Which neighbourhoods in Hamilton are worth a closer look?
In late spring, the Real Estate Investment Network, Canada’s top real estate research organization, delivered a report that put smiles on the faces of many locals. Entitled Top Ontario Investment Towns 2011-2015, the report analyzed hundreds of cities and towns and pegged Hamilton as the top city for real estate investment opportunities. (The scoring was an upgrade from a similar fi ve-year ranking in 2009, when Hamilton took second spot behind K/W and Cambridge’s Technology Triangle.) But where to buy? We looked to Aaron Segaert, a selftaught photographer and longtime civic booster, for some thoughtful direction.
While Segaert was holed up at McMaster, laying the groundwork for a doctorate in sociology, he was also making a name for himself in another community. That name, Flar, was an online identity that is, elsewhere, an acronym for “fl ash-augmented reality” – linguistic kismet that hinted at a passion for photography, specifi cally targeted toward the urban landscape. From 2005 until he moved to Ottawa in 2009, he explored a city so often scorned, capturing the character and contrasts of Hamilton and its many neighbourhoods. His work presented the city’s familiar riches to city lovers from around the world. The enthusiastic response ignited some urban crushes and demonstrated that Hamilton is a well-kept secret even among those who think they know it well. And it confi rmed what many who’ve fallen for Hamilton know too well: Although it may invite comparisons, this is a place unlike any other.
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