Barton St is blooming! Explore the neighbourhood gardens using this self-guided tour guide. Green Venture has worked with community partners over the years to install four green spaces along Barton St and one large pollinator garden at Good Shepherd Venture Centre on Cannon St. Green spaces have various proven environmental and health benefits and have been shown to reduce the likelihood of flooding and improve air quality. Additionally, the presence of and access to urban green spaces has been shown to reduce the rate and impact of chronic diseases.

We know this…more green spaces, especially in urban settings such as downtown Hamilton provide countless benefits for the community. This self-guided tour will help you enjoy these spaces and understand the history and story about these gardens. All of these green spaces were designed by local landscape architects after community consultations, surveys, meetings and feedback from local residents. Volunteers helped to transform the gardens for everyone to enjoy!

Start here: 

Where: 342 Barton St E (Barton and Emerald)

Partners: 

  • Barton Village BIA
  • Adele Pierre, Landscape Architect
  • Beautiful Alleys
  • GALA Community Planning Team
  • Ward 3 Councillor Nrinder Nann
  • Green Communities Canada & Depave Paradise
  • Planning and Economic Development Department, City of Hamilton
  • This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.

About: This location was formerly home to a popular bakery called “Hello Baked” and in the summer of 2022, Green Venture staff worked with community members and volunteers to remove 50 m² of asphalt and replace it with a permeable surface, outdoor AODA compliant seating areas, a native Serviceberry tree, and 50 native plants for the neighborhood to enjoy. Some plants present in this garden include Amelanchier canadensis, Agastache foeniculum ‘Blue Boa’, Anemone x hybrida ‘Whirlwind’, Aster laevis ‘Blue Autumn’, Echinacea pallida, and Liatris spicata,

Next stop: 539 Barton St E (Barton and Westinghouse)

Partners:

  • Green Venture
  • Barton Village BIA
  • Amaprop Canada Inc.
  • Adele Pierre Landscape Architect
  • Green Communities Canada
  • Ontario Trillium Foundation
  • TD Canada
  • Arbor Day Foundation
  • City of Hamilton (Clean and Green)

About: This is one of two boulevard depave projects that took place in the Barton Village in the spring of 2021, with the goal to increase permeable surfaces and greenspace, improving water and air quality, and quality of life in dense urban areas. They also act as demonstrations for those who want to use their property to help the local environment and fight the impacts of climate change.

Where: 571 Barton St E, Hamilton, ON L8L 2Z3 (Barton and Milton)

Partners:

Green Venture,

Hamilton Public Library

Barton Village BIA

Adele Pierre Landscape Architect

GALA Community Planning Team

This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.

About: On Saturday June 17th 2023 the Green Venture team alongside Hamilton Public Library staff, community members and volunteers planted dozens of wonderful native species with fantastic names, including New Jersey Tea, black eyed susan, hairy beardtongue and zigzag goldenrod. Visitors to the library can walk through a new garden path and witness bees, butterflies and other species enjoying this green space.