Westdale, Hamilton

Westdale is a residential neighbourhood in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It is centred in the Westdale Village shopping district and located near McMaster University. It is bordered to the north by Cootes Paradise, an extensive nature reserve marking the western end of Lake Ontario, to the south by Main Street and Ainslie Wood, to the east by Highway 403, and to the west by McMaster University.

Westdale Secondary School

Etymology

On 29 March 1923, real estate agents and politicians announced the winning name of a "Name the Neighbourhood" contest, at the Royal Connaught Hotel in downtown Hamilton. 6,170 people were gathered for the official announcement. Rev. Canon Percival Lawson Spencer won $200.00 for his submission of the "Westdale" name. Other names that were seriously considered for the neighbourhood include Westhome, Vimy Ridge, Bridgeton, Woodlands Park, Surrey Park and Bridgeview.[1]

History

Archeological surveys have shown that the land south of what is now Cootes Paradise was inhabited by successive aboriginal nations. In the early seventeenth-century, when the first French explorers and missionaries visited the western edge of Lake Ontario, they found the region populated by native people, who were referred to as the Neutral Nation because of their neutrality in the disputes between the Iroquois Confederacy and the Huron.

In the mid-seventeenth century, the Neutral Nation and the Hurons were defeated by the Iroquois Confederacy. Eventually, Ojibway from what is now northern Ontario began to push southwards and displace the Iroquois and occupied the land until they themselves were displaced by European pioneers.

Survey

Following the creation of Upper Canada in 1791, the land upon which Westdale is now located was surveyed as part of the Township of Barton. Shortly afterward, the boundary was adjusted and the lots west of present-day Paradise Road were incorporated into the Township of Ancaster. This area of the township situated below the escarpment was commonly referred to as the Gore of Ancaster.

Following the transfer of the land from the Township of Barton to the Township of Ancaster, the land upon which Westdale is now located became lots 57 through 60 of Concession 1.

Early settlers of these lots include the Forsyths, Ashbaughs, Clines, Paisleys, Buttrums, Brambergers and Strouds. Land use was primarily devoted to agriculture.

Founding

Westdale was founded in the 1920s (in conjunction with McMaster's 1930 founding in Hamilton) as one of Canada's first planned communities. Spearheaded by W.J. Westaway's development company Westdale Properties and a contingent of local investors on the Westaway Citizens Committee, the project aimed to stimulate an upscale Protestant environment. Established on what had been predominantly farmland, its shopping district was constructed on King Street, the western end of a major Hamilton route. The major housing developments branched from Sterling Street, a wide tree-lined lane that ends at McMaster's east campus gates.

Westdale was envisioned as an exclusive white Protestant neighbourhood. Specific groups such as blacks, Asians, Slavs, and Jews were unable to purchase homes; near the end of the Second World War restrictions upon Jewish home ownership were lifted whereupon many relocated from the central part of the city. However, legal loopholes allowed for discrimination to persist into the 1950s. Over time, Westdale has become increasingly diverse and vestiges of its former exclusivity have largely disappeared.

Present

Although urban development has reduced the isolation once integral for Westdale's modelled environment, the Village persists as an established shopping destination for West Hamilton residents. The Westdale Village Business Improvement Association represents over 70 businesses located in the immediate Westdale area. The Westdale community is contained between Highway 403, Main Street and the areas east of McMaster. In addition to many small businesses, Westdale is also home to the Hamilton Aviary, Churchill Park, a grocery store, a branch of the Hamilton Public Library, and branches of three major banks.[2]

Deer Hunt

In late October 2013, the Royal Botanical Gardens, which owns land bordering on Westdale (i.e. the Westdale (or South Shore) Ravine), announced that it was considering a hunt to cull what it claims is an over-population of deer. It was stated that only "Native" hunters would be allowed to participate in the hunt - as has been the case with the controversial hunts that have taken place in recent years in the Dundas Valley.

Student housing

The increase of McMaster's student population in recent decades has resulted in many Westdale homes being rented out to students.

In 2006 a few Westdale homeowners calling themselves WADS (Westdale Against Drunk Students) staged a rally to protest the student population and called for the McMaster pub, Quarters, to be closed.[3] McMaster responded by setting up a mediation between surrounding homeowners and student residents, as well as clarifying that Quarters closing would not fix the problems residents were facing, as students would just go to other bars located in Westdale. Over 200 people attended the rally. After a sting operation the Ontario Provincial Police charged the Bar with liquor license violations alleging the Bar over-served its student patrons. Recently, the Court of Appeal for Ontario found the bar had violated the law by over-serving a patron who went on to run down a pedestrian with his truck. The case, McIntyre v. Grigg, made Canadian legal history when it awarded punitive damages against a drunk driver.

The Westdale Village BIA, the Ainslie Wood/Westdale Community Association (AWWCA) and McMaster University formed the Campus Town Association in late 2004.[4] The CTA was formed to address concerns facing both the community and the university.

Politics

Westdale is currently part of the federal electoral district of Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas and, since 2015, has been represented by Member of Parliament Filomena Tassi of the Liberal Party.

Following a redistribution of provincial constituencies, Westdale shifted from being part of the Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale riding into the newly created constituency of Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas. In the 2018 Ontario Provincial Election, this seat was won by current New Democrat Member of Provincial Parliament Sandy Shaw.

On the Municipal level, Westdale is part of Hamilton's Ward 1 and is represented by Maureen Wilson as city councillor.[5] At the public school board level, Ward 1 is blended with downtown's Ward 2, and this combined seat is represented by Christine Bingham. On Hamilton's Catholic school board, Westdale is represented by Ward 1 and 2 trustee Mark Valvasori.

Education

Aside from McMaster University, four public schools are located in Westdale: Westdale Secondary School, École secondaire Georges-P.-Vanier, Dalewood Middle School, and George R. Allan Elementary School (1927–2014). The latter school has recently undergone an expansion in order to accommodate students from Ainslie Wood's Prince Philip Elementary School. As a result of the merger, the new school was named Cootes Paradise Elementary School in September 2014.

References
  1. Henley, Brian (1993). Hamilton our Lives and Times. The Hamilton Spectator. ISBN 0-9697255-0-7.
  2. Westdale Village Financial Services Directory
  3. Close Quarters
  4. Community partners form Campus Town Association
  5. http://www.hamilton.ca/council-committee/mayor-councillors/city-councillors

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