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: 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, 

The boulevard at 342 Barton St E was previously underused and full of concrete. 

Our volunteers worked hard to prepare the site, remove concrete and install some pollinator plants.

This location includes pollinator plants, accessible seating, permeable bricks and other Green Infrastructure features.

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.

539 Barton St E includes stone pavers in the driveway that help reduce stormwater runoff. 

Volunteers and community members planted various perennials and grasses, trees, and shrubs. 

Volunteers visit the site to remove weeds and garbage and keep the gardens looking beautiful.

Stop at: 571 Barton St E, Hamilton, ON L8L 2Z3

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. 

571 Barton St E is home to the Hamilton Public Library – Barton Branch. 

Over 30 volunteers and neighbours came out to the community planting event to transform the space.

Now, visitors to the library can enjoy a beautiful green space when they enter and leave.

Visit: 579-581 Barton St E (Barton and Fullerton)

Partners:

• Green Venture

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

About: The previously existing pavement at this location was a safety hazard to the public, and was no longer useful. Not to mention – there was not a plant in sight! Running water has fewer opportunities to soak into the ground, meaning more water travels quicker over streets and parking lots. This means higher flood risk to the community, more stress on our water treatment processes, and more polluted water in the Harbour.

Any time we can add permeable surfaces, especially ones with trees and plants, we help to decrease the likelihood of flooding and the contamination of Hamilton Harbour from sewage and other pollutants. This garden features several columnar  oak trees, and a variety of native accent grasses and plants that provide a gorgeous entrance for residents as they walk into their home and functional and permeable loading dock for the commercial tenants

There permeable surfaces help decrease the likelihood of flooding and the contamination of Hamilton Harbour from sewage and other pollutants.

All these plants are decreasing the runoff of stormwater to lower its impacts on our sewers.

412 square feet of porous cypress and black mix pavement

See here: 621 Barton St E (EduDeo)

Partners:

• Green Venture

• Barton Village BIA
• Adele Pierre Landscape Architect
• Green Communities Canada & Depave Paradise
• Ontario Trillium Foundation
• TD Canada
• City of Hamilton 
• Budget Bin
• Porous Pave
• NNK Nurseries
• Twenty Creek Landscaping

About: Once a concrete jungle is now an oasis with plenty of opportunity for the rain to slow down and soak up! This site was transformed on October 19th and 21st, 2020. The community initiative brought volunteers together to build a space that will divert water from our sewer systems and allow it to filter into the soil before entering our waterways, keeping our water cleaner and our communities more resilient to flood events.

Volunteers removed (depaved) chipped and broken asphalt between the building and the sidewalk, this space was approximately 100m2.

We’ve transformed grey asphalt into beautiful and sustainable green learning space for the community’s enjoyment and benefit.

This site includes a path, armour stones, a sitting area, gardens and EcoRaster which is a high-performing and durable permeable paver made from recycled LDPE.

Green Venture is committed to working with the community to increase green spaces in Hamilton. To learn more about Green Venture projects, follow us on social media. 

Last stop: 673 Barton St E

Partners:

• Green Venture

• Barton Village BIA
• Adele Pierre Landscape Architect
• Canada Community Revitalization Fund
• City of Hamilton 
• Pinch
• Packing House Inc
• Twenty Creek Landscaping
• Ward 3 Office
• Green Communities Canada
• FedDev Ontario
• GALA

About: This garden is the latest addition to collective efforts aiming to beautify Barton St. The planting took place on October 28th, 2023. Volunteers came together to plant a sustainable space that will provide many ecological services to the community. Some of these including helping reduce stormwater runoff and urban pollution. Over seventy squared meters of concrete was removed and replaced with garden. Be sure to view the beautiful mural on the wall behind the garden by Koe Design, as it showcases Ontario native plants!

Before, pavement ruled this site, and it was grey and bleak. Its selection for revitalization was fitting to better match the livelihood of the businesses that surround it.

Over seventy squared meters of concrete has been transformed into a place for plants and the community to bloom. 

The site was prepared for volunteers, and it is now filled with beneficial plants due to their planting contributions! As this site has been planted near the end of the year, it awaits the spring to show off the new life brought to the area.