The Servicing of Union Park 1909-1930

Abstract

<p> The provision of public services is an important process to consider when studying the development of urban areas. However, we know relatively little about the factors affecting the timing of essential services. Union Park, a working-class suburb of Hamilton, is an example of a neighbourhood that was serviced after a significant level of residential development had already taken place. Services were provided primarily in response to poor sanitary conditions. Residents petitioned for annexation to the city of Hamilton to receive the amenities of urban life, particularly water mains, sewers, cement walks, and paved roads. Public services were paid for primarily by the residents themselves. For this reason, they had some control over the timing of service installation. Residents could petition for or against servicing according to their financial situation. Capital availability had an impact on the timing of servicing, which occurred in stages between 1909 and 1930. World War 1 limited the amount of available capital, and shifted concerns to making ends meet in a wartime economy. Union Park was settled mainly by working-class British immigrants. Suburbs are commonly thought of as homogeneous middle-class neighbourhoods. Working-class suburbs have been virtually ignored in past research. This study on Union Park hopefully adds to the growing body of knowledge on the suburban working-class experience and the process of public service provision, in early twentieth-century North American cities.</p>