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.
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.
As the 1st floor renovation wraps up, the Sherwood Branch will be closed on Thursday, June 5, to reset the spaces. Service hours will resume on Friday, June 6. Thank you for your patience.
Concession Branch's children's department will be closed on the morning of Monday, June 2nd for minor repairs. We apologize for the inconvenience.
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.
All HPL Branches are closed on Friday May 30 for Staff Development. Bookmobile is off the road and Extended Access is not available. HPL's online card registration, catalogue and eResources are not available until 5pm due to scheduled maintenance. All branches reopen Saturday May 31.
Due to the ongoing roof repair project, noise and parking disruptions are expected to continue until the end of June. Thank you for your patience.
Until Saturday May 31, the Ancaster Branch is temporarily relocated to the Ancaster Rotary Centre, 385 Jerseyville Road West, Ancaster. The Wilson Street branch is closed for a roof and HVAC replacement and is expected to reopen on Monday June 2 at 9am.
The digital microfilm machines at Central Library are not working. A single analog machine is available, but it doesn't print. We aim to have the digital devices repaired as soon as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Please be aware of online phishing attempts impersonating Hamilton Public Library and Library Staff. HPL does not solicit paid freelance opportunities through social media or other messaging applications. HPL does not request personal or banking information through social media or require financial compensation when reviewing job applications. Please report phishing schemes to communications@hpl.ca. If you think you are a victim of fraud, please call the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.
History of Gore Park

Council voted to tear down the buildings and start over, hiring a registered landscape architect to oversee the job. The Chief Administrative Officer defended his as “a money-saving thing". Council started from scratch and hired the Toronto firm of Moorhead, Fleming, Corban and McCarthy in January 1984 for $54,000 to redesign the park. Their plan called for lots of grass, flowers and trees with a small fountain. On February 29, 1984 council unanimously endorsed the plan with a proviso that the location of the fountain be reviewed (55). The Victorian fountain proposed was re-designed as a polished granite block one-metre square with water bubbling up through the middle. One alderman said that it would "turn into a urinal for the winos who hang around the park" and another said, "(t)his isn't a fountain, it's a big hunk of stone". Nevertheless, the fountain was approved the same day that the estimated losses incurred in the Gore Park fiasco were announced - $715,000 (56).

In November of 1984 the renovations to the park and adjoining roadway were completed at a cost of $2.5 million. Three months later a whole section of the interlocking bricks had heaved up and was, in the words of one alderman, "a hell of a mess" (57) Consultants were hired at a cost of $5,000 to determine what went wrong with the bricks. Their report concluded the "undersized interlocking bricks were used, sub-drains were never installed, contract drawings failed to show needed work, road design was inadequate, road slope was inadequate, inferior materials were used for a road base and the road was opened before it was ready to bear traffic” (58). The cost for re-doing it correctly so that the problem would not reoccur was $87,500 (59), Instead of following the advice of the consultants, council voted to take on a cheaper half-price plan to fix the damage. Their share would be $7,000, which had escalated in one week to $15,000.

The arrival of the 21st century has led to more changes for the Gore. The Gore is no longer a transit hub for the city with the arrival of the Macnab Transit Terminal in 2011. Recent renovations to the Gore have led to a more pedestrian-friendly look for Hamilton's first park.