Burlington to raze homes for waterfront
Tuesday June 15, 1999
By CARMELA FRAGOMENI
The Spectator
This is the tale of two beaches — Hamilton's and Burlington's.
One promises a happy ending. The other, a sad end to a bohemian existence likely never to be seen again on Burlington's lakefront.
Both beach strips are on a wave of new beginnings, borne by their respective city halls.
In Hamilton, where homes were slated to be bought and demolished for parkland, now the focus is on preserving and enhancing the neighbourhood while still keeping the beach public. New homes are to be built.
The focus in Burlington is as it has been for years — on tearing down homes and cottages and creating a park. The dozen remaining cottages get bulldozed in September.
There is joy on Hamilton's Beach Boulevard. Hearts are breaking on Burlington's Lakeshore Road.
Hamilton bought and tore up 120 homes at residents' urging after floods and septic tank problems in the mid-70s. Acquisitions ended in 1985 as the roughly 1,000 remaining residents pushed to maintain a community and the city considered the program was getting too expensive.
But it has taken until now to breathe new life into the Hamilton beach. The city is offering 90 building lots for sale in September as plans take shape to make the Beach Strip a resort village and possibly a heritage district.
In Burlington, a different history played its hand.
The fundamental difference is ownership of the land. While Hamilton beach residents owned their land outright, Burlington beach residents first leased their land from the Canadian National Railway and then the city, which bought it 25 years ago.
The residents were given 20-year leases with the understanding the city would be buying up homes and demolishing them to make way for Burlington Beachway Park.
Hamilton, by comparison, already has its beach parkland in Van Wagner's Beach and Confederation Park, Hamilton beach strip resident Reg Wheeler says. "This is Burlington's answer to Confederation Park."
But there is some sentiment attached to the Burlington cottages. The death knell of a bohemian lifestyle marks the end of an era. There is simply nowhere else in this city where the unconventional can live so free and easy right on the water. Unless, of course, you have close to $500,000 to invest in lakefront property.
Take Bert Oldershaw, a colourful and fit 77-year-old artist and former Canadian Olympic rowing champion in his last summer of living on the beach. He's lived here for what he calls "18 years of good living with a healthy lifestyle."
And he's staying in his rustic cottage to the bitter end on Aug. 31. He'll proudly show you around, even the female nude carved out by nature on a piece of driftwood. He tries a positive spin on the impending demolition.
"If you're alive and vital, you're not going to sit around and moan and groan all day"
If he doesn't find a place in Burlington that he considers "economical," he'll move in with his son in Mississauga and become a bit of a nomad, travelling "while I'm healthy" to visit friends around the continent.
Oldershaw has experienced this scenario before. He lived for 35 years on Toronto Island until his place was acquired by the city and bulldozed for a park.
Many islanders fought fierce battles since 1968 against Metro Toronto, which wanted the land for a park. By 1998, most had 99-year leases and the community ii now rebuilding and renovating.
In Burlington, the 20-year lease, extended a couple of times, has finally run out.
In Hamilton, Wheeler sits in his back yard, taking in the cooling breezes off Lake Ontario and the relaxing sound of waves. This has been his little piece of paradise in the city for 50 years. The beach offers tranquility, even as rush hour traffic builds on the Skyway not far away
"This is the last spot in the world an ordinary Joe like me can own a property like this," Wheeler says, full of nostalgia for the place. "I used to have a motorboat. My kids were in the water all the time, and now my grandchildren disappear to the water as soon as they get here.
"That's the agony of when a government wants to do something and you stand in the way"
Wheeler, a former alderman known as the honorary mayor of the Beach Strip, is grateful "we are not a Toronto Island" where land is leased by homeowners.
So is Don Young, 72, who grew up on the Beach Strip.
"I wouldn't live anywhere else," says Young, whose property is surrounded by vacant lots, but who refused to sell his own place.
He's now glad he didn't.
Spec Photo- Kaz Novak, The Spectator,
Bert Oldershaw is staying put until the Aug. 31 deadline when Burlington takes over his rustic cottage to clear more land for its Beachway Park.
Tuesday June 15, 1999
By CARMELA FRAGOMENI
The Spectator
This is the tale of two beaches — Hamilton's and Burlington's.
One promises a happy ending. The other, a sad end to a bohemian existence likely never to be seen again on Burlington's lakefront.
Both beach strips are on a wave of new beginnings, borne by their respective city halls.
In Hamilton, where homes were slated to be bought and demolished for parkland, now the focus is on preserving and enhancing the neighbourhood while still keeping the beach public. New homes are to be built.
The focus in Burlington is as it has been for years — on tearing down homes and cottages and creating a park. The dozen remaining cottages get bulldozed in September.
There is joy on Hamilton's Beach Boulevard. Hearts are breaking on Burlington's Lakeshore Road.
Hamilton bought and tore up 120 homes at residents' urging after floods and septic tank problems in the mid-70s. Acquisitions ended in 1985 as the roughly 1,000 remaining residents pushed to maintain a community and the city considered the program was getting too expensive.
But it has taken until now to breathe new life into the Hamilton beach. The city is offering 90 building lots for sale in September as plans take shape to make the Beach Strip a resort village and possibly a heritage district.
In Burlington, a different history played its hand.
The fundamental difference is ownership of the land. While Hamilton beach residents owned their land outright, Burlington beach residents first leased their land from the Canadian National Railway and then the city, which bought it 25 years ago.
The residents were given 20-year leases with the understanding the city would be buying up homes and demolishing them to make way for Burlington Beachway Park.
Hamilton, by comparison, already has its beach parkland in Van Wagner's Beach and Confederation Park, Hamilton beach strip resident Reg Wheeler says. "This is Burlington's answer to Confederation Park."
But there is some sentiment attached to the Burlington cottages. The death knell of a bohemian lifestyle marks the end of an era. There is simply nowhere else in this city where the unconventional can live so free and easy right on the water. Unless, of course, you have close to $500,000 to invest in lakefront property.
Take Bert Oldershaw, a colourful and fit 77-year-old artist and former Canadian Olympic rowing champion in his last summer of living on the beach. He's lived here for what he calls "18 years of good living with a healthy lifestyle."
And he's staying in his rustic cottage to the bitter end on Aug. 31. He'll proudly show you around, even the female nude carved out by nature on a piece of driftwood. He tries a positive spin on the impending demolition.
"If you're alive and vital, you're not going to sit around and moan and groan all day"
If he doesn't find a place in Burlington that he considers "economical," he'll move in with his son in Mississauga and become a bit of a nomad, travelling "while I'm healthy" to visit friends around the continent.
Oldershaw has experienced this scenario before. He lived for 35 years on Toronto Island until his place was acquired by the city and bulldozed for a park.
Many islanders fought fierce battles since 1968 against Metro Toronto, which wanted the land for a park. By 1998, most had 99-year leases and the community ii now rebuilding and renovating.
In Burlington, the 20-year lease, extended a couple of times, has finally run out.
In Hamilton, Wheeler sits in his back yard, taking in the cooling breezes off Lake Ontario and the relaxing sound of waves. This has been his little piece of paradise in the city for 50 years. The beach offers tranquility, even as rush hour traffic builds on the Skyway not far away
"This is the last spot in the world an ordinary Joe like me can own a property like this," Wheeler says, full of nostalgia for the place. "I used to have a motorboat. My kids were in the water all the time, and now my grandchildren disappear to the water as soon as they get here.
"That's the agony of when a government wants to do something and you stand in the way"
Wheeler, a former alderman known as the honorary mayor of the Beach Strip, is grateful "we are not a Toronto Island" where land is leased by homeowners.
So is Don Young, 72, who grew up on the Beach Strip.
"I wouldn't live anywhere else," says Young, whose property is surrounded by vacant lots, but who refused to sell his own place.
He's now glad he didn't.
Spec Photo- Kaz Novak, The Spectator,
Bert Oldershaw is staying put until the Aug. 31 deadline when Burlington takes over his rustic cottage to clear more land for its Beachway Park.