I was born in Hamilton, Ontario. Yes, The Hammer. The Canadian Pittsburgh. We moved to Burlington when I was 8, so I don't remember it well, but I know that it has had it's ups and downs. When I was little, it was still sort of vibrant; the downtown area had lots of old department stores, cool architecture, and parks. The steel companies employed thousands of people, and paid them well. The 80s and 90s were not good to Hamilton. A one-industry town suffers most when the economy isn't good, and the Steel Town of my birth did not weather change well.The downtown area still needs a lot of work, but I must say I was pleasantly surprised to discover some real revitalization going on. The area where my mom now lives, just over the bridge from Burlington (and my old high school, Aldershot), has lots of large brick single family homes, the sort that anyone in a cramped Toronto condo looks at with envy. It's no wonder so many people from the city are moving out there. Parks, large lots, and big, solid houses, the sort which would cost you at least 900k here, are about 400k in Hamilton, from what we saw in the window of a realtor. You will, however have to live a large chunk of your life on the QEW. Yikes.
One thing you won't go without is a cute stretch of shopping. Locke St, a few minutes from Chateau Mom, is amazing! We had lunch at a cute Italian cafe, Il Fiasco, then wandered up the street and discovered a homey little bakery called Schilling's, a chocolatier, several antique stores, a few organic markets, and a recently opened store called The Cheese Shop on Locke. This place was amazing! Massive selection of interesting cheeses and meats, all sorts of accompaniments, and a great atmosphere. There was an old piano being played. The decor was Country Store Chic. The sell funky pottery, good knives, and interesting foods. Heaven! Mom got some honey mustard and a good cheese knife, I got some honey, Le Blackburn cheese, and asparagus pasta, and Peter got asparagus soup and corn tortillas. Everything was local. You could taste things, and meet reps from the area businesses featured at the store.
A few doors down was a serene store called Pure Home Couture, where I got a very cool Jessica Kagan Cushman bangle for 1/2 price! It's the awesome "Ripped off by Chanel" bangle she made a few years ago when Chanel started showing bangles that looked suspiciously like her work. Who'da thought I'd find it in The Hammer??
So people, the next time you're cruising down the QEW on your way to Niagara or Buffalo, consider taking that Hamilton exit, and you may be pleasantly surprised.