From the Hamilton Spectator June 6th 1951
Made Year-round Colony
By Expansion Of City
Community Was Settled Before City; Governed By Commission
Story and Photos by Bruce Murdoch
Burlington Beach, the three-and-a-half or four-mile-long sandstrip separating Lake Ontario and Hamilton Bay, is unique in many respects. Actually settled before the city of Hamilton, it was for many years this city's leading summer playground. Less than one-quarter mile wide, and only heavily populated area of its kind in the country, it has become a fine residential community and home of 3,000-odd year around residents.
Not A Municipality
It enjoys all the rights of an incorporated municipality but it is not a municipality. Prior to 1907, it was administered, first by the Township of Saltfleet, later by the city of Hamilton. Then, it was taken under the wing of the provincial government and, under authority of a special act of the Ontario Legislature, Act, it was placed under control of a government appointed commission.
Today, Burlington Beach has at least 800 homes, only about 25 of which are not winterized. It has every city convenience except sewers. Even city mail delivery service is enjoyed. There are three churches- St. Andrew's-by-the-Lake, Anglican, the Chapel of the Little Flower, Roman Catholic, and the Beach Gospel Chapel; an up-to-date school with eight classrooms presently in use, an auditorium about completed and four more rooms to be added; half a dozen grocery stores; four service stations; a dozen licensed restaurants; a bank open three days a week; a drug store, barber shop, plumbing and electrical shops and two beer purveyors.
A three-man police department, there's an additional man in the summer months, has radio equipped patrol cars using the Hamilton police radio hook-up. Howard Nickling, chief, has held that appointment for the last 14 years.
The fire department with Dan Hazell as chief, is one of the most efficient in the district. It has completely modern equipment including two inhalators, one of them is the very latest type available and three boats for beach rescue work. Its 27 volunteer members drill regularly and work without pay. Including rescue work and dragging operations for drowning victims, the department is a busy one.
There is a Masonic Lodge on the sandstrip, a Canadian Legion Branch, a Yacht Club, it's now building an addition to its club house, a dance hall and up-to-date amusement park. The Kinsmen Club has a fresh air camp for city children.
Water supply is from the city waterworks system and electricity is obtained through the Saltfleet rural
Hydro set-up.
One thing the Beach has that's outstanding is a terrific traffic problem. The 21-foot roadway of the bascule bridge over Burlington Channel forms a bottle neck on which the traffic from the four-lane Queen Elizabeth Way and Highways 2 and 20, as well as the road from Hamilton, converges. Raising of the bridge to permit passage of ships through the canal often causes bumper-to-bumper line-ups for miles. Adding to the problem on busy days is the fact that cars are regularly held up to permit pedestrians to cross the road at the amusement park. Some time, the residents and all motorists who use the Beach highway, hope, the long-proposed and planned new super-highway and high-arch bridge along the bay shore and over the canal will 'be built to relieve the congestion on this road, the second most heavily travelled stretch of highway in Ontario.
Mrs. Mary Quinn, 84, of 129 Beach Boulevard, is believed to be the oldest "native-born" resident. The former Mary Perry, she was born at nearby Van Wagner's Beach. Then, there's Mrs. G. N. Waterbury, the former Nellie Armstrong, who lives in the house at 27 Beach Boulevard where she was born 80 years ago. Richard Fletcher, 77, of 153 Beach Boulevard, was also born at the Beach.
A bit about the Burlington Beach Canal. In 1823 an act was passed authorizing construction and in 1825 a contract for the work was awarded for $34,000. Vessels are said to have passed through in 1830 although the canal was not completed until 1832. In 1843 improvements commenced and the channel was widened, this work being completed in 1850 when a ferry was put in operation over the channel. In 1896 a swing bridge across the channel was opened, cost of building is said to have been around $21,000 and the ferry was discontinued. The present bascule bridge replaced the old swing bridge and the canal was widened in 1929 and 1930 to 300 feet from its previous width of about 120 feet. The railway bridge spanning the canal is 380 feet long.
Buildings around the canal are actually landmarks. The stone lighthouse was constructed over 120 years ago and still functions. The homes of the bridgemaster, the lightkeeper and of the Hoffer family are all quite old. The present Lakeside Hotel stands on the site of the original hotel operated for many years by the Perry family. Mrs. Katherine Hoffer told us that her grandmother, Bridget Perry, the former Bridget McGee, was the first Perry to run the hotel, while her grandfather helped to build the first canal. Later, it was run by her father, John Perry; then by her mother, Mrs. John Parry, and finally by her sister, Miss Gertrude Perry who sold out in 1947.
Mrs. Waterbury, like the other older, residents, recalls having crossed the canal on the old scow ferry; the early days of the Great Western Railway over the Beach; the corning and going of the Hamilton, Burlington and Oakville Radial Railway from downtown Hamilton across the sandstrip, the change from coal oil lamps to Hydro power, and the change from waggon trail to busy highway.
Link to Radial Railway
http://hamiltontransithistory.alotspace.com/HRER.html
Photo #1
Oldest Established Business- Miss Elsie Knowles is serving a customer, Miariam Piesanen, in the store built by her father, C.H. Knowles, 31 years ago after he had been in business for five years at a site across the street.
Photo #2
SMART FIRE DEPARTMENT, Burlington Beach has a 27-man volunteer fire department with completely modern equipment, two inhalators, and three boats. In charge of Chief Dan Hazell, it originated from the war-time A.R.P. From the left, in front row, are Chief Hazell, Asst. Chief William Allan, Capt. William Somerville, Harry Wilkins, Frank Leach, William Thornton, Harold Hindman, John Embleton, George Markis, Don Young. Back row, Capt. Sid Gray, Capt.Clare Dean, G. Hopwood, Kenneth Agur, Charles Hewitt, John McEwan, Kenneth Kinrade and William Ronald.
Made Year-round Colony
By Expansion Of City
Community Was Settled Before City; Governed By Commission
Story and Photos by Bruce Murdoch
Burlington Beach, the three-and-a-half or four-mile-long sandstrip separating Lake Ontario and Hamilton Bay, is unique in many respects. Actually settled before the city of Hamilton, it was for many years this city's leading summer playground. Less than one-quarter mile wide, and only heavily populated area of its kind in the country, it has become a fine residential community and home of 3,000-odd year around residents.
Not A Municipality
It enjoys all the rights of an incorporated municipality but it is not a municipality. Prior to 1907, it was administered, first by the Township of Saltfleet, later by the city of Hamilton. Then, it was taken under the wing of the provincial government and, under authority of a special act of the Ontario Legislature, Act, it was placed under control of a government appointed commission.
Today, Burlington Beach has at least 800 homes, only about 25 of which are not winterized. It has every city convenience except sewers. Even city mail delivery service is enjoyed. There are three churches- St. Andrew's-by-the-Lake, Anglican, the Chapel of the Little Flower, Roman Catholic, and the Beach Gospel Chapel; an up-to-date school with eight classrooms presently in use, an auditorium about completed and four more rooms to be added; half a dozen grocery stores; four service stations; a dozen licensed restaurants; a bank open three days a week; a drug store, barber shop, plumbing and electrical shops and two beer purveyors.
A three-man police department, there's an additional man in the summer months, has radio equipped patrol cars using the Hamilton police radio hook-up. Howard Nickling, chief, has held that appointment for the last 14 years.
The fire department with Dan Hazell as chief, is one of the most efficient in the district. It has completely modern equipment including two inhalators, one of them is the very latest type available and three boats for beach rescue work. Its 27 volunteer members drill regularly and work without pay. Including rescue work and dragging operations for drowning victims, the department is a busy one.
There is a Masonic Lodge on the sandstrip, a Canadian Legion Branch, a Yacht Club, it's now building an addition to its club house, a dance hall and up-to-date amusement park. The Kinsmen Club has a fresh air camp for city children.
Water supply is from the city waterworks system and electricity is obtained through the Saltfleet rural
Hydro set-up.
One thing the Beach has that's outstanding is a terrific traffic problem. The 21-foot roadway of the bascule bridge over Burlington Channel forms a bottle neck on which the traffic from the four-lane Queen Elizabeth Way and Highways 2 and 20, as well as the road from Hamilton, converges. Raising of the bridge to permit passage of ships through the canal often causes bumper-to-bumper line-ups for miles. Adding to the problem on busy days is the fact that cars are regularly held up to permit pedestrians to cross the road at the amusement park. Some time, the residents and all motorists who use the Beach highway, hope, the long-proposed and planned new super-highway and high-arch bridge along the bay shore and over the canal will 'be built to relieve the congestion on this road, the second most heavily travelled stretch of highway in Ontario.
Mrs. Mary Quinn, 84, of 129 Beach Boulevard, is believed to be the oldest "native-born" resident. The former Mary Perry, she was born at nearby Van Wagner's Beach. Then, there's Mrs. G. N. Waterbury, the former Nellie Armstrong, who lives in the house at 27 Beach Boulevard where she was born 80 years ago. Richard Fletcher, 77, of 153 Beach Boulevard, was also born at the Beach.
A bit about the Burlington Beach Canal. In 1823 an act was passed authorizing construction and in 1825 a contract for the work was awarded for $34,000. Vessels are said to have passed through in 1830 although the canal was not completed until 1832. In 1843 improvements commenced and the channel was widened, this work being completed in 1850 when a ferry was put in operation over the channel. In 1896 a swing bridge across the channel was opened, cost of building is said to have been around $21,000 and the ferry was discontinued. The present bascule bridge replaced the old swing bridge and the canal was widened in 1929 and 1930 to 300 feet from its previous width of about 120 feet. The railway bridge spanning the canal is 380 feet long.
Buildings around the canal are actually landmarks. The stone lighthouse was constructed over 120 years ago and still functions. The homes of the bridgemaster, the lightkeeper and of the Hoffer family are all quite old. The present Lakeside Hotel stands on the site of the original hotel operated for many years by the Perry family. Mrs. Katherine Hoffer told us that her grandmother, Bridget Perry, the former Bridget McGee, was the first Perry to run the hotel, while her grandfather helped to build the first canal. Later, it was run by her father, John Perry; then by her mother, Mrs. John Parry, and finally by her sister, Miss Gertrude Perry who sold out in 1947.
Mrs. Waterbury, like the other older, residents, recalls having crossed the canal on the old scow ferry; the early days of the Great Western Railway over the Beach; the corning and going of the Hamilton, Burlington and Oakville Radial Railway from downtown Hamilton across the sandstrip, the change from coal oil lamps to Hydro power, and the change from waggon trail to busy highway.
Link to Radial Railway
http://hamiltontransithistory.alotspace.com/HRER.html
Photo #1
Oldest Established Business- Miss Elsie Knowles is serving a customer, Miariam Piesanen, in the store built by her father, C.H. Knowles, 31 years ago after he had been in business for five years at a site across the street.
Photo #2
SMART FIRE DEPARTMENT, Burlington Beach has a 27-man volunteer fire department with completely modern equipment, two inhalators, and three boats. In charge of Chief Dan Hazell, it originated from the war-time A.R.P. From the left, in front row, are Chief Hazell, Asst. Chief William Allan, Capt. William Somerville, Harry Wilkins, Frank Leach, William Thornton, Harold Hindman, John Embleton, George Markis, Don Young. Back row, Capt. Sid Gray, Capt.Clare Dean, G. Hopwood, Kenneth Agur, Charles Hewitt, John McEwan, Kenneth Kinrade and William Ronald.
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