Barton- Printing not available
Please be advised Printing is currently not available at Barton. We apologize for any inconvience this may cause.
Turner Park Branch - Fire Drill
On Wednesday, September 4, the Turner Park Branch will be closed from noon-1 pm for a joint fire drill with the Les Chater Family YMCA.
Thank you in advance for your patience.
Study Halls Return September 3
Study Hall service returns Tuesday, September 3 at the Central Library and the Dundas, Red Hill, Terryberry, Turner Park, Valley Park, and Waterdown branches. Please visit www.hpl.ca/study-halls for full details.
Phishing Scheme
Please be aware of online phishing attempts impersonating Hamilton Public Library and Library Staff. HPL does not solicit paid freelance opportunities through social media or other messaging applications. HPL does not request personal or banking information through social media or require financial compensation when reviewing job applications. Please report phishing schemes to communications@hpl.ca. If you think you are a victim of fraud, please call the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.
History of Gore Park
![Concrete bunker buildings demolished Concrete bunker buildings demolished](https://www.hpl.ca/sites/default/files/styles/portrait/public/L_History_5317_32022194801763.jpg?itok=nCMIrB2c)
Council voted to tear down the buildings and start over, hiring a registered landscape architect to oversee the job. The Chief Administrative Officer defended his as “a money-saving thing". Council started from scratch and hired the Toronto firm of Moorhead, Fleming, Corban and McCarthy in January 1984 for $54,000 to redesign the park. Their plan called for lots of grass, flowers and trees with a small fountain. On February 29, 1984 council unanimously endorsed the plan with a proviso that the location of the fountain be reviewed (55). The Victorian fountain proposed was re-designed as a polished granite block one-metre square with water bubbling up through the middle. One alderman said that it would "turn into a urinal for the winos who hang around the park" and another said, "(t)his isn't a fountain, it's a big hunk of stone". Nevertheless, the fountain was approved the same day that the estimated losses incurred in the Gore Park fiasco were announced - $715,000 (56).
![Gore Park renovations begin again Gore Park renovations begin again](https://www.hpl.ca/sites/default/files/styles/portrait/public/L_History_5317_32022194801771.jpg?itok=R6UYuPO8)
In November of 1984 the renovations to the park and adjoining roadway were completed at a cost of $2.5 million. Three months later a whole section of the interlocking bricks had heaved up and was, in the words of one alderman, "a hell of a mess" (57) Consultants were hired at a cost of $5,000 to determine what went wrong with the bricks. Their report concluded the "undersized interlocking bricks were used, sub-drains were never installed, contract drawings failed to show needed work, road design was inadequate, road slope was inadequate, inferior materials were used for a road base and the road was opened before it was ready to bear traffic” (58). The cost for re-doing it correctly so that the problem would not reoccur was $87,500 (59), Instead of following the advice of the consultants, council voted to take on a cheaper half-price plan to fix the damage. Their share would be $7,000, which had escalated in one week to $15,000.
![Gore Park renovated Gore Park renovated](https://www.hpl.ca/sites/default/files/styles/portrait/public/L_History_5317_32022194807604.jpg?itok=BqCfNowr)
The arrival of the 21st century has led to more changes for the Gore. The Gore is no longer a transit hub for the city with the arrival of the Macnab Transit Terminal in 2011. Recent renovations to the Gore have led to a more pedestrian-friendly look for Hamilton's first park.