Park Projects
Southam Park
Contact Us
For questions or to submit a comment, contact:
Victoria Cox
Landscape Architectural Services
Call 905-546-2424 ext. 2292
Email [email protected]
Southam Park is a 2.6 ha City-wide park located at 480 Upper James Street in Ward 8. Situated on the Niagara Escarpment at the intersection of Claremont Access Road, Claremont Drive and Upper James Street, the park is accessed from the Lower City by the James Street Stairs. Southam Park is also at the junction of the Keddy Access multi-use Trail, Bruce Trail and in the near future, will connect to the Mountainbrow Trail.
The upbound lanes of Claremont Access and the new Keddy Access multi-use Trail were reopened in December 2020. Learn more about the Claremont Access project
Designated a Cultural Heritage Landscape and part of the Southam Established Historical Neighbourhood, the park was donated to the City by the Southam family in 1943. A memorial fountain honouring General Gordon Southam still stands in the park today. Park features include mature stands of trees, open space, heritage walls and pergola as well as views to the Lower City, Dundas Valley and Lake Ontario.
Southam Park Master Plan
On July 13, 2018, Hamilton City Council approved a staff recommendation for the development of a design Master Plan for Southam Park. The goal was to address the functional needs of the park, undertake required upgrades and craft a shared vision for the park's future through community consultation and advisory group input.
The Final Master Plan was published in Fall 2022 based on a site inventory and analysis (2020), concept development (2021) and feedback from two stakeholder surveys (2021 & 2022).
The park will undergo improvements as outlined in the Master Plan and detailed design work is currently in progress. Stage 1 through 4 Archaeological Assessments were required and the archaeological work is anticipated to be completed this year (2024). The detailed design work is expected to be completed this winter (2025), with construction to commence in spring (2025).
View the South Park Master Plan Report
Implementation of the Southam Park Master Plan is projected for 2024. The schedule is dependent upon approval of capital funding through the City capital budget process. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we improve our parks.
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