- What is an Open Streets event? Open Streets Hamilton is part of a network of events taking place all over the world to re-purpose streets for fun, active, and creative activities. By connecting communities through active transportation, you open up opportunities for collaboration, support, sharing, and communication that we sometimes miss when we drive through in our car.
- Who is involved with Open Streets Hamilton? We are a volunteer-led and organized not-for-profit of individuals partnering with a number of great organizations, city departments and businesses including over the years inckuding: Hamilton Public Works, Hamilton Public Health, Hamilton Cycling Committee, Hamilton-Ward 2 Office, Green Venture, Environment Hamilton, Social Planning & Research Council of Hamilton, Mohawk College, North End Neighbours, Strathcona Community Council, Beasley Neighbourhood Association, Kirkendall Neighbourhood Association, McMaster University, Westdale Village BIA, and YWCA Hamilton!
- Who organizes your event? Our organization is comprised of a number of dedicated individuals who sit on our Board of Directors, namely: Brandon Braithwaite, Mark Raymond, Mike Cameron, Bill Samone and Dave Stephens. Our June 2016 event is run by small team of dedicated volunteers and event planning committee members led by Sunil Angrish, who is our Director of Operations, founding director and our coordinator of the 2013 to 2016 events.
- When will the next event take place? The event will take place on Sunday, June 19 2016. The event will run from 11am-6pm, with set-up starting at 10am, and take-down beginning at 5:30pm.
- Where is the event happening? The event will take place on James Street North. It will run from York Blvd/Wilson St to Murray St. The street will be closed to motorized vehicles for the duration of the event. There are two signaled intersections in which traffic will flow through, namely Cannon St and Barton St. Please adhere to traffic signals!
- What type of programming do you have/offer/are looking for? We have a variety of light programming at our events, including dance, music, art installations, activity-based programming (health and fitness), street murals, food on the street, a variety of vendors selling original and local products, health and food products, a number of local/provincial organizations promoting and raising awareness of their respective projects/groups, fundraising events, sports activities, etc. Not to mention, you can just come out and enjoy over 1km of car-free streets to walk, ride or roll on! Our programming is family-friendly with a focus on health, fitness, environment and local economy.
- Is your event pet friendly? YES!
- Will there be music and food? We have some select vendors and participants on the street, in addition to the great music venues, restaurants and cafes that are located on James Street North!
- Do I need to register to participate? Yes! Anyone participating on the street must register with us online and receive approval from our organization. This is done for 2 reasons, 1) so we can promote your participating businesses, organization, activity etc; and 2) for safety, security, insurance and liability reasons. Unfortunately, the deadline to sign up as a participant has passed.
- Can I serve food? Yes you can, but you must register with us and you MUST have a food vendor permit and fulfill all the requirements laid out by Hamilton Public Health. A copy of the permit and requirements is available at: www.hamilton.ca/HealthandSocialServices/PublicHealth/FoodSafety/SpecialEvents.asp
- Is there a cost to participate? We ask that every participant make a contribution to Open Streets Hamilton and its not-for-profit projects. Without contributions from organizations, businesses, and people like you we would not be able to do all the great things we do! That being said, we do offer a sliding scale participation fee.
- Can you issue me a charitable tax receipt? Open Streets Hamilton is a registered Ontario non-profit, but we are NOT a charity and cannot issue tax receipts, sorry!
- Do you serve liquor/alcohol at your event? Open Streets Hamilton events are family-friendly so we do not serve or provide alcohol on the street.
- Do you provide tents, tables, chairs or electricity? Unfortunately we can’t provide any at this time so any participant/vendor will have to provide their own.
- Where/how do I set up? We ask that if you set up your table/tent on the sidewalk as the street is for pedestrians, cyclists, etc. Please do not block/obstruct any doorways and please be mindful of businesses that are open during the event. If you’re unsure, speak to a volunteer or the business owner before setting up!
- When are participants expected to set-up/tear down? We invite participants to set up an hour before the event begins and strongly encourage everyone to stay for the entire duration of the event, wrapping up around approx half an hour before it ends. We will provide you with your location to set up once your application to participate has been approved! The major access point for vendors to enter the street with vehicles and unload their tables, tents and chairs will be at Cannon street heading south towards James or North towards Barton. The other access point will be at Murray towards Barton.
We also ask you do not park your vehicle on James Street North! Please park on a side street during the event! - Is there a map from last year’s event? It’s right here!
- How can I support Open Streets Hamilton? There are many ways to support us, including participating at our events, advertising in our guidebook, becoming a sponsor (financial or in-kind), volunteering, donating directly to support our projects, or promoting/supporting us online or at your business/venue!
- I’d like to run an Open Streets event in my neighbourhood/community/city! Awesome! We can help! Contact us at [email protected]
- Besides the events, what else do you do? Excellent Question! We have a Bike Valet program in Hamilton, and we are hosing presentations on Complete Streets this summer, and we raise awareness and draw attention to active transportation issues by means of our Facebook and Twitter page.
Got a question? Post it in our comments section below or email us at [email protected]
