Featured Business:

East Side Bar & Grill 

Interview with George Karigan Owner of Eastside Bar & Grill:

Hamilton Road BIA had the pleasure of sitting down for an enjoyable conversation with George Karigan, the owner and operator of Eastside Bar and Grill, a beloved venue in our community. Here’s what he had to say.

What inspired you to continue the legacy of this business, and how did you come to own it?

I was always working for someone else, and I always wanted to have my own business one day. I was in Dallas for 10 years, and returned to London in 2005. In 2017, I rented the Eastside Bar & Grill and bought the establishment in 2018.

What unique offerings define your establishment, can you share a compelling reason why visitors should choose your business?

We are a fixture in the neighbourhood where everyone is welcome--that local watering hole where everybody knows your name. We offer classic pub fare using quality ingredients, yet our menu is priced affordably. We are a UNESCO music venue, and bring world class entertainment to East London.

How does your business location enhance the customer experience?

We are easily accessible by city bus, and offer ample parking.

What are the core values driving your business forward?

We offer our guests friendly, courteous service, an enjoyable atmosphere, world class entertainment, and all of the elements you would appreciate when getting together with your family and friends.

How does your business contribute to our local community?

We support local artists, participate in fundraising that supports a variety of causes, and we expose the region to all different types of music.

What's the one thing about your business that might surprise customers?

You’ll find people from all walks of life enjoying this establishment together, and we know regulars and frequent visitors by name. We also maintain a lovely garden.

Can you highlight a product or service that's exclusive to your business?

Our fundraising 50/50 draw, a diverse selection of musical acts performing an eclectic mix of musical genres, free pool on Tuesdays & Thursdays, and a unique taste of the culture in East London. You’ll also notice that locals take pride in supporting us because of the value we bring to the neighbourhood.

https://london.ctvnews.ca/he-did-it-london-area-man-raises-1-million-for-ms-research-1.6657793

Barry Travnicek and George Karigan, the owner of Eastside Bar and Grill

What upcoming plans or events should customers look forward to?

• https://www.eastsidebarandgrill.ca/event-calendar
• Bringing more collaboration to the establishment

Why did you choose your particular industry, and how does that decision benefit your customers?

I spent 10 years as a civil engineer, then moved to London, Ontario to manage this restaurant. It’s been an enriching journey and all of the hard work has resulted in a great deal of local support. Our commitment to providing quality food, service, and entertainment while maintaining a friendly local vibe has been appreciated, and is something I will always cherish. 

New and Exciting Eats!  

Welcome Kabab-Tu!

Please help us welcome a new business to the Hamilton Rd. community. Kebab-Tu is an authentic Turkish restaurant that specializes in Turkish cuisine. Omer runs this warm and inviting restaurant with his family. If you're in the mood for some authentic food or something new pop into KEBAB-TU to meet Omer and try some delicious Turkish cuisine!

Check out their site for more information!
https://kebab-tu.com/

New Staff! 

Welcome Kelly!
Please help us in welcoming Kelly to Hamilton Road BIA, Kelly will be acting as our Program Admin Coordinator Assistant.

Kelly found her spark for helping local businesses and the community through volunteering in her youth and early adulthood at numerous non-profits here in London.

She wishes to continue to grow, learn and help her fellow Londoners here at the BIA, We're thrilled to have her join our team!

Welcome Brandon! 

Please join us in welcoming Brandon, Hamilton Road's new Security Liaison. The purpose of this position is to act as a on-call liaison for the Hamilton Road BIA businesses to address issues of safety, security, and homelessness in the Hamilton Road community.

Brandon will be visiting the neighbourhood in the upcoming weeks to meet and greet all of our wonderful local business owners. If you have any questions or concerns regarding security in Hamilton Road area or you just want to make sure you're on the right path to keeping your business safe and secure, Brandon is here to help! 

Special Events  

Pilot Project:

London Coffee House  

In mid-January, the Hamilton Road Clean Up Crew began cleaning in the Hamilton Road and Rectory area. Thus far, they’ve collected a weekly average of 400-500 pounds of trash and numerous syringes were collected for safe disposal. Businesses in the area expressed their gratitude through small gestures such as handing water bottles out to the crew and expressing their thanks with kind words of appreciation.

Councillor's Corner  

On March 14^th at the Ward 1 Town Hall I was finally able to share the initial plans for the Silverwood's recreational facility redevelopment. Nearly $5 million dollars has been allocated by the City of London to bring this much-loved facility back to life. Some of the upgrades include a heater for the pool, HVAC system for the building, improvements to the cricket pitch, outdoor fields, park amenities, and new multipurpose community rooms. We are also looking for community input throughout.

I also have some important traffic updates to share. The red-light camera at Hamilton and Highbury is nearing completion. The underground work is now done, and the traffic light calibration is underway. The red camera should be coming online in the early summer. The City of London is also conducting a traffic volume study along Highbury to examine the possibility of installing advance green lights at Trafalgar. I’m sure I will have more updates through the summer as we get into the height of construction session. I know heading into the summer everyone’s calendars fill up fast so please make some time to check out some of the fun

activities happening in Ward 1, like the Silverwood's Festival on June 1st and the Carnevale on June 16th.

Tiger's Den at Tweedsmuir  

The spirit of entrepreneurship is thriving at Tweedsmuir Public School where they held their first ever Tiger's Den event. Inspired by the hit TV show Dragon's Den, 13 students bravely pitched their own business products and ideas, under the supervisor of their grade 3/4 teacher Ms Luard. Three groups had the opportunity to win Chapters gift cards. Our resident Dragon's and judges of the competition were Carolyn Luistro, Executive Director of Hamilton Rd BIA, Ward 1 Councillor Hadleigh McAlister with the City of London, and Marc Forrat of Forrat's Chocolates here in London ON. They determined that the company Imagine would be this year's winner. The students created their own crochet art business. Marc Forrat graciously offered to sell their beautiful artwork at his business, and to mentor another student who is an aspiring chocolatier, providing some lessons in chocolate making. We want to wish good luck to our future entrepreneurs!

VP360 CCTV Camera 

London Police have received a grant from the province to install 15 new VP360 degree CCTV cameras in the city's core and along Hamilton Rd. before the end of 2024. The main objective of the camera installations is crime prevention, to improve law enforcement services response to crime through enhanced monitoring and detection, to increase the perception of safety, and to use camera recordings as evidence to identify individuals involved in criminal activities. In the past, these cameras have not only helped with petty crimes, but have also helped locate missing and vulnerable people as well as with cases involving homicides and various assaults.

3 of the 15 cameras will be at intersections along Hamilton Rd.:

• Adelaide St. & Hamilton Rd.
• Rectory St. & Hamilton Rd.
• Sackville St. & Hamilton Rd.

Crime and call data analysis was used to determine where new cameras would have the most beneficial impact on crime.

Community Updates 

Alterations the Movie is Coming Soon...

Lights! Camera! Action!

Did you know a film was shot on our very own Hamilton Rd? Written and directed by Jen Romnes and produced by Nason Markwell. Alterations is a film about single mom Anna, who makes unlikely friends and turns to vigilantism when the law fails to help find her missing daughter Taylor. With a tone similar to the TV show Shameless, Alterations balances a tragic story with street humour. It explores how different individuals are treated when they report a crime, and how community and found family rally to support Anna. 

Watching the film you may spot some familiar sights around Hamilton Rd. like the Neighbourhood Laundromat Cafe. The film will premiere at a private screening this June!

Annual General Meeting

Crouch Neighbourhood Resource Centre

Crouch Neighbourhood Resource Centre is holding their 2024 Annual General Meeting. The meeting will be held at Hamilton Road Seniors' Community Centre on Thursday, June 27 at 5:30pm. Come celebrate a year of community impact and share in the many good news stories from this neighbourhood including a special message from the kids in the Crouch After School Program.

Register for the event here: Annual General Meeting Registration

Silverwoods Park Festival and Car Show

Come on down to Silverwoods Park Festival on Saturday June 1 for their second annual car show! There will be classic cars, hot rods, live music, vendors, children's activities, door prizes and more! The festival will run from 10AM - 4PM at 50 Sycamore Street London, ON and it's free admission!

Space to Grow Weekly Saturday Market

Looking for vendors!

Space to Grow Lifestyle Studio over at 887 Hamilton Rd. holds a weekly market every Saturday from 9am-1pm. They are on the look out for community support, not just from shoppers but from talented vendors!

Whether you're an artist, musician, business owner, or simply want to connect with fellow community members, Space to Grow welcomes you! There are both indoor and outdoor spaces up for grabs.

If you're interested in this opportunity send them an email at info@spacetogrowstudio.com for more details or click this link to complete the application form: https://spacetogrowstudio.as.me/marketvendorapplicationform

Have questions? Either respond to this email or contact the sender on communications@hamroad.com