MacInsiders Logo

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Getting Around In Hamilton Ish001 First-Year / Prospective Student Questions 6 09-25-2010 08:36 PM
What's Hamilton really like?! amitoj First-Year / Prospective Student Questions 52 07-26-2010 07:24 AM
Plagiarism In University: How To Avoid It and What Happens If You Get Caught niteskie Academics 6 10-04-2009 02:21 AM
Hamilton Goce General Discussion 25 07-08-2009 04:02 PM
AVOID Humanities 2C03/CMST 2W03 v-pop Academics 17 12-11-2008 11:38 PM

Areas to avoid in Hamilton?

 
Old 07-05-2009 at 09:12 AM   #31
c.erl
PLUC Front, etc.
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 189

Thanked: 38 Times
Liked: 94 Times




If there is one place to avoid in Hamilton, its

NOWHERE!

This is an amazing city with an amazing and totally unique feel and, if you get the chance, you really have to experience every little bit of it.

This is my town, and I know it better then I know myself sometimes. So its best to focus on some places you might want to try exploring when you get some time.

The Mountain

If you take any bus up the Mountain, you'll enter a completely different world with its own unique communities and flare. Concession Street is a small shopping district, and has some unique shops, like Opies Meat Pies (a traditional Scottish bakery), the Movie Palace and a small library, as well as dozens of small, independent shops.

The suburban communities on the East Mountain are amazing for just wandering through when you have some time. If you're really adventurous, try taking a bike ride through the area. Its where I grew up and I can say for certain that its feel is completely unique. I've traveled across the world, and there is only one place that I would want to call home.

Limeridge is bustling and commercial, and is the hub for most central mountain shopping activity. Its a typical mall, but the surrounding area is mostly residential and calm, so you can basically walk anywhere if you're bored without any danger.

The West Mountain is almost entirely suburban, but it merges into The Meadowlands, a "power center" with big name stores and a much bigger movie theater. The 5C - West Hamilton bus will take you there.

Downtown

Sure, downtown does have its characters, but it also has a lot of its own character! Jackson Square is quintessential Hamilton, and the surrounding area is the hub of activity, with the court house, City Hall, Gore Park and the Central Library all within a few blocks of each other.

Some streets to really explore are King William, with its Sky Dragon Co-Operative (a fair-trade coffee house and regular anarchist-peace activist-hippie hangout) and trendy restaurants or Locke Street, which is like a village all to its own. Some areas on Barton Street can be a touch rough, but if you're mature about it and keep your head on straight, then you'll be fine.

Hamilton isn't known for its high rate of murder or random violence, and the police presence downtown keeps you feeling generally safe. Yes, we do have an issue with poverty, panhandling and drugs, but every city does and it shouldn't be something to deter you from exploring this amazing place you'll call home for 4 years.

We have art galleries, museums, parks, shopping districts, cool little neighbourhoods and hidden gems all over this city, and if you hide on campus, you'll never get to experience them.

So my recommendation to you, is that you venture past Westdale, into the heart of the city and explore. Trust me, its amazing!
__________________
Chris Erl
Honours B.A. History and Poli Sci (2012)
M.A. Work and Society (2013)

.:callen:., KaesoPublius, Maegs, sinthusized all say thanks to c.erl for this post.

frhnh, soltintal like this.
Old 07-05-2009 at 09:59 AM   #32
micadjems
Awesome Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,091

Thanked: 145 Times
Liked: 382 Times




Avoid Barton unless you're in a car or with many other people... and even then.
I went on a sunday at noon and saw 2 hookers. There's also a strip club and a jail. ... basicallly bad news XD

The mountain is pretty nice! Hamilton has this handy thing where they divide their classes with a mountain, haha.

I just like to make sure I don't go anywhere alone, except the Mac area, but that's a given for anywhere, just in case you get into a sticky situation.
__________________
Jackie Howe
B. Eng Society (Materials), Minor in Theatre & Film '11
Old 07-05-2009 at 10:02 AM   #33
davey
Elite Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 394

Thanked: 44 Times
Liked: 14 Times




I've lived in Hamilton for almost a decade, and I don't think there is anywhere to be overly cautious about. I've walked alone downtown at night tons of times to catch the last bus home, and I've never seen anything out of the ordinary. But I guess the world is one of perception, not reality.

soltintal likes this.
Old 07-05-2009 at 10:28 AM   #34
_Luu_
Elite Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 536

Thanked: 35 Times
Liked: 184 Times




Quote:
Originally Posted by c.erl View Post
If there is one place to avoid in Hamilton, its

NOWHERE!
Exactly. If it isn't Jane and Finch or Winnipeg North End bad, then it's not a place to avoid.
__________________
Andrew Luu
Medical Radiation Sciences '14 (Radiation Therapy)
NIL SATIS NISI OPTIMUM
Old 07-05-2009 at 10:37 AM   #35
jamescw1234
The Awkward One
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 900

Thanked: 121 Times
Liked: 468 Times




I've recently moved into an apartment downtown, just by St. Joes, that area of downtown has some really nice houses and some decent places to eat, but a couple minutes on your way to Main/King is when the so called "sketchiness" starts. Yeah, it seems kind of sketchy, but it's really not as people think. People won't bother you if you don't bother them. I've been asked for change a couple times, and once I did have a brief conversation with a crack addict (we actually talked once before on the bus back from lime ridge, boy that was an experience). But it's not as bad as people make it out to be. The only place I'd be cautious about going to in Hamilton would be Barton St. As long as you follow basic rules of walking around in a city you should be fine.
__________________

James CW
McMaster University-Bachelor's of Social Work and Bachelor's of Arts in Sociology (2012)
York University-Masters of Social Work (2014-2015)
Old 07-05-2009 at 10:52 AM   #36
reeves
Jedi IRL
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,782

Thanked: 105 Times
Liked: 557 Times




Just to clarify, I wasn't asking about places to avoid going. I was asking about places to avoid living in.

I currently live in Peterborough, a town of only about 75,000 people, and a small town feel. Even then, everyone here knows not to live on Bethune and Stewart Streets, through the downtown area. Unless you happen to like crack and/or heroin, needles on your front lawn, and having your door beat on at 3:30 AM by drug addicts looking to score. I just wanted to make sure I didn't move into the Hamilton equivalent of that
__________________
Mark Reeves
Humanities I Victory Lap!
Old 07-05-2009 at 10:58 AM   #37
sinthusized
Elite Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,034

Thanked: 143 Times
Liked: 98 Times




It sounds like some people are knocking areas for prejudiced reasons. OH big deal, you saw a hooker.
Old 07-05-2009 at 10:59 AM   #38
PTGregD
Elite Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,841

Thanked: 229 Times
Liked: 349 Times




Quote:
Originally Posted by sinthusized View Post
It sounds like some people are knocking areas for prejudiced reasons. OH big deal, you saw a hooker.
You would want to live in an area with known prostitution?
__________________
Gregory Darkeff
Alumni 2011 - Honors Commerce and Economics Minor
Old 07-05-2009 at 11:02 AM   #39
micadjems
Awesome Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,091

Thanked: 145 Times
Liked: 382 Times




Quote:
Originally Posted by sinthusized View Post
It sounds like some people are knocking areas for prejudiced reasons. OH big deal, you saw a hooker.

If I saw it.... it's not a prejudice.... I've BEEN there and SEEN it! I'm not making judgements on nothing!!


Also, some places may seem safe to walk around at night for you, but trust me, and as much as I DONT want to say this, it's true! It's different for a girl.

Anyone disagree?
__________________
Jackie Howe
B. Eng Society (Materials), Minor in Theatre & Film '11
Old 07-05-2009 at 11:07 AM   #40
feonateresa
Elite Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,672

Thanked: 236 Times
Liked: 196 Times




Quote:
Originally Posted by _Luu_ View Post
Exactly. If it isn't Jane and Finch or Winnipeg North End bad, then it's not a place to avoid.
Yikes. I'd never catch myself living at Jane and Finch, nor will I live downtown Hamilton ever again. I think people are really misinterpreting what people are saying when they say parts of Hamilton are sketchy. It is said in the sense that, you wouldn't be eager to live there, nor would you walk around by yourself at night if you're a young woman. Yeah, there may be great places to go during the day, but you're usually catching a bus home away from there right? Maybe it's just me, but I wouldn't want hookers and drug uses walking outside my door.
Old 07-05-2009 at 11:15 AM   #41
_Luu_
Elite Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 536

Thanked: 35 Times
Liked: 184 Times




Quote:
Originally Posted by feonateresa View Post
Yikes. I'd never catch myself living at Jane and Finch, nor will I live downtown Hamilton ever again. I think people are really misinterpreting what people are saying when they say parts of Hamilton are sketchy. It is said in the sense that, you wouldn't be eager to live there, nor would you walk around by yourself at night if you're a young woman. Yeah, there may be great places to go during the day, but you're usually catching a bus home away from there right? Maybe it's just me, but I wouldn't want hookers and drug uses walking outside my door.
That's true. Well then again, everyone's got a different level of comfort and perception of safety. For example, I'd be the extreme to that. I grew up in a tough neighbourhood in the North End, so maybe I'm pretty desensitized. Or I'm tough like that. Grrr.
__________________
Andrew Luu
Medical Radiation Sciences '14 (Radiation Therapy)
NIL SATIS NISI OPTIMUM
Old 07-05-2009 at 11:18 AM   #42
sinthusized
Elite Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,034

Thanked: 143 Times
Liked: 98 Times




Well you are judging an area because you saw someone who may (or may not) be a hooker. From your post, it didn't sound that that they were bothering people.
Old 07-05-2009 at 11:18 AM   #43
feonateresa
Elite Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,672

Thanked: 236 Times
Liked: 196 Times




Quote:
Originally Posted by _Luu_ View Post
That's true. Well then again, everyone's got a different level of comfort and perception of safety. For example, I'd be the extreme to that. I grew up in a tough neighbourhood in the North End, so maybe I'm pretty desensitized. Or I'm tough like that. Grrr.
Rawr, haha. North End? You mean Toronto? I used to be offended when people said they wouldn't go to York because of the sketch factor, but after everything that happened on campus, I'm just not sure.
Old 07-05-2009 at 11:20 AM   #44
_Luu_
Elite Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 536

Thanked: 35 Times
Liked: 184 Times




Quote:
Originally Posted by feonateresa View Post
Rawr, haha. North End? You mean Toronto? I used to be offended when people said they wouldn't go to York because of the sketch factor, but after everything that happened on campus, I'm just not sure.
I meant the Winnipeg North End, where stealing cars, killing people, and doing meth are the orders of the day.
__________________
Andrew Luu
Medical Radiation Sciences '14 (Radiation Therapy)
NIL SATIS NISI OPTIMUM
Old 07-05-2009 at 11:21 AM   #45
feonateresa
Elite Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,672

Thanked: 236 Times
Liked: 196 Times




Quote:
Originally Posted by _Luu_ View Post
I meant the Winnipeg North End, where stealing cars, killing people, and doing meth are the orders of the day.
O_O I never knew Winnipeg was bad. You know it's strange, Manitoba doesn't ever come up in the news ... hrrm.



Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



McMaster University News and Information, Student-run Community, with topics ranging from Student Life, Advice, News, Events, and General Help.
Notice: The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the student(s) who authored the content. The contents of this page have not been reviewed or approved by McMaster University or the MSU (McMaster Students Union). Being a student-run community, all articles and discussion posts on MacInsiders are unofficial and it is therefore always recommended that you visit the official McMaster website for the most accurate up-to-date information.

Copyright © MacInsiders.com All Rights Reserved. No content can be re-used or re-published without permission. MacInsiders is a service of Fullerton Media Inc. | Created by Chad
Originally Powered by vBulletin®, Copyright © 2019 MH Sub I, LLC dba vBulletin. All rights reserved. | Privacy | Terms