HAMILTON CITY Magazine (HCM) is published by Hamilton City Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Content may not be reprinted without written permission.
It’s hard to believe we’ve come this far. It seems like both yesterday and decades ago that HAMILTON CITY Magazine launched in September 2022. Our founding team of five members has shrunk to two and though we are small, we are mighty and very much committed to producing a high-quality urban magazine that tells stories no one else is telling.
We are grateful to a wonderful team of freelance contributors who share their talents and expertise with us and with you. We are grateful to our fantastic volunteers, who believe in what we are doing and take care of bookkeeping and subscriptions, and proofread our pages.
We are grateful to our subscribers, who support our publication (you can, too, at hamiltoncitymagazine.ca/subscription), and to our advertisers, who value local, independent journalism that shines a spotlight on what makes Hamilton a fabulous, fascinating and – yes – sometimes frustrating place to live, work, play and invest.
We absolutely could not be publishing this, our 16th issue, without each and every person who has played a role in our magazine. Thank you.
We are asking that more of you consider investing in the sustainability of HCM through subscribing, advertising, and creating partnerships with us. There is so much we can do together for the love of Hamilton. In times such as these, working as partners is truly the only way forward.
Here’s a glimpse into one of the many challenges we face. We heard recently from the marketing manager of a major institution in our region who said he likes our publication but that his organization is spending less every year on traditional media, and more with Meta.
This directly translates to spending less on the outlets that employ local people and actually cover our community and more with a U.S.-based social media giant owned by billionaires that has a highly problematic record when it comes to political interference, amplifying misinformation, breaching the privacy of users, and suppressing protest, among many other transgressions.
What happened to supporting local and Elbows Up?
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Meredith MacLeod and Will Vipond Tait, co-publishers
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ON THE COVER: MARY FRANCIS MOORE and MATT MURRAY
Photographed by Marta Hewson for HAMILTON CITY Magazine | Hair/make-up: Lauren McKenzie, Lips N Lashes | Assistant: Simon Drvaric
INSIDE
THE HEADLINERS
7/ 13 STEPS TO A BETTER DOWNTOWN
The City of Hamilton is developing a 10-year downtown revitalization strategy and stakeholders pitched their ideas to create a vibrant, successful core.
12/ THE CENTRE MALL: A CANADIAN FIRST
Hamilton’s east-end mall was the first large regional shopping centre in Canada.
20/ MARKETING A NEW VISION
Business is looking up for the twocentury-old Hamilton Farmers’ Market, but it needs to evolve, say its vendors.
36/ KEEP ‘EM LAUGHING
A viral moment on Hamilton Beach is just the latest milestone in the city’s rich contributions to Canadian comedy.
42/ 30 YEARS OF HAMILTON STORIES
The LitLive Reading Series began in 1995 and continues to be a showcase for established writers, while shining a light on the Hamilton literary community.
58/ KING JAMES: VOL. 2
We couldn’t tell the food story of James Street North in just one issue. The street, without a doubt the heart of downtown Hamilton, is constantly evolving but rooted in the success of mainstays and the neighbourhood’s ethnic diversity.
MAIN ATTRA c TI o
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The City of Hamilton is situated upon the traditional territories of the Erie, Neutral, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee and Mississaugas. This land is covered by the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, which was an agreement between the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabek to share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. We further acknowledge that this land is covered by the Between the Lakes Purchase, 1792, between the Crown and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.
Today, the City of Hamilton is home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island (North America) and we recognize that we must do more to learn about the rich history of this land so that we can better understand our roles as residents, neighbours, partners and caretakers. Both the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day take place on Sept. 30 and recognize that at least 150,000 Indigenous children from across the country were forcibly separated from their families and their communities.
CITY LIFE IS SPONSORED BY CHCH – A CHANNEL ZERO COMPANY
Shai day in Hamilton
NBA SUPERSTAR SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER IS ONLY THE SECOND RECIPIENT OF A KEY TO THE CITY. THE FIRST WILL LIKELY SURPRISE YOU.
NBA superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is only the second person in the city’s history to receive a key to the City of Hamilton.
The 26-year-old point guard capped off a historic year with the Oklahoma City Thunder by returning home for a rally at Hamilton Stadium in August, where thousands of fans gathered to celebrate the hometown hero.
Perhaps surprisingly, Gilgeous-Alexander joins former WWE wrestler “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, who was given a key in 1998, as the only recipients of the rare civic honour.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s 2024-25 NBA season was recordsetting. He won the regular season scoring title, was named league MVP and earned NBA Finals MVP honours, all while leading the Thunder to an NBA championship. He became the first Canadian and only the fourth player in league history to win all three awards in the same season, joining legends Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O’Neal.
Wearing a Hamilton Tiger-Cats jersey with his NBA No. 2, Gilgeous-Alexander entered the stadium hoisting the NBA championship trophy, shaking hands and hugging fans before taking the stage.
“Wow, Hamilton, what a day!” said Mayor Andrea Horwath. “Shai, you have not just thrilled fans in Hamilton and across the country but around the world. On behalf of all Hamiltonians, we could not be more proud.”
Horwath then presented him with the key.
“It is absolutely my profound honour to present Shai, Hamilton’s
superstar, with the key to the City of Hamilton. Shai, this is your day, this is your city.”
Gilgeous-Alexander addressed the crowd, reflecting on his roots and the pride he carries for his hometown.
“First and foremost, I want to thank all you guys for coming out. Growing up, as I travelled across the world, cities and countries, people always asked me where I was from. Teammates would always say Toronto because it was a recognizable city,” he said, noting that while people knew Toronto, few recognized Hamilton.
“I took pride in letting everyone know I was from Hamilton. I like telling them what the Steel City meant to me. Hamilton is different from every other city in Ontario. Hamiltonians carry a different kind of grit, energy and determination from the rest of the province. I carry that with me every day and everywhere I go.”
As cheers erupted, GilgeousAlexander thanked the City for the recognition.
Among many video montages, one young fan, who idolizes Shai as a role model, said:
“Thank you for showing that dreams can come true and that hard work pays off.”
Gilgeous-Alexander was clearly moved by the tributes and the love from the crowd.
“I was overjoyed when I found out I was getting a key to the City and a street named after me. Mohawk Street was everything to me. Truly a blessing. I’ve always been so proud to be from this city. Thank you, I will never forget this. I love you guys.” n – Stephen Metelsky and Jenna Yeomans
SHAI GILGEOUSALEXANDER. PHOTO: BRENT PERNIAC FOR HCM
THE CITY OF HAMILTON IS DEVELOPING A 10-YEAR DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION STRATEGY AND STAKEHOLDERS PITCHED THEIR IDEAS TO CREATE A VIBRANT, SUCCESSFUL CORE. By
PAUL SHAKER
“Some people can’t shake the weight of the past
Some people’s hearts remain at half-mast
It’s downtown where it all intersects
Some came from the mountain, college kids from the west
And not every suit lies right through their teeth
There’s good and there’s bad, and there’s some in between
As I wait for the bus coming from the east
There’s generations of pride and yeah, elbow grease!”
– “Cynical Bastards,” Arkells
This past spring, I joined approximately 50 people from various sectors in Hamilton to gather for a discussion about the state of downtown Hamilton. We were all united in our interest and passion for a vibrant and successful downtown. More specifically, the session provided participants with the opportunity to learn about and discuss priorities for the 10-year downtown revitalization strategy that the City of Hamilton is currently developing. Although members from the City attended and spoke about municipal initiatives, this was an event organized and attended by downtown stakeholders and city-builders themselves, and the outcomes speak to the expectations and desires of many who live and work downtown.
Thirteen key themes emerged from the discussion that can help build a stronger downtown. /continued on next page
1
Now is not the time to let up. It is more important than ever to support recent and ongoing investments, and to keep generating downtown activity. Many investments (new businesses, student residences, and apartment buildings in the core) are recently occupied or reaching completion. Other big investments, like the LRT and the arena precinct renewal, are underway. These investments are most likely to succeed and revitalize downtown if they take place in the context of continued activity that helps create critical mass and supportive conditions. It is therefore important to keep up the momentum with downtown improvements and new building projects. Stakeholders urge the City to support development by retaining business and development incentives, and reducing red tape.
2
Safety and security. Stakeholders continue to identify safety and security as a top priority, with particular emphasis on ensuring downtown employees feel safe. Participants want to see near-term action in the form of reinstating a regular police presence and in investing in urban design and planning that support safe routes between places of work and transit, parking, and other destinations. Stakeholders want safety and security that is approached as a long-term investment in making downtown attractive for diverse users.
3
Embed equity in revitalization and balance the benefits of investments for diverse users. Participants want to ensure that downtown investments, interventions and incentives support downtown users broadly, in addition to supporting business activity. This requires careful upfront planning, consideration of assumptions being used regarding economic impacts, and transparent tracking of outcomes. Participants also want plans to bake in equity as a desired outcome, and for plans to strive for a sense of inclusion for all downtown users. For example, there is a potential role for the City to play a role in proactively identifying housing options for people who may be affected by revitalization efforts.
4
We need proactive downtown branding and positive storytelling. There are many good news stories for the downtown, but they are not being shared effectively. Instead, negative narratives are taking hold and affecting people’s perceptions of downtown. Stakeholders want to see more effort from all actors in promoting the positive aspects of downtown, and for the downtown revitalization effort to contribute to the development of a stronger overall brand for downtown to retain and attract residents, businesses and visitors.
5
Downtown needs a cohesive urban design treatment. While there have been important urban design investments downtown (for example, on King William Street, at Gore Park, etc.), the physical appearance of downtown is slipping. Participants want the downtown revitalization strategy and major investments like The Commons (the collective revitalization of TD Coliseum, Concert Hall and the Hamilton Convention Centre) to result in investments in urban design that will create a cohesive identity and sense of place downtown, improving the experience for all users. Stakeholders would like urban design efforts to incorporate resiliency strategies, reflect local culture, and incorporate Indigenous input and design approaches. Downtown stakeholders also note that bigger, strategic investments are needed at key symbolic nodes of downtown activity, and in areas where design can support other investments. For instance, many people judge the state of downtown based on the appearance of the Gore and surrounding public realm. Areas like these should be priorities for public sector design and implementation. The private sector has an important role in this as well, ensuring that areas of development and renovation contribute to the cohesive sense of place and deliver high-quality urban design.
6
It’s time for a downtown wayfinding strategy and to design great downtown walks. Stakeholders envision a downtown that is easier for visitors to navigate, and that is more inviting for all users. The downtown revitalization strategy should lead to the creation of a clear wayfinding strategy, and the identification and design of key downtown “walks” that will provide safe, inviting and accessible routes connecting key places of arrival, interest and work. Some potential great walks, such as those that would include Summers Lane, will require coordination and investment from multiple stakeholders, including the City, the Art Gallery of Hamilton, and the Commons group. A collaborative approach to design and implementation can help to align interests and ensure that investments provide multisector benefits.
7
Create a downtown communications hub. Downtown stakeholders want to know what’s happening with key initiatives and events, and would benefit from more regular and consistent information. The status and timing of LRT implementation is an example of an issue in which local businesses have a keen interest. The City and Metrolinx do each have online information pages and Metrolinx has an engagement office, but participants see a role for the City to provide a centralized, “one-stop” communications hub that can also promote events.
8
Vacant and derelict properties must be put to better use. There must be a concerted effort among landowners, the City, and Metrolinx to address vacant or derelict buildings. Without careful management, activation, or development, these sites have a net-negative impact on the revitalization of the area. Where renovation or redevelopment is not yet possible, interim improvements like temporary community activation or artistenhanced hoarding should take place. The downtown revitalization strategy can provide direction on where interventions can be most beneficial.
9
We need to retain businesses and “re-people” the downtown core. Maintaining activity downtown is key to supporting ongoing vibrancy. It will be critical for the City to work with business
many people judge the state of downtown based on the appearance of the g ore and surrounding public realm. Are A s like these should be priorities for public sector design A nd implement A tion.
owners and employers to retain as much business downtown as possible, and to attract new businesses that are likely to create successful clusters and support revitalization. There should be a strategic focus on public sector employees and the business sectors that are most likely to remain and have employees who can make use of local amenities, housing and downtown investments.
10
Cast a wide net for downtown revitalization. The scope of downtown revitalization should include and coordinate all key projects within the downtown, and consider a much wider city-building context area that goes beyond downtown’s defined boundary. For example, the LRT line and Hamilton Health Sciences facilities have physical and functional relationships to downtown revitalization that should “stretch” the boundaries of planning and implementation.
11
Measure and track the benefits of downtown investments. Stakeholders want both progress and accountability in downtown revitalization. There is a desire to understand how downtown is actually doing, and how much progress has been made or relinquished in recent years. There is an equally strong desire for public and private downtown revitalization efforts to have measurable indicators of success, so that the public and stakeholders can understand what benefits have been achieved, and for whom. This can help guide future efforts and investments.
12
Engage effectively with BIAs. BIAs are key partners in downtown revitalization, and they must be carefully organized and resourced for maximum impact. Stakeholders want to see direct connections between BIAs and revitalization efforts, and increased funding and support for BIA work. Stakeholders are also thinking strategically about how BIAs should be constituted and coordinated to best serve downtown revitalization efforts, but have different ideas for how that might take shape. Some feel that the downtown will be best served by one, larger BIA group for downtown, and others think that there may be value in additional BIAs. The City should engage the community and business owners on this matter and help to establish a consensus that aligns with downtown revitalization priorities.
13
No half measures! Downtown stakeholders feel that their priorities have been expressed many times, and now want to see decisive action and bold moves to improve conditions and spur investment.
These ideas aren’t unreasonable. They are practical, creative and actionable. More than anything, they reflect the desire of the stakeholders who attended the discussion to see downtown thrive. The hope is that these themes will be explored further in the 10-year downtown revitalization strategy and we look forward to a continued dialogue on making our city’s core stronger and more vibrant for years to come. n
ONLINE: myhamiltoncommons.com
Paul Shaker is a Hamilton-based urban planner and principal with Civicplan. Thank you to Urban Strategies for organizing and summarizing the outcomes of the discussion.
FOR THE LOVE OF HAMILTON
THIS REGULAR FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE WHO HAVE EMBRACED HAMILTON AS THEIR NEW HOME.
MARY FRANCIS MOORE
who she is: Playwright, director, dramaturg and artistic director of Theatre Aquarius
interviewed by: Meredith MacLeod
photographed by: Jon Evans for HCM
scan the qr code: to r ead much more from m ary f rancis
MARY FRANCIS MOORE is an award-winning actor, director and playwright. She is the co-writer of Bittergirl and Bittergirl – The Musical, which also became a book. She has developed new musicals with Johnny Reid, Amy Sky and Tom Wilson. She is the first female artistic director of Theatre Aquarius, one of only two female-led A-house theatres in Canada. Mary Francis grew up in Thunder Bay, Ont. and earned a bachelor of fine arts in theatre from Concordia University. She lives in North End Hamilton with her husband Brendan Wall. They have two sons Fin and Kilian.
ARTISTIC AMBITION
What does an artistic director of a theatre do?
The AD of Theatre Aquarius is responsible for shaping the theatre’s creative vision, curating each season’s programming, and positioning the company as a vital part of the local and national cultural landscape. My role includes selecting the shows — balancing established works with new Canadian and Hamilton-based stories — casting productions, hiring creative teams, and directing one to two shows per season. I oversee the National Centre for New Musicals, a major initiative supporting the development of original Canadian musical theatre. The AD ensures that the theatre is artistically ambitious, locally rooted, and nationally relevant.
What was your impression of Theatre Aquarius before you took your job?
I directed Hairspray the Musical here in 2019 and I had taught at the theatre school a few times over the years so I knew how great the staff was and what a spectacular venue it is. This theatre is incredible. We are a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres and we are a well known theatre in our industry, so I knew it by reputation and experience.
What are you most proud of about your work at Theatre Aquarius?
We have produced exciting new work: Taking MAGGIE to the historic Goodspeed Musicals, our upcoming announcements about the future of Beautiful Scars, this coming season’s production of It’s A Good Life If You Don’t Weaken featuring the music of the Tragically Hip.
How would you describe the aspirations and vision you and the rest of the team have for Theatre Aquarius?
At Theatre Aquarius, we’re creating a home for bold, inclusive storytelling that reflects the heart and complexity of Hamilton. We’re passionate about developing new Canadian work with an international appeal. Our vision is for the theatre to be the centre for you to gather, create, challenge, and connect.
What made you choose to move to Hamilton from Toronto? It was a very practical decision. I commuted for just over a
year and then my older son decided to go to McMaster as my youngest son was starting high school (he goes to Cathedral and loves it) so it just made sense. Being here in the community allows me to have a more direct relationship with our audience. I see kids from our theatre school at the library, I chat to subscribers at the market or when I’m walking my dog. I like knowing who I am programming for and what conversations are happening in the community.
What’s your take on Hamilton now that you’ve got roots here?
My parents have lived here since the ’90s when my dad was transferred to Hamilton, and over the years both of my brothers have settled here, so I had roots in Hamilton before I took the job. I like the sense of community here – someone always seems to be six degrees from someone else, so there is a sense of belonging you don’t always get in cities this size. I like the pride Hamiltonians have of their city even during tough times.
How would you describe this city as a place to work as a theatre artist?
I find the city is an inspiring catalyst for art. It has a rich history to draw from and a vibrant cultural scene. I’ve programmed plays like Mark Crawford’s The Gig based on conversations and events in the community so I would also say the city is inspiring on many levels. My son’s band The Commune plays in town quite a bit and I have witnessed how directly the city impacts his songwriting. “God can’t help this shape I’m in. Take me home to Hamilton.”
What is your favourite meal in a local restaurant?
Where do I start? Hamilton’s food scene is unreal. There are so many amazing places but I sure do love the bureka at Synonym.
What’s Hamilton’s best-kept secret that you’ve discovered? The warmth and kindness of Hamiltonians.
What’s the one thing you brag about Hamilton to outsiders? The food scene, the green spaces, the hiking and, of course, Theatre Aquarius! n
IF YOU’D LIKE TO BE FEATURED IN FOR THE LOVE OF HAMILTON, PLEASE CONTACT meredith@hamiltoncitymagazine.ca
THE CENTRE MALL: A CANADIAN FIRST
HAMILTON’S EAST-END MALL WAS THE FIRST LARGE REGIONAL SHOPPING CENTRE IN CANADA. IT FEATURED 70 RETAILERS, A MINIATURE TRAIN, A CAR DEALERSHIP, AND A MEDICAL CENTRE AND WAS BUILT TO KEEP HAMILTONIANS SHOPPING IN THE CITY. By PAUL WEINBERG
With the news that Cadillac Fairview has sold Lime Ridge Mall after owning the Mountain mall for 42 years, it’s worth a trip into the history books to look at Hamilton’s first regional shopping centre.
Sometimes, I leave the lower city and head up the escarpment by public transit to Lime Ridge Mall, for which Primaris Real Estate Trust paid $416 million in June.
A Primaris press release says the Upper Wentworth shopping centre is a 793,000 square foot mall sitting on a 65-acre property. It is Hamilton’s largest mall.
I visit Lime Ridge because it provides greater choice in shops offering specific items such as men’s clothes and servicing for my cell phone than what is available in the other smaller malls in Hamilton closer to home.
The change of ownership is a big deal in Hamilton because Lime Ridge is visited by Hamiltonians across the city with a similar purpose in mind.
THIS PHOTO OF THE GREATER HAMILTON SHOPPING CENTRE, TAKEN ON AUG. 9, 1955, WAS RESCUED BY RANDY WATTS FROM A HOME BEING DEMOLISHED ON MARY STREET. PHOTO: COURTESY OF VINTAGE HAMILTON
It is not clear what Primaris, which owns several malls across Canada, will do to improve the retail shoppers’ experience beyond filling up the enormous vacant anchor tenant space that was once filled by two department stores at opposite ends of the mall – Sears and more recently Hudson’s Bay.
This kind of mass shopping venue has not always existed. The Greater Hamilton Shopping Centre, which opened in the city a decade after World War II ended, revolutionized the retail experience for Hamiltonians.
An estimated 75,000 people (more than one-third of the population of Hamilton of a little over 200,000) showed up on the morning of Oct. 26, 1955 at the opening ceremony of the Greater Hamilton Shopping Centre in Hamilton’s east end.
Locally known simply as “the Centre,” it was hailed by The Hamilton Spectator in its extensive coverage as Canada’s first large regional shopping centre or mall. It remained the country’s largest mall for at least a decade.
Eager shoppers “jostled and stepped good-naturedly on each other’s toes,” while “jockeying” for a view of Mayor Lloyd Jackson
formally cutting a red and white ribbon with silver shears.
A “carnival atmosphere” pervaded the Centre’s opening ceremony with people in the crowd wearing funny hats, waving flags and releasing balloons.
“A St. John’s Ambulance crew was on hand to handle any casualties in the stream of humanity that poured into the shopping area,” The Spectator story said.
Once the ribbon was cut, the shoppers queued up at the stores. Police were on hand to manage the traffic coming from Ottawa Street and Barton. Not all of the planned 60 outlets in the Centre were open yet, including the two new department stores, SimpsonSears and the Montreal-based Morgan’s. But that failed to dampen the mood.
Shoppers had the option of hopping on a miniature train for 10 cents a ride to a particular store on the grounds. Merchants in the Centre offered trading tickets for the ride.
The Centre was situated on what was previously an almost 60-year-old Hamilton Jockey Club, a 71-acre race track in decline. It was purchased in 1952 for redevelopment by Toronto businessman E.P. Taylor, who saw an opportunity for a new shopping centre
serving both Hamilton and the surrounding industrial Golden Horseshoe area.
The new shopping centre was targeting a post World War II generation ready to elbow its way into what the owners called “a new era of shopping.”
Hamilton already had small neighbourhood plazas of shops but nothing of this size and range of merchandise under one roof had been constructed or witnessed before here.
In offering, for the first time, one-stop shopping for the entire family for a range of household goods, food items and services as well as free parking, the Centre was built to bring back local customers who were leaving Hamilton to shop elsewhere, said Karl Fraser, president of the Greater Hamilton Shopping Centre at a press conference on Feb. 16, 1954.
“Between a quarter and a third of all the net effective buying power of all Hamilton is going outside the city. This is a huge market which we hope to attract for Hamilton through the shopping centre,” Fraser stated.
Other retail outlets in the new shopping centre included two large supermarkets (Dominion and Loblaws), banks, restaurants and a range of retailers selling clothes, household supplies and personal services such as barbers and beauty salons. There were also offices, car dealerships and a medical centre on the premises.
An additional treat for shoppers was a large farmers market on the parking lot north of the new shopping centre. At its height, somewhere in the range of 100 farmers would arrive to sell their in-season produce.
With the exception of the two-floor anchor department store outlets, the Centre was primarily a single storey arcade with canopied overhead walkways to allow customers to go from one end to the other without experiencing inclement weather. Certain portions remained open, much like a strip plaza.
The initial marketing in The Spectator was aimed at the entire traditional 1950s nuclear family of dad, mom, and the kids going on an excursion by car to the Centre.
The historical context of the 1950s helps to explain the immediate popularity of the new shopping centre in Hamilton.
One of the impacts of Canada gearing /continued on next page
up its entire economy for its military effort during World War II was the enormous savings accumulated by many Canadians. There was so little to purchase in the stores because manufacturing was geared to producing necessary hardware for battle.
Those savings after the war helped to unleash a boom in a first-time purchase of homes, cars and home appliances by working-class families, explains John Weaver, a McMaster University historian and author of the 1982 book, Hamilton, An Illustrated History
The development of the Greater Hamilton Shopping Centre was a byproduct of “the decentralization of retailing” flowing from the postwar construction of new communities of suburban tract homes, he wrote.
“The spread of retail activity reflected mass consumption of assorted conveniences and luxuries that now were within reach of most consumers,” Weaver noted.
Five years later, the glow had not come off. The Greater Hamilton Shopping Centre was still the largest shopping centre in Canada, according to a Nov. 12, 1960 article in The Spectator
In its early days, the Centre’s customer base reached beyond Hamilton to southwest Ontario. Shoppers flocked from as far away as Kitchener, Galt, Guelph, St Catharines, Brantford and Niagara Falls. Keep in mind that Hamilton only had a population of 200,000 in 1960, but the same Spectator news story maintained that as many as 400,000 people came through the Centre’s doors on a weekly basis. That’s more than 20 million visits a year.
This regional shopping mall had 700,000 square feet of floor space, employed 3,000 people and generated sales exceeding $35 million in the latest fiscal year. Accounting for inflation, that is the equivalent of more than $375 million today.
So let’s compare those numbers to Lime Ridge, which generated $251 million in sales volume annually and 8.7 million yearly visitors, according to the latest fiscal numbers from Primaris.
Returning to the mid-1950s, the Centre also sponsored special events to attract customers of all ages, such as cooking demonstrations, a cow milking contest, car and boat shows, pet shows, the appearance of celebrities from popular television westerns and a
stereotypical display of Indigenous culture featuring a teepee and an individual posing in regalia.
the Centre Mall opened to M u C h fanfare as the first large regional shopping C entre in C anada. It rema I ned the largest for at least a decade before compet I t I on from eastgate and l I me r I dge malls began to take a toll.
Fraser, the shopping centre president, also made assurances that neither downtown merchants or local east-end stores would lose business with the presence of the Centre.
Of course, in hindsight, we know that these promises could not be kept. Downtown Hamilton retail underwent a serious decline between the 1950s and the 1970s for various reasons, including the introduction of one-way streets and the tear-down of old streetscapes under city hall’s urban renewal policies.
Also, local regional shopping centres tend to out-compete local merchants on both convenience and price. This is exactly what happened to south-east Hamilton, with the exception of Ottawa Street North, which remained a vital destination location for fabric and specialized independent shops.
Over time, shopping at the large malls became the norm in many urban centres. The shopping centres were adding stores and undergoing continuous renovation and change. What was originally the Greater Hamilton Shopping Centre reopened as the much-changed Centre Mall in 1974.
It was now a completely indoor shopping centre of which there were countless and comparable examples across North America built by large developers. The concept was based on a finely tuned model developed in the U.S. by Austrian-born architect Victor Gruen. Typically, indoor malls were set up under the roof of a large building complex that contained a climate-controlled
AN AERIAL IMAGE TAKEN BY SUPERIOR ENGRAVERS IN 1954. PHOTO: COURTESY OF VINTAGE HAMILTON
shopping environment replete with atriums, gardens, escalators and food courts. Gruen’s first designed indoor mall, the Southdale Mall in Edina, Minnesota opened in 1956, just one year after Hamilton’s Centre drew its 75,000 visitors.
There were other upgrades at the Centre Mall. In January 1983, 44 new stores were added, including a new K-Mart department store and the Mall Cinemas were renovated and expanded, becoming the largest cinemas in Canada with 2,400 seats in eight theatres.
But financial difficulties were already looming, especially as the scaling down and closing of industrial plants began in the 1970s. Then came competition from Eastgate Mall in Stoney Creek, which opened in April 1973, and later Lime Ridge, which opened on the Mountain in 1981.
In the early 2000s, stores and other mall amenities, such as the movie theatres, closed at Centre Mall.
Centre Mall continued to host events and celebrations to reinforce its east Hamilton ties. One example of this happened at the end of October 2005 when residents were invited by the management of Centre Mall to attend a two-day event marking the original Greater Hamilton Shopping Centre.
“Centre Mall: Celebrating 50 years in the community,” read the headline in the advertising announcing the event in The Spectator
“This mall has grown alongside the residents of this community and many who shop here today remember shopping here 50 years ago,” stated marketing manager Margaret Dickson in the same ad.
Plans were in the works to bring the Centre and its more than 100 stores into the 21st century, but no specifics were provided.
One year later, the news came from the two corporate owners, CPP Investment Board and Osmington, that the Centre Mall would undergo an extensive $100-million “rebirth.” In 2007, it was announced that the mall would be torn down.
Today, what is now officially the Centre on Barton contains a series of free-standing big-box stores or so-called “power centres,” including Canadian Tire, Walmart, Michaels and Staples that are best accessed by automobile. With a large parking lot and pedestrian walkways that don’t lead anywhere, Centre on Barton is not designed
for walking or cycling. The backs of the outlets face Barton Street and thus have no relationship with the surrounding area. And there are no longer special community events on the site.
In addition, the much-celebrated 52-yearold farmers market at Centre Mall was moved as part of the conversion to the power centres, despite the unanimous opposition by Hamilton city council. It has since relocated to Ottawa Street North but on a diminished scale.
Yvette Cowe, a cheese store owner on Ottawa Street North, has fond memories of Centre Mall before it was demolished.
“We had a family restaurant in the front entrance that everybody loved. The food was good and inexpensive. You could go there and have a good lunch, and then you go to Zellers to buy diapers.”
Cowe was a young mother frequently visiting Centre Mall in its last years. “It was safer than it is now. You could actually walk there with a stroller with small children,” she said.
She echoes what I have heard from others living in east Hamilton. Even as a dying mall, Centre Mall continued to attract mothers with their kids, seniors and teenagers. Local people clung to what was left of a once major shopping centre. There was then – and it continues today – no other community space in the immediate neighbourhood of Barton between Ottawa and Kenilworth where one can just gather and hang out with other
residents.
The community atmosphere at Centre Mall would have delighted Victor Gruen. A socialist, he became so disillusioned by what he saw as the soulless and consumerist nature of large corporate malls across North America that he returned to his native Vienna in 1968. There, he discovered Shopping City Süd (now one of Europe’s largest malls) was being built in the countryside just outside his home town.
Kate Black, a self-professed mall rat from Edmonton, offers these anecdotes about Gruen in her 2024 book Big Mall: Shopping for Meaning as an example of how history and social bonds are erased in what one anthropologist calls “non-places.”
In the wake of its purchase of Lime Ridge Mall, the only thing that Primaris has revealed about its plans is real estate development on the property in partnership with another company. Perhaps, the new owner should take a lesson from the experience of both the Greater Hamilton Shopping Centre and later Centre Mall, which is the value of combining shopping (which we all have to do at some point) and enhancing a sense of community on the mall property. Maybe Lime Ridge should start sponsoring community events for the Mountain, including children’s events, music concerts, theatre productions, festivals and art shows. Something has to be done to make the mall fun again. n
THE CENTRE ON BARTON TODAY IS A SERIES OF POWER CENTRES. PHOTO: MIKE SCHYMKIW FOR HCM
LIFE IN THE CITY
From festivals and films to galas, galleries and gigs, Hamiltonians love to have a good time and these photos are definitely worth a thousand words. HAMILTON CITY Magazine was there – were you?
photos By B rent perniac, Donna Waxman an D Bo B h atcher
Festival
4.
1. Hamilton’s Arkells (frontman Max Kerman pictured) presented The Rally, Hamilton Stadium, June 21
of Friends 2. Debbie Sledge of Sister Sledge 3. Sugarhill Gang
The Trews 5. The Wild High (Jon Harvey and wife Simara), Gage Park, Aug. 1-3
6. It’s Your Festival’s headliners Junkhouse 7. and The Spoons, Gage Park, June 21
8. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Day, where the Hamilton native and NBA superstar got a key to the City of Hamilton and was celebrated at a Hamilton Tiger-Cats game, Hamilton Stadium, Aug. 7
NOT TO BE MISSED
From cooking classes to record swaps and from dodgeball to punk rock, there are so many ways to enjoy city life in Hamilton and Burlington. Here are a few of our favourite local happenings.
ALL A GOURD
Fresh on the heels of Stoney Creek’s late-September Apple Fest, the town rolls out the orange carpet to mark the change of season and celebrate all things pumpkin. Pumpkin Fest is an annual celebration of rotund fruit while providing a decidedly Halloween-y feel – an uplifting event held early enough in the fall that the prospect of shorter (and colder) days still sounds exciting. Costumes are encouraged and all are welcome to take in live music, local vendors, food trucks, family fun, and of course – a plethora of pumpkins. Oct. 18, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. downtownstoneycreek.ca
JUST FOR THE RECORD
Turn the tables on the digital age and go for a low-fi hang at Nanny & Bulls. The Wednesday Wax Club – held monthly –invites audiophiles to sell, swap, or simply listen to a selection of records in their comfy retro Rumpus Room. Enjoy a nostalgic evening with fellow vinyl lovers, taking solace in the fact that you won’t have to explain that the scratches make it sound better, and how dropping the needle into that groove perfectly the first time is one of life’s most special thrills. Second Wednesday of every month, 627 Barton St. nannyandbulls.ca
ROLL UP TO CLASS
Local food blogger Joyce Leung brings her love of food to hungry and curious audiences who would rather roll up their sleeves and get cooking than order dinner through an app. Though her Asian cooking classes are held throughout the year at locations throughout the city, Leung’s upcoming workshops at Grain and Grit will feature an all-ages soup dumpling class – all made from scratch (Oct. 18) and a sushi making course (Nov. 15) where participants prepare three different rolls to enjoy, plus a tasty beverage to help wash them down. 11 Ewen Rd. joyceofcooking.com
A BIT DODGY
Anyone else have dodgeball flashbacks from grade school? Average Joe Sports Club can help you right some schoolyard wrongs at its recreational dodgeball leagues, offered throughout the year. Join as an individual or with a group and take workplace teambuilding to a new level. When your coworkers get a load of your mad skills, no one will eat your yogurt from the office fridge again, and we’re talking to you, Janet. For the more faint of heart, more refined sports are also offered, including frisbee, volleyball, or the always popular sports sampler. averagejoesports.ca
FLEA STYLE
Now in its 11th year, Hamilton’s Punk Rock Flea Market takes over the Cotton Factory this fall with a raucous, spooky spin on your average vendor fair. Think live music, food, vintage fashion, oddities, and more with the industrial setting as unique as the offerings. Support local makers at this PWYC market and find treasures at this one-of-a-kind philanthropic event with an underlying punk vibe where it will become clear that this (probably) isn’t your nana’s craft show. Oct. 28 (also Dec. 6 and 7), 270 Sherman Ave. N. @punkrockfleamarkethamilton on Instagram scan the qr code Make our t hings to d o section your go-to destination for city life and arts and culture events listings! ha M iltoncity M agazine.ca
HOUNDS OF HAMILTON
WE ARE SO EXCITED TO SHOWCASE THE ADORABLE, JOYFUL AND LOVABLE PETS OF OUR GREAT CITY!
Photos By FETCHING STUDIOS
Is there any better escape from the relentless news cycle, doom scrolling and polarizing politics, and any simpler way to find joy and laughter than dogs? We didn’t think so. So that’s why we’ve launched Hounds of Hamilton, our celebration of local dogs in print and online. Mutts to purebreds, toys to giants, puppies to seniors, Hounds of Hamilton will be the place to find the doggoes in our fair city just waiting for their brush with fame. We are pairing up with Fetching Studios, the husband and wife team of Geoff Fitzgerald and Vanessa Marion-Merritt, who will help us showcase local canine clients. Here, we feature beautiful dogs rescued by Ladybird Animal Sanctuary, a registered animal rescue charity based in Hamilton that is dedicated to saving the lives of at-risk cats, dogs, small animals, birds and reptiles from high-volume shelters in Ontario and Quebec. These star pups have now found their forever homes. Ladybird was formed in 2011 by friends and musical collaborators Melissa McClelland, Janine Stoll and Lisa Winn. ladybirdanimalsanctuary.com
Shih
We know your phone is jammed with pet photos, so, if you live in Hamilton or Burlington, send your best canine (feline, avian, reptile – we don’t discriminate!) candids to hounds@ hamiltoncitymagazine.ca, along with your pet’s name, breed, age, neighbourhood, favourite hiking spots, some information about his/her personality traits, what they love, and any other fun facts we should know. We will feature all submissions online, but to make it into print, please send JPEGs, that are at least 1 MB in size. BIRDIE
Papillon-Chihuahua mix
Almost 3 years old
years old
BO Chihuahua 11
HENRY AND SOFIE OTIS
New venture studio takes off
TWO HAMILTON-BORN TECH COMPANIES HAVE JOINED FORCES IN LAUNCHIT SOLUTIONS, AIMING TO HELP LOCAL INNOVATORS GET OFF THE GROUND.
Two made-in-Hamilton software development companies are now working as one in a venture studio to accelerate healthcare innovation.
Launchit Solutions Inc. acquired 2Gen Digital in February and together, they are a company of 40 employees that has recently gone public on the TSX Venture Exchange.
The acquisition of 2Gen gives Launchit Solutions expertise in the design and execution of front-end, userfriendly products, making the company ready for its public launch as a venture studio, says CEO Jamie Harsevoort.
Launchit has expertise in healthcare and is particularly specialized in obesity products, running national programs in partnership with Novo Nordisk and Shoppers Drug Mart.
Launchit is now focused on partnering with researchers who need a partner willing to risk bringing innovation to market. Going public will provide a funding stream for these ventures, says Harsevoort, who started his entrepreneurial career in software development in 2007.
The Venture Exchange is geared towards startups, providing an easier, less expensive but more lucrative route to success than private funding markets, says Harsevoort.
“I do think the Venture Exchange is a little bit of a hidden secret in Canada. So I’m hoping that as well, that we can be a case study to show people a roadmap that’s maybe an alternative.”
Launchit aims to become a global player, says Harsevoort, but the Hamilton native is also focused on
supporting Canadian life sciences. Too many great ideas go south because innovators are unable to get funding.
“Canada has some of the best research in the world. Even just within the Hamilton area, the quality of some of the research that comes out of different organizations is world leading in cardiology, obesity research, and autism.”
In Harsevoort’s estimation, Hamilton offers more advantages in healthcare innovation than anywhere else in the province, including McMaster University, worldclass teaching hospitals, and the Synapse Life Science Consortium.
Launchit is headquartered in Westinghouse HQ on Sanford Avenue North and about two-thirds of employees live in Hamilton and Burlington. The remainder are elsewhere in Ontario, Nova Scotia and abroad.
“(The acquisition) has been a really smooth process,” says Mark Wu, who co-founded 2Gen in 1998 and is now chief sales and marketing officer at Launchit.
“We are already familiar with the healthcare space. We’ve done pharma healthcare projects for some big companies, so we have experience in the field. For us, it was a perfect fit.”
2Gen, one of Hamilton’s first web development companies, will continue to work with existing clients, while having an opportunity to grow, says Wu.
“I’m very much involved with the community. And I always want our success to contribute back to our hometown. Jamie agreed to continue supporting what we do for the community and that was a big plus for me.” n
THE LAUNCHIT SOLUTIONS TEAM INCLUDES JAMIE HARSEVOORT, FRONT, SECOND FROM LEFT, AND MARK WU, BACK, THIRD FROM RIGHT.
BUSINESS IS LOOKING UP FOR THE TWO-CENTURY-OLD HAMILTON FARMERS’ MARKET, BUT IT NEEDS TO EVOLVE, SAY ITS VENDORS, TO MEET GROWING DEMANDS AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES. IT WILL SOON BE UNDERTAKING A MORE ENTREPRENEURIAL AND INDEPENDENT APPROACH AS MORE PEOPLE LIVE AND VISIT DOWNTOWN. By EUGENE
ELLMEN
MARKETING A NEW VISION
It’s Saturday morning in mid-July at the Hamilton Farmers’ Market. After two weeks of brutally hot weather, the temperature is a comfortable 18 degrees. It’s a great day to do some weekend shopping or find a place for a bite to eat.
The crates of vegetables and fruit are piled high in expectation of a big crowd. “Saturdays are good at the market these days,” says veteran owner Shane Coleman, owner of Dilly’s Farmacy and vice-chair of the market’s board of directors.
The Coleman family has been operating at the market since it opened in 1837, originally selling produce from a family farm in rural
Stoney Creek. The farm is gone now but Coleman and his spouse Joanne are market veterans. He says it’s been a long time since Saturday business has been this good.
“Business is back to where it was in the 1980s and early ’90s.”
The uptick in Saturday business is a relief for the 50 or so vendors that make up the Hamilton Farmers’ Market. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday traffic is still down after a sharp falloff in 2020 when the pandemic closed offices and employees shifted to working from home. An average of nearly 80,000 people per month visited the market in the pre-pandemic year of 2019. By 2023, that had dropped to 46,000.
Recently though, the iconic Hamilton institution has experienced a resurgence on Saturdays as the “foodie” revolution attracts growing attention. There’s increasing demand for fresh, local and healthy grocery items as well as one-of-a-kind snack or lunch experiences recommended by friends, family and social media. From 46,000 two years ago, average monthly foot traffic in the first six months of 2025 has shot up to almost 56,000.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s economic attacks on Canada have also played a part in the resurgence. Coleman says many of his
THE HAMILTON FARMERS’ MARKET HAS SEEN MANY CHANGES AND NEEDS TO EVOLVE ONCE AGAIN, SAY ITS VENDORS. PHOTOS: LORRY CUMMINGS FOR HCM
customers appreciate that the market offers a large supply of fruits and vegetables from Ontario and other provinces, as well as nonU.S. produce.
“They don’t want to buy American,” he says. “It’ll be years before they go back to buying American.”
NEW DEVELOPMENT/NEW MARKET
While vendors are breathing a little easier these days, there is apprehension and excitement over the market’s future. The opening this fall of the 18,000-seat TD Coliseum only a few metres from the market’s front door, alongside the impending arrival of thousands of new residents to the neighbourhood, are raising questions about what could be next for the two-century-old Hamilton institution.
The newly renovated arena is poised to bring a weekly stream of out-of-towners to the York Boulevard strip, raising opportunities for the market to provide thousands of ticketholders with pre-show food or drinks. Paul McCartney’s opening act in November is a sign of the drawing power of the arena’s roughly $300-million renovation. Further south, the Hamilton Convention Centre is also undergoing a $10-million refurbishment.
“There’s such significant investment in places like the TD Coliseum that there’s going to be so much more activity, and this is where we have a great opportunity,” says Adam Watson, the City of Hamilton’s senior program manager for the market.
At the same time, thousands of people are moving into areas of the downtown within easy walking distance of the market. McMaster University’s 600-space Bay Street residence created a bump in business when it opened in 2023, says Coleman. The 600-unit King William Rentals, opened last year, is gradually filling up. Next year, 75 James St. South is scheduled to open with over 600 units. In 2027, the Design District at Hughson and Wilson will open with over 900 units and the first tower of the Television City project will bring more than 300 units to the downtown.
“There will be so many more people living in close proximity to the market,” says Watson. “We want the market to be their grocery store. We want it to be their cultural space and their community space.”
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HAMILTON FARMERS’ MARKET: A HISTORY
In its busiest years – the 1920s – the Hamilton Farmers’ Market was reputed to be the largest open-air market in Canada. In 1922 alone, an estimated 10,000 vendors sold produce, meat, cheese, eggs, dairy products, household items, even livestock, from the sprawling downtown square, historian Michael Quigley wrote in his book, On the Market.
The market opened in 1837 after Andrew Miller and his spouse Mary transferred to the city an apple orchard on James and King William Streets to be used as “a respectable market to be built in a suitable and central place.”
From the 1840s to the early 1900s, the market evolved into a hodgepodge of farmers, butchers, bakers and other local producers who assembled with horse-drawn wagons, Ford Model Ts, and farm trucks in the open-air lot and within a succession of market buildings. In 1917, fire destroyed the city hall and the most recent market building. Demands of the war resulted in a decision not to rebuild, creating a huge outdoor space that would result in the hurlyburly market of the Roaring ‘20s.
But it wouldn’t last. Much of the lower city population that had supported the market moved to the suburbs above the escarpment after World War II. City planners also objected to the traffic congestion of the three-day-a-week market at a key downtown intersection. “The outcome in the 1950s,” wrote Quigley, “was open warfare between the city’s traffic department and the market.”
A carpark with a ground-level open-air market and parking above opened in 1961 with a dramatically reduced number of stalls. At first, it was popular, but foot traffic fell off. In the 1970s, the carpark was demolished to make way for the new Eaton's shopping centre and in 1980, the market was relocated to a two-floor fully-indoor facility, where it still operates.
After surviving the COVID pandemic, the market is looking toward a renaissance, although not on the scale of the 1920s, but rather a return to its importance as the central place where people buy and sell food in a revitalized downtown.
A NEW VISION
This vision – a community food hub for growing numbers of local residents while serving large periodic crowds of out-oftowners – is a big undertaking and a major rethinking of the market’s mandate and mission. This is a departure for the market, which has operated for decades as a program of the city government.
City council approved a plan earlier this year to establish a new board and management, scheduled to be put in place next year. The idea is to create a board that will have governance responsibility for the market and to make it more financially independent from the City. The board will also take responsibility for hiring a new entrepreneurial chief executive to manage the market.
It’s expected the new board and management will follow recommendations from a visioning report two years ago for the City by Project for Public Spaces (PPS), a New York-based community development firm. The findings are based on a consultation with vendors, customers and stakeholders.
The key recommendation is to allow vendors to be flexible in the days and hours they’re expected to be at the market. Kierin Gorlitz, co-owner of eighth-generation Buttrum Family Farm, says the Wednesdayto-Saturday schedule doesn’t work for family farmers like her and her spouse Gary Buttrum. Buttrum is only one of two full-time family farm vendors still at the market (the other is Williams Brothers). Farmers need to be in the field during the week, she says, so that they can provide the freshest possible produce for their customers, most of whom are at the market on Saturdays.
The PPS report says the market should invite more family farmers to become Saturday vendors, perhaps even spilling out onto York Boulevard in warm months. The market is piloting this concept with
some success through its recent Showcase program, featuring local producer pop-ups like honey-maker Humble Bee, and Summit Station Dairy, an on-farm milk producer.
The report advocates that vendors who provide non-perishable, specialty, takeout or sit-down foods be invited to have longer, more flexible hours. The PPS study says the market should be the centre of the local food movement in Hamilton and should serve as a gathering point and resource for the community. To that end, the report calls for additional educational programming and a licensed market café, perhaps staying open throughout the week and on Sundays and evenings.
TOO MUCH/NOT ENOUGH
Gorlitz says the PPS vision could serve the needs of both family farmers and prepared food vendors and their customers. “The people who want to be here more are not here enough,” she says. “The people who want to be here less are here too much.”
Former chef Jeff Pychel, owner of Market Bakery and president of the vendors’ association, says it will be a challenge to implement the proposal, but it is critical for the future of the market. “I think you have to think out of the box. The status quo isn’t necessarily working.”
Extra seating and food preparation stalls with exhaust hoods need to be added, he says. There’s also a lack of outdoor signage directing people to the market’s food vendors. This will be hugely important with the opening of the TD Coliseum, which will have its own 185-seat bar and restaurant owned by popular restaurateur Matty Matheson, a chef and actor on the U.S. TV show The Bear Crucially, the market also needs to ramp up its messaging, creating more opportunities for vendors to get their stories out. What the market needs is more attention from
people like rising food celebrity Pete Earley, a Nova Scotian who covered the market this summer on his Instagram and TikTok videos, raving about the French-style croissants from Chaton, jackfruit croquettes from SAU Bake and tacos from Latin Food.
Further complicating the market’s image is the general belief, especially among people who don’t live downtown, that the city’s core is not safe. This stereotype was tragically reinforced when innocent bystander Belinda Sarkodie was shot and killed on King Street in July. The PPS report recommends that the market support neighbourhood safety efforts, which are already underway through a Hamilton police program to bolster patrols in the core.
The unsafe image of downtown Hamilton is a particular concern for Kristy van Beek, former Torontonian, biologist and healthcare entrepreneur, who now operates market vendor Apothecary Kitchen, an awardwinning vegetarian soup and stew business inspired by her personal experience with cancer. She says the challenges facing central Hamilton are similar to the struggles that downtown Toronto faced 30 years ago.
“There were parts of Toronto that people called unsavoury or no-go zones,” she says. As more people moved downtown, the mood changed. She predicts the same thing will happen in Hamilton. “I see a lot of opportunity for development in the core and for this to become a very vibrant part of the city again in the future.”
Pychel agrees, saying the TD Coliseum and residential development will create safer, busier streets, crafting conditions for the market to be successful. “I think you’re going to see a rebirth of the market. I’m very optimistic, but you know, it’s going to take time.” n
Eugene Ellmen writes about sustainable business and finance. He lives in Hamilton.
THE 50 VENDORS OF THE DOWNTOWN MARKET ARE HOPEFUL A RECENT SURGE IN TRAFFIC IS A SIGN OF A POTENTIAL RETURN TO PRE-PANDEMIC NUMBERS.
A family legacy
STREET SOUTH IS MARKING A CENTURY AND THREE GENERATIONS OF MAKING AN IMPACT IN THE ARTS IN HAMILTON. By VANESSA GREEN
What’s the secret to keeping a family business running for over 100 years?
Trusting your gut.
“Tastes change, and trends change. I don’t really follow that kind of thing,” says Tom Beckett, owner of Beckett Fine Art, which is celebrating a century-long family legacy in the arts this year.
“I just follow my own heart and my own eye. I’ve been doing it my whole life,” says Beckett. “Every art dealer runs their own gallery the way they want to run it. We’re all individual, peculiar people and artists, in our own right. We just run it the way we feel
from the art.”
Beckett, 65, represents three generations of artistic entrepreneurship in the community and a deeply rooted family legacy in Hamilton.
In 1925, Beckett’s great-grandfather, celebrated Hamilton photographer and musician Hubert Beckett, opened Beckett Gallery as a portrait studio. Located near the corner of James Street South and Bold Street, the space included a portrait studio and darkroom on the lower level with living quarters for the family upstairs.
Hubert Beckett left his mark on the city, photographing thousands of Hamiltonians
over his illustrious career. His huge collection of negatives, along with one of his portrait cameras, is now kept at the Hamilton Public Library.
Hubert Beckett’s son and Tom Beckett’s father, Thomas Beckett, joined the studio and worked alongside his father for almost 30 years before deciding to transform it into a commercial art gallery, considered a relatively risky move at the time.
Art galleries were few and far between in Hamilton in the 1960s, but the grand opening put Beckett Gallery on the map. With Hubert having shot the who’s who of the city, the
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BECKETT FINE ART ON LOCKE
TOM BECKETT IS THE THIRD GENERATION BEHIND BECKETT FINE ART ON LOCKE STREET SOUTH. PHOTO: COURTESY TOM BECKETT
gallery had A-List guests in attendance as well as Mayor Vic Copps to cut the ribbon.
As an art dealer, Thomas Beckett was a trailblazer. He helped launch the career of beloved wildlife painter Robert Bateman. Decades later, the gallery began working with Alan Bateman, Robert’s son.
Thomas Beckett also introduced a number of new artists to the city, specifically Indigenous creators. At the time, Indigenous art was seen as merely “craft” and not worthy of being elevated to the status of fine art.
“(He’d call) the National Gallery, the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario), the Art Gallery of Hamilton, saying you’ve got to get in here, have a first-look show and have some pieces in your collection,” says Beckett. “And they’d say, ‘No.’ I heard this numerous times, ‘No, that’s not art. You need to phone the Royal Ontario Museum.’ You know, it just makes your head explode.”
“But the world and Canada have woken up,” says Beckett. “And through education and time, now they’re playing catch up.”
Beckett recounts the deep respect his father had for Indigenous culture. As a young family, they would attend pow-wows and visit local artists, and while his dad would talk business, Beckett remembers coming face to face with Indigenous art in the making.
“I remember walking into a shack on Six Nations, watching some old fella carving away. It planted a seed in me,” says Beckett. “We were taught respect. And that really wasn’t the case during the time.”
Beckett started collecting art at the age of 16. He went to shows, met artists and fell in love with the scene.
“When I saw a piece that I wanted to buy, it made my blood move faster through my body,” says Beckett. “It was really a physical thing.”
In 1984, Beckett officially joined the Beckett Gallery. He continued to work with his father until Thomas Beckett eventually retired and sold the building on James Street South in 1998 after it had remained in the family for more than 70 years.
Beckett moved to Vancouver and opened up Beckett Fine Art in the Four Seasons Hotel, his own gallery that would carry on the visual arts legacy of his family. After three years, he relocated back to Ontario, opening up shop in Toronto’s trendy Yorkville neighbourhood, where the gallery operated
for 15 years. When the building was sold in 2016, Beckett had to find a new home for the gallery.
And it brought him back to where it had all started: Hamilton.
“This is where my ancestors go back four generations,” says Beckett.
Beckett felt a calling to the Kirkendall neighbourhood, specifically Locke Street.
“A lot of people, when they come to Hamilton, they come to Locke Street. I call it
the friendliest street in Hamilton,” says Beckett. “When I came back to Hamilton, I looked for (a new gallery space) for two years. And I kept coming back to this exact spot.”
Today, the gallery, located at 196 Locke St. S., features predominantly Canadian art. Beckett estimates about 95 per cent of the art sold is by Canadian artists (a recent uptick thanks to Elbows Up-fuelled patriotism). Local representation is also strong, with Hamilton artists accounting for roughly 60 per cent of sales, according to Beckett.
And of course, the gallery features a number of local and national Indigenous artists, including sculptors David General and Joseph Jacobs, as well as Hamilton icon Tom Wilson and celebrated painter Arthur Shilling. They appear alongside other notable Canadian artists in the gallery, such as Tom Thomson, Robert Bateman, and Frank Shirley Panabaker.
But Beckett isn’t just interested in celebrating established artists. He is passionate about supporting the next generation of great Indigenous creators and giving them a platform for their work.
One of those up-and-coming artists is Hamilton’s Kyle Joedicke.
A former graffiti artist, Joedicke parlayed his deftness with a paint can into stunning commissioned murals.
Beckett saw Joedicke’s work on Instagram and was immediately inspired.
“I just thought, ‘Wow, this is incredible
TOM WILSON’S TRAVELLING PRAYER
THOMAS BECKETT TRANSFORMED HIS FATHER’S PHOTO STUDIO INTO A COMMERCIAL ART GALLERY.
work.’ But, well, I can’t sell his walls. So I phoned him up and said, ‘I love what you’re doing. Would you ever consider painting on canvas? Maybe we can do something together.’”
That phone call changed everything for Joedicke.
“Tom has been one of the strongest voices of support from the very beginning of my art career,” says Joedicke. “Working with him has really helped me raise my profile as an artist.”
Joedicke, 32, is a Cayuga Woodland artist from Caledonia, whose art is heavily influenced by his Haudenosaunee heritage.
He’s a self-taught artist and had painted a few local murals (at the former Merk Snack Bar and the Ottawa Street Market) before he was discovered by Beckett.
There are now a number of collectors that are actively seeking new pieces he creates, which he says has helped legitimize his craft. For Joedicke, the network and community that Beckett’s representation offers is invaluable.
“Tom’s family and the legacy of the Beckett
Gallery have put a really heavy focus on supporting Indigenous artists,” says Joedicke. “Not just keeping up the legacies of previous Indigenous artists that have made it in the fine art world, but they’ve always supported younger and up-and-coming artists, too.”
Since their partnership, Joedicke has worked with the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund, McMaster University and Mohawk College. His work also features at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, and his latest commission is a mural at a youth lodge at Six Nations.
“After my first conversation with Tom, I really connected with him on a personal level,” says Joedicke. “It didn’t really feel like it was an institution of art. It felt like I was having a conversation with someone who is genuinely interested in the preservation of the craft.”
Beckett’s role as a steward of the arts has not gone unnoticed. This year, he was nominated for a Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing the incredible impact he’s had on the arts community in the city. Though he didn’t bring
EVENTS
Beckett Fine Art’s 100th Year Show will take place from Sept. 9 to Oct. 4 at Beckett Fine Art Gallery.
Kyle Joedecki will host the 4th annual Spirit Jams Fundraiser at Doors Pub on Saturday, Sept. 27, to raise money for the Indian Residential School Survivors Society.
home the award, he said it was an honour just to be recognized.
As he looks ahead, Beckett says he can’t rule out a fourth generation taking on the business.
“I’m going to keep going as long as I can,” says Beckett. “My daughter Lucy finished a degree at Concordia in art history. Who knows what she’ll do? But the door is open.” n beckettfineart.com
Oct 16 - 19 & 24 - 26
Discover the depths of Hendrie Valley, illuminated by hundreds of real, candlelit jack-o’-lanterns. Enjoy seasonal treats, live entertainment, and pumpkin-themed activities for a truly unforgettable fall evening.
PURCHASE TICKETS AT RBG.CA/PUMPKIN
HAMILTON PHOTOGRAPHER BRENT PERNIAC HAS CAPTURED IMAGES OF HUNDREDS OF ACTORS, SINGERS, POLITICIANS, SPORTS FIGURES, AND OTHER FAMOUS FOLK OVER A 20-YEAR CAREER HE SAYS ALL HAPPENED BY ACCIDENT. By MEREDITH MACLEOD
SHOOTING STARS
Brent Perniac has taken photos of just about every celebrity you can think of over his more than 20 years behind the camera.
He was inspired by his mom’s love of photography, took advantage of his father’s corporate connections, and took his first celebrity photo as a kid in his own living room.
He’s not formally trained and instead wanted to be a screenwriter, but his knack for photography soon saw him with a camera around his neck while studying at McMaster University. That accidentally led to a career.
Perniac grew up near Gage Park, the son of Sam and Alice Perniac. He has a younger brother Wade and went to Delta Secondary School. He played sports as a kid, including tennis and hockey.
It was a young Perniac’s involvement with the Rosedale Tennis Club that led to a photo that was published around the world decades later.
Friends actor Matthew Perry was billeted by the Perniacs in their Rothsay Avenue home when a teenaged Perry was in a tennis tournament in the city in the 1980s. Perniac snapped a photo of Perry, who was clutching a tennis racket, alongside two other teens.
BRENT PERNIAC. PHOTO: DONNA WAXMAN FOR HCM
When Perry died in October 2023 at the age of 54, that photo showed up in publications around the world.
“It’s surreal to see my family living room in all these magazines,” Perniac told HCM at the time.
Though he never planned a career in photography, he was often behind the lens.
“I used to photograph my friends and family. I’d have them pose. I’d get different magazines and try to re-enact Ralph Lauren advertisements with my friends. When I got to Delta high school, I started working as a photographer and writer for the yearbook. I really wanted to be a writer, a screenwriter.”
After high school, Perniac went to McMaster to study sociology and English (taking all the film and drama courses he could) and started writing for the student newspaper The Silhouette. He always took his camera along, though he didn’t exactly think of himself as a photographer back then.
“I was just learning on the fly. My first big (assignment) was Guns N’ Roses (at Copps Coliseum in 1993). And it was one of those concerts where too much chaos happened, and Axl left the stage when somebody threw something at him.”
Perniac’s dad worked in sales at the tobacco company Rothmans, Benson & Hedges, which back in a time before a crackdown on cigarette advertising, was sponsoring many sporting, arts and cultural events.
“We could get tickets to every concert, every box at games at Maple Leaf Gardens. We just went everywhere and I always brought my camera. I brought 12 friends to a U2 concert. And then we went to a Pink Floyd concert. I was pretty popular because of my dad,” Perniac chuckles.
Sometimes he’d shoot photos from the box and sometimes he’d sneak down to the stage, as he did for The Who and the Rolling Stones.
Perniac’s photos were published in View magazine, The Hamilton Spectator and the now-defunct Hamilton Magazine.
Then came the Toronto International Film Festival of which Rothmans, Benson & Hedges sponsored galas. Perniac photographed superstar Brad Pitt at his first event. “There was just this rush of adrenaline and it was life-changing. I was just hooked.”
He didn’t know what he was doing but he contacted magazines and several said to send /continued on page 54
A SELECTION OF BRENT PERNIAC’S PHOTOS.
FROM
CLOCKWISE
TOP: U2’S BONO, JOHNNY DEPP, KEITH RICHARDS OF THE ROLLING STONES, LADY GAGA, JENNIFER ANISTON, ELTON JOHN, AND DRAKE.
Community in comics
ARTS FANS MIGHT BE SURPRISED TO LEARN HOW MANY COMIC ARTISTS LIVE IN HAMILTON. BONK’D AIMS TO CHANGE THAT.
Bonk’d is a Hamiltonian anthology comic book highlighting homegrown comic artists. Featuring talent in various stages of notoriety crossing a variety of genres, the collective’s focus from the beginning was on showcasing community.
Raul Palacios, Joe Ollmann and Sunny Singh are the editorial team behind the venture. Ollmann had talked about making a comic anthology for some time.
“I was always waiting for the right time, and to have the right money so we could pay people, and then these guys came along with their youthful vigour, and said, ‘Let’s just do it!’ So that was the impetus, that they were positive, and not cynical like me, so we just did it,” said Ollmann.
“I would meet up with Joe to trade comics and talk about life, and by the end of our meetings we would always just be like, ‘Yeah, we’ve got a lot of comics and cartoonist talent in Hamilton,’” said Singh. “We’d see it through Zineposium and things like that. He was just like, ‘We should do an anthology.’”
The idea was so popular, Palacios had almost signed up for a different project that didn’t materialize. “So we were all talking about it. It was in the zeitgeist.”
Hamiltonian arts fans might be surprised to learn how many comics artists live in the Steel City, since their influence tends to remain underground.
“We ended up having a list of 40 artists that we wanted, just through who we knew in the city organically,” said Singh. “We reached out to everybody. Twenty-five ended up saying yes, but even after the fact we discovered more artists, through Zineposium and the Hamilton Drawing Club, and we thought that was a perfect reason to potentially do a second one.”
artists into a more mainstream spotlight.
“There’s a lot of art being created in Hamilton, the community tends to help each other, and they like collaborating,” said Palacios. “Comics specific, I don’t know, I think we tend to be lonely people. I don’t think there’s such a thing as a big comics community in Hamilton, but maybe we can change that.”
It’s an isolating art form, said Ollmann. “You work for hundreds of hours by yourself. The thing about Hamilton is, comics is a very working class art form, it’s a gutter art form, and Hamilton is a working class city so it’s really natural here. We’ve got Dave Collier here, (a contributing artist in Bonk’d) who is one of the world’s most beloved cartoonists, and he loves this city so much and his work reflects the city so much. Everywhere I’ve gone, to comics festivals around the world, when I tell them I’m from Canada they ask me if I know Dave Collier.”
BY SCANNING THE QR CODE.
Although the scene may still be in development, Bonk’d, and potential future projects like it, could help project these
The Bonk’d team was able to pay contributors through the City of Hamilton’s Enrichment Fund.
“I think Bonk’d has already played a wonderful role in bringing together emerging, established, and all of the comic artists in between into one fantastic publication,” said Sonali Menezes, a contributing artist. “It has offered much needed space for many artists to publish their very first comics, such as myself, and be taken seriously, too.
Bonk’d has proven that there’s a thriving comics scene right here in Hamilton, and you don’t need to go to Toronto to read great comics.”
The Bonk’d crew is planning a second issue and is open to whatever else the future has in store, says Ollmann. “If we could financially do it, we would probably do it.”
Grab a copy of the anthology series, and a new Hamiltonthemed postcard set, on their website (bonkdcomics. bigcartel.com). n –Sarah Jessica Rintjema
HAMILTON AT CENTRE STAGE
THE TIME CAPSULE , WHICH WILL LAUNCH THEATRE
AQUARIUS’S 52 nd SEASON ON OCT. 1, IS SET IN OUR CITY AND EXPLORES JUST WHAT MAKES THIS CITY TICK THROUGH FIVE FLAWED PEOPLE STUCK IN A CHURCH BASEMENT.
By MEREDITH M ac LEOD
When The Time Capsule opens the upcoming season at Theatre Aquarius, expect to see Hamilton unapologetically front and centre in every way possible.
The action takes place in a church basement in the city, where a handful of people get together to talk about what should
be included in a time capsule for the city. Suffice it to say that historical artifacts take a backseat when things go awry and the group must hunker down and wait out a snowstorm.
According to the notes on the Theatre Aquarius website: “What starts as a simple time capsule project turns into a riotous
ride of confessions, clashes, and unexpected connections. Think Schitt’s Creek meets Welcome Back, Kotter – a feel-good, femaleforward story about friendship, second chances, and finding meaning in the most unexpected places.”
The play’s genesis began about a decade ago when Gil
director
Garratt, artistic
of the
THEATRE AQUARIUS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND DIRECTOR OF THE TIME CAPSULE MARY FRANCIS MOORE. PHOTO: MARTA HEWSON FOR HCM
Blyth Festival, asked playwright Matt Murray if he would be willing to write a play about his hometown of Sarnia.
“And so really, from there what I leaned into was how do I create something that celebrates these mid-sized cities that everybody knows by name but nothing else?” says Murray.
The result was Chronicles of Sarnia, which debuted at Blyth in 2023.
When Theatre Aquarius artistic director Mary Francis Moore expressed interest in bringing the play to Hamilton, Murray was immediately intrigued by the possibility of relocating the setting.
“The origin of the whole thing was a love letter to Sarnia, my hometown,” he says. “But although Hamilton and Sarnia may be different in scale and size, I think Sarnia is misunderstood and underappreciated, much like Hamilton.”
Though he makes his home in Toronto now, Murray says he remains attached to his hometown.
“When you’re from a place like that, there’s such a protectiveness of it. I find that me and my friends from home, we can shit all over Sarnia, and we can make Sarnia jokes, but it’s like, god help somebody else who says it’s a shithole. It’s like, all of a sudden we all get our backs up.”
Sarnians, he says, will immediately point out that golfer Mike Weir and actor Susan Clark hail from Sarnia.
“I feel like Hamilton is very similar in lauding celebrities and telling the stories about the place to, I think, validate its importance. And, you know, we’re all very proud of where we’re from.”
Moore, who grew up in Thunder Bay, has lived in Toronto and moved to Hamilton’s North End several years ago, says that universality appealed to her when she saw Murray’s play at Blyth.
“I felt like I knew those characters. The play flew by, and I couldn’t believe it was over, because I felt like I knew the characters so well, and then we talked about it all the way home. Like all the way back, we chatted and chatted and chatted about it, and I thought it’s such a deceptively simple play. Like, you think it’s just this comedy and you’re laughing through it. But two days later I would be thinking about something else, you know, and I’d call Matt, and I’d be like, the
other thing I like about your show is this …” she says.
“The beauty and the genius of Matt is that you’re so busy laughing that you don’t realize, you don’t realize the impact and how profound what Matt’s saying is, until you’re reflecting on it.”
With The Time Capsule (which clearly required a new name when it moved out of Sarnia), which Moore is directing, the two have worked through the new setting, but also evolution of characters and deeper exploration of themes.
“Mary Francis is so smart, dramaturgically,” says Murray. “She has been really great about saying I think you can lean in here. I think
there’s a bigger play here. I think there’s more to say.”
Moore says she jumped at the chance to work with Murray again.
“Matt’s one of my favourite collaborators on the planet. We’ve been collaborators now for almost 10 years,” she says.
“And just nobody makes me laugh the way Matt does. And getting to work on something new with Matt, there’s no better place to be. There’s such mutual respect. And I’m so artistically satisfied when I work with Matt, because we challenge each other. We don’t say yes to each other easily. We sort of knock everything about until we come to consensus,
/continued on next page
PLAYWRIGHT MATT MURRAY WROTE A PLAY ABOUT HIS HOMETOWN OF SARNIA THAT HAS NOW BEEN REIMAGINED FOR HAMILTON.
PHOTO: MARTA HEWSON FOR HCM
and that’s a really exciting place to be.”
And once The Time Capsule opens, Murray and Moore will go right into rehearsals for the Panto show at the Canadian Stage, a new adaptation of Robin Hood. Plus, they continue to fine tune Maggie together, which Murray wrote and Moore directed in its world premiere at Aquarius. It’s a project they’ve shared for close to a decade.
The thrill of hearing about Hamilton for hometown audiences will come from the shared familiarity, says Murray.
“It’s like going to a concert. We’re all waiting to hear the songs we know, right? We might love the new album, but it’s like, bring on the hits.”
On a deeper level, audiences will enjoy exploring the flawed humanity of each character, how each embodies Hamilton, and how their city has shaped them.
While the play is a comedy, it’s a story that surprises as it unwinds, underpinned by serious ideas about judgement, relationships between women, the struggles people bear, and the legacies we leave.
“Whether your name is on a building or your name is on a gravestone or no one remembers your name, your life matters, and your story matters, and our stories collectively are what really imbue the places that we love with what they are, and it is about the individual and also their collective connection,” says Murray.
Moore and Murray are thrilled that Deborah Drakeford, who lived in Hamilton as a teen, will play the role of Erin, the force of nature who is organizing the time capsule for the city. Other cast members are Richard Alan Campbell, Richard Young, Lorna Wilson and Stephanie Sy.
“This is really a terrific cast and we were looking for a specific quality in all of them,” says Murray. “One, they had to be funny, yes. But two, they had to feel like they were from the place the play was set in, which is a taller order, a taller order than you’d think. You know, there’s a groundedness and a little bit of an edge, a little bit of a backbone, to Hamiltonians.”
Moore says each actor brings an accessibility and humanity to their roles.
“I feel like audiences want to laugh, they want to be entertained. They don’t want to be lectured. The world is a hard enough place right now, but they also don’t want to be
spoon fed. They still want substance. So they don’t want empty calories, you know. They want something smart and funny that’s going to make them think, but it’s also going to be entertaining. And I feel like this combination of cast, I just feel like these are really smart, sexy performers, who will bring Matt’s material to life in a really exciting way.”
Drakeford says the character of Erin, a tightly wound, retirement-age teacher, really spoke to her.
“Between acting jobs, I’m a supply teacher for the Toronto board, so I have a real connection with Erin. She has this strong desire to make a difference and to feel that she hasn’t made a difference, I find so heartbreaking and beautiful. Now she’s heading up this time capsule thing, and she’s still working so hard to make sure that she is remembered. She really wants to feel like she’s made a contribution.”
Drakeford, who was born in England and then lived in Montreal and northern Ontario, attended Sherwood Secondary School for Grade 12 and 13. One of her sisters continues to live in Hamilton, while Drakeford left for university and her acting career.
“I’m going to stay with my sister during the play’s run and I’m just really excited for her to see those Hamilton moments,” she says.
“I’m excited to be part of the process of bringing that story to a Hamilton audience, and to talk about familiar places. This is a Hamilton story but it’s kind of a universal story, too.”
Drakeford has another connection to the setting of The Time Capsule. Her father was a United Church minister and he led the congregation at St. John’s United Church at East 38th Street and Queensdale Avenue on the central Mountain.
“When I first read the script, I went, ‘OK, hang on.’ She’s a woman of a certain age. She has been at her craft for 35 years. She is in a church basement. She is a teacher. She’s got this great artistic soul that wants to have meaning. I just went, ‘OK, Deb, meet Erin. Erin, meet Deb. Yeah, you’re going to do it.’”
Though Drakeford’s theatre credits are many, this will be her first time on the main stage at Theatre Aquarius. Her only other appearance there was in the studio theatre in Midnight Madness in 1994.
“I love being an actor. I love being a theatre actor for sure, and I’ve had a lovely, lovely
career. But being able to work a new script is particularly delicious. It’s a really special thing. Mary Francis is a very fine dramaturge. And Matt’s work is just full of so much heart.”
Once Moore decided to bring The Time Capsule to Hamilton, she began to think about how a play with five people stuck in a church basement could play on the big stage at Theatre Aquarius. The stage design is in the hands of Robin Fisher, a Hamiltonbased designer who will make her debut at Aquarius with this play.
Fisher, who grew up in Edmonton and then Kingston, moved to the Parkdale and Queenston area of east Hamilton four years ago. She’s had a 25-year career in theatre, learning set design at the National Theatre School of Canada in Montreal.
She started talking with the folks at Theatre Aquarius about The Time Capsule last fall and was immediately excited to be involved. She’s read the script at least five times and with each read, comes a deeper dive into the shape of the space, what set pieces are needed, and how actors will move in and out. From there, she collected images of church basements all across Hamilton.
“I really wanted to include the red brick that is so prominent around town. We’ve created a smaller proscenium. The proscenium is the stage opening, because the Theatre Aquarius main stage is quite wide, so we just sort of cropped it in, and we
DEBORAH DRAKEFORD STARS IN THE UPCOMING THE TIME CAPSULE PHOTO: THEATRE AQUARIUS
integrated some of that red brick, which is really exciting.”
The set has to give a sense of a large space, while also ensuring a small cast doesn’t get lost on stage. Fisher’s design includes an angled ceiling with beams and high windows to give the sense of being below grade.
Once Moore approved the design, it went to the theatre’s production manager, carpenters, scenic artists and props team to review for scale, scope and budget. Building began weeks before the cast arrives to start rehearsals in the first week of September.
Fisher has relished working on a show in the city in which she lives. It’s given her the luxury of face-to-face meetings, instead of emails and Zoom calls.
“I’ve been dying to do a show while I’m at home. So the beautiful thing about working from home is that if something’s come up, or they just need you to pop in and have a look at something, you can do that. And you’re not having to sort out life out of a suitcase.”
Fisher loves the collaborative aspect of theatre. “You just want to try to create something that embodies the storytelling and the work that the playwright has done and the work that the director wants to do. And then the actors come in, and they bring their part of the puzzle as well and how they want to create and add to that storytelling as well.”
When we speak, rehearsals are several weeks away and Fisher is looking forward
to being in a room with the cast and creative team.
“We’re just going to be laughing all the time, you know, talking about Hamilton. What’s quintessential Hamilton? What is a Hamiltonian? How do we integrate all of that? And it’s really exciting to be able to lend my own experience from having been here and meeting a lot of people in the community.”
Moore says this is the right time to stage a play set in Hamilton.
“I feel like this play, in this moment right now, where there is this wonderful sense of Hamilton pride, and there’s so much happening in terms of the revitalization of downtown, I feel like the timing is right for this show to be done here.”
The Time Capsule will be a great date night or girls’ night out show, says Moore. And even the music played at pre-show and intermission will be that of local artists.
“So anywhere we can incorporate Hamilton, we’re going to try. And if there’s special costuming, we’re going to try to make sure it’s Hamilton designers.”
Planning a theatre season is managing something of a Jenga puzzle of conflicting schedules, practical considerations about timelines, and thinking about audience appetites, says Moore. Launching Theatre Aquarius’s 52nd season with The Time Capsule just made sense.
“It’s nice to start the season with something fun, something uplifting. A comedy at that time of year feels good. I wanted to start with something new and that this is Canadian was perfect … This feels like a really fun, strong way to start the season and it will be this proud Hamilton moment.”
Laughter and escapism are needed in these fraught times, says Murray. “And I think this show and the production and the design is spectacular, and everyone working on it just really wants to create something that people are going to just have a blast watching. And that’s the gift we can be giving back as theatre creators right now.”
The season continues with the blockbuster holiday show Frozen, The Broadway Musical, Boom X, Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, and concludes with the world premiere of It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken, which features the iconic music of The Tragically Hip. It will be another world premiere at Theatre Aquarius. n
August 14–October 31, 2025
The
Reception: Thursday, September 25, 5 p.m.–8 p.m. (remarks at 6 p.m.) Curated by Christina Leslie On view until October 10, 2025
Reception: Thursday, September 18, 5 p.m.–8 p.m. (remarks at 6 p.m.)
Curated by Amin Alsaden
Courtesy of Raeda Saadeh.
Featuring works from the M(M)A collection and invited contemporary artists: Noor Abed, Haig Aivazian, Sadik Kwaish Alfraji, Mona Hatoum, Lamia Joreige, Hussein Nassereddine, Raeda Saadeh
ROBIN FISHER IS THE SET DESIGNER FOR THE TIME CAPSULE. PHOTO: THEATRE AQUARIUS
THE PLAYERS’ GUILD OF HAMILTON IS NORTH AMERICA’S OLDEST CONTINUING COMMUNITY THEATRE, ONE OF THE FIRST LITTLE THEATRES ON THE CONTINENT, AND CONTINUES TO STAGE ENTIRELY VOLUNTEER-DRIVEN PRODUCTIONS.
150 YEARS OF COMMUNITY THEATRE
By ALLISON M. JONES
With The Players’ Guild of Hamilton having reached its 150th anniversary season in 2025-2026 and with 74 years on Queen Street South, it surprises board member and director Connie Spears how many Hamiltonians are still unaware of the Guild’s existence. The grand dame of Hamilton community theatre, situated in a grey-painted Victorian with bright red doors, can still be considered a gem hiding in plain sight.
As the late Hamilton historian and longtime Guild member Margaret Houghton wrote in her 2010 book First Here: What Happened When in Hamilton (Vol. 3), amateur acting developed alongside the expansion of military operations in English Canada in the 18th-century as a popular diversion for the expatriate soldiers. There followed a proliferation of dramatic clubs and the staging of “amateur theatricals” by military and non-military groups, often as a fundraising endeavour for various causes. By the 1860s, “Hamilton had literally dozens of these groups constantly emerging and being succeeded by other groups.” In the early days, plays would be staged in the hall at Market House, near James Street North and York Street, and amateur productions would either have men acting in female roles or would rely on actresses borrowed from companies operating in Toronto. Local women would start to appear in plays around 1870.
The Players’ Guild is North America’s oldest continuing community theatre. It originated as Hamilton’s first major amateur dramatic club, established in 1875 under the name of the Garrick Club. Its founders were a group of businessmen, bankers and lawyers, considered “the cream of Hamilton society.” The name was inspired by one of their first productions: T.W. Robertson’s comedy David Garrick, itself named for the highly influential contemporary English actor, playwright,
producer and theatre manager. For many years, the Garrick Club’s president was John Crerar, a city lawyer.
The Garrick Club’s productions usually had a charitable component, something the Guild has retained to this day. The club raised funds for local organizations such as the Home of the Friendless, the police, the cricket club, and the Victorian Order of Nurses. It also established a junior branch of the club for younger people. Over its 35-year history (considered an exceptionally long life for a dramatic company of its era), the club was located at several sites including The Right House (King Street East at Hughson), the Grand Opera House (formerly James Street North at Wilson), as well as locations on Main Street and Walnut Street. According to records in special collections at the Hamilton Public Library (HPL), the Garrick Club would typically put on five
or six productions a season and these productions, with “large and fashionable” audiences, would earn the company several thousand dollars over the years.
In 1906, the governor general held a contest to encourage music and drama in Canada. To the pride of the city, the Garrick Club won one of the two trophies for a production of Kitty Clive. The club was, by then, well known across the country and became a founding member of the regional Drama League and the Dominion Drama Festival. Through the Garrick Club, considered “the first of the ‘little theatres’ in North America, Hamilton was by association seen as “the cradle of the theatrical movement in Canada.”
The Garrick Club was fading as World War I approached, and wartime disrupted the staging of plays. The club went into an extended period of dormancy. In 1926, The Spectator reported that as a result of
THE PLAYERS’ GUILD OF HAMILTON HAS BEEN LOCATED ON QUEEN STREET SOUTH FOR 74 YEARS. PHOTO: MEREDITH M ac LEOD
“persistent” requests in the community to revive the theatre company, a small group of old Garrick Club members formed to stage a night of three one-act plays in November of that year. Among them was Crerar’s daughter Caroline. By 1929, the company was re-established by Caroline Crerar under its present name, The Players’ Guild. As the HPL’s special collection indicates, “The Players’ Guild sprang out of the ashes of the old Garrick Club.”
Still, it wasn’t easy. As the Guild website relates, “the group moved around seeking a permanent home … they rehearsed above a restaurant and then in a room beside a baker where a fine coating of flour perpetually covered both props and actors. Performing at the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Hall, disaster struck in November 1939 and the hall, as well as all the props and costumes, burned down.”
1949 marked a brighter moment when The Players’ Guild became the first and only Hamilton company to win the Bessborough Trophy, considered “amateur theatre’s highest prize in Canada,” for a production of John Loves Mary
In 1951, the Guild bought the property at 80 Queen St. S., where it operates today. Unfortunately, the large front porch eventually needed to be demolished due to its poor condition. According to the Guild’s website, the lot where the Guild House now stands was originally part of a larger parcel of land granted in 1796 to Caleb Reynolds, after which it changed hands in 1803 and again in 1816. The property extended from Bay to Locke Streets, and between the escarpment and the bay. In 1816, new owners James Mills and Peter Hess divided the parcel with Mills retaining the half west of Queen Street. His son, James Nelson Mills, inherited it in 1852 and developed “low-cost housing on the property.”
Shockingly, in 1876, James Nelson Mills was stabbed by a market butcher, Michael McConnell, who had been withholding $14 in rent to try to force Mills, to make some “much-needed repairs.” Mills died four days later. In a fascinating twist of fate, McConnell was defended by lawyer John Crerar (the Garrick Club president), but McConnell was found guilty and hanged a few months later at the old Barton Street Jail.
Mills’ widow sold the Guild lot to Valancey
E. Fuller, who had the current house built in 1878. In 1889, it was sold to a casket manufacturer, for $7,300. The house was on the market again in 1897, and Judge Colin Snider lived there for the next four decades. After a short period of vacancy during WWII, Delia Cullen owned the house until its sale to The Players’ Guild.
In 1958, a studio space was added to the south side of the house. For the next several decades, the Guild built its sets and rehearsed at the Queen Street site, then took down and re-built its sets to perform at other venues, including Westdale and Sir John A. Macdonald secondary schools and Studio Theatre at Hamilton Place.
Over the last decade or two, however, it has become more economically viable for the Guild to both rehearse and stage its productions
The Players’ Guild is Nor T h a merica’s oldes T co NT i N ui NG commu N i T y T hea T re. It or I g I nated as Ham I lton’s f I rst major amateur dramat I c club, establ I s H ed I n 1875 under t H e name of t H e g arr I ck c lub.
in-house. The venue is air-conditioned, wheelchair accessible and has a licensed lobby. Upstairs, there are storage, costuming and preparation rooms along with a library, chock full of books, media, art, historical items, and maquettes (a small scale model of a design) of previous productions.
All of the actors, directors, box office, publicity and crew members, producers, board members, stage managers, set/ lighting/sound designers are volunteers. Many have been involved with the Guild through the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s. Tamara Kamermans, the director of the first play of the upcoming 150th anniversary season, visited the Guild as a student in the ’80s and
then “became the coat check girl for the shows, which was one of my first jobs as a teenager.” Since then she’s been on the board, run workshops, stage managed, directed and acted at the Guild.
Lynne Jamieson, a musician and past president who has filled many other roles besides, says the greatest part of being involved in the Guild community has been “... the mentors that were eager and willing to share their skills with me. Many talented people, in music, in lighting design, set design, sound design, photography, costumes, all sorts of technical expertise, and indeed the business side of the Guild, which allows the creatives to keep functioning.”
Past president Dan Penrose (who has been involved in the Guild since the ’60s), says one of the Guild’s strengths has been in its ability to operate both as a “family” and as a business, ever prepared to make pragmatic decisions to ensure its survival. Its board has made tough decisions, and re-examined business models and relationships with other organizations and venues. Managing the venue is not a small responsibility.
Penrose, Spears, and the Guild’s passionate historian Enid Aaron noted that the historical qualities of the old grey lady mean that repairs and upkeep must be carefully considered to retain its unique character.
The Guild is always looking for new volunteers, and holds events like its summer garage sale and annual Christmas craft show in part to encourage more Hamiltonians to become familiar with its space. Diane Brokenshire, an actor and director who is set to helm her 16th Guild production this coming season says: “The red doors are open and it always feels like coming home.”
The Guild’s 150th anniversary season arrives in October, with Joe DiPietro’s Art of Murder. It continues with Jon Brittain’s Rotterdam (January 2026), Kristin Da Silva’s Where You Are (March 2026), and Rodgers & Hammerstein’s A Grand Night for Singing (May-June 2026). n playersguild.org scan the qr code to see production photos and read more about the players’ guild of hamilton.
MORE ONLINE: hamiltoncitymagazine.ca
A VIRAL MOMENT ON HAMILTON BEACH IS JUST THE LATEST MILESTONE IN THE CITY’S RICH CONTRIBUTIONS TO CANADIAN COMEDY.
Keep ‘em laughing
BEN STAGER CREATED A VIRAL COMEDY MOMENT WITH HAMILTON BEACH AT ITS HEART.
PHOTO: JON EVANS FOR HCM
By STEPHEN METELSKY and JENNA YEOMANS
What started as a routine clean out of a house in Hamilton turned into a viral sensation – and unexpectedly brought renewed attention to a city already steeped in Canadian comedy history.
While helping his brother pack for a move in early June, comedian and content creator Ben Stager was given an unopened Hamilton Beach kettle that had been sitting in the basement for years, untouched and forgotten. What happened next would propel both the appliance – and Hamilton’s longstanding ties to humour – into the online spotlight.
“I checked Google Maps, and sure enough, there it was,” says Stager. “So, I drove there, made the video, and history was made.”
The video, posted June 9 to Instagram and TikTok, showed Stager standing at Hamilton Beach holding the Hamilton Beach kettle. The visual pun was simple, but the response was staggering. The post quickly garnered nearly 800,000 views and attracted attention from Canadian brands including KD Canada, CFL, Smart Sweets, Paramount Canada and DAVIDsTEA. Even Juno-winning Hamilton band Arkells joined the online commentary.
“This moment in History will make a great docuseries,” Paramount Canada quipped.
“Rewriting the history books as we speak,” added KD Canada.
“They’re going to write about this in History books,” the CFL commented.
“So proud to be Canadian,” said DAVIDsTEA.
“Proud to witness this moment,” wrote Smart Sweets.
For Stager, the virality wasn’t something he planned. It never is.
“A lot of it is just impromptu. I’ll be driving, see something funny or interesting, and think, ‘Let’s make a video here,’” he said in a recent interview. “I also made a lot of Cambridge and Guelph videos. I never really plan them; it’s just stuff that strikes me in the moment.”
Stager says his blend of comedy found its footing during the pandemic, when a series of offbeat quarantine videos sparked his first brush with viral attention.
“In terms of comedy, I do a mix of sketch, musical comedy, stand-up, and music,” Stager says. “Over the last few years, I’ve been making a lot of videos for TikTok and Instagram. I think the first time I gained some real traction was during the pandemic.”
At the time, Stager was working an unconventional gig as a transport driver for a Hallmark-style movie production company.
“One of my jobs was looking after actors coming in from the U.S. who had to quarantine at Horseshoe Valley, which was closed because of COVID,” he says.
Isolated and surrounded by snow-covered resort grounds, Stager began posting short, absurd videos from the empty hotel. Drawing inspiration from horror-comedy tropes, he likened the experience to something straight out of a Stanley Kubrick 1980 cult classic.
“I started making these videos, joking that my job was like Jack Nicholson’s character from The Shining, because I was basically alone at the resort,” he says.
The clips quickly gained traction on social media, marking one of Stager’s first viral breakthroughs. While not every video hits the mark, he says, the process is part of the creative rhythm of online comedy.
“Those videos started doing really well, and I’ve kept making them since,” Stager says. “Some resonate with people, some don’t, that’s just the game.”
Regarding the Hamilton Beach video, the post was classic Stager: spontaneous, locally flavoured, and rooted in relatable, low-stakes absurdity. His comedy thrives on regional quirks and Canadian in-jokes, drawing a steady and growing online following of over 80,000.
“I was doing what I always do, hit record, post, and see what happens. This one just happened to take off,” he says. “Once it’s out there, it’s not really mine anymore. People can spin it however they want. It’s like pulling the handle on a slot machine. One in 20 videos might hit, and this one was the jackpot.”
The kettle video’s success culminated in something even more unexpected: a partnership with the global appliance brand itself. Hamilton Beach reached out to Stager and helped organize an in-person pop-up event at the lakeside location.
More than 100 people showed up for the casual meetup, where Hamilton Beach handed out complimentary blenders, branded t-shirts, and created a community moment that mirrored the online sensation.
“People were recreating the video, taking photos, and just having fun,” Stager says. “It was a really good vibe. The weather was perfect.”
Jeca Martinez, a social media influencer, who attended the gathering, praised the feel-good energy of the event and its organic celebration of /continued on next page
something uniquely Hamilton.
“Overall, I found the event light-hearted and unserious. We were all there for a silly goofy time, and it was exactly what we had,” says Martinez. “We rarely have these pop-ups in Hamilton, and it was great meeting others in the lineup, eagerly waiting for our blender or shirt, and an epic moment in history with Ben.”
Though viral humour often disappears as quickly as it arrives, Stager believes this moment worked because it tapped into something deeper: the enduring appeal of hyperlocal comedy.
“I think over the last few years, we’ve seen how local content really connects with people,” he says. “It might not go viral globally, but if you’ve lived here or visited, it resonates.”
And Hamilton, often equated with its steel mills and football team, has a comedic legacy as strong as any city in Canada.
“I was born in Hamilton, spent most of my life in Stoney Creek, but I also lived in Los Angeles and New York,” said veteran standup comic and television host Ben Guyatt. “I live in Hamilton now.”
Known for helming the long-running TV show Comedy at Club 54, Guyatt’s career spans decades. He rose through the Second City ranks in Toronto.
“I went to Second City and did a lot of their workshops,” he said. “I even had the pleasure of working with John Candy and Joe Flaherty.”
Guyatt recalls a particularly surreal moment with Candy in the parking lot of Second City.
“He pulled up in a 500 SL MercedesBenz and asked if I had an extra cigarette,” says Guyatt. “We ended up having a great conversation. Years later, I wrote a script, and my agent sent it to him. I included a note saying I’d met him at Second City. It almost came to fruition, but the financing fell through. Funny how life works.”
Hamilton’s comedy roots run deep. The city has produced major talents like Martin Short, Eugene Levy, and Dave Thomas – all of whom helped shape the national comedy scene through their work on SCTV and well beyond.
Short, born and raised in Hamilton, became one of Canada’s most beloved comedic exports. He gained national attention on the sketch series SCTV before joining the cast of Saturday Night Live, where
COMEDIAN BEN GUYATT HAS HOSTED TV’S COMEDY AT CLUB 54 AND CONTINUES TO HEADLINE SATURDAY SHOWS AT THE LEGENDARY BURLINGTON VENUE. PHOTO: COURTESY OF BEN GUYATT
Canadian
C omi C s have to work harder. U. s . a U dien C es go to be entertained. Canadian
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dien C es are harder to C ra C k. But if you can make them laugh here, you’ll kill in the State S .”
Comedian and tv host b en gU yatt
he introduced characters such as Ed Grimley. Short went on to a successful film and television career, appearing in Three Amigos, Father of the Bride and voicing roles in animated features. He remains a prominent figure in comedy and continues to perform on stage and screen.
Levy, who attended Westdale Secondary School alongside Short, was a longtime collaborator on SCTV, where he created a roster of offbeat characters. He gained widespread recognition in the American Pie film series and solidified his status as a comedy icon through his work with director Christopher Guest in films like Best in Show and A Mighty Wind. In recent years, Levy cocreated and starred in the critically acclaimed series Schitt’s Creek, earning multiple Emmy Awards for his role as Johnny Rose.
Thomas, who grew up in Dundas, made his mark on SCTV as part of the legendary Canadian sketch comedy troupe. He is best known for creating the characters Bob and Doug McKenzie with Rick Moranis, which became a cultural phenomenon in Canada and the U.S. Thomas also worked in film and television as both an actor and writer and has continued to contribute to the comedy landscape behind the scenes.
Ivan Reitman, a graduate of Hamilton’s McMaster University, became one of the most successful comedy directors and producers in Hollywood. Born in Czechoslovakia and raised in Canada, Reitman directed box-office hits including Meatballs, Stripes, Ghostbusters and Twins. His production company helped launch the careers of several major comedic actors, and he played a pivotal role in shaping the North American comedy film genre. Reitman died in 2022 at the age of 75.
Guyatt says the success of Hamilton-born comedians helped inspire his own path into
comedy.
For Guyatt, performing in Canada –and especially in Hamilton – also means navigating a uniquely demanding audience.
“Canadian comics have to work harder,” he says. “U.S. audiences go to be entertained. Canadian audiences are harder to crack. But if you can make them laugh here, you’ll kill in the States.”
After returning from New York in the early ’90s, Guyatt pitched a stand-up comedy pilot to CHCH-TV. That pitch eventually evolved into Comedy at Club 54, filmed at the legendary Burlington venue. The show aired nationally and internationally – including on British Airways and American Airlines flights – and remains a cult favourite, still aired today on CH’s Rewind network.
Two other iconic Hamilton-based shows also emanated out of the CHCH studios. The Red Green Show is one of CHCH’s most iconic productions, debuting in January 1991. Created by and starring Steve Smith as the duct-tape-wielding Red Green, the parody comedy spoofed fishing and handyman shows with a uniquely Canadian twist. Hamilton native Patrick McKenna co-starred as Red’s awkward nephew Harold. Although the show eventually moved beyond CHCH, airing on networks like Global, CBC, and PBS, where it found surprising success in American markets, Smith kept the original CHCH crew with him until the series wrapped in April 2006 after 300 episodes.
Another cult classic born at CHCH was The Hilarious House of Frightenstein, a surreal and comedic take on the horror genre. Filmed entirely in 1971 over just nine months, the show followed Count Frightenstein’s madcap efforts to revive a Frankenstein-like monster named Brucie J. Monster. Despite being marketed as a children’s program, its offbeat sketches and absurdist humour resonated
with older audiences. The show’s legacy was cemented by the presence of horror icon Vincent Price, who filmed 400 segments at CHCH for $13,000. Canadian comic actor Billy Van anchored the show, portraying most of its zany characters himself.
These shows played a prominent role at the 2024 induction ceremony for the Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame held in Hamilton. The inductees included Smith, the late Van, and SCTV alumni Levy and Short. Additional inductees included the cast of SCTV, actorcomedian Jim Carrey, Rose Ouellette, Marie Dressler, The Happy Gang, Joe Bodolai and Jo-Anna Downey.
Tim Progosh, an actor and comedian, cofounded the Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame and now calls Hamilton home after relocating from Toronto.
“The process to get nominated and then voted in (Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame) gives legitimacy and honour to the inductees. There are quite a few, and although household names like John Candy, Jim Carrey and Eugene Levy are deserving, so are Marie Dressler, Billy Van, Mike McDonald and Peppiatt and Aylesworth,” says Progosh.
However, with the onslaught of technology and online content, where people go to find their comedy content has shifted in recent years.
Guyatt, who still headlines shows at Club 54 every Saturday, is quick to point out the distinction between traditional stand-up and today’s algorithm-online-driven comedy culture.
“It’s killing live venues. People get all their laughs on their phones now,” says Guyatt. “But there’s a huge difference between being funny online and doing it live in front of hundreds. TikTok can’t teach timing or how to handle a heckler.”
/continued on next page
COMEDIAN BEN GUYATT. PHOTO: COURTESY OF BEN GUYATT
It’s a sentiment echoed by Stager, who was enrolled in the comedy program at Humber College in 2014, and now balances online performance with traditional stage time. He is also an actor, musician and landscape contractor.
“There is a show called Smooth Comedy I regularly do at The Staircase in Hamilton,” says Stager. “It’s been running for years. They have always been super supportive to me, so a big shout out to them.”
The Staircase, a local institution for independent arts, has become a vital space for emerging talent. In a city that birthed some of the nation’s top comedic voices, it’s now serving as a proving ground for a new generation, many of whom blend digital comedy with traditional stagecraft.
And while the viral kettle moment was a highlight, Stager says the best part is still being able to make people laugh in real life.
“It was totally unexpected,” he says of the Hamilton Beach explosion. “But that’s what makes it fun. You can’t force that kind of reaction.”
Another comedy club in Hamilton where people can catch some incredible live comedians is Levity Comedy Club and Lounge at 120 King St. W. It’s the home base for another popular local comedian who was born and raised in Hamilton: Manolis Zontanos.
Zontanos started performing live comedy
t he Stairca S e, and l evity comedy clu B and lounge h ave be C ome vital spa C es for emerging talent.
at the Hamilton Yuk Yuk’s in 1998 on open mic nights. The now-closed comedy staple opened in Hamilton in 1984 and was located in the Connaught Hotel and Zontanos recalled those early days when he was breaking into the local comedy scene.
“Guys like me, we’re just trying to create opportunities. Comedy taught you how to deal with silence, rejection and everything,” Zontanos recalls.
He quickly cut his teeth on material that was catching on with local audiences and was soon gracing the comedy stage on nights that didn’t involve amateurs getting their allotted five minutes. His material was gaining momentum and an audience.
Zontanos refers to the Levity Comedy Club and Lounge as “his home base.” The comedy club opened in 2019 and was founded by Patrick Coppolino, another Hamiltonian who happens to be close friends with Zontanos. He was one of the first comics to grace the stage at Levity during its inaugural weekend.
“I’ve poured a lot into it, decorated the club, the green room, even the lobby. People walk in and say it’s like a museum. Even (veteran
comedian) Harland Williams said it was the coolest comedy club he’d ever seen,” says Zontanos.
The walls inside the club are adorned with pop culture art, old front pages from The Hamilton Spectator, photos and album covers from legendary comedians and all kinds of memorabilia. Zontanos says the club is much more than a comedy club. It is a cool space with a hip vibe where people can hang out and just have a drink after the show. Zontanos holds the Hamilton audiences at the club close to his heart.
“When I’m on stage I need the audience more than they need me,” says Zontanos. “They tell me if my material is good or not.”
As for Stager, he doesn’t rule out another collaboration with Hamilton Beach.
“We have talked about maybe doing something else later this year. Fingers crossed.”
Hamilton’s comedy history spans decades, all the way from black-and-white TV studios to TikTok feeds. The city is still laughing – and still making the rest of the country laugh, too. n
BEN STAGER AT HAMILTON BEACH. PHOTO: JON EVANS FOR HCM
THE LITLIVE READING SERIES BEGAN IN 1995 AND CONTINUES TO BE A SHOWCASE FOR NEW, EMERGING AND ESTABLISHED WRITERS, WHILE SHINING A LIGHT ON THE HAMILTON LITERARY COMMUNITY. By STEPHEN NEAR
30 YEARS OF HAMILTON STORIES
THE LITLIVE READING SERIES ORGANIZING COMMITTEE, BACK ROW FROM LEFT: BENJAMIN ROBINSON, JACLYN DESFORGES, ANUJA VARGHESE, GARY BARWIN, AND FRONT FROM LEFT: BRENT VAN STAALDUINEN AND ELISE BIRD. ALL PHOTOS: JANICE THIESSEN FOR HCM
Reading is an activity of intimacy. The eye is directed to words on the page and a story unfolds from the mind of the author to the reader taking it all in. Even when the words are spoken aloud, in front of a microphone with an audience in a dimly lit room, the act of telling a story welcomes everyone to an intimate experience.
It’s an act the LitLive Reading Series has come to do very well.
It’s not often that a grassroots arts series can last as long as LitLive, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this fall. Curated, managed, and hosted by a small volunteer group of writers from all over the region, LitLive’s staying power lies in the simplicity of its premise.
For award-winning author Gary Barwin, who sits on the series planning committee, the secret to LitLive’s success is in bringing “exciting, significant writers to Hamilton where Hamiltonians can hear them read, and the writers can learn something about the Hamilton literary scene.”
By and large, most literary festivals are annual events, taking place every year over the course of a few days.
That LitLive has lasted this long as a monthly event is a milestone that Hamilton author Anuja Varghese says is important.
“A monthly reading series is very different than a once-a-year festival or a one-off event. Our role has really become a consistent literary presenter, introducing and promoting and supporting Canadian authors and books in Hamilton.”
Like Barwin, Varghese sits on the organizing committee, a role she took on three years ago at his encouragement. “I was really inspired by the way the group runs as a non-hierarchical volunteer arts collective,” says Varghese, “but also by the longevity of the series and the enthusiasm and dedication of the other committee members … it definitely felt like they were doing something right.”
It’s an achievement, adds Hamilton writer and committee member Brent van Staalduinen, that continues to inspire him.
“LitLive has tirelessly promoted Hamilton as a literary destination, (where) writers always enjoy their experience and encourage other writers to come and check out this cool thing that the Hamilton wordy-scene is doing.”
For Varghese, LitLive is unique because “we present Canadian authors writing in different forms and genres — fiction, nonfiction, poetry, literary fiction, horror, romance, mystery, memoir — all on the same stage every month. It lets authors and audiences meet folks they might never have crossed paths with otherwise.”
The series’ legacy is uniquely Hamilton, too.
“We present established authors and emerging authors,” she adds, “while always presenting at least one Hamilton author at every event. The series has developed an excellent reputation among authors and publishers across Canada, and it has become a popular platform for writers to share work with an enthusiastic Hamilton audience.”
Since joining LitLive, Varghese says the series has been guided by four key values. “Accessibility. We want to make sure it’s a welcoming space that is accessible for everyone. Diversity. We intentionally program the series to include a diverse mix of writers, genres, and forms. Experimentation. We invite authors at each LitLive to respond to a theme while aiming to create an environment that is safe for risk-taking. And support for artists. We are committed to paying participating authors fairly and creating a supportive platform for people to share their work.”
Founded by iconic local writer Kerry Schooley in 1995, the list of writers featured in the series is far too extensive to list. But even a cursory glance at the current LitLive website (litlivereadings.com), and the older blogspot going back to 2007, reveals an expansive multi-genre list of writers.
“We work hard to curate the series to include authors of colour, Indigenous authors, authors with disabilities, authors of different ages and at different career stages, in addition to authors specifically from Hamilton, as well as from cities across the province and the country,” says Varghese. “It’s important for us to let Hamilton see itself reflected on our stage.”
Van Staalduinen further explains that many writers have made their start reading at LitLive before their career really took off. “My first appearance,” he says, “was in my pre-publication days, where I stood with a shaky printout of a short story that hadn’t yet found a home. I’ve been fortunate to be
/continued on next page
LOCAL WRITER AND LITLIVE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE MEMBER ANUJA VARGHESE.
LOCAL WRITER AND LITLIVE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE MEMBER GARY BARWIN.
LOCAL WRITER AND LITLIVE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE MEMBER BRENT
ORGANIZERS AND PAST AND PRESENT VOLUNTEERS
a reader at LitLive on a few occasions, and I’ve been back a few times to read from my published books.”
As Hamilton’s longest running literary series, LitLive has cultivated a number of partnerships, such that it has become one of the best hubs for writers to connect with the community’s literary scene. “We’ve been hosted by the AGH, the SkyDragon/ Homegrown Hamilton, and The Staircase in its various incarnations and had a relationship with the Hamilton Arts Council,” says Barwin, “as well as the gritLIT festival, the library and bookstores of Hamilton.
“We’ve been a stalwart on the scene, and I think that’s important. We’re often the first place publishers contact when seeking a place to feature their writers in the city.”
But with years of operation have come years of challenges, too. “We are not a registered charity,” says Varghese, “so many funding opportunities aren’t open to us. LitLive also doesn’t sell tickets, we run on a PWYC (pay-what-you-can) basis, which ensures
As H A milton’s longest running liter A ry series, LitLive has cu L tivated a number of partnerships, such that it has become one of the best hubs for writers to connect with the community’s L iterary scene.
the cost isn’t a barrier for anyone to attend. We don’t have a lot of costs,” she admits “but we are committed to paying all 40 authors who participate in the series each year at the Writers’ Union of Canada rate. This means we rely on a few key grants and the generosity of our audience and community supporters to keep the series going.”
LitLive runs the first Sunday of every month from September to June at The Staircase at 27 Dundurn St. N.
Keeping the series alive remains the goal of the committee members as they prepare for
the 2025-26 season and the 30th anniversary this fall.
“Our mission,” says Barwin, “is to continue to make a place for local and national writers to read to an intimate audience.”
It’s a mission he thinks is increasingly relevant, “in these days of conservatism, increasing fear, and mistrust of curiosity and dialogue.”
When asked what their goals are for the future of LitLive, Barwin, Varghese and van Staalduinen all responded the same: Another 30 years of incredible writing. n
OF THE LITLIVE READING SERIES ARE:. BACK ROW, FROM LEFT: GARY BARWIN, JACLYN DESFORGES, BENJAMIN ROBINSON, JOHN TERPSTRA, CHRIS PANNELL; FRONT, FROM LEFT: ELISE BIRD, PAIGE MAYLOTT, SUSAN EVANS SHAW, BRENT VAN STAALDUINEN, AND ANUJA VARGHESE.
HAMILTON IS STILL IN TERRA LIGHTFOOT’S VEINS AND DEEPLY EMBEDDED IN HER MUSIC CAREER, EVEN THOUGH SHE NOW SHARES A HOME WITH HUSBAND JON AUER IN COTTAGE COUNTRY. HER SIXTH STUDIO ALBUM, HOME FRONT , COMES OUT OCT. 17. By KERRY DOOLE
EMBRACING her own story
Everything on the home front for Terra Lightfoot is just fine.
The roots-rock singer-songwriter, a crucial member of the Hamilton music community for the past 17 years, is now readying the release of Home Front, her sixth studio album and follow-up to 2023’s Healing Power
It is set to come out on local label Sonic Unyon Records on Oct. 17, and, a day after a show at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, Lightfoot sat down with HAMILTON CITY Magazine over coffee on King William Street to discuss the new record.
Lightfoot revealed that this is the first interview she has given to discuss Home Front, and the enthusiasm with which she tackled the topic reflected her justified pride in it. The album title is fitting, for it is a collection of songs rooted in Lightfoot’s life. “It is my story or the stories of my friends,” she explains. “It is like a family record, a history book of all the people I love.”
The title also reflects the fact that the record was recorded in the house in Ontario cottage country near Haliburton Lightfoot now shares with her husband, noted American musician, songwriter and recording engineer Jon Auer.
“The house felt magical as soon as we saw it, like it was made for us, a place for our love to grow … and we now consider it a gift from a stranger, our fortress of love, a safe place to retreat to and make music in. The name Home Front represents all of that for me,” says Lightfoot.
The rustic recording locale helped shape the sound and ambience of Home Front, an album reflecting a dramatically different side of Lightfoot’s multi-faceted musical personality. Via her previous albums and a strong work and touring ethic, Lightfoot has earned a JUNO nomination, critical acclaim, peer respect and a national audience as a triple threat: a powerful and soulful vocalist, a full-blooded and fluent guitarist, and a lyrically eloquent songwriter.
Her style has always been eclectic and hard to define, but is oft-placed in the rootsrock camp. That tag does not apply to Home Front, which Lightfoot calls “my acoustic album.” Her rack of electric guitars was temporarily placed in storage for this new collection of songs built around Lightfoot’s
TERRA LIGHTFOOT’S SIXTH STUDIO ALBUM HOME FRONT IS OUT OCT. 17. PHOTO: MELISSA PAYNE /continued on next page
crisp and resonant acoustic guitar stylings (she plays classical guitar on two cuts) and recorded in a spontaneous and stripped-down fashion.
Fiddle, piano, trumpet, strings and background vocals are inserted judiciously into some of the songs, but the core template of acoustic guitar and voice holds court on Home Front
Lightfoot explains that this approach emerged organically. “We started out with sessions at (Blue Rodeo guitarist) Jimmy Bowskill’s place. We spent a weekend there, with two drummers, working through all the songs we had.”
Some songs suited a stripped-down approach.
“That is something I hadn’t really done before. I was literally doing a rock band with two drummers thing, full on, but the luck of the draw in marrying Jon Auer is that he has also been a recording engineer and mixer since he was a teenager. Then it just made a lot of sense to do a record at home, and Jon was into the idea.”
Thanks to a mobile recording setup installed by James McKenty (Greg Keelor, Natalie MacMaster), sessions in the Lightfoot/ Auer home went smoothly, with the married couple sharing production duties.
Lightfoot is no slouch in the studio, having produced records for other artists, but this was her first production experience on an album of her own. Auer has a wealth of studio experience, having worked with acclaimed U.S. rock group The Posies, releasing solo albums and, since 1993, being a key member in the reformed Big Star, the cult favourite band that initially featured the late Alex Chilton.
The home recording experience was one in which Lightfoot thrived. “Jon and I would be sitting in our house in the country, having dinner together, and then we’d pull the piano out from the wall, set up a few microphones and try to track everything live. A lot of the vocals are live and one take. I’ve often done more processing in the past, using editing and studio magic, but I specifically tried to stay away from that here. Jon would go, ‘Do you want to massage this?,’ and I’d go, ‘No, just leave it as it is.’”
Lightfoot explains that “the first and last songs you hear on Home Front, ‘A Good Sign’
Lightfoot is no s L ouch in the studio, having produced records for other artists, but this was her first production experience on an album of her own.
and ‘Hummingbirds Hum,’ were tracked one night, live with one microphone, when I went out to our back porch with a view of the pond.”
Three songs emerged from Bowskill’s studio, with the remainder recorded at Lightfoot’s home. “In this day and age it is a great luxury to set up in your own space and with your own energy,” she says. ”There is also a sound to our house that is very special. It is a very peaceful place and I think that is captured on the record. The way I have changed since I’ve moved to that house is also really big. Looking out from the porch to this body of water does something to you.”
The Waterdown-raised Lightfoot calls the decision to move from her beloved Hamilton
to cottage country five years ago “a measure to combat Hamilton housing prices,” but she has found this new locale creatively inspiring.
“Our house was a hunting camp in the 1960s, and it was bought in the ’80s by an artist. He painted murals on the wall and did massive renovations, including building a granite fireplace that looks like it is from the 1800s. It is such a cool vibe there.”
The 11-song collection that is Home Front is a mix of new and old material. One cut, “Sleepyhead,” was released by Lightfoot back in 2022 and covered by Sarah Blackwood, of Walk Off The Earth, but is given a stripped-down treatment here.
Two drastically different covers here will likely grab attention. The Joni Mitchell classic “A Case Of You” thrives in this setting, and, as a love letter to Canada, it is highly timely in this fraught era.
The other cover is “Red,” the bona fide Canadian indie rock classic first released by Treble Charger back in 1994, and there’s a cool Hamilton backstory to Lightfoot’s version. “I loved and absorbed that song as a young person,” she recalls. “I later played very briefly in the (Hamilton rock band) Don Vail, and Treble Charger’s Bill Priddle (writer of ‘Red’) was also in that circle, and we became friends. Every summer we’d have a big party with everyone singing cover songs together. Bill would always sing ‘Red’ and everybody would just melt.”
Priddle now lives in Sault Ste. Marie, and when Lightfoot performed at a festival there last year, she lured him back onstage. “Along with Daniel Romano and The Trews, we all did ‘Red’ with Bill. I told Dan after I loved that song as a kid, and he goes ‘me too.’ It was a shared Canadian heritage moment.”
The Home Front version of the classic is a compellingly fresh take. “Jon said, ‘I think we should do that song country-style with a violin playing the guitar line,’” says Lightfoot. “Anne Lindsay (Jim Cuddy Band) played fiddle, (blues star) Steve Marriner is on harmonica, and Bill Priddle sent us his vocal contribution. He loves our version.”
Lightfoot’s original tunes on Home Front are equally strong. “The Queen of Trout Lake” tells the story of her grandparents’ move to North Bay, while “Yours Forever” tackles the
theme of domestic violence in a way that is both poignant and empowering.
Though no longer a Hamilton resident, Lightfoot remains full of love for this city and grateful for its impact on her life and career. When this scribe suggests that perhaps you can take the girl out of Hamilton, but not Hamilton out of the girl, she responds passionately.
“Absolutely. That is so true. So many cities I’ve gone to are trying to be something else. Hamilton just knows what it is. Hamilton for me means saying what you mean all the time, even if it’s not appropriate. It means being able to laugh at your own self and we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We don’t really care who’s in the room with us, everyone is on the same level. There’s a tough friendliness that goes around here.”
Her musical career remains deeply rooted in Hamilton, via her long connection to Sonic Unyon Records. She signed to that prestigious independent label early in her career (all her albums are out on that imprint), and is managed by Wayne Petti at Sonic Unyon Management.
Lightfoot explains that she and Sonic Unyon head Tim Potocic “are friends first and our business stuff is based on that. I feel we have a great understanding of each other and it has meant the world to me to be with Tim for this long.”
She jokingly recalls that when Potocic signed the young Lightfoot “I was playing in about 10 different projects. He said, ‘We can’t manage you when you’re playing in just about every single band in town. You have to quit a couple.’ I just loved playing music with as many people as I could.”
One of those bands was the Dinner
Belles, something of a local “supergroup” that also featured Brad Germain (Golden Feather), Brandon Bliss (Monster Truck), Greg Brisco, and Scott Bell. Lightfoot recalls that group with great fondness, noting that “one Hamilton moment I’ll never forget was when Gordie Lewis of Teenage Head came to practise with the Dinner Belles for a gig and the only space at the Corktown house I was living in was my huge bedroom.”
That clichéd phrase “paying your dues” certainly has applied to Lightfoot. All those years of hard work playing bars in and around Hamilton in many different musical settings proved invaluable, allowing her to hone her chops while connecting with established local stars who lent support and wise advice.
Lightfoot singles out the likes of Rita Chiarelli, Lori Yates, Daniel Lanois and Tom Wilson, along with “honorary Hamiltonian” Colin Linden, in this regard.
“Since we played Harvest Picnic almost 15 years ago, Daniel has been so supportive,” she says. ”He’s an inspiring cat and I learned a lot about leading a band from him. He and I toured with Blackie and the Rodeo Kings a little while back, and getting to play Dan songs with Blackie backing and me playing guitar was very fun.”
Another Hamilton believer in Lightfoot’s talent from early on was concert promoter and This Ain’t Hollywood co-owner Lou Molinaro. “The very first time I ever booked Terra was in 2008, when she was just starting to do shows on her own,” he recalls.
“I had a show booked at a bar called Pepper Jack’s on King William. Chris Houston and Gordie were going to play as a duo as openers, but Gordie was too upset over the
death of Frankie Venom the week before to do it. My friend Ken Inouye managed Pepper Jack’s and he reached out to Terra, who agreed to do the show with a couple of hours’ notice. The headliner was (English prog rocker) Peter Hammill, of Van Der Graff Generator fame. What really freaked me out was that Terra actually knew of Peter Hammill. She killed it up there.”
Lightfoot says that show was a watershed moment. Her grandmother died that day. “She played piano and trained to be a professional musician. She was so supportive of me and I know she’d have wanted me to play that show. I think that was a big day, as I became aware of my ability to perform, no matter what.”
Molinaro says he knew Lightfoot was going to do well. “You know when someone has it? She left tire tracks on most of the local talent.”
Lightfoot was always kind to This Ain’t Hollywood, says Molinaro, and one of his favourite moments at the legendary venue (now home to steakhouse Le Tambour), was Lightfoot sharing a bill with Frank Black, frontman of The Pixies, in 2010.
The substantial peer respect that Lightfoot has earned is reflected in the fact that she has opened tours for such major Canadian stars as Bruce Cockburn, Colin James, Blue Rodeo and Blackie and the Rodeo Kings. She has been termed a “musicians’ musician,” which is sometimes code to describe an artist worthy of greater commercial success.
But Lightfoot does not lust after fame and fortune. “I just want to make great music,” she declares. “It is a great privilege to do what I do and I don’t take that for granted for a second. I get to live a life that makes me happy.” n
AN UNVEILING
While focusing largely on the here and now, history lessons resonate through Taking Root, an exhibition of recent additions to the Art Gallery of Hamilton’s permanent collection on view through the end of this year. This is perhaps seen most clearly in Métis artist Rosalie Favell’s The Collector/The Artist in Her Museum. A painting that mimics the composition of Charles Wilson Peale’s 1822 work The Artist in His Museum, where Favell depicts herself drawing back a red velvet curtain to reveal her personal memories and culture, in marked contrast to the original’s display of material accumulation taken indiscriminately from all corners of the world.
Prior to CEO Shelley Falconer’s arrival in 2014, the AGH collection was shaped largely by private donations that reflected a wealthy bias towards the historical and European, not unlike the distant archives of Peale’s
THE ART GALLERY OF HAMILTON’S NEW EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTS 90 WORKS BY 63 ARTISTS FROM DIFFERENT TIMES AND PLACES. THEY ARE AMONG ADDITIONS TO ITS PERMANENT COLLECTION MADE OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS.
By STEPHANIE VEGH
painting. In some ways, the origin of Taking Root lies in the AGH’s sale of the 19th-century painting Christ Before Pilate by Mihály Munkácsy to Hungary in 2015, which restored a historically significant canvas to its original cultural context and generated new funds to purchase contemporary art with a strategic focus on BIPOC and Hamilton region artists.
This purchasing power has been put to very active use. When AGH curators Tobi Bruce and Melissa Bennett requested a database search of acquisitions for the last 15 years, the results filled over 350 pages. Guided in part by the underrepresented voices that shaped Falconer’s selections for last year’s exhibition, Directors Collect, Bennett sought out the themes and ideas that would narrow down this daunting list of options and give shape to Taking Root.
The result is a conceptually rich display of over 90 works by 63 artists that centres the artist’s voice as a recurring motif through
sections that focus on portraits, activism, and the role of art in bearing witness to society. These sweeping themes allowed the curators to reveal what Bennett calls the “connective tissue within a collection” – the ways artworks from different times and places speak to each other in a shared environment. Here, local and regional artists are displayed in dialogue with historical works and artists whose reputations reach the international level.
An Whitlock’s Report on Business is among the first works to greet visitors to Taking Root and is exhibited here for the first time since it entered the collection in 2019. A major work by an underappreciated woman artist now in her 80s, this installation owes its sombre punch to a staggering array of papier-mâché shoes made from the cryptic stock reports of the Globe and Mail’s former financial section, all painted a flat black. Each pair is hauntingly realistic down to their tiny straps and buckles, save for the strange
INSTALLATION VIEW OF TAKING ROOT: RECENT ACQUISITIONS, 2025.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE AGH
hollow space that drops down into their high heels. Impressive for both its craft and scale, this is a deeply human work that gestures towards the unknowable distances walked by individual selves.
The section of Taking Root dedicated to activist stories forges meaningful ties between Hamilton artists and labour communities.
Included here are Roger Ferreira’s stoic watercolour Peace March, photocollages of striking factory workers by Carole Condé and Karl Beveridge, and the iconic etchings of early 20th-century Hamilton artist Leonard Hutchinson. Collectively, these works elevate the everyday heroism of working people in a distinctly Hamiltonian voice. Lorne Toews’ portrait of fellow artist Catherine Gibbon is equally moving, exuding warmth and quiet presence in a tender memorial to the late Hamilton painter.
Alex Jacobs-Blum is powerfully represented here with Echoes from the Stars, a magical photograph of waves breaking on the shore of Cayuga Lake in a cascade of reflected sunlight that sparks like fire. This young artist’s work more than holds its own in a gallery that includes excerpts from Larry Fink’s Social Graces series and the tense human drama of Ruth Kaplan’s The Crossing – a series documenting asylum seekers at the former Roxham Road border crossing into Quebec. Dianne Bos’ pinhole images of
World War I battlegrounds echo with the buried human cost of peace, while honouring a Hamilton-born artist whose history with the AGH reaches back to her early years as a co-op student and educator.
While Samuel Thomas’ Four Seasons Bags:
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter are still in the final stages of accessioning, these will soon become the first beadworks to enter the AGH collection. The inclusion of an artform with deep roots in this land follows from the 2023 touring exhibition Radical Stitch, which brought Thomas to the attention of both the AGH and the wider public. While Thomas died last year, his raised Iroquois beadwork endures here as testament to his life’s work to preserve and advance an artform embraced by many young artists today.
The AGH’s recent exhibitions reverberate through much of Taking Root, summoning fond memories of Nathan Eugene Carson’s exuberant vinyl nights during his 2022 residency, or the monumental punch of Syrus Marcus Ware’s activist banners in the AGH lobby the following year. Witnessing Take Root Amongst the Stars hung at eye level is an exceptional opportunity to appreciate the frayed edges and safety pins that attest to the scrappy community-made origin of the work and reveal the vulnerable heart of protest. As both a declarative image and fragile object, the banner that lends its title to this exhibition via the words of Octavia Butler, shows that the art worth preserving is also the work of history in the making. n
ROSALIE FAVELL’S THE COLLECTOR/THE ARTIST IN HER MUSEUM PHOTO: MIKE LALICH
ROGER FERREIRA’S PEACE MARCH PHOTO: MIKE LALICH
MORE ONLINE: scan the qr code to read revisit me, a retroactive review of L ee reed ’s Em E rg E ncy Broadcast
ŽUTO Kiss before Make Up
Kiss Before Make Up, the debut album from Žuto is one that wears its DIY roots proudly while still offering a surprising melodic newness. Released on July 30, it’s the kind of album that doesn’t announce itself with fanfare or heavy production. Instead, it draws you in with intimacy, energy, confidence, and the kind of sonic texture that rewards close, repeated listening. It’s great when a young band can begin to shape their sound, learning how to use
PUBLIC HEALTH Minamata
Public Health, a Hamilton‑based noise/ post‑rock quartet formed in 2024, releases Minamata with abrasive precision and emotional depth. Building on their growing DIY reputation, the band delivers an immersive sonic rupture. With just seven tracks and nearly 48 minutes of distorted catharsis, Minamata is both lean and relentless. Drawing on the raw energy of ’90s noise rock and post‑hardcore,
the studio as a tool, in real time.
This is a jangly, sometimes shoe gazey, slightly off kilter collection that feels right at home alongside other art minded indie pop acts. There is a shorthand that points to minimal, melodic songwriting with just enough angularity to keep things interesting. Where a more polished studio approach might sand down the edges, Žuto’s recording choices lean into them. The result is a sound that feels alive and present, slightly imperfect in ways that give it character. For some listeners, this will be part of its undeniable charm. For others, particularly those accustomed to radio ready gloss, it may feel underproduced. But it’s that roughness that fits the band’s character and scene identity. They rehearse in the famed Leathers rehearsal building in downtown Hamilton and record at Boxcar Recording Studio. So it’s no wonder it sounds the way it does.
Standout moments on Kiss Before Make Up tend to arrive subtly. “2019 Song,” and
“Sluice” encapsulates the album’s bittersweet balance of melody and mood. The songwriting is intimate, trading in moments and vignettes rather than grand narratives. The hooks emerge slowly but stick once they arrive, often paired with arrangements that expand gently, adding a guitar line here, a harmony there. It’s the sort of deconstruction/construction that feels more like building a room than painting a portrait. Žuto’s lyrics tend to keep things oblique. This approach mirrors the way the album has been shared and promoted mostly through Bandcamp, niche music blogs, and local gig listings. In the context of 2025’s indie landscape, Kiss Before Make Up sits comfortably among a wave of guitar forward, mood driven releases that value atmosphere and craft over volume or spectacle. It’s not chasing the algorithm; it’s quietly building a world for listeners willing to spend time in it.
RIYL: Built to Spill, Ellis, Horsegirl, Deerhoof, Dry Cleaning, Parquet Courts, Baxter Dury
they layer trembling riffs and angular song structures to create dissonant soundscapes that feel volcanic, tense and volatile.
Throughout Minamata, themes of environmental collapse, corporate exploitation, and communal trauma resonate subtly, understandable given the title’s reference to Minamata disease, a tragic case of mercury poisoning in Japan. Though the band doesn’t unpack the tragedy overtly, the title allows the music to evoke slow building dread, ruptured humanity, and shockwaves of disorientation.
“Bounty Men” sets the stage: a slow, grinding riff builds, then fractures into chaos. Guitars swirl in feedback, drums thunder and crash, and Joy Division esque bass rumbles beneath it all. Public Health then introduces sharper dynamics – occasional quiet between noise, sudden bursts of melody, vocals that alternate between shouted rage and weary spoken word. Despite the cacophony, there’s discipline: changes are
intentional, pace is measured, and silence often carries weight.
The production isn’t slick, it’s raw, close, and immediate, as though recorded live in a cramped, sweaty venue. Like when I saw their show at Hamilton’s home for all things indie and artsy, Into the Abyss. This intimacy amplifies the sense of authenticity forged in basements, house shows and local clubs.
Though Public Health is early in their journey, they’re cultivating an emotional landscape that channels anxiety, defiance, and resignation –tuned to the malaise of their Gen Z‑inflected generation. Hamilton’s post industrial backdrop and punk heritage inform their mood. Minamata marks the arrival of a band fully alive to their moment and unafraid to broadcast its fractures.
RIYL: Polvo, Kary, Contrived, Idles, cute, Don Caballero, GSYBE, Joy Division, Fugazi, Metz, Kitchens & Bathrooms (and many more Hamilton grunge, noise and math rockers)
Dylan Hudecki is a Canadian indie-rock vet who has played in many different bands, including By Divine Right, Cowlick, Slow Beach and The Dill. He’s a proud Hamiltonian who covers local album releases for HAMILTON CITY Magazine.
DOCTOR TONGUE
3D House of Mayhem
Doctor Tongue’s debut, 3D House of Mayhem, isn’t content to simply arrive, it bursts in, drenched in riffs, sweat, glitter, and unfiltered emotion. Released in August, the record corrals the Hamilton outfit’s first seven singles, “Green Eyes,” “Blue Spaceman,” “Heartache,” “Aly May,” “Forget About Love,” “Crowded Room,” and “Below” into a single, gloriously chaotic package the band calls “a love letter to grief, growth, groove, and glam rock.” From the opening moments, the sound is
GEORGIA HARMER Eye of the Storm
On her sophomore album Eye of the Storm, Georgia Harmer sharpens her voice as one of Canadian indie’s most delicate, yet determined, songwriters. Following her 2022 debut Stay in Touch, which introduced her knack for understated intimacy, this record doubles down on restraint, offering 10 tracks written and performed by a matured songwriter coming into her power and confidence. Eye of the Storm isn’t a flashy second record, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s a calming, finely wrought record from an artist who already feels essential. The foundation of the album’s sound is very much in the lineage of the “soft pixie vocal with acoustic guitar” trend – you know the one. But Harmer makes that world her own. Her voice is easily one of the softest this side of the Golden Horseshoe, feather light but emotionally grounded, carrying echoes of Aimee Mann, Julia
visceral. Imagine Skynyrd & Black Crowes swagger colliding with Parliament’s & Grateful Dead’s cosmic funk and the glitter streaked punch of glam rock. Then add a streak of theatrical eccentricity that feels equal parts SCTV sketch and The Muppets’ Electric Mayhem. It’s big, bold, and full of colour, flair and spectacle.
Every track brims with groove. Shimmering keys and guitars trade flamboyant flourishes, while frontman George Panagopoulos shifts effortlessly between grit and tenderness. His voice can smirk through a knowing aside one moment and bare its soul the next. It’s music made for hot, crowded rooms, where bodies move in sync and every song feels like a shared secret.
Beneath the glitter lies genuine weight. Formed in the isolation of the pandemic, Doctor Tongue endured the loss of founding guitarist Dylan Matthews in 2023. Instead of retreating, they transformed grief into a driving force. Panagopoulos has described Dylan’s presence as an ongoing creative spark, his memory
woven into every performance. This duality, exuberance shot through with loss, gives 3D House of Mayhem its emotional charge.
Elsewhere, the record shows off the band’s knack for marrying serious themes to irresistible rhythms. “Forget About Love,” wraps a sunny, Curtis Mayfield–tinged groove around a meditation on emotional withdrawal in the digital age. It’s the kind of song you could dance to all night, only realizing later what it was really saying.
Doctor Tongue has built their audience the old fashioned way: on stage, one ecstatic show at a time. By mid 2025, their catalogue had surpassed 300,000 streams, fuelled by a loyal following and a steady rollout of singles.
3D House of Mayhem is no timid debut. It’s a kaleidoscopic, emotionally layered statement that invites you to groove, grieve, and surrender to the spectacle. Less about polish than raw energy and heart, it crashes into your life in vivid, sweaty technicolour — and dares you not to dance.
RIYL: Golden Feather, Grateful Dead, The Black Crowes, Fat Cats, John Mayer, Goose
Jacklin, and Laura Marling. The comparison points run wide: the nocturnal haze of Mazzy Star, the clarity of The Weather Station, even delicate touches of Whitehorse and Weyes Blood. These aren’t songs meant to dominate your attention, they’re meant to seep in, to soundtrack late nights and quiet mornings, to sharpen emotions you didn’t realize were hanging in the air. Harmer isn’t here to sprawl, she’s here to distill.
The title track is the album’s centrepiece. A bright painting capturing the push pull between vulnerability and endurance. “Can We Be Still” and “Memory Lullaby” lean even further into softness, like whispered conversations preserved in amber. On “Memory Lullaby”: “If I burn through every single memory, and all I have is time, will you stay in my mind?” Harmer resists easy hooks or bombast; her music instead inhabits a sustained mood, an emotional weather system that holds steady for nearly 40 minutes. The lyrics are impressionistic, often relying on fragments and images rather than full narratives. They don’t spell out the stories, you’re left to fill in the gaps but the emotional core always lands on its clogged feet. Tracks like “Last Love” or “Farmhouse” don’t announce themselves with hooks; they work by pulling the listener in close, rewarding patience.
The production, recorded in small, lived in spaces, amplifies that intimacy. You hear
creaks, air, the in between moments that most records cut out. Rather than feeling unfinished, it adds warmth and closeness, as if you’re sitting in the room while the songs are forming. Harmer’s great strength has always been her ability to make small moments feel monumental. Eye of the Storm is a high water mark in her burgeoning career, and it’s an album that reveals its staying power with time.
Selfishly, I hope Harmer doesn’t tire, doesn’t get chewed up by an industry that too often undervalues voices like hers. Touring costs, low album sales, the endless churn of social media performance and kowtowing – there are thousands of artists worn down by it. Harmer deserves better. I want to live in a world where Harmer’s still making music well into her 70s, still writing songs that quiet the noise and open up space for reflection.
Ultimately, Eye of the Storm confirms Harmer as an artist less interested in spectacle than in resonance. These songs don’t demand attention; they earn it slowly, through patience, subtlety, and emotional clarity. It’s a quiet record, but it doesn’t fade into the background. Instead, it lingers, like the stillness after the (eye of the) storm has passed, when everything feels sharper and more alive.
RIYL: Aimee Mann, Julia Jacklin, Laura Marling, The Weather Station, Melissa McClelland, Weyes Blood, Nina Persson, Ada Lea, Helena Deland, Hand Habits n
FROM A DAZZLING ROMANTASY INSPIRED BY ANCIENT ROME TO A THOUGHTFUL LOOK AT THE MEANING OF CRISIS, AN EXPLORATION OF LABOUR ARTS HISTORY THAT CENTRES HAMILTON, AND A UNIQUE MODERN FAIRYTALE SET IN NEW BRUNSWICK, THESE ARE LOCAL BOOKS THAT SHOULD BE ON YOUR FALL READING LIST. By Jessica
Rose
THIS MONSTER OF MINE
BY SHALINI ABEYSEKARA
If you’re a fiction reader, you’ve likely heard the term romantasy in recent bookish conversations. Bringing together elements of romance and – you guessed it – fantasy, it’s a fusion of genres that combines fantastical worlds with popular romance tropes. Some chart-topping romantasy authors include Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros, each of whom has sold millions of copies of their popular series. However, you don’t need to look to the international bestseller list to find a page-turning example. Hamilton’s Shalini Abeysekara is the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of This Monster of Mine, a dazzling ancient Romeinspired debut that she calls a “bloodbath of manipulation, deception, and forbidden love.”
A former corporate lawyer turned writer, Abeysekara uses fantasy to interrogate reality, “exploring monstrosity – perceived and real – and centring neurodivergent women of colour reckoning with themselves and their place in a world that tells them they’re too much and not enough.” This Monster of Mine is centred on Sarai, a teenage protagonist who is hellbent on vengeance after somebody tried to kill her four years earlier. The result is a fast-paced adventure in which Sarai returns to the scene of the crime as a petitor, a prosecutor who can magically detect lies, drawing from Abeysekara’s experience as a lawyer.
Abeysekara recently appeared at Steel Town Love, a festival of romance hosted by the Hamilton Public Library, which welcomed around 300 attendees, proving that there’s a local appetite for swoon-worthy fiction. She’s currently working on This Blade of Ours, The Monster of Mine’s anticipated sequel which is expected in summer 2026.
THE ART OF SOLIDARITY
EDITED BY ROB KRISTOFFERSON AND STEPHANIE ROSS
The Workers Arts and Heritage Centre (WAHC), Canada’s only labour history museum and multidisciplinary arts space, is located right here in Hamilton. So, it’s no surprise that the city plays a major role in The Art of Solidarity: Labour Arts and Heritage in Canada, a stunning new book edited by Rob Kristofferson and Stephanie Ross. Delving into the rich tapestry of labour arts and heritage in Canada, The Art of Solidarity is a thorough exploration of protest music, union banners, murals, and community theatre, among other work, told through colourful photos and oral histories. The book was born out of a national conference of labour arts and labour heritage activists held at WAHC in 2023. Hamiltonians will be especially interested in the book’s second chapter: “The Workers Arts and Heritage Centre: Thirty Years of Challenge and Change, Celebrating Working People and Their Communities,” which traces not only the museum’s impressive history but also the 165-year journey of the Custom House, where WAHC is located.
talk. With ease, Cairns moves between social research, personal journalism, and ruminations on pop culture and literature, while exploring ecological and political crises against his lived experiences as both an alcoholic and parent. Told through 11 thought-provoking essays, In Crisis, On Crisis , which was published by Hamilton’s Wolsak and Wynn, is a vivid look at upheaval and what crisis looks like on a personal, local, and global level.
THE REIGN BY SHANE NEILSON
IN CRISIS, ON CRISIS: ESSAYS IN TROUBLED TIMES
BY JAMES CAIRNS
In the first chapter of In Crisis, On Crisis: Essays in Troubled Times , James Cairns asks readers, and himself, the question: “What do we mean by the word ‘crisis’?” Fascinated by terminological debates, Cairns explores the wide and varied uses of the term, especially timely in a moment when, “We’re living through a period of unprecedented crises” is almost small
The Reign, Shane Neilson’s unique modern fairytale, takes place in Enniskillen, an expropriated New Brunswick community abandoned just before it became part of a military base. However, Neilson himself is no stranger to Hamilton. A former resident, he completed his PhD at McMaster, and he’s previously taken home the Hamilton Literary Award for Poetry for his collection Dysphoria, which draws from his experience as a physician. Told through lyrical poetry and prose, The Reign is the story of Willard, a child-like hero and “near-mute scholar of place, of peace,” who falls in love with Casey, a tyrannical industrialist who is also a magnificent whitetail buck. A tale of land, love, and language, The Reign defies genres, keeping readers guessing at what will happen next. n
ART AND ABOUT
AGH’S BEST FEST
There are plenty of ways to get out and enjoy the best of fall in Hamilton and Burlington. Here are a few of our favourite local happenings.
NEW CAMERA, WHO ‘DIS?
In today’s world of ubiquitous smartphones, there is something cool about using an actual digital camera to take a pic. What’s even more cool is knowing how to use it to its full potential. Enter the Dundas Valley School of Art’s introduction to digital photography class that teaches the difference between apertures and f-stops. Students will learn how to create better images using all those gizmos and doodads on their cameras that apparently aren’t just for show. Also covered – how to properly back up images, ensuring those works of art stick around forever. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Oct.14 to Dec. 2. dvsa.ca
ha M iltoncity M agazine.ca
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Make our t hings to d o section your go-to destination for city life and arts and culture events listings!
The Art Gallery of Hamilton’s Art+Music+Food Festival returns to nourish the creative soul of the city with a vibrant feast of experiences. A 10-day celebration of visual art, food and live music, the event has something for visitors of all ages, and invites the community to connect through interactive workshops, multimedia visual arts, and of course, snacks. Check out the website for full details and schedule and plan to come curious –and hungry. Nov. 13 to 23, 123 King St. W. artgalleryofhamilton.com
REAL REELS
Celebrating 20 years of independent cinema, the Hamilton Film Festival continues to be a vibrant, inclusive showcase of storytelling through filmmaking. The multi-venue festival routinely attracts over 3000 film buffs who are treated to indie gems, docs, shorts and international features – long before they hit streaming platforms. The locally-focused fest also treats audiences to projects by emerging artists and students – granting them a front row seat to the future of Canadian filmmaking as the plot unfolds in real time. Oct. 17 to 26, various locations. hamiltonfilmfestival.com
BOOKS AND BLOOMS
Grow your little one’s appreciation for literature at the Telling Tales Festival, hosted at the RBG’s Hendrie Park. Register online for free timed admission and enjoy presentations geared for early readers through the YA set (over 50 speakers are on the books for the two-day fest), local artisans and vendors, a book shop and swap and more. Take an interactive walk or catch a reading by artists like Tanya Tagaq and Matthew Forsythe, and plan to stop a while to smell the roses – admission to the gardens is included with entry to the festival. Oct. 4 to 5, Hendrie Park, 680 Plains Rd. W. tellingtales.org
MUSICAL SKILLS AT MILLS
Mills Hardware – one of Hamilton’s most storied spaces – continues to attract top-tier talent. A certain large-scale GTA venue in the middle of nowhere with transit issues is no match for Mills’ intimate setting. Following this fall’s sold-out acoustic set from Wheatus, live music lovers can still look forward to performances by perennial fav Yukon Blonde (Sept. 27) and soulful songwriter Billy Raffoul (Nov. 8) – both standouts on their own, but a drop in Mills’ musical bucket. Check out the website for the full lineup and pinch yourself at the good fortune of having such incredible options just down the street. 95 King St. E. millshardware.ca
them pictures and an invoice.
“When they sent me a cheque, I just thought, this is the best. So I just continued with it.”
Perniac successfully applied for accreditation with a photo agency in the United States that started sending him to concerts and events like the Canadian Walk of Fame, the JUNO Awards and the Genies.
“Once I started getting invites, I didn’t have to sneak anywhere. I was accredited as a real photographer, I’ve been doing that now for over 20 years.”
The adrenaline rush of the red carpet is still there, says Perniac.
“There’s a lot of noise and people are going crazy. And at first I was star struck when Brad Pitt came out. And then the next year we had Tom Cruise. People are to the point of almost fainting. You know something’s happening as soon as the limo comes down the street and you hear, it’s like thunder slowly coming at you. And you know it’s somebody big.”
The task of a celebrity photographer is to get the attention of their subject, so that they are making eye contact with the lens. That’s the money shot for celebrity and fashion publications.
“For the fashion magazine, you have to get what they’re wearing so you’re shooting right down to people’s shoes.”
Perniac says most celebrities are pretty normal and down to earth (he doesn’t want me to name the ones who aren’t) but often their handlers are difficult.
“You just have to deal with them and assure them you’re getting good shots and working for a good magazine.”
When it’s a one-on-one situation on a press junket, Perniac says he’ll often have just a few minutes to capture photos.
“Everything has to be ready and they come into the hotel room and you have to shoot fast. But if I had longer, I wouldn’t know what to do with all that time anyway.”
When celebrities die or get caught up in scandal or divorce, Perniac sees his photos turn up all over. The magazines, newspapers or TV channels using his photos are billed by Perniac’s agency, which then pays him.
Perniac was always there when Carmen’s Group hosted big-name celebrities at its east Mountain banquet venue, including Al Pacino,
on me in the ’80s and ’90s.”
Perniac lives in Ancaster with his wife Tara Froats, a teacher, and son Ben, a thirdyear University of Guelph student studying business.
Neither his wife or his son are interested in the celebrity world Perniac is immersed in.
“I’ve brought my son backstage to different concerts, and only a couple times, like when I photographed Drake, was he impressed … My wife would rather go to coffee with friends when I’m doing TIFF stuff. Even when it was Elton John. She’s hard to impress.”
Perniac mainly shoots in Toronto. Though he’d likely be able to get a spot at something like the Academy Awards, he says those assignments seem glamorous but they aren’t.
“You’re given a little square that you can’t leave. And you have to rent a tux.”
There is a rhythm to celebrity photography, says Perniac. The stars know to make eye contact with each shooter’s lens and the photographers know to wait their turn for that moment.
Bill Clinton, Tony Bennett, Michael Douglas, and Sylvester Stallone.
“I owe a lot to PJ and Peter (Mercanti). They were always supportive and gave me great access to the celebrities they brought to Carmen’s.”
He’s photographed multiple prime ministers and presidents, NBA stars LeBron James and Hamilton’s Shai GilgeousAlexander, rapper Drake, superstar pop singer Taylor Swift, and even Queen Elizabeth II when she came to Hamilton.
He even got tackled by the monarch’s security when they thought he got too close to her. He’s still embarrassed by the kerfuffle.
Perniac has only really been starstruck once and that was with supermodel Christy Turlington, who was on a press tour at last year’s TIFF. Her husband, actor and director Edward Burns was there to premiere a film.
“When she showed up, I didn’t even photograph her husband. I told the other photographers that Christy was on my bucket list. She was great. I pulled her aside, while everybody’s taking photos of Burns. It was fantastic. She certainly made an impression
Nonetheless, TIFF is a frantic, exhausting two weeks of red carpet premieres, parties and after-parties. Perniac used to pull repeated all-nighters, driving back to Hamilton to get his photos selected, edited and uploaded, and to – eventually – sleep for a few hours before heading back. But as he gets older, that is less feasible, he says.
Perniac says he’s constantly studying and learning about photography. While the technology is always changing, most recently in the widespread conversion to mirrorless cameras, Perniac doesn’t chase the latest and greatest. He’s happy with his Nikon D850, an older-style DSLR.
Though his images of the most famous people alive have appeared around the world, Perniac says it means the most when his photos appear locally. He’s a proud Hamiltonian and he’s always happy to photograph fellow city residents at concerts, galas, festivals, and fundraisers.
He freelanced for the now-defunct Hamilton Magazine and has been a contributor to every issue of this magazine since the first in September 2022.
“I like working with HAMILTON CITY Magazine. It’s local. I love all the events that are happening and with the new TD Coliseum, I’m very excited about the shows that will be coming.” n
POP SUPERSTAR TAYLOR SWIFT AS PHOTOGRAPHED BY BRENT PERNIAC.
Longing for SAU Bake
HAMILTON FARMERS’ MARKET VENDOR SPECIALIZING IN VEGAN BRAZILIAN STREET FOOD AND PASTRIES IS EXPANDING ITS CULINARY HORIZONS.
Saudade is a Portuguese word meaning a deep emotional state of nostalgic longing for something. It’s a feeling you’ll be familiar with after one bite of a SAU Bake jar cake – that longing for more.
I recently caught up with founder Matheus de Brito Brasileiro (they/them), in the kitchen of their Hamilton Farmers’ Market stall where they will be celebrating one year on Oct. 12. Brasileiro has an infectious dimpled smile that immediately draws in customers at the counter. They first became an entrepreneur in Brazil, but it wasn’t until after six years living and struggling to run the business in Toronto that they landed in Hamilton where things really started coming together for SAU Bake, which serves vegan Brazilian treats.
“I was able to expand, get more help and resources. Honestly, I didn’t know anything about Hamilton,” Brasileiro admits. “I didn’t know that I could have this community that I now have, and the support that I have. I needed Hamilton and I didn’t know it. I love being here and it feels right.” Many different market stall operators stopped by to chat in the short time I visited, and Brasileiro is clearly a beloved member of the market community. They are also a member of the Southwestern Ontario Black Entrepreneurship Network. SAU Bake specializes in Brazilian street food and pastries. The signature item is brigadeiro, which is featured in many of the sweets. Brasileiro attempts to explain exactly what
brigadeiro is: “It’s not a fudge, it’s not a ganache, it’s gooey, it’s just lovely – mind blowing.” The aforementioned jar cakes include layers of brigadeiro and cake, and are, indeed, mind blowing.
“The way we eat impacts the environment directly,” Brasileiro says when asked why they opened a vegan bakery specifically. “The earth gives us everything, and our payback is very brutal.” Studies indicate that transitioning to a plantbased diet substantially reduces greenhouse gas emissions, land use, water consumption, and other environmental burdens. And upon biting into a SAU soy beef pocket, even the biggest carnivore wouldn’t miss the meat. The pillowy soft dough yields to a very flavourful warm savoury filling that is similar to a gooey cheesy beef, but is something altogether different. There is no greasy heaviness to the filling of SAU Bake’s street food pastries, which include kibbeh, croquettes, and pockets. Many of the savoury items have been packaged in frozen bulk retail sizes for sale at other businesses.
Brasileiro has recently invested in equipment to increase production speed and has a vision for an expanded SAU Bake. n – Suzanne Zandbergen
Visit SAU Bake at the Hamilton Farmers’ Market, 35 York Blvd, Hamilton, and online at saubake.com and Instagram at @sau.bake
MATHEUS DE BRITO BRASILEIRO IS THE FOUNDER OF SAU BAKE AT THE HAMILTON FARMERS’ MARKET. PHOTO: SUZANNE ZANDBERGEN
WE HAVE A WIDE ARRAY OF OPTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO THE RICH, FLAVOURFUL AND VIBRANT FOOD OF INDIA. FROM CURRIES TO BIRYANI, AND FROM STREET FOOD TO FINE DINING, WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE IT ALL! By HEATHER PETER
Whether you’re looking for a sit-down fine-dining spot, a buffet meal, or streetfood style options, there is sure to be an Indian food option that suits your needs in the Hamilton area. The choices are plentiful when it comes to Indian cuisine, so if you’re a curry connoisseur, check out just some of the options before you.
INDIA VILLAGE
India Village shows its popularity through many awards that it has won throughout the years, along with gleaming reviews. With a location in both Dundas and Ancaster, both spots offer up warm service and extremely flavourful dishes. Through takeout or delivery, popular options include butter chicken, onion bhaji and mouth-watering garlic naan. Both locations often have dining deals, stay tuned to India Village’s social media for all the details.
#13, 370 Wilson St. E., Ancaster 100 King St. W., Dundas indiavillage.ca
MAURYA INDIAN TWIST
Maurya Indian Twist in Dundas is part of a small chain, but the Governors Road spot deserves more local love. Rather than naan, it offers roti, with a variety of fusion dishes such as Indo-Chinese options – mango chicken, garlic butter shrimp, and more. At Maurya, you can also find fusion poutines topped with options like paneer makhani and chicken samosa. If you’re a vegan or a vegetarian – no worries! There is a wide variety of options for all dietary choices.
The fully vegetarian menu at the Himalya Restaurant is a favourite of vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. It is also one of the spots in Hamilton where you can get thali – a platter of small portions of several dishes so that you can try many options. The thali comes with three curries, rice and naan. Try the samosas and the channa (chickpea curry).
160 Centennial Pkwy. N., Hamilton himalyarestaurant.ca
SAGARMATHA CURRY PALACE RESTAURANT
The colourful space of this restaurant (just in the heart of the King William restaurant district), would never give away that you’re in a basement restaurant. Sagarmatha serves vibrant Nepalase and Indian dishes, including options such as: paneer tikka (marinated cheese and vegetables in the tandoor), chili momo Nepali dumplings, and a meat thali option. Try one of the combos for a wellrounded meal at a great price point.
43 King William St., Hamilton sagarmathacurrypalace.ca
BARSHALA
Barshala is a trendy new spot to enjoy some northern Indian classics and new fusion dishes. Located within the Main West area, it is ideal for students and non-students alike. The modern space makes for a beautiful spot to spend some time. They do catering, too. Interesting dishes on the menu include their chicken butter sauce pasta, Szechuan veggie momos, chili mushroom and dahi poori (semolina balls with yogurt, tamarind chutney, mint chutney, and crispy chickpea noodles called sev).
1685 Main St. W., Unit no 160, Hamilton barshala.ca
GATE OF INDIA
One of the classic Indian restaurants found within the city, Gate of India has been open since 1987 and has been serving traditional Bangladeshi-style Indian dishes ever since. The space right in the heart of James Street North continues to offer the long-established and well-loved dishes that long-term customers have come to know and love: vegetable pakora, lamb tikka cooked in the tandoor, and saag shrimp. Be sure to check out the daily lunch specials.
201 James St. N., Hamilton gateofindia.ca
INDIAN SPICE
Indian Spice on Upper James specializes in Punjabi and south Indian offerings, such as idly (a savoury rice cake), dipped vadai (deep-fried fritters), and a whole variety of dosa options, plus a wide variety of streetfood options like dabeli sandwiches, and everything comes with warm service. Be sure to order ahead to make sure they have what you are looking for.
647 Upper James St., Hamilton indianspice.ca
SHEHNAI RESTAURANT
Shehnai is one of the few places in Hamilton where you can enjoy an Indian buffet. Go to the plaza near King and Dundurn for the lunch buffet offered seven days a week. This is another spot that has had longevity, originally opening their doors in 1990. Perfect for a work lunch or small group gathering, on the menu you will find dishes like goat curry, tandoori chicken wings, Kashmiri chicken, vegetable korma and so much more.
447 Main St. W., Hamilton shehnairestaurant.ca
BIRYANIWALLA
The goal of Biryaniwalla, which also has locations in Niagara Falls, Milton, and Ottawa, was to do biryani and do it well. The biryani menu offerings vary from jackfruit biryani, and shahi paneer biryani to chicken lollipops biryani and a whole mutton biryani menu. Though the biryani is what Biryaniwalla is known for, it has a whole variety of other heart-warming options too. There’s a dish for everyone.
804 Upper Gage Ave., Hamilton thebiryaniwalla.com
JEERA
Jeera is one of the fanciest and most upscale of all the Indian restaurants locally. Located in Burlington, the classy spot describes itself as Indian fine dining, and the elegant interior is sure to impress. Jeera has an extensive menu ranging from street food, Hakka options, tandoor choices, meat dishes, breads, and rice dishes.
3315 Fairview St. Unit 6, Burlington thejeera.com
KING JAMES: Vol. 2
WE COULDN’T TELL THE FOOD STORY OF JAMES STREET NORTH IN JUST ONE ISSUE. THE STREET, WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN HAMILTON, IS CONSTANTLY EVOLVING BUT ROOTED IN THE SUCCESS OF MAINSTAYS AND THE NEIGHBOURHOOD’S ETHNIC DIVERSITY.
By DIANE GALAMBOS
Welcome back to more stories about the James North dining district. Noteworthy that it’s the address of the Canadian National Railway Station (between Murray and Strachan), which for decades after its opening in 1931 was the arrival point for many immigrants settling in Hamilton. After its closure in the late ’80s, it was reopened as Liuna Station – a celebrated event space. Facing that architectural gem is Immigration Square with its fountain, gardens and commemorative statues. The multicultural character that immigrants gifted to Hamilton is reflected in the variety of cuisines on this street alone.
In part two of the James North story, we’ll begin at the north end of the street, steps away from the bay, yacht clubs and Bayfront Park, which deserves to be the pride of Hamilton. The eateries one encounters heading south are unique and you won’t find a Tim Hortons or Starbucks. You will, however, find an iconic donut shop.
getting your choices before they sell out, pre-order. The shop is now open 24 hours a day, five days a week, serving from a takeout window from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Teo Paul, alongside Union and Côte de Boeuf in Toronto, and Heart’s in Beaver Valley/ Kimberley. Chef Fady Dawood and Nester Cabra head the kitchen.
GRANDAD’S COFFEE AND DONUTS
1-574 James St. N. grandads.ca | IG: grandadsdonuts
This family-owned business is a Hamilton favourite, with patrons arriving even from out of town. The donuts have been described as old school, classic and the shop boasts an extensive repertoire of yeast and cakebased donuts. The signature doughnut is the orange twist, and walnut crunch seems to be a favourite, too. If you’re concerned about
LE TAMBOUR TAVERN
345 James St. N. letambourtavern.com | IG: letambourtavern
The drum (tambour) was beating in 2023 when it became clear that something would be opening in the beloved and closed This Ain’t Hollywood music venue. Le Tambour, the Parisian-inspired steakhouse/tavern, which features open-fire cooking elements, didn’t disappoint. It has an impressive pedigree as the fourth restaurant of chef
Le Tambour’s masterly kitchen delivers dinner daily with brunch added on the weekends, and a patio for summer happiness. Watch for the Wednesday prix fixe, and special collaborations with impressive eateries – recently Fat Rabbit in St. Catharines – and they’ll soon be launching a multi-course chef’s table experience. As a tribute to the space’s previous chapter, This Ain’t Tambour live music nights will be run coinciding with James Street’s Art Crawl.
MAY COFFEE & CAKES
334 James St. N.
IG: maycoffeecakes
Owner Michelle Tran wants to bring to Hamiltonians the flavours and specialties from her home country of Vietnam and those discovered on her extensive travels in Asia. Supported by her husband Jeff, sister Khuong, and mother-in-law Linda, May Coffee & Cakes is a family affair.
Emblematic of Michelle’s favourite month –May – the café’s logo includes a blossom from the Redbud tree also called the “happiness flower/tree” in Vietnamese. Tran notes that they put a lot of love and care into everything they produce at May Coffee & Cakes. Asianfusion drinks, Matcha lattes, Vietnamese iced coffee, a rotating selection of madefrom-scratch baked goods and bánh mi sandwiches are specialties.
SYNONYM
328 James St. N. synonymshop.com | IG: synonymshop
Open since 2018, ownership of this cafébistro has evolved, constantly elevating experiences. A brunch-type menu described as Mediterranean/Middle Eastern fusion is on offer all day and can be enjoyed with superb coffee, cocktails, beer or wine. (It’s my “go to” place for hummus and tahini!) Its brand points to a celebration of art, community, and culture. Rotating displays of art and commendably curated art books are
an attraction, as well as Friday jazz nights. Events showcasing Hamilton artists are linked to the monthly Art Crawl. An artful interior and a dog-friendly patio await your visit. Synonym also offers brunch and lunch catering for events and meetings. Its goal is to make Synonym a community hub joyfully welcoming everyone to make memories.
HENRY’S JAZZ CLUB
303 James St. N. henrysonjames.com | IG: henrys.onjames
Newsboy caps and suspenders on some front-of-house staff signal nostalgia and a 1920s vibe. You’re in Other Bird’s new jazz club – Henry’s – named after co-owner Erin Dunham’s wee son. Lighting enhances the cavernous space, with tropical tones and a magnificent ceiling. Poetic descriptions of cocktails entice, along with a well-curated wine list. And then there’s the food. Starters and shareables are both classic and creative. No surprise that there’s shrimp cocktail and the inspired wedge salad is eye candy and delicious. The big attraction is the tender prime rib that appears tableside in an impressive “Cadillac” serving cart, carved by chef Matt Kershaw himself. Sundays feature a jazz brunch.
“Henry’s on James is about slowing down, feeling the music, and sharing a beautiful meal in good company,” says Dunham. Watch for details about a membership program. Featured musicians are listed on their website calendar. Henry’s is sure to become a Hamilton gem.
EEM KHAO
301 James St. N. eemkhao.com | IG: eemkhao
If you are a fan of the team running Pintoh on John Street North, you’ll be racing to their new venture on James North. Inspired by their travels to Thailand, Eem Khao is a Thai restaurant based on Yaowarat, the Chinatown in Bangkok. Expect homey and comfort foods like khao man gai, poached chicken thighs served with a schmaltzy rice and an addictive soy bean sauce. Or gway tiew ruea, aka boat noodles, in a rich and aromatic broth darkened by various soy sauces and fresh herbs. Kin khao yang? That’s a Thai greeting that means “have you eaten yet?” EK hopes you come hungry and leave full.
MARTELLO
298 James St. N. martellorestaurant.ca | IG: martello.restaurant
Martello has a clear message: “If you’re looking for an old-school Italian joint, look elsewhere!” Whether it’s a first date, an anniversary or a casual night with friends, it aims for a vibe that is playful and warm, while providing service and a menu that echoes fine dining. Menu highlights are fresh house-made pasta and Neapolitan-style pizza. They want readers to know about what they call their Big Ass Patio, eclectic wine list and excellent playlist. Martello aims to celebrate food, culture and connection.
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CLASSIC DONUTS AWAIT AT GRANDAD’S.
PHOTO: DIANE GALAMBOS
WELCOMING HUES CREATE A SPACE READY FOR HENRY’S JAZZ EXPERIENCE.
PHOTO: DIANE GALAMBOS
EEM KHAO’S BA MEE MOO DENG - STICKY BBQ PORK WITH EGG NOODLES, WONTONS, PEANUTS, CILANTRO AND ONIONS. PHOTO: EEM KHAO
TAMASHA INDIAN RESTO-BAR
286 James St. N. tamasha.ca/hamilton | IG: tamasha_hamilton
With locations in Toronto and Kitchener, this James North newcomer promises to bring “tamasha” – the Hindi word for “spectacle” – to the space previously occupied by Wild Orchid. The brand offers various forms of fusion. “We combined the three key elements India has attained worldwide popularity for – its delectable cuisine, its soul-soothing music, and the enigma of the Bollywood industry.” Expect modern Indian cuisine, sometimes with playful twists and often vegetarian, in a stylish setting.
SALTLICK SMOKEHOUSE
282 James St. N. saltlick.ca | IG: thesaltlicksmokehouse
If you’re looking for a place to indulge in smoky protein, make Saltlick Smokehouse your destination. Kyle and Jennifer Ferreira have been part of the Saltlick/Bar Sazerac team for years and took over ownership a few years ago, since building on the eatery’s fame and reputation. Maintaining a high standard of Southern-style BBQ, they smoke everything in house to mouthwatering perfection. The best bet is their family-style platter. Create your own combo of brisket, (pulled) pork shoulder, Southern-fried chicken, Nashville hot chicken, pork belly nuggets, jerk chicken, pork side ribs, Nashville taco, and pork belly taco. Side choices include mac n’ cheese, beans, slaw, fries, cornbread, Brussels sprouts, and house salad.
BAR SAZERAC
278 James St. N. barsazerac.ca | IG: therealbarsazers
While you’re at Saltlick, check out the owners’ cozy and creative Bar Sazerac next door. They have a great summer patio. Cocktails are all designed in-house from
house-made syrups, infusions, bitters and even a few liqueurs. Their summer menu is enticing.
RISE ABOVE PIZZA & WINGS
274 James St. N. riseabovepizzeria.com | IG: riseabovepizzeria
Rise Above is Hamilton’s first and only all-vegan pizzeria that offers more than pizza. All ingredients are plant-based with some gluten-free options and are made inhouse. The “pepperoni” topping is made from “seitan” – a versatile product that doubles for pepperoni slices and is also used to create deep-fried wings in a range of flavours. The menu includes salads, wraps and dessert –and a licensed beverage program. Its brand? Here’s what they say: “Sci-fi throwbacks, retro VHS, pinball games, and a low-key energy that feels like your coolest friend’s basement. Born from punk ethics, Rise Above is proudly queer-friendly and fiercely inclusive. The art is local, the energy is honest, and the food is dynamite.”
MESA
255 James St. N. mesahamilton.com | IG: mesahamont
Mesa has been serving delicious Mexican food and warm hospitality for over a decade. The menu includes classics and a “new selections” menu will feature add-on dishes and cocktails for a limited time. Dive into the diverse tastes of Mesa – deep-fried flour tortillas filled with melted cheese (and chicken or beans), served with a side of sour cream, pico de gallo, and salsa. If you’re lucky, they’ll be serving carlota, a chilled dessert with delicate layers of vanilla cookies, with a rich, creamy filling infused with the zest and juice of limes or fresh strawberries.
CHARRED ROTISSERIE HOUSE
244 James St.N. charred.ca | IG: charredrotisserie
This cozy family-owned restaurant recently reopened after severe damage from a fire forced it to close for about a year. Here, the specialty is rotisserie chicken done over charcoal, basted with a piri piri sauce. The carefully crafted menu sees everything made in-house. Fan favourites include poutine made with piri piri-marinated cheese curds and crisp, house-made Caesar salad. Diners can top these off with chicken or brisket. Charred is open seven days a week, serving lunch and dinner and offering catering.
BARD AND BEAR GAMES CAFÉ
237 James St. N.
thebardandbear.com | IG: thebardandbear
This café’s primary goal is fun, but there’s also food. For a small game cover fee, patrons get unlimited access to a library of more than 1,000 games to play during their visit. The menu of light food, desserts, and drinks focuses on comfort food and rotating seasonal specials, sourced locally wherever possible. Sandwiches are served on buns
james street south king william street downtown dundas hess village ancaster stoney creek barton street burlington
SALTLICK’S TACOS ARE A FAVOURITE.
PHOTO: SALTLICK SMOKEHOUSE
from nearby Ola Bakery, coffee and espresso are from Relay, and ice cream is from Willards. Combine that with a variety of hot and cold drinks, beer and cider, cocktails and mocktails, wine and mead. Reservations are advised.
OLA BAKERY
230 James St. N. olabakeryhamilton.ca
IG: ola_bakery_andpastries
Ola Bakery embodies its motto that “the best way to start the day is with a fresh pastry.” It specializes in traditional (Portuguese) and modern pastries, and there are soups, sandwiches and mains. A favourite of patrons is the pastel de nata, but be sure to try the pudim flan with its creamy custard texture that melts in your mouth. The folks at Ola are proud of their Torrié coffee – a toasted coffee, blending arabica and robusta beans for optimal flavour. They describe its aromatic profile as “hints of caramel, cocoa, cinnamon, and toasted bread.”
CARO ON JAMES
229 James St. N. carorestaurant.com | IG: carorestaurant
Caro on James was at first an expansion of Caro on Ottawa, but is now alone representing the Caro brand. It’s a neighbourhood favourite known for its approachable, casual Italian menu and
relaxed vibe. On weeknights it’s your dinner stop and the weekend menu offers a brunch. (Free for children under 10.) Watch for specials such as prosecco or pizza night. Pizzas and pastas are available gluten free. Caro is a keen supporter of Art Crawl and the local arts scene, proudly featuring the work of Hamilton favourite Gord Leverton.
BONITO’S PIZZERIA & GELATO
The old now-closed Portuguese market is the new home of Bonito’s, which is bringing a slice (and a scoop) of authentic Italy to James North. Rooted in family tradition and inspired by the flavours of Modena, Naples, and Rome, Bonito’s specializes in Roman-style pizza al taglio – a light, crispy, airy pizza baked in large trays, cut by the slice, and topped with ingredients imported straight from Italy. It also serves a range of delicious gelato options.
Rossano (Ross) Bonito is resurrecting his interest in the world of hospitality. He says: “Behind every bite is a story – one that began in a family kitchen, watching pizza dough come to life alongside mom, and grew into a passion for sharing the craft with others.” Bonito’s, he says, is about more than just food—it’s about culture, connection, and creating something truly memorable for the Hamilton community.
THE BRAIN
BAR
199 James St. N. IG: herecomesthebrain
If you know, you know. In a Toronto Life magazine article, Eric Robertson, co-owner and chef at the Michelin award-winning
Pearl Morissette, recently named the Brain Bar as a favourite Hamilton place (along with Le Tambour and Barton Street’s Maisy Pearl and Maipai Pizza.) Celebrating its 15th anniversary, the Brain Bar has been named by some as a top hipster hotspot to be enjoyed indoors or on its patio. It’s described as a funky, casual neighbourhood bar serving craft beer, cocktails, coffee/food and a bunch of other stuff.
PER’SO’NA
14 James St. N.
eatpersona.com | IG: eatpersona
Your north to south stroll on James North now finds you close to Robert Street where we ended our stroll in part one. You may want to continue to stroll towards King Street to explore the eatery that – since the publication of James North part one – is planned for the space that was previously Bardo James.
Opened in mid-July, the Italian eatery’s brand is: “Where your next favourite flavour meets the next version of you. Inspired by tradition, reinvented for today.” n
MORE TO DISCOVER ON JAMES NORTH
The diversity of James North includes even more dining options. Scan the QR code to find out!
MARTELLO AIMS FOR A VIBE THAT IS PLAYFUL AND WARM. PHOTO: STUDIO DINNER PARTY
NEWLY OPENED BONITO’S OFFERS ROMAN-STYLE PIZZA AND GELATO.
PHOTO: BONITO’S PIZZERIA & GELATO
TAKING A NEW PATH
By MEREDITH M ac LEOD
DAVID HUDSON has been performing, creating and appreciating contemporary dance for over 20 years. He is the executive director of the Hamilton Arts Council and artistic director of the David Hudson Dance Company. Originally from the U.K., Hudson’s formal dance training was conducted at The Laban Centre in London. Hudson has had a diverse career as a performer, choreographer, drag artist and dance educator. A permanent resident of Canada since 2018, he is a volunteer and advocate for people recovering from mental health and addiction challenges, and a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. He lives in lower Hamilton with his husband and their two dogs. They are looking to buy their first house in the city.
DAVID HUDSON IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HAMILTON ARTS COUNCIL.
PHOTO: SANDRA MULDER, BANKO MEDIA
What is the mandate and role of the Hamilton Arts Council?
The mandate is connecting artists, creating opportunity, and inspiring change. The Hamilton Arts Council is 55 years old. It is the thirdlongest serving arts council in the province, preceded only by the Ontario Arts Council and the Quinte Arts Council. We exist to sustain and develop professional opportunities in the arts. And so that’s serving both individual artists and organizations that work in the arts in the greater Hamilton area. The second piece is really about connecting the residents and citizens of Hamilton to opportunities to enjoy and appreciate and get involved in the arts.
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
The most challenging part of my job is the constant fear that it’s not enough. I know what no sounds and feels like when you apply for funding for a program. I know when you apply for funding or a program or a support. I know what it’s like when you tag a large or credible organization in something on social media and they reshare it, and how exciting that acceleration is. And I know from personal experience, what it’s like when that doesn’t happen and so, I think the acute awareness that I have of how limited resources are or the shortfalls or missteps… the impact of that worries me. It’s this sense of what was being presented to us to work with, the people that we engage with, the inspiration and the stories that come forward, the time and the energy and the insight and the love and all the things that go into that. You know, I want so much to handle and explore it, and give it all of its deference and due. We, as an organization, we don’t have the capacity. That’s for all sorts of reasons. So the hardest part of my job is living with that.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
When you see artists doing what they do brilliantly. The best part of my job is talking to artists. I love it. I love learning about them. I love creating space to chat about their process and understanding what’s important to them and just
hearing them light up when they talk about their work. I know what that feels like. And so getting to spend time with artists is hugely uplifting.
What has been your journey to Hamilton?
My mother emigrated here with my stepfather in the early 2000s. And from that point, I would go backwards and forwards between England where I was born and Canada. But I was never allowed to stay. So I would only stay six months, and then I’d have to leave. I just lived in this kind of suspended animation. And so very early on, I got a job in Hamilton, under the table, working at the M bar, which was a gay bar on James Street South. I definitely had a drinking problem at that point. Then I crash landed in Hamilton in 2014. I didn’t have a plan but I didn’t intend to go back to England. I didn’t get any status in Canada until 2018. I was living this very – nomadic would make it sound glamorous – life, but it was more just this very reactive lifestyle. My relationship with Hamilton was forged in this incredible time. And I think that Hamilton felt like home very early on.
Tell us about your journey with addiction?
I left university and moved to the middle of nowhere. I tried to move myself forward. I just didn’t seem to be able to progress in the way that other people could. And you know, they talk in recovery about this demoralization, this disillusionment, and I understand what that means. Alcoholism is not just what’s happening when the alcohol is in your hand. I could desperately see how I needed to show up in my life, in work, in relationships. I could see the kind of son and brother and friend that I wanted to be, but my actions would always say something entirely different. What I did know without even realizing it, is that when I would drink, I could breathe. When I would drink, and this has just become apparent to me, I feel like I could carry the weight of my personality.
I was a bad influence. I was wild and irresponsible. Being out drinking, even from a young age, would put me in all sorts of dangerous and questionable situations. But the consequences were never enough.
My family was in Canada by this point, so I was going backwards and forwards between the two countries. In Hamilton, I was introduced to drugs, too. I felt like I didn’t belong anywhere. You feel like you’re slipping away, but you just don’t know how to come back.
You’ve had a long journey to recovery and now are 10 years in sobriety. How do you reflect on where you are now?
I still can’t quite believe that my life has taken this sort of turn, and I have all these things that I thought were not for me, all these things that I just assumed a man like me would never have.
I’m realizing today that my life just felt so imaginary for such a long time. You have this idea of how you think your life should be and then I just lived. I didn’t realize how long I was just living in this sort of morbid fear that that was never going to be the case. And so for these things to be coming true, these things to be happening in my life today, feels quite miraculous. You know, my job, my relationship, my living circumstances, friendships. It’s pretty cool.
What’s your favourite meal in the city?
Charred chicken poutine. I’m so grateful the restaurant’s back open.
What’s Hamilton’s best kept secret?
I don’t know if it’s a secret but Pier 8 at 6:30 in the morning. We will go and just walk the dogs along the water there. And I think it is the best way to start the day, when you’re like me, and you wake up thinking about all the things you’ve got to do, and all the things in your work and all the ways you’re potentially going to fail, I actually think a walk along that waterfront is what I need. There’s still lots of development to happen there, but what they’ve done there along the waterfront is really nice.
What does Hamilton need more of?
I’m talking from the Arts Council perspective, we need small, independent theatre and arts presentation spaces and more resources for arts incubation. We need well-supported studio theatres so that emerging dance companies and artists can have the experience of creating work in semi-professional spaces. That supports viability. And also, Hamilton needs more patience. It’s in such a rush to become.
What does Hamilton need less of?
Less arrogance in leadership. It needs less people trying to take up space and dominate conversation, and the landscape and social media. We’ve come to this place of egocentric white men. I am within that space trying to elevate other voices. n
THIS CONTENT IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE INCITE FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS
scan the qr code to read more about incite and the legacy of carl and kate turkstra.
50 YEARS OF CULTURE
THE INCITE FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS SUPPORTS THE WORK OF THE ART GALLERY OF BURLINGTON.
The incite Foundation for the Arts has contributed more than $9 million to 50 Hamilton-area organizations, through grants from $2,500 to $300,000, since it was founded in 2011. It is the legacy of the late Carl and Kate Turkstra who believed the arts are key to quality of life and critical to the future of Hamilton. And they believed anyone, regardless of circumstance, should be able to enjoy and pursue music, theatre and visual art. HAMILTON CITY Magazine is showcasing the incredible, creative and talented recipients of incite grants. Here we share the work of the Art Gallery of Burlington.
Since 1975, the Art Gallery of Burlington (AGB) has been a place where artists, audiences, and ideas intersect, sparking creativity, dialogue, and new ways of seeing the world. Over five decades, the gallery has evolved from a regional-focused arts venue into a cultural cornerstone, fostering community connection through exhibitions, residencies, guided learning, and hands-on making.
As the AGB marks its 50th anniversary in 2025, it embraces this milestone not as a retrospective, but as an invitation to dig deeper into culture, unearthing the stories and shared creativity that knit a community together.
At the heart of this vision is the Living series, a multi-year initiative co-curated by
artistic director and curator Suzanne Carte and associate curator Jasmine Mander. Launched in 2023 with the Living Library, the series offered a year of rotating artist and author projects, free events, a makerspace, and a space for slow engagement – where visitors could read, write, collage, make zines, or simply sprawl with a book. The experiment became a beloved creative hub and was expanded into a multi-year program thanks to the incite Foundation for the Arts’ three-year commitment (2024–2027). In recognition of this transformative support, the AGB’s Lakeshore Gallery was renamed the incite Gallery.
The series has since evolved through distinct chapters: in 2024, the Living Lab,
where artist José Luis Torres created The place as an object and the object as a place, an architectural platform for spontaneous exploration, creation, and exhibition. The Lab hosted an eclectic program – from Collage + Movement to fermentation workshops, accessibility committee meetings to knitting drop-ins – offering multiple entry points into artmaking and exchange.
In 2025, the Living Room became a permanent fixture of the gallery: a flexible, all-ages community hub shaped in collaboration with the architecture collective SHEEEP. This final chapter in the series launches AGB’s Community Generator program, an initiative of special projects and activations designed to meet the evolving needs of Burlington’s residents, while expanding opportunities for artists and audiences alike.
The AGB’s programming spans emerging and established voices, with exhibitions exploring urgent themes from environmental stewardship to belonging. Its nationally significant collection of contemporary Canadian ceramics bridges craft and contemporary art, while partnerships with schools, health initiatives, and community groups extend the gallery’s reach, supporting mental health, reducing isolation, and empowering youth through creative engagement.
“incite Foundation’s generosity allows us to create a dynamic and inclusive space that encourages community engagement and artistic exploration,” says executive director Emma Sankey. “It’s an investment not only in culture, but in the well-being, resilience, and creative future of our community.”
As Burlington continues to grow and diversify, the AGB stands as more than a gallery; it is an engine of cultural vitality, a gathering place for connection, and a living testament to the power of art to shape place, identity, and belonging. n
JOSÉ LUIS TORRES, THE PLACE AS AN OBJECT AND THE OBJECT AS A PLACE, ART GALLERY OF BURLINGTON. PHOTO: ROYA DELSOL
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