The Hamilton Road neighbourhood in London is a historic, working-class community. More than 140 independent businesses—many of which reflect the vibrant cultural diversity of the area—are clustered along a busy street that connects the city’s downtown core to Highway 401.

“A lot of people drive by Hamilton Road, but they don’t stop, shop or dine in the community,” says Jennifer Martino, Executive Director of the Crouch Neighbourhood Resource Centre, a multi-service non-profit organization that offers social, recreational and educational programs.

To revitalize the Hamilton Road area, the Crouch Neighbourhood Resource Centre received $30,000 from the Government of Canada’s $23.25-million investment in My Main Street through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). The Crouch NRC received this funding as part of the My Main Street Community Activator program, administered by the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) to support local projects that help drive business and restore vibrancy to local communities across southern Ontario.

“We want to show off the things that we’re proud of in the neighbourhood,” explains Martino. “Our goal is to bring diverse communities together to get to know their neighbours, explore the area and support local businesses.”

With funding from My Main Street, the Crouch NRC team launched “Hamilton Road Has Heart”—a series of recurring activities and special events. Over the course of several months in 2022, the project not only enhanced social connections between residents of diverse socio-economic circumstances, but also attracted new visitors to the main street stores, services and restaurants of the Hamilton Road area.

As part of the Hamilton Road Has Heart project, the Crouch NRC—in partnership with the London Arts Council—organized a weekly series of pop-up markets that included live music, art and cultural celebrations. In addition, these events provided healthy food—grown in the neighbourhood by local non-profit Urban Roots London—to around 125 family members.

Martino is particularly proud of the Crouch Block Party, a day-long festival organized by the Crouch NRC, in partnership with the London Public Library and the Digital Creative Arts Centre. The event featured five musical acts such as Leanne Mayer and the Latin Power Band, three dance performances, inflatable games and drag queen story time for children. More than 35,000 people visited the Hamilton Road area during the Crouch Block Party, which was free for community members to attend—something that Martino notes would not have been possible without FedDev Ontario support.

“The response from the neighbourhood and beyond has been so beautiful,” notes Martino. “We had people who had never attended an event come with lawn chairs. Seniors were dancing together, while people of all different backgrounds and circumstances were sharing space.”

Other Hamilton Road Has Heart programming included a Cultural Celebration Day that showcased 22 diverse performers at a historic music venue, as well as a Harvest Festival that offered a free lunch, family-friendly activities and a craft fair for local vendors and artists.

For Martino, the success of the project was validated by the high number of visitors to the area and the social connections made by newcomers to the neighbourhood—not to mention the stamp of approval she has received from long-time locals.

“At a recent event, I was approached by a woman who has been living in Hamilton Road for over 30 years. She said, ‘I just can’t believe all these things are happening in my neighbourhood!’”

Photo Credit: Crouch Neighbourhood Resource Centre

Photo Caption: “Performers and attendees come together to enjoy the Crouch Block Party.”