Great expectations: Waterfront redevelopment and the Hamilton Harbour Waterfront Trail

This paper examines waterfront revitalization in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Unlike many contemporary North American cities, heavy industry continues to dominate the local economy, and the physical manifestations of this industry (mills, smokestacks, and industrial air and water pollution) remain visible along Hamilton’s harbourfront. Within the last three decades, major investments in improving the city’s environment – and reputation – have been undertaken within the city, including the Hamilton Harbour Waterfront Trail, opened to the public in 2000. This paper uses newspapers and municipal documents to track the development of the Trail, from the initial planning of the Trail until the present day. These sources suggest that the proposal and subsequent development of the waterfront trail are linked to broader discourses of environmental and economic revitalization within and beyond the city. In addition, issues of access and inclusiveness are highlighted. These results draw attention to the ways that waterfront development is both locally situated and moulded by broader discourses and trends.