The "tipping point". Has Hamilton passed through this imaginary wall and as the Hamilton Spectator suggests are we driving full speed ahead?
I've wrestled with this question before. We Hamiltonians have seen if we've been on the planet for 50 plus years the best of times, those times when we were Canada's heavy industrial and manufacturing engine, and the worst of times certainly from 1995 to 2005 when we hit rock bottom. Now how would you describe these times?
We certainly are well beyond rock bottom with new industries arriving almost every day, new young and bright entrepreneurs buying up homes where we least expected them to be bought and with building permits continuing their massive roll, but!
The definition of "tipping point" is this; the "tipping point" is the critical point in an evolving situation that leads to a new and irreversible development.
Do cranes on our skyline suggest an irreversible development? Not really since you couldn't find one in the city for thirty years.
Do plans for development suggest an irreversible development in Hamilton? Call me cynical but until I see actual shovels in the ground we haven't passed nor even approached this city's "tipping point".
Here are four huge "tipping point" issues we face.
- US Steel and the final resolution for that massive property. Will it once again make steel, join the agri-business or be returned to the people?
- LRT
- West Harbour
- Piers 7 and 8 redevelopment.
When this city has resolutions to these issues we'll be on our way to that "tipping point" line.
Here are 19 more properties and projects that will help tip me over the line to an irreversible development.

First, we have a plethora of useless pavement in this city. Think about the useless pavement that was a gas station but now sits empty on the south-west corner of Lime Ridge Mall facing the Royal Canadian Legion. Imagine how a medical/health clinic might look sitting just off the Linc servicing the under serviced and rapidly growing mountain population. Heck I'd take a victory/community garden over pavement.
Secondly, the next time you drive along Mohawk at Upper Sherman check out the useless pavement that begins at the North West corner and runs along the entire frontage of the Walmart/Beer store combo. Talk about useless urban sprawl.
Thirdly let us make our way to 100 Cumberland, yep the former Life Savers building. There is some life there right now but there could be a lot more. You see when I see that structure totally utilised again, now we're talkin' irreversible.
Fourthly do you remember how jammed the parking lot was north of our old bus terminal when GO Service used to run from there. Now it's virtually abandoned except for ragged cement barriers and weeds. Across the way to the west of John off Rebecca more pavement. This parking lot at least gets some use but folks this is prime downtown land and until I see plans for redevelopment of deserted pavement I can't push myself into believing we have reached the "tipping point".
More to the parking lot point, we were told when McMaster took over the former Board of Education property that the parking lot at King and Bay was slated for future development. All I hear is crickets.
Let's cross the street to the south west corner of King and Bay. Once upon a time it was developed, now more parking featuring the grade 12 biology work book on weeds.
To the corner of Queen and Main we go, the south west corner again. Once a gas station it now features a sign suggesting Frisina will do something some day. Hello we need to know when someday is.
To another critical corner in our downtown we go, King and Hughson. The former thriving Kresges building which also played host to a Delta Bingo until two Januaries ago sits empty. Surely with significant restoration work going on kitty corner to the King William and Hughson door someone one of these days will wake up and see the possibilities of density or restoration or both.
You see for me to believe in an irreversible trend or a "tipping point" event happening in my city I need to see the holes we've created plugged with what I would hope would be imaginative uses. The block bounded by James, Main, King and Hughson has huge gaps and there are tentative plans to plug those gaps but how far off might they be?
Lets cross James and stand where Robinson's once stood. It's actually a very sad feeling.
Further north the corner that was Keneskey's is gone, surrounded by huge cement blocks. Now that's progress.
Let's look from the downtown to the god awful hole along the Claremont. How many years now since the slide? When will the rest of this cladding come sliding down? We are told another consultants report is coming this fall. Big deal. When the price tag is revealed to be in the millions this council will likely say driver beware!
One could go on and on. Please do add to my list, like the corner of John and Main or the Cotton Mill building on Cannon at Mary or how about the former City Motor Hotel property, and Sir John A. MacDonald high school. What will happen to Hill Park and Delta. My head is starting to hurt.
Folks the "tipping point" can and will be reached because we are on a roll but as the kids used to say from the rear seat "are we there yet", nope.