There's still nothing like the Hammer

flar · #1 Posted **Jun 8, 2013, 5:10 AM**

When I was in Winnipeg last week, I was reminded of my old explorations through Hamilton's inner city. It's been a long time since I've looked at my photo archives, and I've been all across Canada, and there's still nothing like the Hammer.

Truly a unique urban environment in Canada.

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Kingofthehill · #2 Posted **Jun 8, 2013, 5:36 AM**

ah. the good-old-bad-old days. i miss your hamilton coverage.

Beedok · #3 Posted **Jun 8, 2013, 1:11 PM**

I miss Hamilton. Wish I got to go back more often.

Dr Awesomesauce · #4 Posted **Jun 8, 2013, 4:04 PM**

I'm gonna go slash my wrists now.

flar · #5 Posted **Jun 12, 2013, 3:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beedok

I miss Hamilton. Wish I got to go back more often.

Me too

Quote:

Originally Posted by boden

You left out the photo of the woman with no pants talking to the police....lol. You are right though, Hamilton is a one of a kind.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LMich

It's crazy how much some of this reminds me of Detroit, with the huge difference being that even when areas in Canada reach the point of looking this truly bad, they aren't wholesale abandoned. Kinda' jealous. lol

I've always thought that was an interesting contrast as well, residential abandonment is very rare in Canada. Even commercial abandonment is relatively rare. As you can see in a few of these pics, commercial buildings get converted to residential, often semi-legally. Though there is still plenty of industrial and institutional abandonment in Canada.

Quote:

Originally Posted by suburbanite

I'm no expert on Hamilton, but I'd say it's still a steel town. The industry has lost some of its prominence at the head of the region's economy, but driving across the Skyway Bridge an seeing all the mills puffing smoke and freighters lined up along the pier, you still get a feeling that this is what makes the city tick.

It really is the only place in Canada that has that American Rust-Belt style grit on such a large scale.

It's still a steel town, but now mostly because there are so many people who used to work in the mills, or come from families that depended on the steel industry. It'll take a while for that legacy and character to disappear.

Kind of like Pittsburgh, Hamilton has turned a corner and now the economy is more driven by education, medicine and the associated research.

Quote:

Originally Posted by photoLith

Wow Canadian grit, sweet hood. Looks like a socialist version of St. Louis

makes
me want to visit. Is it a steel town, or former steel town?

Wow just looked at it on a map, didnt realize it was so freaking close to Niagara, I was just like 25 min away from Hamilton this weekend.

Yeah, you were right next door. If you ever make the trip to Hamilton, send me a pm and I'll let you know some good places to explore. There are lots of great photo opportunities in Hamilton: historic architecture, grit, industrial, weird people, and believe it or not, nature. The Niagara Escarpment runs right through the urban area, providing lots of great lookouts, plus there are something like 100 waterfalls and many miles of trails and conservation area in Hamilton.

volguus zildrohar · #6 Posted **Jun 8, 2013, 5:57 PM**

Ontari-YO.

c@taract_soulj@h · #7 Posted **Jun 8, 2013, 6:26 PM**

Home.Grit.Grittier.Grittiest.Home

xzmattzx · #8 Posted **Jun 8, 2013, 8:43 PM**

There's nothing like a Hammer thread by Flar, either

Danny · #9 Posted **Jun 8, 2013, 8:45 PM**

Very nice shots, flar! Thanks for sharing.

Congrats and greetings from Madrid, Spain!

DetroitSky · #10 Posted **Jun 8, 2013, 9:37 PM**

Great stuff!

LMich · #11 Posted **Jun 10, 2013, 8:30 AM**

It's crazy how much some of this reminds me of Detroit, with the huge difference being that even when areas in Canada reach the point of looking this truly bad, they aren't wholesale abandoned. Kinda' jealous. lol

phil marion · #12 Posted **Aug 23, 2014, 3:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LMich

It's crazy how much some of this reminds me of Detroit, with the huge difference being that even when areas in Canada reach the point of looking this truly bad, they aren't wholesale abandoned. Kinda' jealous. lol

I'm sure the homicide rate doesn't compare either. This thread shows the shit side of Hamilton but it is still an incredibly safe city.

In 2011, Hamilton (pop. 500,000) recorded 7 homicides, a significant decrease from 2010 when there were 12 homicides.

Detroit (pop. 700,000) has way over 300 murders a year.

photoLith · #13 Posted **Jun 10, 2013, 12:10 PM**

Wow Canadian grit, sweet hood. Looks like a socialist version of St. Louis

makes
me want to visit. Is it a steel town, or former steel town?

Wow just looked at it on a map, didnt realize it was so freaking close to Niagara, I was just like 25 min away from Hamilton this weekend.

suburbanite · #14 Posted **Jun 10, 2013, 12:49 PM**

I'm no expert on Hamilton, but I'd say it's still a steel town. The industry has lost some of its prominence at the head of the region's economy, but driving across the Skyway Bridge an seeing all the mills puffing smoke and freighters lined up along the pier, you still get a feeling that this is what makes the city tick.

It really is the only place in Canada that has that American Rust-Belt style grit on such a large scale.