Hamilton

Hamilton neighbourhoods: A message in the mural from Beasley

Sometimes it takes a mural to raise a neighbourhood. People in Hamilton's Beasley community have a message for the rest of the city.
A community worker tells us why Hamilton's Beasley neighbourhood is one of Canada's poorest and richest. (Brandon Braithwaite)

Sometimes it takes a mural to raise a neighbourhood. People in Hamilton's Beasley community contacted CBC Hamilton because they wanted to let their neighbours in the rest of the city know that Beasley has a lot to offer.

Brandon Braithwaite is a community development worker with Affiliated Services for Children and Youth. He sent us a message about the mural painted in McLaren Park at the corner of John St. and Cannon St.

Here's the message behind the mural.

You may or may not have noticed the mural in the downtown neighbourhood of Beasley, it’s tucked in behind an Auto Body shop that faces one of the main highways running through the neighbourhood.

However, the children who frequent the park have noticed and they think it’s great, one girl said she it was scary looking. The mural hangs over a part of the park that used to be a dumping ground for old tires and other junk but has since been transformed into a small soccer pitch which children frequent regularly.

The mural is one action that has been identified by residents

Some say it's scary some think it’s awesome, I have even spoken with children who want one in their neighbourhood. The mural painted by Bryce Huffman is one action in a larger plan that was created by local residents,

It may be Canada’s 15th poorest neighbourhood but it is also one of the richest.

The mural was painted by local artist Bryce Huffman.