Although just sneaking into the Top 10, Hamilton is a city bent on a walkable future. Its reclaimed Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail draws foot traffic and “the compact core of the city bodes well for the pedestrian,” says Walkable Cities judge Matthew Blackett.

Its existing layout lets it put pedestrians first. “Its grid street pattern lends itself well to infil developments that could increase residential densities and add uses to enable walking,” says Walkable Cities judge Amanda Mitchell. And as one of the country’s oldest cities, the streetscape is downright European in some spots, which is always a pleasure from street level.

In addition to having signed the International Charter of Walking, a zealous local government is signing up for every pedestrian promotion under the sun—from city-wide car-free days to free “walking calendars” for tourists and locals.

The 200 km of local trails are also being expanded, including three multi-use bridges over the busy QEW freeway.

Insider Ted Flett's Hamilton Walking Tour

Ted Flett is the Marketing and Media Relations Coordinator for Tourism Hamilton.

Distance: 6.5 km

Time: 3 hrs

This story was originally published in the August 2009 issue of up! magazine as part of the Canada's Most Walkable Cities 2009 feature, profiling 10 of Canada’s most pedestrian-friendly urban centres. Take a look at more of Canada's Most Walkable Cities in 2009.