Bayfront Park, Pier 4 Park and the waterfront trail are examples of the innovative and dedicated work of the City of Hamilton and its partners, to transform an unappealing industrial landfill site into a beautiful recreational public space. Once filled with hazardous waste, the shoreline of Hamilton Harbour was converted into a serene park offering residents a place to walk, bike and take a moment for quiet reflection.

At the time of the park opening in 1993, the highly complex development project received numerous design awards at the local, national and international level.

Other elements to the project included installation of an armour stone shoreline enhancement, preservation of an ecologically sensitive wetland, creation of a fish habitat, relocation and restoration of a heritage building and reclamation and renovation of an 80-foot tugboat to serve as a water play area.

The remediation plan and processes later served as a model for other municipalities that faced the same drastic, environmental challenges.

Bayfront Park transformed from landfill to park

Bayfront Park is 40 acres of land with approximately 25 acres of it formed by landfill in the early 1960s. The site was owned by the Lax brothers and was known as the Lax property which was a landfill comprised of industrial waste and rubble. As a result of the contamination, the City of Hamilton had to deal with all the hazardous materials on the site. A remediation plan was developed and approved by the Ministry of the Environment.

The City of Hamilton removed approximately 20,000 tonnes of industrial waste and contaminated soil.

Hamilton then protected the shoreline from erosion and created a fish habitat with the placement of armour stone along the water’s edge. Along with replacing the soil, native trees and shrubs were planted to enhance the park.

Bayfront Park has had to contend with waterfowl and E. coli contamination issues. In an effort to restore the beach’s intended use for recreation, the City of Hamilton needed to address the bird problem. To stop the birds from inhabiting and polluting the park, the City planted bushes above the beach along the path’s edge. The bushes were planted as a deterrent. The concept for this is that if a bird can’t visually see potential dangers ahead, it will not go beyond a given point. Visual deterrents are a common technique often used in waterfowl management of this type.