Garth Street (map), will be closed on Monday, September 29, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM for CCTV inspections of the catch basin and ditch inlet. Work will intermittently encroach into travel lanes during the closure, but flaggers will be present to maintain two-way traffic at all times. Delays are expected.

Open House regarding 276 Aberdeen

Hamilton Urban Core Community Health Centre (Urban Core), the group selected by the Province of Ontario to operate an abstinence-based Residential Treatment and Recovery (RTR) program as part of a larger Mental Health and Addictions Treatment (MHAT) Hub announced it is hosting an hybrid "open house" to discuss their location at 276 Aberdeen Ave on  Thursday, October 16, 2025, from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM at 276 Aberdeen Ave.

Details of the meeting, including the agenda, online option and submission of questions in advance, are found in Urban Core's notice.

Don't Be An Idle Idler!

This is a friendly reminder to motorists in Hamilton of the City's anti-idling by-law.

Hamilton's anti-idling by-law states that no person shall cause or permit a motor vehicle to idle for more than three consecutive minutes in any sixty-minute period. Vehicles in contravention of the by-law may receive a fine of $100. "Idling" refers to the parking or standing of a motor vehicle while its combustion engine is running and is not being used to operate auxiliary equipment that is essential to the vehicle's basic function.

Leaving vehicles running when not in use costs drivers money, creates dangerous pollution, and disrupts communities. Don't be an idle idler! Turn that engine off so we can all breathe easy, and you can keep more money in your pocket.

Serve on City of Hamilton Sub-Committees and Boards

Get involved in the decisions being made at City Hall! Recruitment is open for citizen members of three City sub-committees and boards:

• CityHousing Hamilton Corporation Board of Directors (1 Position)
• Downtown Sub-Committee (3 Small Business Representative Positions, at least 2 along James Street)
• Committee of Adjustment (1 Position with Rural experience)

Applications for these positions are open until Friday, October 3 at 4:30 PM.

Interested residents can find more information on the City's committee website, by calling 905-546-2424 ext. 4408, or by emailing [email protected].

Visit the Fall Garden and Mum Show

It’s that time of year! Head down to Gage Park to immerse yourself in colourful underwater-inspired floral displays at the 2025 Fall Garden and Mum Show. This year's theme - Under the Sea - comes alive with 200 varieties and 100,000 vibrant chrysanthemum blooms. This floral spectacle is Ontario’s largest chrysanthemum exhibition! Purchase your tickets at the door or online, and enjoy the floral displays, café, Flower Market, kids’ activities, and more!

This year's Fall Garden and Mum Show runs from October 18 to 26 and is open daily from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

Head on down to Gage Page to see what life is like Under the Sea!

Team Up to Clean Up This Fall

It's that time of year again. Let's all Team Up to Clean Up and make sure Hamilton's alleys and public spaces are trash-free before the winter snow sets in. 

This fall, you can host your own community clean-up! Hamiltonians are encouraged to hold fall clean-ups on their own, with their family, or with a group of friends and neighbours. Register at the City's Team Up to Clean Up page two weeks prior to your planned event and receive materials provided free of charge, including gloves and orange litter bags. Team Up to Clean Up this fall!

Opportunities to Participate with Engage Hamilton

The Engage Hamilton portal offers residents an opportunity to participate in shaping the future of our city. Residents can provide important feedback, offer their unique insights, and help inform the direction Hamilton takes.

There are currently some opportunities to participate that may be of interest to Ward 1 residents:

• Vision Zero Action Plan
  • The City of Hamilton is working on a new 2026-2031 Vision Zero Action Plan to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries, improve roadways for all users, and implement road safety initiatives to reduce the societal costs associated with traffic incidents. This 10-minute survey will collect data and public input before a report is provided to the council. Provide your feedback from now until September 30, 2025.

• Safe Apartments
  • A new city bylaw aims to improve apartment building conditions by requiring the annual registration of apartment buildings with two or more storeys and six or more units, conducting building evaluations, and establishing tenant service request processes to ensure that issues inside rental units are addressed. Provide input on your experience with building conditions from now until September 30, 2025.

Events - Ward 1

Cholera & Industrial Heritage Cemetery Tour

• September 28, 2025, 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
• Location: Hamilton Municipal Cemetery Gates, 777 York Blvd
• This exciting tour from Cemetery Chronicles explores Hamilton’s journey from a city ravaged by cholera to a site of impressive technological advancement dubbed “The Electric City”. Join for a look into the unique history of technology in Hamilton and the lives of the people who changed the city forever. 

Sundays UnLocked

• October 19, 2025 
• Location: Locke Street South, between Hunter Street and Herkimer Street
• Enjoy the sights, sounds, and shops of Locke Street South during this summer’s Sundays UNLocked Open Street. From 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM on the third Sunday of the month, Locke Street South will be pedestrian-only as Locke’s merchants and community partners take over the street for a friendly and fun festival.

Events - Explore Your City

Open Streets Hamilton

• September 28, 2025
• Location: King St E between John St and Gage Ave
• Open Streets Hamilton is back for the fall, closing King St E so Hamiltonians can experience our city in a whole new way, promoting active living, local businesses, and community connections. Open Streets Hamilton supports physical activity, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion. By opening our streets to people of all ages and abilities, we create opportunities for healthier lifestyles, stronger communities, and a more vibrant city for everyone to enjoy.

Step Up for Wayside

• October 18th, 2025, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
• Location: Bayfront Park (200 Harbour Front Dr.)
• Step Up for Wayside is an annual community event dedicated to supporting men on their journey to recovery at Wayside House. Join us for a day filled with camaraderie, hope, and action as we walk together to make a difference. All money raised will support vital programs and services for those in recovery and increase access to lifesaving addiction treatment that helps change the life trajectory of fathers, brothers, sons, neighbours, and friends. Register today!

Greener Ward 1

Let's do our part in Ward 1 to create healthy, biodiverse neighbourhoods for all living things! Check out Greener Ward 1!

Ward 1 Development Information

Here you can find general information on developments and their status in the planning process.

Follow along for timely Ward 1 Updates via:   

• Email: [email protected]
• Tel: 905-546-2416
• On social media: