• Treaty History Woven Through Wampums with Brian Charles (Event)
• Ronald McDonald House Visit
• Waste Reduction Week in Hamilton
• Extended closure of the Alexander Park playground
• The City of Hamilton's Inaugural Climate Forum
• One more weekend to visit the Fall Garden and Mum Show
• Opportunities to Participate with Engage Hamilton
• Events

Treaty History Woven Through Wampums with Brian Charles

November 4-8, 2025, marks Treaty Week in Ontario —an opportunity for us to deepen our understanding of legally binding treaties and their significance to Indigenous and non-Indigenous relationships and to the land.

Ward 1, in partnership with Hamilton's Indigenous Relations Team, presents: Wampum Belts Woven Through Anishinaabe History, offered by knowledge keeper Brian Charles. The presentation 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. This presentation will be at 7:00 PM on November 5, 2025, at the Westdale Theatre.

https://simpli.events/e/wampum

Ronald McDonald House Visit

There is a house
A very special house
That sits on Cootes and Main
You may drive by
And not think twice
But it is shelter for families' pain. 
- Poem by RMH Volunteer, C Dimitroff.

The Ronald McDonald House at Cootes Drive and Main St West is very special.

• It becomes a home for 875 families each year.
• The average length of stay is 18 days. The most extended stay in 2025 was 248 days.
• Families pay $12/day for accommodation and meals, but only if they are able.
• 250,000 meals & snacks provided per year
• 2,767,218 km of commuting distance saved by families had they been forced to travel back and forth for the duration of their child’s hospitalisation

Every detail of the House centres the family, including siblings uprooted from school and friends when their brother/sister is ill. It has fun spaces and quiet spaces. Shared spaces and healing spaces. It offers remote workspaces for parents who have no time off. And it has green spaces to feel the sun and take a break before spending all day and night at the hospital.

My sincere thanks to Mayor Andrea Horwath for joining me and to our gracious hosts at RMH.

It’s my hope that Ward 1 residents will come to know their neighbours at Cootes and Main. 

Waste Reduction Week in Hamilton

Across Canada, October 19 to 25 is "Waste Reduction Week". This is a chance to think about our consumption, our buying habits, and how we dispose of the household items we no longer need.

One way Hamiltonians can significantly reduce waste at home is by regularly using the City of Hamilton's Green Bin. Nearly half of the household garbage in Hamilton should go in the Green Bin. Your household Green Bin can help you reduce the waste you send to landfills and ensure organic matter is composted sustainably.

Your City of Hamilton Green Bin can take much of the waste originating in your kitchen, such as:

More information on the Green Bin program and how to order a replacement bin is available on the City of Hamilton's website.

Extended closure of the Alexander Park playground

Construction at the newly-renamed Ainslie Wood Community Hub (the former Alexander Park Clubhouse) has been progressing over the past few weeks. The community hub is still projected to be ready in Q2 2026. For a refresher on the project, please visit the public engagement page.

Unfortunately, there have been some delays in excavating around the community hub to provide new site servicing connections. This means the Alexander Park playground will remain closed until end-of-day on November 19, 2025. This extended closure will ensure crews can safely and efficiently complete the work necessary for the new Ainslie Wood Community Hub. We thank residents for their patience.

The City of Hamilton's Inaugural Climate Forum

Residents are invited to attend the City of Hamilton's Inaugural Climate Forum on October 29th, 2025, from 4:30 PM to 8:00 PM at the David Braley Health Sciences Centre Auditorium, Room 2032 - 100 Main St W. Hosted by the City of Hamilton’s Office of Climate Change Initiatives, this unique event will encourage us to think globally and act locally.

The keynote speech will be given by energy and sustainability expert Ralph Torrie, who will describe a positive, possible pathway for responding to the climate crisis. He will explore how local, community-driven efforts to build a clean, efficient, electricity-based energy system can drive both environmental sustainability and economic opportunity. The successful economies of the 21^st century will be the ones that lead this change. Will Hamilton be one of those economies?

Please RSVP for this free event by emailing [email protected] with your first and last name.

One more weekend to visit the Fall Garden and Mum Show

Just a few days left to take in the 2025 Fall Garden and Mum Show. Head down to Gage Park to immerse yourself in colourful underwater-inspired floral displays. This year's theme—Under the Sea—comes to life 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!

Opportunities to Participate with Engage Hamilton

The Engage Hamilton portal offers residents the opportunity to help shape the future of our city. Residents can provide critical 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:

• Our Future Downtown: Hamilton's 10 Year Downtown Revitalisation Strategy comes to Locke Street
  
  • On Saturday, November 1, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, City staff and the project consultants will be at the Locke Street Farmer's Market at 260 Locke St S to hear from residents about the City's 10 Year Downtown Revitalisation Strategy. The Vision and Principles will be shared with the public, and staff hope to start collecting feedback on the draft Actions.

• If Trees Could Talk
  
  • Hamilton’s trees clean our air, cool our streets, shelter wildlife, and make our neighbourhoods healthier and more beautiful, yet many trees face challenges from pests, disease, extreme weather, and city growth that often go unnoticed. The City is implementing a data-collection pilot that uses sensors to gather data and help residents experience our trees in a new way. "If Trees Could Talk" converts the data gathered into storytelling to help residents see and hear from trees in real time. Two trees selected for this project are a Black Walnut in Captain Cornelius Park and a Silver Maple Tree in Ward 1's very own Victoria Park. Engage Hamilton collected fun and meaningful names that reflect the neighbourhoods and communities around these trees to help build a stronger relationship between residents and neighbourhood trees. From October 27 to November 7, residents can vote on the shortlisted tree names. Have your say and help name our data-collecting trees!

• Hamilton Municipal Cemeteries Business and Land Needs Study
  
  • The City of Hamilton is undertaking an update to the 2014 Business Strategy and Land Needs Assessment for Hamilton Municipal Cemeteries. This study will serve as a strategic roadmap to guide cemetery services, operations, and land needs over the next 30 years. It will evaluate progress made since 2014, assess current and emerging trends, and provide clear recommendations for the long-term sustainability, efficiency, and financial health of Hamilton's cemetery system. Until November 19, 2025, Engage Hamilton is seeking community input to better understand your awareness of the cemetery system, burial and memorialization preferences, accessibility, and cultural considerations, as well as the role of cemeteries as public spaces for ceremony, reflection, and environmental stewardship.

Events - Ward 1

Earl Kitchener's Fright Night 2025

• October 25, 2025, 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM
• Location: Earl Kitchener School, 300 Dundurn St S
• For over 40 years, Earl Kitchener has been transformed into a spooky wonderland where community members can dress up in costumes and take part in all kinds of Halloween fun. Take a walk through the Haunted House, have a spooky snack at the Creepy Cafe, play some fun Halloween-themed games, and more! Fright Night directly funds classroom resources, field trips, nutrition programs, special events, and more. So come on down to Earl Kitchener on October 25 and join in the spooky fun! Contact [email protected] for more information.

The final "Sundays UnLocked" of 2025

• RESCHEDULED: October 26, 2025, 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM
• Location: Locke Street South, between Hunter Street and Herkimer Street
• Enjoy the sights, sounds, and shops of Locke Street South during Sundays UNLocked Open Street.
• This month's edition of Sundays UnLocked has been rescheduled to October 26, 2025, from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Locke Street South will be pedestrian-only as Locke’s merchants and community partners take over the street for a friendly and fun festival. This final edition of Sundays UnLocked for 2025 will have a spooky Halloween theme, so come on down and enjoy the sights and frights on Locke St S!

Historical Battles Cemetery Tour

• October 26, 2025, 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
• Location: Hamilton Municipal Cemetery Gates, 777 York Blvd
• The Hamilton Cemetery is home to many incredible stories concerning wars and battles throughout the past few centuries. In partnership with the Cemetery Chronicles, join us for the Historical Battles Tour, and learn about the Hamiltonians who fought in the World Wars, the War of 1812, the American Revolution and many more. Meet at the Hamilton Cemetery Gatehouse and come on a journey of heroes, battles, and intrigue!

Melrose United Church's 100th Anniversary Dinner

• November 1, 2025, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
• Location: Melrose United Church, 83 Homewood Ave (corner of Locke South and Homewood Ave)
• Join Melrose United Church for its 100th Anniversary Dinner. Meet up with old friends and make some new ones over a Chinese buffet with a cash bar and silent auction. Tickets are $30 per person. RSVP by reaching out to [email protected].

Events - Explore Your City

Whitehern Workshop: Spirit Photography

• October 26, 2025, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
• Location: Whitehern Historic House & Garden, 41 Jackson St. West
• Have you ever wondered why spiritualism and spirits were such popular topics in the Victorian era? Spend an evening at Whitehern to explore why we have been, and still are, so fascinated with connecting to the “other” realm. On this unique guided tour of the museum, visitors will learn about historic practices, celebrity enthusiasts and the role photography played in this social phenomenon. Tickets are $40 per person, and more information is available on the Hamilton Civic Museums website.

National Housing Day

• November 21, 2025, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
• Location: Hamilton City Hall, 71 Main St W
• The City of Hamilton's Housing Services Division and the Housing Secretariat Division will host a National Housing Day Event on Friday, November 21, 2025. National Housing Day, officially recognised by the Federal Government of Canada in 2000, acknowledges the ongoing efforts to improve access to safe and affordable housing across the country. This day highlights the achievements and challenges in addressing housing issues. This year’s event theme will be The Latest in Safe and Affordable Housing, with a special presentation by community partner Shawn MacKeigan of Mission Services, highlighting the work they are doing to move people along the housing continuum. Other presentations include updates from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the City’s Housing Secretariat, the Housing Services Divisions, and the Licensing and By-Law Services Division. We invite you to attend this event, which recognises the efforts of the City, housing partners and the community in addressing housing and homelessness issues. If you would like to attend, please email [email protected].

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 Infrastructure Updates

For up-to-date information on all the infrastructure projects happening in Ward 1, check out our Ward 1 Infrastructure Projects webpage.

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: