<p>Sulphur Creek, which occupies a basin to the north and west of Ancaster, Ontario, is fed by approximately 100 springs. This is the first detailed investigation of these springs. The results of this study are presented and a number of interesting conclusions have been drawn from them.Several directions for further research are also indicated.</p> <p> Physical analysis of the springs has revealed that they are on a planar, lacustrine blue clay aquiclude, which was formed as a result of meltwater ponding against an ice lobe, during the late Wisconsin glaciation. The meltwater lake covered most of the Sulphur Creek Basin, as indicated by the fact that blue clay was found all along the Creek's course. However, further research is required to determine the exact extent of this proglacial lake. </p> <p> A preliminary study of six springs was also undertaken in hope of determining the residence time of the groundwaters feeding the springs. It was found that there are significant short term trends in spring temperature, solute abundancies and 180 composition with season, suggesting that the residence times are surprisingly short. Also, the trends in the above variables suggest that groundwater residence time tends to vary from spring to spring. However, there are contradictions in trend when different variables are compared, which again suggests that further research is warranted. </p> / Thesis / Bachelor of Science (BSc)

In an age of increasing urbanization, rural communities and agricultural lifestyles are quickly disappearing. Many local, pastoral histories have been buried under the new narratives of modern suburban development. Do such places, located along the rural-urban fringe, contain accounts worth memorializing? This thesis is a case study of the Ancaster Meadowlands—a growing neighbourhood within the City of Hamilton, Ontario. It explores the process of suburban growth and uncovers the local history of a landscape. As a narrative, the study traces land-use change over time, displaying the area’s evolution from a site of Neolithic settlement, to an important Loyalist village, and finally to a large suburban neighbourhood with commercial and residential components. Three principal methods are employed: resident interviewing, key informant interviewing, and archival research. Themes elicited in this study include land-use conflict, NIMBYism, real-estate volatility, and the interconnectedness of politicians and developers. Given that there are few case studies of contemporary suburban development, this study provides a rare illustration of the multi-faceted process of expansion around a Canadian city while also supplying a historical account of local importance. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)