Veteran’s Square
Location: 1 Hughson Street South, Hamilton, Ontario
Client: City of Hamilton
Project Start Date: 2013
Project End Date: 2015
Project Type:
Civic
Heritage
Public Realm Master Plans
Parks, Recreation and Open Space
Streetscapes
Street Pedestrianization
Construction Cost: $2,700,000.00
About the Project
Veterans’ Place exemplifies the blending of excellence in project visioning, planning and urban design, landscape architecture, place-making and downtown revitalization. The successful implementation of this project was pivotal in recapturing community enthusiasm and generating excitement and support for Phase 2 of the Pedestrianization Initiative.
Construction Cost – Phase One: $1,800,000.00
Construction Cost – Phase Two: $2,000,000.00
Services:
Accessibility and Risk Assessment
Arboriculture
Contract Administration
Graphic Art & Interpretive Signage Design
Landscape Architecture
Project Management
Public & Stakeholder Consultation
Public Art Coordination
Contractors:
UCC (Contractor)
AECOM (Civil Engineering)
Blackwell (Structural Engineering)
PJ Materials Consultants Limited (Specialty Masonry)
MJS Consultants (Lighting and Electrical Engineering)
Beaches Irrigation (Irrigation Design)
Awards:
City of Hamilton – Urban Design and Architecture Awards, Award of Outstanding Achievement and Excellence in Urban Design – 2015
Ontario Concrete Awards – 2015
MBTW was retained by the City of Hamilton in 2013 to prepare detailed design and construction drawings for the Gore Pedestrianization Initiative which encompassed three downtown City blocks along King Street West, between James Street and Catherine Street.
Veterans’ Place, located on King Street East between Hughson ands John Streets (middle block) was envisioned as a renewed focal point for commemoration programming in the downtown area. This block was selected as Phase One of the Initiative as significant positive changes were needed to address the safety, inclusiveness, sustainability and programming objectives for the site and to establish and reinforce the evolving personality for the Gore Area. Improvements included the construction of the Pedestrian Promenade within the former south King Street right-of-way, the relocated heritage Cenotaph, an open green and a series of new coordinated interpretive memorial features that include a free-standing Memorial Wall, a heritage panel and nine double-sided Memorial Enclaves. The design maintains the heritage character of the area while introducing a new coordinated urbanism; successfully blurring the edge between a profoundly commemorative space and the newly pedestrianized downtown city street. The project:
Embodies community and stakeholder input a - critical aspect that has produced a Hamilton-specific design solution for this cherished site. Active participation of the stakeholders assisted in developing the ‘Criteria for Success’;
Seamlessly integrates the Pedestrian Promenade with existing and new park elements;
Has improved safety by opening views through the site, improving the night-time presence and by creating a well designed, high quality space that will foster civic ownership and passive surveillance;
Re-engages with the surrounding heritage built form by creating flush connections to the south and opening views to King Street to the north;
Provides interpretive features that commemorate military service to Canada and the Hamilton community. The memorial features represent the diversity of the Hamilton community and all three branches of the military; air force, army, and navy, displayed meaningfully and effectively. Features have been designed to appeal to a broad spectrum of park users;
Has improved accessibility and inclusiveness by reducing grades and slopes and expanding the Urban Braille system;
Provides improved LED street light fixtures retrofitted onto the existing heritage poles and provides a new electrical system for lighting and special events with servicing features tastefully integrated into streetscape features;
Maintains functionality for adjacent businesses and emergency services through proper dimensioning and pavement surfacing while addressing requirements for special events;
Maintains heritage character of the park through material selection while introducing a new coordinated urbanism;
Achieves excellence in design through the successful implementation of a clean, thoughtful design suitable for the contemplative nature of the site and through the selection of durable, high quality materials;
Responds to a setting that is intensely used by park visitors;
Included flexible design that facilitates potential flexible use; and
Included flexible design that facilitates new programming.
Implementation of the project included significant roadway works, lighting and power distribution design, the relocation of heritage memorials, the design of new custom interpretive memorial features (including the graphic design), retrofitting of existing heritage light fixtures and existing park revitalization. Intersection and interim design solutions were initiated to establish seamless coordination with future phases, which would take approximately 4 years to complete. To address all aspects of implementation, the project involves several sub-consultants including civil, electrical, structural, and geo-technical engineering, heritage masonry, irrigation specialist and architecture. Construction of Veterans’ Place was completed in 2015.
Phase One, Veterans’ Place exemplifies the blending of excellence in project visioning, planning and urban design, landscape architecture, place-making and downtown revitalization. Veterans’ Place was a product of a well coordinated, dedicated and passionate team that included design consultants, municipal staff, local politicians and business owners, special interest groups, the public-at-large and a highly qualified contractor. The successful implementation of Veterans’ Place has been pivotal in recapturing community enthusiasm and generating excitement and support for the upcoming Phases Two and Three of the Pedestrianization Initiative.