By Lawrence Stasiuk, FCSLA, OALA
Amidst the hustle and bustle of city life, there stands a piece of landscape history offering a quiet place of refuge and solace, where the soothing sounds of water and ambient noise of children playing can be heard. Framed by beautiful vistas and the lush green Niagara Escarpment, along with formal flower beds and a vast variety of mature trees, Hamilton’s Gage Park is a popular location for photographers, local residents, and tourists alike.
The park, located in the middle of the active city, is a fine example of the City Beautiful Movement—an early urban planning effort which was active in Canada from 1893 to 1930. Originally purchased from the Gage Family in 1917 on the outskirts of the city at the time, the property is 28 ha (69 acres). The park has been a popular site for festivals, viewing well-tended horticultural beds, strolling tree-lined grand walkways, playing baseball, tennis, and lawn bowling, appreciating performances at the bandshell, and visiting the Children’s Museum and tropical house.
The park was originally designed and built between 1919-27 by Howard B. and Lorrie A. Dunington-Grubb, two early founders of Canadian landscape architecture. The design, which includes dominant vistas to the Niagara Escarpment, sweeping walkways, a Great Lawn, sports fields, horticultural beds, as well as formal and informal spaces, was reflective of the movement and time period.
These were forward-thinking concepts when developed in the ’20s and throughout the years were not only retained, but have been a defining framework unifying the park features as it evolved to serve the needs of the community.
In 1927, the iconic fountain, watercourse, and terrace were added to the park in the centre of the formal perennial gardens. The fountain was a donation from Eugenie Gage, the granddaughter of the property’s settler John Gage. It was designed by John Lyle, a well-known architect who worked on other landmark projects, including Hamilton’s T.B. McQuesten Bridge on York Boulevard, Toronto’s Union Station, and Royal Alexandra Theatre.
Use and abuse
Few public parks are immune to heavy use and abuse, and Gage Park is no exception. The phrase “love it to death” certainly applies here. As the public is drawn to this park in vast numbers, the grounds have suffered significant deterioration over the years. For instance, it is not uncommon for one of the city’s major festivals held at Gage Park to attract a quarter of a million people over a four-day event. In addition to these larger festivals, the park also hosts many smaller events each year. In fact, permits were issued for 19 events in 2016.
Further, citizens and visitors are attracted to the many features of the park on a daily basis. What is more difficult to understand is the senseless vandalism that frequently occurred in the park. In this regard, praise must be given to the hardworking staff that combat this ‘invisible’ menace each day to ensure the park is not only safe, but also remains attractive to the public.
Revitalization underway
Unfortunately, many years of deterioration took its toll and a massive redevelopment plan was required to restore its original grandeur. The City of Hamilton recognized the functional and spiritual role of the park to the community and given its importance, the city committed significant money and resources to undertake the large-scale renewal of the space.
Wonderful job, kudos to all involved. In my younger years, that fountain would’ve been full of urine and broken glass. Today, my kids were able to splash their toes in the water. Truly a gem in an area that needs one.