| CONCESSION STREET AS A BUSINESS DISTRICT With the end of the First World War, housing on Concession again expanded, along with businesses, including Carroll's Food Store's first location - at 528 Concession Street - of what would become a 50 store chain across Hamilton. Still, in 1920, the Mountain Brow community consisted of poorly built frame houses and treeless streets. The north side of Concession at this time was the southern limit of the City boundary. Consequently, the south side of the street had no sewer system (and paid no taxes!). In addition to inadequate water supply, Mountain residents were concerned about lack of fire and police protection, as well as the poor condition of roads. These concerns were to continue. 
[This photo is of the Barton Township Volunteer Fire Department in 1924, with Chief James Moore standing in their 1923 Reo Fire Truck. The picture was taken in the alley beside the Fire Station which is the galvanized metal building behind the truck. Behind the station is 568 Concession Street, which was J. H. Lee's Chinese Laundry, and then became Sam's Pizzeria.]ATTEMPTS AT ANNEXATION: In November of 1921 a delegation presented a petition from almost all of the Mountain residents requesting that the City officially annex the entire Mountain community. Health concerns were the primary issues raised in support of annexation - including the danger of polluted water supply in wells, a lack of sewage disposal facilities, as well as the lack of any police protection. However, the City's Board of Control would not agree to annexation on financial issues. Finally, in April of 1929, after a long and hard dispute that had gone on for 28 years, the City agreed to extend its limits to Fennel Avenue, and include the Mountain Brow community of Concession Street within its borders. THE 30's AND 40's:  Through the 30's and 40's Concession Street business continued to expand, despite the closing of the James Street Incline at the end of 1931.During the Depression years, the City of Hamilton struggled with expanded welfare rolls. The Mountain community, not yet a ward, had a strong ally in City Councillor Nora Frances Henderson. The first female municipal controller in the British Empire, she suggested the unusual idea that Mountain residents partipating in the unemployment relief programs perform their improvement work within their own community. Nora Henderson was a City Councillor in Hamilton for 16 years. It is in her honour that the Mountain Hospital changed its name to the Henderson General Hospital (The Henderson Hospital was renamed in 2010 to the Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre). In 1948, an early predecessor of the Concession Street BIA was started when the Mount Hamilton Business Men's Association was formed. |
For more reading on the History of Concession Street, see:
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