New Hamilton Recruit
 

I have just moved to downtown Hamilton this week. I made the move from Toronto. A new chapter has started!

I have been lurking here for about a week. I have found this site incredibly useful. I now feel knowledgeable about the city. I see there is a lot to do.

I see some skeptics whenever I speak of something coming to town, or talk about the potential. Kind of like "I have heard that before."

None the less this site seems to have attracted some optimistic and enthusiastic people. I see in another thread some are getting together to plant some flowers in in urban park. Fantastic.

One of my favorite characteristics of Hamilton is the architecture. I have seen some beautiful neighborhoods. I also like the relatively quiet streets that make cycling around town a breeze. You can travel a long distance in 15 minutes on a bike in this city.

Anyway - Those are my random thoughts. I am looking forward to contributing to the forum as it seems a lot of good ideas get thrown around in here.

Welcome to Hamilton!

Welcome to the city and the board. Great to see another ex-Torontonian, there are more and more of us re-locating to Hamilton.

There's a change in the wind.......... A change for the rejuvenation of downtown Hamilton :)

There is lots here to see and do. You just have to talk to others or look around for it.

And yes we have some beautiful houses around the city.

And there are lots of wonderful people here in this city and on this board. :)

Welcome to the Hammer. :)

Congratulations, Blurr!

In three trips over the last week, I've brought 14 Toronto friends to Hamilton. They all see great stuff here.

I'm not an ex-Torontonian since I still live there now, but I grew up in the Hammer and bought a house here (downtown) this summer. It's fantastic to see people believing in this city and committing to it. I know what you mean about this site being a great help.

where did you move?

Welcome!! Once you learn the safe cycling routes, you'll find that most of the lower city is easily reached by bike. Hamilton is a great place to live and enjoy life.
We've got NY style vibes at KOI and Sizzle, amazing pubs on Augusta, fabulous cappuccino's on James North, a somewhat trendy scene on Locke, awesome parks, trails and waterfalls, one of the world's top 50 performing arts centres this year, fab neighbourhoods and the list goes on and on..... get out and enjoy the Hammer. We're glad to have you.

Here is a link on the waterfalls in the area.

http://www.hamiltonnature.org/locals...alls_intro.htm

Thank you for the warm welcome!

Millstone - I have moved to the main and Sherman area. There is a lot of house for the price in this area. The neighbours seem nice and actually moved from Toronto a couple years ago as well.

MsMe - thank you for that map. Looks like a lot to discover. Waterfalls. Who would have known.

I am looking to take a group of visitors around Hamilton by bike on the trails. Are there any suggestions on which route/area we should go?

I went to a German place called Zum Linzer the other day. Top class! Great german food. I also really enjoy Denningers - nice to see it downtown as well.

ahh, Zum Linzer and Denningers...two of Hamiltons' great institutions.

Also - I was at a real estate conference today and there was a man named Neil Everson from the City of Hamilton who imo pitched a great story for Hamilton. He said his presentation would be on the Hamilton investment website. It seemed like there were a lot of interest in what he had to say.

He had some flashy handouts too. Good to see the city getting out there.

Do you have a link?

We are in the same area, closer to King than Main a couple of street east of Sherman, we arrived here at the end of April and are loving it (even with the car break-in last week) so far.

If you have any questions just ask, more than happy to help.

Got any money? :haha:

There is a good bike/pedistrian/rollerblade path on the beach strip which is also safe from any traffic. It's a long trail.

Here is a link to the area bike paths.

http://www.cyclehamilton.ca/eightroutes.pdf

If you ever want a good hiking trail. No bikes allowed on this trail, it's a hiking trail only. There is one at Royal Botanical Gardens. Pay for parking though at the Rose Garden Parking Lot. The entrance to the trail from the rose garden parking lot has a Cherry Hill gate arch. Walk around the arch to enter. Unless you can find a spot to park at the other end where Woodlawn Cemetery is closeby, and enter at that end where the ponds are. A tip, take some peanuts with you so you can hand feed the wild birds. :)

Here is a link to the RBG.

http://www.rbg.ca/

http://www.investinhamilton.ca

Not sure if it is on or where it is. But that is the link he said he would post it.

Thanks, had a quick look, but couldn't see anything that sounded like the presentation you saw :(

Thanks! will do.

It looks like such a big area on the map. It must be nice and secluded. I think we may bike there and then park the bikes and hike the rest.

Just make sure you lock up the bikes. It is a secluded trail but usually many people on the trails. There are a couple of benches to rest on. On this trail there aren't any bathroom facilities so make sure you are prepared for that issue prior to the hiking part. If I enter from the Cherry Hill Gate entrance, I walk straight ahead, then I walk over the boardwalk, then make a left at end of the arched bridge. Then I continue on that path to the ponds then walk back. That is a fair length walk. The Rose Garden parking Lot is located on Plains Rd. Enjoy the hike and bike ride. :banana:

Here is a link of a map to the area.
http://www.waterfronttrail.org/maps/wt-2_01.pdf

If you like German/Austrian food try the 'Black Forest Inn' at King and Ferguson, my Ommi used to cook there like 40 years ago... they are top notch I try and go there about once a month. give it a try! and Welcome to Hamilton!

Also check out Modern India, at Main and Walnut, for a fantastic and crazy-cheap Indian buffet. It's where I brought a dozen Toronto friends when everyone came for the opening of a play our friend wrote. They all raved about the buffet and want to come back. I also recommended the restaurant to my playwright friend, who recommended it to the actors -- she says they go there all the time now and love it.

And if after trying all that food you're looking to burn calories maybe you would like to try climbing the mountain stairs. There's five sets and I've done them all, (not at once.) There's a set close to you at the top of Wentworth Street. They're the hardest with over five hundred stairs. I like the ones at the top of Dundurn Street and at the Chedoke Golf Course about a half mile to the west of Dundurn. Those are about 320 and 280 stairs respectively. I like being outdoors and the views are breathtaking. Beats being cooped up in a gym.

I even strike up conversations with people, or vice versa. I've even met people from out of town admiring the views. I can recall some from Montreal and Scotland.

There's also a set at the top of James Street South and at the East Mountain above a street called Kimberly Drive. Sorry I don't have a map.

With the exception of James Street, there's also connecting trails which run up the escarpment. How many cities can you do that in?