Hamilton pauses filming in Kirkendall neighbourhood for six months

The City of Hamilton has put a pause on filming permits in a neighbourhood near Locke Street South, and people who live there have mixed opinions about the situation.

The Kirkendall neighbourhood has been a popular spot for film crews lately, and while many residents say the productions are exciting and good for the city, others say it’s a big nuisance around their homes.

It was a busy summer on Homewood Avenue near Locke Street, where Joda Eisenberg’s house was transformed into a set — where one of the productions shot the popular series Heated Rivalry.

“The crews overall were super professional and we got our house back in equal to, or better condition than we left it,” said Eisenberg. “It’s great because it helps pay for your mortgage a little bit, it supports the local community being in proximity to Locke Street, the local businesses benefited.”

Film crews rented out Brian Martel’s driveway too.

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“It’s been three or four times that our driveway has been used, twice in the last couple of months,” said Martel. “The people that usually work with the film industry are often fantastic and very cooperative.”

But not everyone was pleased with the increased volume of people, vehicles and equipment on the street.

“It got to be a little too much,” said Martin Heinrich. “We all want to get along and help businesses and so on, but you know, when I come here four times a month, I can’t come inside and bring my groceries in the door — it gets a little annoying.”

“The biggest issue is always the parking and it’s the lack of respect the actual crews have for the neighbourhood,” said Iain Souter.

The Hamilton Film Office has put a pause on filming in the area, and in a message to CHCH News, said, “the six-month pause will provide an opportunity to review how filming is managed in the area, gather fulsome feedback from residents and determine next steps that balance neighbourhood needs with filming activity.”

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“We did everything possible to be a great neighbour, so yeah, it was disappointing,” said Eisenberg.

Eisenberg worries that pauses like this one could be damaging to Hamilton’s lucrative film industry.

The Hamilton Film Office says last year, the film industry pumped $80 million into the city’s economy.

Even the residents that spoke with CHCH News said they don’t want to see productions go, but while they had parking concerns, they say more needs to be done to make sure everyone can co-exist happily.

“They should have someone here from the city to control and monitor things,” said Heinrich.

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