Online Resources/HPL Catalogue - Monday, August 4, Civic Holiday

On Monday, August 4, Civic Holiday, due to IT network maintenance, HPL's catalogue will be searchable, but Holds and Library accounts, as well as online resources, will not be available. However, WiFi will remain accessible. We apologize for the inconvenience.

All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Wednesday, July 30, 2025 - 3:00pm
Internet outage at Lynden Branch

The internet at Lynden Branch is not working. We aim to have it fixed quickly.

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Published:
Wednesday, July 30, 2025 - 9:00am
All Branches Closed for Civic Holiday

All branches close on Sunday, August 3, 2025 and August 4, 2025 for the Civic Holiday. This includes branches with Extended Access.

All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Monday, July 28, 2025 - 10:30am
Heat Warning Notification for the City of Hamilton

Heat Warning for the City of Hamilton.

Significant heat and humidity will arrive on July 27.

For information about heat-related illnesses, cool place locations and reducing your risk, visit hamilton.ca.

All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Sunday, July 27, 2025 - 11:00am
Modified Bookmobile Service 

The following Bookmobile visits are modified on:

Tuesday, July 29

  • Riverdale - Cancelled
  • McMaster - Holds drop off only
  • Greencedar - Rescheduled to 4:30-5:00pm

Wednesday, July 30

  • Swansea and Helen Detwiler - Cancelled

Thursday, July 31

  • Bennetto and Kinsmen - Cancelled

Friday, August 1

  • Winona Park - Cancelled

 

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Affected Branch: Bookmobile
Nearest Branches: 
Published:
Friday, July 25, 2025 - 9:30am
Terryberry Branch Elevator Out of Order

The parking lot elevator at Terryberry Branch is not working. Members will need to use the accessible ramp at the Mohawk entrance and the inner elevator. We're working to get it fixed quickly.

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Published:
Saturday, May 31, 2025 - 1:00pm
Public Computers - Audio Volume

Please note that the audio volume levels on our public computers are having issues. The estimated time of disruption is unknown at this time. Thank you for your patience.

All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Thursday, May 29, 2025 - 4:00pm
Mount Hope Branch Accessibile Ramp Not Available

The accessibility ramp at Mount Hope Branch is damaged. The handrail is not available. The ramp will not be available while being repaired. We aim to fix it quickly.

Published:
Friday, May 23, 2025 - 4:30pm

History of City Hall

By 1929 the Spectator was referring to city hall as "antiquated and inadequate". The newspaper suggested that rebuilding the hall was a necessity (49). 1944 found the paper calling the building a "firetrap" (50). In 1947 the pinnacles were denounced as dangerous, with the case of Smokey the City Hall cat, who fell two floors and walked away unharmed cited as evidence that the balustrade should be made more safe (51). Official debate had to wait until 1946, once the immediate problems created by the war had been put aside. The press reported on some of the problems facing city hall: patches of corroded marble were coming off the walls of the basement offices of the tax office, repaired linoleum in the office of the city auditor was alleged to resemble a patch-work quilt, plaster was peeling, walls needed washing (52), and the third floor in the north-east portion of the building was sagging (53). 

The back of City Hall (1890-1960)
The back of City Hall (1890-1960)

The first official assault on city hall was fired by E.G. Faludi on publication of his Master Plan for the Development of the City of Hamilton published in 1947: "The City Hall, built in 1888, can no longer fulfil either the present or the future needs for efficient administration. The building is obsolete, and too small to accommodate the expanded functions of the civic administration. A number of municipal offices have had to locate elsewhere, to the inconvenience of both the taxpayer and the departments concerned. The existence of the City Hall on its present location is an obstacle to the improvement of the central commercial area and to the elimination of the most pressing traffic problems of the City. It occupies valuable commercial frontages, which could be utilized for modern commercial buildings. It prevents the widening of the lane and of James Street, necessary for the free flow of traffic into the Market and at the James, York, King William intersection" (54). 

His plan was adopted in principle but nothing was done to implement any of it. During this same period several nebulous offers floated around concerning the purchase of the old city hall, including one rather spectacular offer of $1,000,000.00 by a "reputable retail firm (not Eatons)". Eatons also made an offer to purchase at this time (55). Civic protests as council rallied to tender the market, city hall and health centre stopped these plans from going forward.