Soo apparently I've been transferred from Ancaster to EastGate Mall for my Job at Shell. Hence I now get off work at 11pm/12Am(esp weekends) and have one hour waits at eastgate AND a late night walk from Barton to Eastgate(apparently the only way I can fast-ish(well 1.2 hours) get to my night shift is by taking the 2 Barton then walking to Eastgate/Centennial.

Soo the question is how exactly is that area after 12am to be loitering around EastGate? I've obviously heard alot about East Hamilton stuff in other thread but apart from some interesting visits to Barton I've never been to Eastgate. Are there random drunk/bored people loitering around Eastgate for hours(Commercial areas are usually a good spot for randomy sketchies/teenagers to loiter from PE even in the more Posh Meadowlands)

Its a rough area after midnight, make sure you stay in a well lit area. I would also recommend not carrying too much cash around when you are leaving home for your shift.

Eastgate Mall doesn't even seem that bad of an area? I don't know lol, i'm coming from Toronto so Hamilton is like CandyLand to me, it could do no wrong, aha.

It's not THAT bad at night. As a girl, I personally would never go around there at night (but then again, I wouldn't go anywhere at night)

For a guy, it's probably fine. Stay in well lit areas and you'll be good. There's not too many people wandering around there at ANY time of the day

I've lived in the Hammer my whole life and I wouldn't be caught down there at night unless I had a sizeable crew with me. You'll likely be fine, but as people have said don't carry much in the way of cash or valuables (ipod, laptop, etc) down there as the crackheads may come to visually identify you (they have...not much to do down there besides pick new targets, and Uni students stand out like sore thumbs down there) and set you up for a robbery. Just be careful, try not to move around much alone, and you should be fine.

Just try not to look like a tourist

If you are walking on centennial, I dont think it's too bad. It's usually busy there with cars, but just in case don't carry your ipod and things like that for anyone to see and avoid walking through parking lots. Im worried more about you taking the Barton bus than anything else. Make sure you sit near the driver.

I say you discuss this with your employer. The right to refuse unsafe work, and all that jazz.

They might be able to arrange daily cab rides, or something like that.

since you're taking the bus, and thats easily a 30-40 minute journey, I'd ask about travel pay too. If its the Shell station in the 'Anc that I'm thinking of, the owners are very reasonable and have kids of their own, so they should be able to relate to your predicament.

I have been working in Ancaster for the past 4-5 months. The Shell in Ancaster has a new franchisee who also owns the eastgate mall outlet. The only reason he suggested I switch is because it takes me 1.5+ hours to get home on the weekends from Ancaster to Westdale. This new location apparently reduces travel time but is more dangerous; but I dunno if that is a good reason for travel pay :S

The Shell Station across from the mall? I don't know where you are coming from and timing and such but if you can catch a King 1/1A bus it'll save you from having to walk from Barton.

I've only ever driven by the mall at that time of night and it generally looks pretty empty. Sometimes there's a bunch of taxis sitting in the parking lot... The Boston Pizza that's down the street always seems really busy though. And there's a couple other restaurants nearby but I don't know how late they stay open.