Burlington Bay
Encyclopedia
Burlington Bay, known more commonly as Hamilton Harbour, lies on the western tip of Lake Ontario
, bounded on the northwest by the City of Burlington
, on the south by the City of Hamilton
, and on the east by Hamilton Beach (south of the Burlington Bay James N. Allan Skyway
) and Burlington Beach (north of the channel). It is joined to Cootes Paradise
by a narrow channel formerly excavated for the Desjardins Canal
. Within Hamilton itself, it is referred to as Hamilton Harbour, the Harbour and the Bay, but never Burlington Bay. Naturally separated from the Lake by a sand bar.
, the first lieutenant governor of Upper Canada, for the former name of the town of Bridlington
in the East Riding of Yorkshire
, England
. Access to the bay was important for the early water transportation and industrial development of the area, including Dundas, Ontario
, which had an early but ultimately unrealized lead over both Burlington (Brant's Block) and Hamilton.
Over the years, the bay was roughly treated by its littoral
residents. Constant infilling, particularly in the North End of Hamilton, damaged fresh water streams and the wildlife they supported. Channel dredging tended to stir up natural and unnatural sediments, further disrupting the ecological land balance in the area. Chemical, industrial and thermal pollution
, especially as a byproduct of the burgeoning steel industry after the 1890s, continued to degrade the environment.
By the 1970s, the International Joint Commission
, which governs water usage in the Great Lakes Basin
, and other agencies began to recognize the need for action. Greater water quality awareness, improved pollution controls, and an economic downturn all served to improve conditions in the 1980s. In the 1990s, beautification and ecological control were well underway. These measures included sealing the Lax Lands, contaminated with heavy metals and other pollutants, under a cap of clay; landscaping Bayfront Park (also known as Pier 4 Park); and keeping Asian carp from entering Cootes Paradise. The visible and measurable improvement in water quality in Burlington Bay was showcased by the very public swim of Sheila Copps
, a local MP and federal cabinet minister. Access and recreational use of the bayfront has improved, but use of the water for swimming is still prohibited.
Hamilton Harbour is listed as a Great Lakes Areas of Concern
in The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between the United States and Canada. Part of the remediation plan is to reclaim the harbour's wetlands.
Randle Reef, a site in the harbour, is considered the most dire of identified water pollution issues awaiting remediation in Canada.
, described by witnesses as a large snake-like creature. A diver drowned in the bay during the filming of a low-budget horror film titled Marina Monster on August 21, 2005.
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
, bounded on the northwest by the City of Burlington
Burlington, Ontario
Burlington , is a city located in Halton Region at the western end of Lake Ontario. Burlington is part of the Greater Toronto Area, and is also included in the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area. Physically, Burlington lies between the north shore of Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment...
, on the south by the City of Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, and on the east by Hamilton Beach (south of the Burlington Bay James N. Allan Skyway
Burlington Bay James N. Allan Skyway
The Burlington Bay James N. Allan Skyway, originally called the Burlington Bay Skyway, is a pair of high-level freeway bridges located in Hamilton and Burlington, Ontario, Canada...
) and Burlington Beach (north of the channel). It is joined to Cootes Paradise
Cootes Paradise
Cootes Paradise is the largest wetland at the western end of Lake Ontario, on the west side of Hamilton Harbour. It is bordered by the cities of Hamilton and Burlington, Ontario, Canada. It is owned and managed by the Royal Botanical Gardens , a private charitable status organization. These lands...
by a narrow channel formerly excavated for the Desjardins Canal
Desjardins Canal
The Desjardins Canal, named after its promoter Pierre Desjardins, was built to give Dundas, Ontario, easier access to Lake Ontario and the Great Lakes system of North America...
. Within Hamilton itself, it is referred to as Hamilton Harbour, the Harbour and the Bay, but never Burlington Bay. Naturally separated from the Lake by a sand bar.
History
The bay was named in 1792 by John Graves SimcoeJohn Graves Simcoe
John Graves Simcoe was a British army officer and the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada from 1791–1796. Then frontier, this was modern-day southern Ontario and the watersheds of Georgian Bay and Lake Superior...
, the first lieutenant governor of Upper Canada, for the former name of the town of Bridlington
Bridlington
Bridlington is a seaside resort, minor sea fishing port and civil parish on the Holderness Coast of the North Sea, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It has a static population of over 33,000, which rises considerably during the tourist season...
in the East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Access to the bay was important for the early water transportation and industrial development of the area, including Dundas, Ontario
Dundas, Ontario
Dundas is a formerly independent town and now constituent community in the city of Hamilton in Ontario, Canada. It's nickname is the Valley Town. The population has been stable for decades at about twenty thousand, largely because it has not annexed rural land from the protected Dundas Valley...
, which had an early but ultimately unrealized lead over both Burlington (Brant's Block) and Hamilton.
Over the years, the bay was roughly treated by its littoral
Littoral
The littoral zone is that part of a sea, lake or river that is close to the shore. In coastal environments the littoral zone extends from the high water mark, which is rarely inundated, to shoreline areas that are permanently submerged. It always includes this intertidal zone and is often used to...
residents. Constant infilling, particularly in the North End of Hamilton, damaged fresh water streams and the wildlife they supported. Channel dredging tended to stir up natural and unnatural sediments, further disrupting the ecological land balance in the area. Chemical, industrial and thermal pollution
Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
, especially as a byproduct of the burgeoning steel industry after the 1890s, continued to degrade the environment.
By the 1970s, the International Joint Commission
International Joint Commission
The International Joint Commission is an independent binational organization established by the United States and Canada under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909.The Commission has responsibilities related to the following treaties and agreements:...
, which governs water usage in the Great Lakes Basin
Great Lakes Basin
The Great Lakes Basin consists of the Great Lakes and the surrounding lands of the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin in the United States, and the province of Ontario in Canada, whose direct surface runoff and watersheds form a large...
, and other agencies began to recognize the need for action. Greater water quality awareness, improved pollution controls, and an economic downturn all served to improve conditions in the 1980s. In the 1990s, beautification and ecological control were well underway. These measures included sealing the Lax Lands, contaminated with heavy metals and other pollutants, under a cap of clay; landscaping Bayfront Park (also known as Pier 4 Park); and keeping Asian carp from entering Cootes Paradise. The visible and measurable improvement in water quality in Burlington Bay was showcased by the very public swim of Sheila Copps
Sheila Copps
Sheila Maureen Copps, PC is a former Canadian politician who also served as Deputy Prime Minister of Canada from November 4, 1993 to April 30, 1996 and June 19, 1996 to June 11, 1997....
, a local MP and federal cabinet minister. Access and recreational use of the bayfront has improved, but use of the water for swimming is still prohibited.
Hamilton Harbour is listed as a Great Lakes Areas of Concern
Great Lakes Areas of Concern
Great Lakes Areas of Concern are designated geographic areas within the Great Lakes Basin that show severe environmental degradation. There are a total of 43 areas of concern within the Great Lakes, 26 being in the U.S., 17 in Canada, with five shared by the two countries.The Great Lakes, the...
in The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between the United States and Canada. Part of the remediation plan is to reclaim the harbour's wetlands.
Randle Reef, a site in the harbour, is considered the most dire of identified water pollution issues awaiting remediation in Canada.
Trivia
The bay is thought by some to host a North American cryptidCryptid
In cryptozoology and sometimes in cryptobotany, a cryptid is a creature or plant whose existence has been suggested but is unrecognized by scientific consensus and often regarded as highly unlikely. Famous examples include the Yeti in the Himalayas and the Loch Ness Monster in...
, described by witnesses as a large snake-like creature. A diver drowned in the bay during the filming of a low-budget horror film titled Marina Monster on August 21, 2005.