The 1Awards launched last year with the intention of helping small business owners in Hamilton with $125 000 in cash and professional services from partnering sponsors. First Ontario has come together with other generous sponsors this year to offer winners expert marketing, media, and financial support.  Interested participants were required to fill out an application and give an engaging presentation for judges (as represented by the sponsors).

I had the pleasure of sitting down with the three winners from this year and discuss their backgrounds, future goals, and undeniable love for Hamilton. All seemed to agree that without this city of ours, they would not have been able to pursue their dreams in the same way.

From far left: Stephanie McLarty, REfficient; Nicole Miller and Josie Rudderham, Cake & Loaf Bakery; Martinus Geleynse, MGI Media 

Bakers Josie Rudderham and Nicole Miller first met while in school at Niagara College. After losing touch for many years, they swear by a one time coffee date that brought them together in business. Discussing their lives and goals they realized that Cake & Loaf Bakery was a distant dream that they both wanted to pursue. Now some years later, after the great support of city council and the Hamilton community, these girls are on the way to opening another store front. Plans for the future include, of course, opening this second location and offering baking classes for customers. What did they say when asked how Hamilton has shaped their business? No other city would have been the perfect fit like Hamilton: the tight social media presence of the cultural community, support of the often-discussed renaissance, and genuine warmth of the people equal one thing—the perfect recipe for Rudderham and Miller.

Entrepreneur Martinus Geleynse has certainly seen transformation with MGI Media from an initial small video production company. Given involvement in the Hamilton24 festival and founding Urbanicity magazine, Gelenyse has

taken his media expertise to local companies with media and advertising support. Though hoping to move forward with growth and offering more services with MGI Media, he notes that he will always have a “soft spot” for his objet d’art Urbanicity. Of course, Hamilton plays a big role in the path his company has taken: the so-described “Wild West” is full of people rallying behind rebuilding the city and furthermore there is “opportunity for everything” according to Geleynse.

Though different in scope from the other winners, REfficient and their commitment to the environment and corporate responsibility makes them an admirable choice for the 1Awards. Founder Stephanie McLarty has developed a technology-based solution for a common wasteful problem in the corporate world: the improper disposal of outdated technologies. She found that a few years ago there was the need and opportunity for such a service, especially with the rapid improvements in technologies that require constant upgrading and phasing-out. Again, Hamilton was a key part in McLarty’s success not only from cultural perspective but from an economic perspective: “You can be someone here… from a cost perspective it is also great when you are trying to get your feet off the ground”. Moving forward, McLarty hopes to offer new features, expand her geographical reach to service more countries, and increase education about the 3Rs (as learned in school—Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!)

And so, dear reader, I strongly encourage you to consider the amazing opportunities available to you in Hamilton. If not taking the big leap of opening your own business, at least get to know and support the entrepreneurs living near you. You will be pleasantly surprised at the growth Hamilton is fostering.

Winner and sponsor websites for more information:

Cake & Loaf Bakery- http://cakeandloaf.ca/

MGI Media- http://www.mginternational.ca/

REfficient- http://www.refficient.com/

Sponsors:

First Ontario Credit Union- https://www.firstontariocu.com/

The Hamilton Spectator- http://www.thespec.com/

Play Advertising- http://playadvertising.com/

iDeaWORKS (Mohawk College)- http://www.mohawkcollege.ca/ideaworks

Grant Thornton- http://www.grantthornton.ca/

Agro Zaffiro- http://www.agrozaffiro.com/

Weever Apps- http://weeverapps.com/

This weekend, welcome the newest vintage lifestyle store to the downtown core. Girl on the Wing, a new vintage clothing, accessories, and wares store will have a sneak peek opening tonight for the public from 7pm-9pm.

Get the chance to meet owner Whitney Mcmeekin and discuss with her your mutual love of all things vintage. Followin

g tonight's sneak peek will be the official grand opening ceremonies Saturday afternoon (12pm-6pm) complete with (of course) special deals for you and even a lemonade stand. What's more, if you are scrambling for a special last minute gift for mom this weekend, Girl on the Wing is hosting a special Mother's Day shopping event on Sunday.

If you love all things vintage and are embarrassingly nostalgic about decades before your time *cough* like me *cough* this is a great event to check out this weekend. Also, it's exciting to welcome unique new businesses to the downtown core!

Following a stroll down the main strip, head to This Ain’t Hollywood for some great live entertainment. The venue is located conveniently at the top of the main art crawl strip. This Friday, Keys N Krates will be headlining. If you are a fan of electronic or experimental music, you will enjoy these guys as they mix live instrumentation with a collage of samples– a unique experience you will be guaranteed not to forget.

If you’re musical tastes are a little different, Oakville natives Stereokid will be headlining the Spring Music Festival with a performance at The Underground (Just off James at Catherine St. In the same building as Seventy Seven). Other headliners for the festival (happening all this weekend) include IllScarlett, Neverending White Lights, and Poor Young Things.

For more info about Keys N Krates at This Ain’t Hollywood, please visit:

https://facebook.com/events/439084286175489/

For info about the Spring Music festival, see their website:

http://www.springmusicfestival.com/2013/home.htm

The Art Crawl also has its own updated site with more details on specifics of tomorrow night:

http://www.jamesstreetnorth.ca/blog/

Sticking Downtown

A day filled with both culture and history can be had downtown.

10:00am: 100 King Street West
Start your day with a breathtaking view of Hamilton from 21 storeys. 100 King Street West is home to the Stelco Tower, originally designed as a showpiece for a new steel product of Stelco at the time.

10:45am: Christ’s Church Cathedral, 252 James Street North
Just around the corner from your first destination, this cathedral is right in the middle of the site for monthly James Street North Art Crawls. This church was the first Anglican church in Hamilton and boasts 19^th century Gothic Revival style. Enjoy a self-guided tour and humble yourself.

12:00 pm: Dundurn Castle and the Hamilton Military Museum, 610 York Boulevard
If you have not already had the pleasure of touring Hamilton’s most famous historic site, Doors Open Hamilton is the perfect opportunity. Dundurn Castle was the home of one of the first premiers Allan MacNab. Expect to learn about the daily lives of the MacNab family and their servants as well as general life in 1855. You will spend a few hours here; after taking the tour, walk across the lawn to the Hamilton Military Museum for a self-guided tour through the War of 1812, the Rebellion of 1837-38 and World War I (ps—the museum is very interactive and child-friendly!)

Hall of Dundurn Castle 

2:00pm: Art Gallery of Hamilton (AGH) 123 King Street West
Venture back to the downtown core to explore Ontario’s largest independent art gallery. Enjoy a docent-guided tour of the “Eye of Napoleon” exhibition (starts at 2:00pm).  Afterwards, learn about the history of the gallery with a presentation at 3:30pm. Browse the AGH shop for unique souvenirs.

4:00pm: Eat and be merry!
End your day with a bite to eat at any number of the great restaurants downtown.

Strictly James Street North— a full walking day

There are many sites open along James Street North that will make for a nice day of walking as opposed to driving around. Park around King and James (there is a green P parking lot directly across from Jackson Square on James) and spend the day exploring Hamilton’s art district.

10:00am: Grab breakfast
Grab a quick bite at Homegrown Hamilton, located on the Art Walk near the corner of King and James. Enjoy quality local and organic products—the omelettes are to die for!

10:30am: The Lister Building 28-44 James Street North
Right beside Homegrown Hamilton, The Lister building was built in 1924 and serves as an interior shopping complex. Partake in an architect-guided tour at 10:30am to learn more about the building itself or explore this six-storey building on your own.

12:00pm: Architects Inc. 118 James Street North
Check out this unique loft space with a slick and modern design. The space is located within a 19^th century commercial building and utilizes popular contemporary details. Spend about a half an hour wandering the space.

12:30pm: John Weir Foote Armoury/Regimental Museums 200 James Street North
In a rare occasion for Doors Open Hamilton, this site will be fully open and staffed for guests to explore the compound. Expect to look around the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry Museum (located in the basement) and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada Regimental Museum (on the 3^rd floor).

2:30pm: Hamilton Port Authority (605 James Street North)
A little bit of a jaunt down James Street North you will find the Hamilton Port Authority with a panoramic view of the harbour from the 6^th floor. This historic building will boast art displays, historical artifacts and a special viewing of the restored Hamilton No. 2 boat for your visit.

3:30pm-whenever: Free exploring
Pop into the many media, arts, and culture building  (and especially galleries) that call James Street North home. Note that Christ’s Cathedral Church will be open publicly until 4:00pm if you wish to visit on your way back.

Rich Industrial history in East Hamilton

There are only a few sites open for you East Hamiltonians, but expect a day full of history! PS, you will most likely need a vehicle—getting around by public transit might be a bit tricky/lengthy with this jaunt.

10:00am: 270 Sherman, 270 Sherman Avenue North
Originally a cotton manufacturing company, 270 Sherman is now a creative complex that provides space for artists and firms. The entire third floor hosts gallery space—this weekend, 270 Sherman’s very first Artist in Residence C. Wells will be using the gallery space for his new exhibition Place and Space. Your time here will be a mixture of history and culture: expect a guided tour of the complex while learning about the history of the building and the workers followed by a self-guided experience through Well’s exhibition.

12:30pm: EcoHouse/Glen Manor, 22 Veevers Drive
Experience this reused farmhouse and 2 acre garden of the Veevers Estate. Both guided and self-guided tours are available as well as rain barrels, composters, and worms for sale. This site is both child-friendly and educational.

2:30pm: Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology, 900 Woodward Avenue
Smack-dab in the middle of Hamilton’s steel region, the museum was Hamilton’s first waterworks (delivering water from Lake Ontario to Hamilton homes). Learn about the history of the building and marvel and steam technologies that still function.

The Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology 

For all of the active Doors Open Hamilton sites, visit http://www.doorsopenhamilton.ca/sites.html. Remember, be as creative as you want with your day—take advantage of the great weather!

The store specializes in handmade pottery and all-natural soaps. Owners Nick and Jennifer take a sustainable approach in the crafting of completely handmade products.

The grand opening festivities will include giveaways, special deals, and of course—live music! Also expect to meet members of The League of Extraordinary Artisans and take a look at their works on display. Enjoy a free sample of handcrafted soap with your purchase as well.

Finally, there is guaranteed to be a few special surprises in store for guests.

Where: 116 Ottawa St. North
When: 11 am-6 pm

For more information visit:

https://www.facebook.com/ProusePotteryandSoap

Place and Space, a new exhibition opening this weekend, is the product of a 17 year process for Wells.

Wells notes that Place and Space will be an interactive experience. Viewers should imagine themselves in a space such as this painting, which is a digitally altered imaginary space.

He began researching and exploring the universal language behind road markings back in 1996. In 2002, Wells’ exhibit 1911 dismissed the perhaps common thought that “lines on a road hardly seem a source of inspiration for art”, as McMaster Museum of Art Curator Kim Ness noted. However, Wells’ goal with the project was, as he says, to cause a “shift in perception” on such an obscure topic. Place and Space will be a multi-faceted exhibition combining old and new works to tell a story to audiences and, as aforementioned, change their perception of road markings as merely painted lines—instead, their significance as a language that dictates thought, behaviour, and culture will be explored through the works.

parcel the journey with the destination
2001-2002

C. Wells will be premiered as 270 Sherman’s first Artist in Residence as the complex opens its doors to the public for Doors Open Hamilton this coming weekend.

Much of the building and its surrounding units are rented out as studio space for artists. 

Visitors can expect to be toured and told the history of the building as a historically important industrial site in Hamilton. The third floor, which functions as gallery space, will house Wells’ interactive exhibition.

270 Sherman was originally a cotton manufacturing company. Workers would work on these large factory floors at machines while the foreman watched.

Place and Space will open May 4^th at 10am. The exhibition will run May 4^th and 5^th from 10am-4pm through June 23^rd.

For more information on C. Wells and his work, please visit: http://www.cwells.com/

For more information about Doors Open Hamilton and the other sites featured as part of the program, please visit: http://www.doorsopenhamilton.ca/

To contact 270 Sherman or for any other inquiries about the event:

The Hamilton Womyn’s Bike Collective is excited to be hosting our first-ever Bike Camp and we’re pleased to invite you and your friends.  Bike Camp is two days (April 20/21, 2013) of workshops, awkward bike polo for beginners, an open tool-share in the park and a bike-themed dance party. And it’s all free!! Some details are below and for more information check out our website: http://hamiltonwomynsbikecrew.tumblr.com/bikecamp and Facebook page.

The Saturday Workshop Series will be from noon to 4:30pm at Jamesville Community Centre (130 York Boulevard, in Sir John A. Macdonald school building, entrance off Cannon st. W, elevator access to the second floor) there will be various workshops on bike fixing. This event is exclusively open to all womyn/trans*/genderqueer persons.

The Sunday Bikes In The Park will be from 11am to 5pm in Victoria Park (near the Locke st. and Napier intersection) This event will include fun times awkward bike polo (no experience necessary), plus more work shop and some tool share time. This event is open to all genders.

Bring your bike, learn and have some fun!

The Monarch Project, a band based in Hamilton, have been building and performing their alternative psychedelic rock sound together for over a year now and are ready to release their debut single “A Better Part of You.” Not quite satisfied with selling their single on the internet, The Monarch Project has made available for you a 7″ vinyl, you can hold it in your hands and take home for a more intimate and personal and top quality listening experience.  These will be for sale at the Release Party on Friday and you can also pre-order them from http://themonarchproject.bandcamp.com/. Pre-ordered singles come with limited addition hand-printed artwork as an added bonus, superior quality all around.

Along with The Monarch Project, The Human Race, The Rosy Red and Hoalin Monk will be playing at Homegrown this Friday. Tickets are $7, available at Homegrown Hamilton, Dr.Disc and from the individual bands.

HAVN is kicking off 2013 with an art crawl exhibit to remember! Described as “wilderness of light, sound, & woven form”, the installation features video, sound, and embroidered photography by members of the HAVN collective. To learn more about HAVN check this out, and for more event info click here.

Premiering this Thursday January 10th (the day before Art Crawl!) is an exhibition of some of the late Jack Butler’s (1969-2012) work. Butler explores themes of “money” and “sex” in the Canadian north, with his experience living and working with Inuit artists, including an art collective in Nunavut, central to this exhibition. Said Butler, “[the] North is neither a single place nor a unitary idea”. Click here for more information.