Waterdown Community Node Secondary Plan Study

The City of Hamiton's Official Plan identifies the central Waterdown area as a Community Node. Community Nodes are areas with an important concentration of services, shops, residential uses, and other facilities which serve as a focal point for the surrounding community. They are intended to have a mix of uses that allow for access to housing, employment, services, and recreation in close proximity to each other and transit.

The overall population of Waterdown has been growing significantly and further growth is expected in the future. This growth will have an impact on the form and function of the Waterdown Community Node, bringing with it opportunities and challenges. Changes to the area’s transportation system, such as the planned east-west road to the north of the core, new bike lanes along major streets, and other proposed road connections, will also have impacts. In addition, there is a need to protect the heritage characteristics of the historical downtown, to provide more detailed design guidance for new development and to address concerns related to traffic and access in the area. A Secondary Plan is an important tool that can be used to help guide change.