VICTORIA PARK

One of the oldest playgrounds in the city is what is now known as Victoria Park. In the year 1859, the land was acquired for establishing the Great Central Fair in Hamilton, an exhibition which greatly helped to develop the city. In the center of the open space stood the famed Crystal Palace. In 1891, the Crystal Palace was torn down but the land was not sold. Instead council decided to develop the land as Victoria Park.

The Crystal Palace grounds of 12 acres had been used by Hamilton's citizens as recreational space. They held meetings there and used the grounds to play baseball, lacrosse, and other games. Victoria Park was developed as a pleasure ground and the recreational needs of those residents who had used the exhibition grounds were largely ignored. The men who sat on the council at the time were members of or had access to various athletic and social clubs and , therefore, did not need to use park land for recreational facilities. During the 1890's, an asphalt walk was laid, trees were planted, and an ice rink and drinking fountain were installed. An area was set aside in Victoria Park for a baseball field only because of the agitation of the Hamilton Trades and Labour Council, which demanded such facilities from the city council.

The site was given to the Parks Board in 1900. A grandstand was built in 1949, and the park was renovated between 1963 and 1965. A swimming pool was constructed in 1975.

In 1978, plans for improving Victoria Park were submitted to the city parks and recreational committee. These plans included adding 3 tennis courts, a wading pool, and bocce courts, as well as regrading the baseball diamond and planting over 100 trees. In 1980 the park was redeveloped through the Neighbourhood Improvement Programme.