Gage Park
 

Public to get a look at redesign plan of Gage Park's north side

Dana Brown
The Hamilton Spectator
(Feb 4, 2008)

The city will present its plan to redesign to the north side of Gage Park to the public this week.

An open meeting on Wednesday will also include information about the Lower East End Storm Drainage Study, which is examining how to deal with storm water in that end of the city.

The park area slated for development runs from Gage Avenue South, along Main Street East, to near the Hamilton Children's Museum. The section is not a block area and only a tail of land along Main Street comes down near the museum.

Four options were developed after a workshop with stakeholders. They were presented to the public in June 2006.

The Main Street component was consistent among all the options, said Steve Barnhart, a supervisor with the city's the open space development and park planning department.

The city is hoping to establish a main central hub for the park, revamp the pergola at the end of the formal garden and build a brick gateway at the corner of Gage and Main, among other things.

"That style of the brick gateway will set the tone for what we do at the south end of the park off Lawrence," Barnhart said.

"So we'll repeat that theme at the other end, which is also a main entry into the park."

The plan is not to affect the perennial gardens or the fountain.

Barnhart said he hopes the tender for the project will be done in the summer and that the entire development will be done by the time the 2009 winter season hits.

The rest of the plan for the park won't be finalized until a study regarding the central works yard in the park is completed, likely in April. The drainage study will also impact the overall plan.

Similar to the proposed park redevelopment, the drainage study also had the common theme of some sort of wet meadow in all of its options.

The idea is to provide long grass with cut paths that can act as water collector during major storms.

The meeting will be held Wednesday at Adelaide Hoodless Elementary School, 71 Maplewood Ave., from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

This is the section of Gage Park the article is referring to:

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2.../gage_park.jpg

Yay! Finally some new from this project. I've been eagerly waiting for a decision for this park. I'm there walking my dog almost every night and I think its a fantastic public place.

I missed the first public meetings back in 06, ( I had just moved to the area in May 06) so I will definitley be going to this meeting.

Does anybody know if the idea of a Dog park was pitched at the june '06 meeting? I think it would be an amazing place for another Dog park like up at the SPCA.

I love Gage Park as a park but I tend to avoid it nowadays. It has a seedy reputation for good reason.

My sister was aggressively accosted there a few years ago by a couple of older men to such an extent that we had to get police involved.

I was also attacked two summers ago by a group of South Asian youth who tried to knock me off my bike in the south west end of the park (presumably with the intention of stealing my beautiful Lemond ... like I was going to let that happen!).

I only go there now with my mom and grandmother for the Mum show in the fall.

Off-topic: Whoa...Lemond? As in, a road bike? If so, how about starting a new topic somewhere about rides in and around Hamilton?

How much do you ride? What kind of componentry do you have on your Lemond?

was it really necessary to mention their ethnicity? i guess it makes the incident seem more harrowing.

glad the city has decided to invest a little $ in the park. last time i was there it really needed a good scrubbing.

It was once, and should be, one of the city's jewels. My most recent impressions of it were that it had been neglected, disrespected by some of the people who use it, and sadly, a potential haven for criminal activity. Investing some money and care into the park would work wonders for the area--it's a beautiful park and a great set of lungs for the neighborhood.

I just like to be descriptive, a slight literary streak I guess. I don't consider myself to be xenophobic or ethnically averse. My partner of 6 years is Jamaican of Sri Lankan and African descent. The people whom I'm used to seeing in my day-to-day life are certainly not all white ... if that was meant to be the implication (?).

I don't think I have ever seen South Asians in Gage Park ever!? Maybe for a picnic, but that's about it.

I worked in the Delta for (almost) 4 years and spent almost every lunch hour in the park (whether it be the afternoon lunch or nightime lunch... depending on my schedule). I have never once been accosted, approached or harassed here.

I also have a female friend who lives right down the street from it, and her and I walk thru the park on nice evenings. Never had any problems.

I'm sick of people thinking this park is dangerous or ghetto b/c they heard someone was jumped once a couple years ago, or b/c of it's neighbourhood. Spend as much time in the park as possible... then you'll be comfortable enough to manoever it's wonderful trails without worrying about that group of teens at the tree who are probably just smoking pot anyway.

This isn't East LA, this is Hamilton. Crime here is surprisingly low. So don't listen to CHCH/The Spec's neo-con propoganda! Don't fear Gage Park... it's not a scary place AT ALL: Night or Day!!

Lookin' good!!! I wish the entry-way was a little more eye-catching tho! Maybe a Washington Square'esq type of monument:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/138/3...b36aae.jpg?v=0
from wallyg @ Flickr, http://flickr.com/photos/wallyg/372294608/

This sucks.

What's there now is better. I like the brick/gazebo thing. Does the city want to tear it down and build this cruddy little brick wall fence so they don't have to repair a few of the beams???

yea, this is pretty lame. I hate those digital screens too. back to the drawing board with this.

No, they're planning on restoring the wooden/brick gazebo structure. This is just for tne entry way. Currently there are a couple huge, cement planters and occasionally an event's sign. So imo, this design is better than what's currently there (mud & cement planters). But ya, the design is lame and needs a LOT more work!

Seriously guys when's the last time you spent any amount of time in Gage Park?

I visit there all the time with my children. We ride around the park, visit the two playgrounds, climb on the bandshell, feed the squirells. I never see any vagrants. I see weddings, picnics and people walking dogs. Gage Park is a gem. It should be surrounded with a wall of high rises like Central Park. The flower beds a kept well. The fountain is in rough shape tho, and the washrooms are actually open (sometimes). The entrance gazebo thing has a couple broken benches and broken beer bottles but overall it's in good shape. The rose garden came back last year. I can't believe the negative comments about the park. It's the same incorrect perceived reality that plagues Hamilton.

the city better put some 'bumps' on the paved circle area... god forbid a skateboarder might use it.

I'm glad to hear the City is keeping the gazebo. but this is so forgetable and unnoticable. It lacks any kind of imagination.

The entrance at Gage and Main isn't too bad, the old wooden street post kinda ruins it for me.

The Park could also benefit from improved lighting, especially at the Main/Gage entrance!

It's no wonder ppl think the park is dangerous... the lighting is so poor except around the fountain. I believe this is all part of the revamp plan tho:

- new/better lighting
- reno'd gazebo
- replazing rot iron fencing
- Main/Gage entryway
- possibility of a dog park on the N/E part of the park

LED lights for the fountain would be kick ass, especially with a mixture of colour.

First off, I don't think I said Gage Park was dangerous--and I certainly never said I was there frequently. What I said was that the last time I was there it looked neglected--the condition of the fountain--for starters--is an absolute disgrace. I don't have some agenda to push as far as crime goes--it's a black and white issue--tagging, vandalism, pot smoking--those are crimes.

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without worrying about that group of teens at the tree who are probably just smoking pot anyway

That's great--if this is somehow acceptable, I'm pretty sure we've hit squarely on exactly what's wrong with our society.

Ya! Coming out of the Turtles' mouths!! hahaha
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2291/...606be0.jpg?v=0
Big Daddy 72 on Flickr.com, http://flickr.com/photos/14413615@N00/1856060673/

EDIT: Fastcars, I wasn't taking a shot at you... just pointing out the general perception of the park. It's the same general perception that people have of Downtown and Hamilton as a city. If more people actually spent time at these places, got to know these places then they'd become comfortable with these places. Once comfortable enough, they'll realize "Hey, maybe it's NOT so bad... why didn't I come here before!?"

How many times have we heard THAT come out of the mouths of our out-of-town visitors when we show them the REAL Hamilton!?