Carlisle Branch - Exterior Filming

From Tuesday, March 3, to Wednesday, March 4, filming will take place from 7am to 11pm at 1464 Centre Road. This may impact traffic flow in the surrounding area.

Published:
Friday, February 20, 2026 - 2:15pm
Terryberry Branch Elevator Out of Order

The Terryberry branch parking lot elevator is out of order. The branch is still accessible via the ramp to the Mohawk doors and then the elevator in the middle of the building. We're working to get it fixed quickly.

Published:
Thursday, February 19, 2026 - 5:00pm
Carlisle Branch Accessible Door Out of Order

The accessibility door at Carlisle Branch is not working. We aim to fix it quickly.

Published:
Tuesday, February 17, 2026 - 2:30pm
Concession Branch - Upcoming Renovations

Renovation preparations are underway in anticipation of the March 2 start. Computer availability may be limited.  Living Room and Makerspace areas are closed. (The next nearest Makerspaces are Sherwood and Terryberry Branches). Renovations are expected to wrap up by late Spring. Thank you for your patience.

Published:
Tuesday, February 10, 2026 - 1:00pm
Sherwood Branch - Upcoming Renovations

Renovation preparations are underway in anticipation of the March 2 start. Starting the week of February 23, the 2nd Floor will be closed. The Children's collection will be temporarily available on the 1st Floor. Renovations are expected to wrap up by late Spring. Thank you for your patience.

Published:
Tuesday, February 10, 2026 - 1:00pm
Central Library - Living Room Renovation Preparation

Starting Tuesday, February 10, the First Floor Living Room will be unavailable due to renovation preparations. Study and work spaces are available on Floors 2-3. 

Please note the Noon Hour Concert on Friday, February 13, will be held at Terryberry Branch instead. 

Thank you for your patience.

Published:
Friday, February 6, 2026 - 9:00am
Bookmobile Service Modification

Please note the following Bookmobile visit updates.

Thursday, February 19
Rockton (10:30am-11:30am) - Cancelled
Bennetto 5-5:30pm (instead of 4-5:30pm)

Wednesday, February 25
Swansea 10:00-10:30am - Cancelled
Helen Detwiler 11:00am-12:00pm - Cancelled
Warplane Museum 3:00-4:00pm - Cancelled

Friday, February 27
Winona 11:00am-12:00pm - Cancelled
Maplewood 2:30-4:00pm - Cancelled

Published:
Monday, February 2, 2026 - 3:15pm
Carlisle Branch Accessible Washroom Out of Order

The accessible washroom at Carlisle Branch is not working. We aim to get it fixed quickly.

Published:
Tuesday, January 27, 2026 - 12:30pm
Central Library - Sunday Hours Paused

Effective Sunday, February 1, Sunday service hours at Central Library will be paused. 

Sunday Hours will continue at Dundas, Red Hill, Terryberry, Turner Park, Valley Park and Waterdown Branches from 1-5pm.

www.hpl.ca/hours 

Published:
Wednesday, January 21, 2026 - 11:00am

Desjardins Canal Disaster

On March 12, 1857, the 6:15 Great Western Railway train from Toronto crashed through the railway bridge spanning the Desjardins Canal. The accident left fifty-nine people dead and made international headlines. The following article appeared in the April 4, 1857 issue of Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper.


THE CALAMITOUS RAILROAD ACCIDENT AT BURLINGTON HEIGHTS

OVER THE DES JARDINES CANAL, CANADA.

---------------------------

Scenes at the Place of the Disaster!

The Bodies Found!

Recognizing the Dead!

Appearances of the Remains of the Bridge and Cars.

The Bridge and its Construction.

The Last Melancholy Scene at the Bridge.

&c., &c., &c.,


A sketch depicting railway conductors raising the crashed train cars at the scene of the Desjardins Canal disaster in 1857.
The conductors of the railway raising the ruins of the cars. From a sketch by Mr. Lum. (Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, 4 April 1857: 273.)

The railway train from Toronto (Canada West) was due at Hamilton at a quarter past six o'clock P.M., Thursday, March the 12th. It came on from Toronto as usual, and was proceeding at a moderate speed to cross the trestle or swinging bridge of the Des Jardines canal. The chasm, sixty feet deep, over which this bridge was erected, was made by cutting an outlet for the canal through Burlington heights. At the time of the accident the water was covered with ice about two feet thick. The moment the train reached the bridge the immense weight crushed through the timbers, and the whole structure gave way, and, with one frightful crash, the engine, tender, baggage car and two first-class passenger cars broke through the severed frame-work, and leaped headlong into the yawning abyss below. The engine and tender crushed at once through the ice. The baggage car, striking the corner of the tender in the act of falling, was thrown to one side and fell some ten yards from the engine. The first passenger car rushed after, and turning as it descended, fell on its roof, breaking partly through the ice, and being crushed to atoms, while the last car fell endways on the ice, and, strange to say, remained in that position.

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