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.
Tuesday 16 August 2016
Thursday 14 July 2016
He's back!
It's kind of funny that my last blog post had to deal with a presentation from the Good Shepherd in 2012 seeking a bit of loan relief from the city. Not quite ironic but my very next job was in the not for profit sector as Director of Development at Neighbour to Neighbour. In that position which I held for three years you don't write opinions about events in your city. Your job is to reach out to all sectors of this great city of ours seeking to raise funds for a variety of programming that helps those who are less fortunate than others have a better daily living experience, and so Farraway's Hamilton went into limbo.
Forget limbo, we're back.
Now why are we back?
As some of you know (those who care to follow Hamilton politics) I was one of 22 candidates in the recent Ward 7 by-election. In fact while walking along the bay front this morning with the grand doggy Yogi, I met a chap I hadn't conversed with in over 20 years. The first question out of his month wasn't how's the wife and family, his first words were "why in god's name would you want to get elected to join that nest of vipers?". Hmmm.
I wanted to serve.
I wanted to have an impact.
I wanted to lend my expertise to the significant issues of the day, from transit and LRT, to affordable housing, ward boundary review and the development of Piers 7 and 8 just to name a few.
Even thought it didn't happen (and I have no regrets) I did immerse myself in issues and questions I had never concerned myself with before like Inclusionary Housing and health care provision in this city.
I was reminded about health care provision while driving on Main West past the HHS West end clinic this very day. It reminded me of broken promises from Hamilton Health Sciences 8 years ago for a South Mountain health clinic. It reminded me of the far sighted (not) decision to shut down Chedoke some 20 years ago. Now that HHS and it's highly transparent board (not) have decided to pull out of McMaster and St. Peter's over the next decade (and trust me it will happen sooner than later) I am reminded of the lack of health provision for the fastest growing areas of our city. With all due respect to Waterdown and lower Stoney Creek, the most serious growth continues to be found in Wards 6,7,8, 9 and 11. For some of those folks it's a pretty easy hop, skip and a jump to get to Centennial and King for some basic health care. But for the vast majority there is only the emergency at Juravinski servicing a mountain population that is conservatively estimated to be in those five wards, at well over 200,000 people (subtract small chunks of wards 9 and 11 below the escarpment while adding a small chunk of ward 12 which would be better serviced by a south mountain clinic, and remember these are 2011 numbers it's safe to say the real number is closer to 210,000 people).
Think about some of the decisions made by the HHS over the last 20 years.
They closed the emergency at Chedoke because it was under utilized (they said). They took out operating rooms and slowly but surely began to shut it down acre by acre, building by building and now service by service, indeed recently having the audacity to ask the city to help subsidize the final removal of staff to the under utilized Stelco tower downtown. Did anyone at HHS consult city planners about the expected explosion of growth that took place on Upper Hornung, in the Meadowlands all the way to Redeemer and on the South side of Rymal in gated communities like Garth Trails? Apparently not.
Eight years ago while announcing the closure of adult emergency at McMaster (which we were told would take care of the under utilized patrons of Chedoke) a South Mountain Health clinic was promised. Six months after said promise the West End Clinic was born. The South Mountain which hasn't grown a tad in those 8 years (insert sarcasm here) remains a health provision desert. And how did that promise get broken? The west end, Ancaster and Dundas jumped up and down screaming bloody murder. HHS caved.
Now HHS is pulling out of Mac and building an entirely new building/division near Hamilton General to take care of children's and women's health issues while closing St. Peter's and telling Hamilton residents that if they need day surgery they'll be able to travel to Grimsby to get it.
Really?
The opaque and out of touch HHS board is going to get away with this boondoggle because not one Councillor in this city has raised any argument with not only the announcement but the HHS decision making process. I don't want to sound like a whining mountain resident but when the population of the south mountain wards is virtually tied with the population of the old lower city don't you think we deserve better than 12 over crowded emergency beds jammed into a building as far away from the current growth hot spots as they possibly could be? Don't you think based on the taxes paid on the mountain that consideration should be given to a south mountain medical facility to take care of the daily breaks and hurts that don't need to clog an emergency? I don't think this is whining. I think the facts speak for themselves. The mountain and outlying communities like Mount Hope and Binbrook are under serviced and frankly ambulance response times are only going to grow if something isn't done. The lower city currently has a children's hospital, the General, St. Joe's and two clinics serving the west and east ends plus a new facility to built near the General. The mountain?
Forget limbo, we're back.
Now why are we back?
As some of you know (those who care to follow Hamilton politics) I was one of 22 candidates in the recent Ward 7 by-election. In fact while walking along the bay front this morning with the grand doggy Yogi, I met a chap I hadn't conversed with in over 20 years. The first question out of his month wasn't how's the wife and family, his first words were "why in god's name would you want to get elected to join that nest of vipers?". Hmmm.
I wanted to serve.
I wanted to have an impact.
I wanted to lend my expertise to the significant issues of the day, from transit and LRT, to affordable housing, ward boundary review and the development of Piers 7 and 8 just to name a few.
Even thought it didn't happen (and I have no regrets) I did immerse myself in issues and questions I had never concerned myself with before like Inclusionary Housing and health care provision in this city.
I was reminded about health care provision while driving on Main West past the HHS West end clinic this very day. It reminded me of broken promises from Hamilton Health Sciences 8 years ago for a South Mountain health clinic. It reminded me of the far sighted (not) decision to shut down Chedoke some 20 years ago. Now that HHS and it's highly transparent board (not) have decided to pull out of McMaster and St. Peter's over the next decade (and trust me it will happen sooner than later) I am reminded of the lack of health provision for the fastest growing areas of our city. With all due respect to Waterdown and lower Stoney Creek, the most serious growth continues to be found in Wards 6,7,8, 9 and 11. For some of those folks it's a pretty easy hop, skip and a jump to get to Centennial and King for some basic health care. But for the vast majority there is only the emergency at Juravinski servicing a mountain population that is conservatively estimated to be in those five wards, at well over 200,000 people (subtract small chunks of wards 9 and 11 below the escarpment while adding a small chunk of ward 12 which would be better serviced by a south mountain clinic, and remember these are 2011 numbers it's safe to say the real number is closer to 210,000 people).
Think about some of the decisions made by the HHS over the last 20 years.
They closed the emergency at Chedoke because it was under utilized (they said). They took out operating rooms and slowly but surely began to shut it down acre by acre, building by building and now service by service, indeed recently having the audacity to ask the city to help subsidize the final removal of staff to the under utilized Stelco tower downtown. Did anyone at HHS consult city planners about the expected explosion of growth that took place on Upper Hornung, in the Meadowlands all the way to Redeemer and on the South side of Rymal in gated communities like Garth Trails? Apparently not.
Eight years ago while announcing the closure of adult emergency at McMaster (which we were told would take care of the under utilized patrons of Chedoke) a South Mountain Health clinic was promised. Six months after said promise the West End Clinic was born. The South Mountain which hasn't grown a tad in those 8 years (insert sarcasm here) remains a health provision desert. And how did that promise get broken? The west end, Ancaster and Dundas jumped up and down screaming bloody murder. HHS caved.
Now HHS is pulling out of Mac and building an entirely new building/division near Hamilton General to take care of children's and women's health issues while closing St. Peter's and telling Hamilton residents that if they need day surgery they'll be able to travel to Grimsby to get it.
Really?
The opaque and out of touch HHS board is going to get away with this boondoggle because not one Councillor in this city has raised any argument with not only the announcement but the HHS decision making process. I don't want to sound like a whining mountain resident but when the population of the south mountain wards is virtually tied with the population of the old lower city don't you think we deserve better than 12 over crowded emergency beds jammed into a building as far away from the current growth hot spots as they possibly could be? Don't you think based on the taxes paid on the mountain that consideration should be given to a south mountain medical facility to take care of the daily breaks and hurts that don't need to clog an emergency? I don't think this is whining. I think the facts speak for themselves. The mountain and outlying communities like Mount Hope and Binbrook are under serviced and frankly ambulance response times are only going to grow if something isn't done. The lower city currently has a children's hospital, the General, St. Joe's and two clinics serving the west and east ends plus a new facility to built near the General. The mountain?
Monday 9 July 2012
A tale of two presentations.
A fairly decent agenda for a July General Issues Committee meeting. Let's see, Merulla has a notice of motion coming regarding gambling in Hamilton that had everyone a twitter last week (didn't happen, held over until August) and oh the Mayor felt the need to be school teacher regarding the ownership of the Centennial Parkway rail bridge which he managed to explain three times to anyone who would listen ( I stopped at one and a half, me slow and bad) and then there was the presentation by the Good Shepherd folks proud owners of the Good Shepherd Square doing good work in Hamilton for dozens of years. I've left out at this point the potential very big story of the day (probably will get the biggest headlines for what didn't happen) because I want to juxtapose the grilling received by the Good Shepherd vs the other supplicant for city money, a fella by the name of Darko. More about him in a moment but first, what was up with the grilling of the Good Shepherd?
Here's the background; once upon a time they proposed an over 50 million dollar project, a consolidation/expansion if you would of their services. They announced fund raising, and then they announced Provincial and Federal grant monies. Today they were basically asking for a 5 million dollar interest free loan to be applied at a million a year over the next five years to help bridge their fund raising efforts. You'd have thought they had a brought a bag of dumpster garbage with them. Councillor Terry Whitehead from Hamilton's Ward 8 grilled them about guarantees the city would get it's money back, questioned staff regarding Hamilton's credit rating, and pondered out loud which current unfunded capital projects would have to be bumped in order to give this agency it's five million. All legitimate concerns and questions. Judy Partridge from Ward 15 wanted to know the organisation's overall debt load and was city staff aware of that total? She tried that one twice but I'm not sure she actually got the answer she was looking for. An aside; when you go before council asking for taxpayers money don't you think you should have audited financials in hand or better yet, distributed before the meeting to the people actually voting on your request? Not so today although the Good Shepherd folks kept assuring councillors they would get them the information requested. At the end of the day the Future Fund Board was going to be asked to consider funding this request of the city with the unspent velodrome funds they had forwarded to the city when the velodrome was still on our Pan Am games radar. Talk about passing the buck. In the end I suspect that board will request the funds back from the city and then ponder what to do with it next with no guarantees it will be applied to the Good Shepherd. In fact I suspect the Good Shepherd as early as the August meeting of the GIC will be back hat in hand asking about option number 2 which is a five million dollar loan carrying a 2.2 per cent interest charge which basically keeps the city's credit rating unaffected.
Now to the crux of this story, yes I know, burying the lead again.
The very next time on the agenda was a request for a nine million dollar loan, interest free loan by the way from the Downtown Multi-Residential Property Investment Program to help pay a quarter of the development cost of a hotel at the corner of Bay and George or 40 Bay Street South opposite the west end of Jackson Square. It's a Homewood Suites Hotel operated by Hilton rising 15 stories and providing 182 badly needed suites (why do I still want to call them hotel rooms?) commercial opportunities and 110 parking spots. Hey a big chunk of the even bigger development Mr. Darko Vranich has been pursuing for a decade, the redevelopment of almost the entire block bounded by Main, Bay, Caroline and George. You've seen the demolition and you have seen the cranes operating, my goodness cranes operating downtown, and that's why I wonder does Mr. Vranich now have the city of Hamilton over a barrel? Think about it. The always media shy Darko Vranich was at the GIC to answer any questions any member of council might have had about this project. For five million the Good Shepherd took some heat, in fact had some body parts pressed close to the grill. Mr. Vranich? Nothing. No really, any questions? Nadda. No really, how about dust from the ongoing demolitions? Nope. Well what about dumping dirt illegally on vacant properties? Nothing. Well then maybe some one will ask about guarantees for the nine million interest free loan. Silence. Well maybe someone will ask how come the Good Shepherd was grilled and the "good" developer was not. He's right here for crying out loud. Anyone? Crickets. Not one question about guarantees, the hotel market place right now, the Canadian economy, nothing about this impacting on other projects, no concerns about the city's almost billion dollar debt that just expanded by nine million dollars (I know it hasn't hit council yet but that's a formality).
It truly is a tale of two presentations, or is it solitudes, or in fact isn't it really about two different cities, the one most of us play in and the other that can be influenced apparently. Your opinions are welcome.
Here's the background; once upon a time they proposed an over 50 million dollar project, a consolidation/expansion if you would of their services. They announced fund raising, and then they announced Provincial and Federal grant monies. Today they were basically asking for a 5 million dollar interest free loan to be applied at a million a year over the next five years to help bridge their fund raising efforts. You'd have thought they had a brought a bag of dumpster garbage with them. Councillor Terry Whitehead from Hamilton's Ward 8 grilled them about guarantees the city would get it's money back, questioned staff regarding Hamilton's credit rating, and pondered out loud which current unfunded capital projects would have to be bumped in order to give this agency it's five million. All legitimate concerns and questions. Judy Partridge from Ward 15 wanted to know the organisation's overall debt load and was city staff aware of that total? She tried that one twice but I'm not sure she actually got the answer she was looking for. An aside; when you go before council asking for taxpayers money don't you think you should have audited financials in hand or better yet, distributed before the meeting to the people actually voting on your request? Not so today although the Good Shepherd folks kept assuring councillors they would get them the information requested. At the end of the day the Future Fund Board was going to be asked to consider funding this request of the city with the unspent velodrome funds they had forwarded to the city when the velodrome was still on our Pan Am games radar. Talk about passing the buck. In the end I suspect that board will request the funds back from the city and then ponder what to do with it next with no guarantees it will be applied to the Good Shepherd. In fact I suspect the Good Shepherd as early as the August meeting of the GIC will be back hat in hand asking about option number 2 which is a five million dollar loan carrying a 2.2 per cent interest charge which basically keeps the city's credit rating unaffected.
Now to the crux of this story, yes I know, burying the lead again.
The very next time on the agenda was a request for a nine million dollar loan, interest free loan by the way from the Downtown Multi-Residential Property Investment Program to help pay a quarter of the development cost of a hotel at the corner of Bay and George or 40 Bay Street South opposite the west end of Jackson Square. It's a Homewood Suites Hotel operated by Hilton rising 15 stories and providing 182 badly needed suites (why do I still want to call them hotel rooms?) commercial opportunities and 110 parking spots. Hey a big chunk of the even bigger development Mr. Darko Vranich has been pursuing for a decade, the redevelopment of almost the entire block bounded by Main, Bay, Caroline and George. You've seen the demolition and you have seen the cranes operating, my goodness cranes operating downtown, and that's why I wonder does Mr. Vranich now have the city of Hamilton over a barrel? Think about it. The always media shy Darko Vranich was at the GIC to answer any questions any member of council might have had about this project. For five million the Good Shepherd took some heat, in fact had some body parts pressed close to the grill. Mr. Vranich? Nothing. No really, any questions? Nadda. No really, how about dust from the ongoing demolitions? Nope. Well what about dumping dirt illegally on vacant properties? Nothing. Well then maybe some one will ask about guarantees for the nine million interest free loan. Silence. Well maybe someone will ask how come the Good Shepherd was grilled and the "good" developer was not. He's right here for crying out loud. Anyone? Crickets. Not one question about guarantees, the hotel market place right now, the Canadian economy, nothing about this impacting on other projects, no concerns about the city's almost billion dollar debt that just expanded by nine million dollars (I know it hasn't hit council yet but that's a formality).
It truly is a tale of two presentations, or is it solitudes, or in fact isn't it really about two different cities, the one most of us play in and the other that can be influenced apparently. Your opinions are welcome.
Tuesday 29 May 2012
I think I'm going to burst!
Goodbye, Parkside, Highland, Delta, Sir John A. Macdonald, Mountain, Parkview, Hill Park and Barton. So long. I didn't go to any of those schools but I already miss them. Why you ask? Schools form the heart of communities and neighbourhoods. Schools become oh so much more than education facilities. They generally host arts and culture groups and play a role in outreach to the surrounding community with their bright and young capable minds. They are the centre for food drives, environmental clean ups and sports tournaments. In many cases businesses have located as close as possible to these schools to service (ok make some money but there's nothing wrong with that) in general over a thousand potential customers. These brick and mortar neighbourhood entrepots are at the centre of all that is considered good and bad in a neighbourhood with heavy emphasis on the good. But now due to the lack of spine featured by many long serving school board trustees these neighbourhood focal points will be closed as education is gutted in Dundas, the central lower city of Hamilton and the central mountain.
Where to begin? How about we begin with the lack of renovations over the last decade to most of these schools which is now being used as an excuse to close them in favour of new super schools. Many of the same trustees blindly followed staff recommendations to do nothing while science labs decayed and central plant fell behind the times. This hasn't happened overnight. The neglect at some of these schools is almost criminal and now kids will pay the price. When ARC's were set up to study the closure or renovation question were some schools left off the consideration list? Absolutely. My old school, Westmount was not considered which makes the whole process patently ridiculous. Thirdly where is the new mountain high school going to be located? South east of Limeridge and the Linc we're told. Well based on the way population and demographic shifts are taking place I'd suggest this new school be built as far south as possible because the old city growth is not going to stop at the hydro lines or Twenty Rd, it's going to keep on heading south especially if Aerotropolis takes flight and/or new business announcements take place near Canada Bread. I guess I'm ready to burst because a kid living at Upper Wellington and Concession who might have had a decent hike to Hill Park is now going to be on a bus for at least half an hour each way trying to get to this new school to be built somewhere. I guess I'm ready to burst because a historical building like Delta is now under threat and that a relatively new building like Sir John A. is going to be shut down. If you're a kid living under the brow on say Ferguson Ave. just where will you be going to school?
This group of trustees has just decimated education in this city upending the lives of kids who in 2015 should be enjoying their final year of high school instead of wondering if they should take a brick home as a souvenir. The least scrutinised politicians in this city have just pulled off history. They have done more injury to families, kids, neighbourhoods and this community then any debate about the location of a football stadium did or could. They ought to be ashamed and yet with a multiplicity of school boards in Ontario competing for students and fighting over catchment basins can they be entirely held at fault? Nope, there's lots of fault to be shared with staff and with the Ministry of Education. On the morning after go ahead and shed a tear for a Blue Baron, a Ram, a Panther, a Hawk, a member of the Blue and Gold or a Red Raider because a dark cloud just settled over their present and future likely eliminating their past.
Where to begin? How about we begin with the lack of renovations over the last decade to most of these schools which is now being used as an excuse to close them in favour of new super schools. Many of the same trustees blindly followed staff recommendations to do nothing while science labs decayed and central plant fell behind the times. This hasn't happened overnight. The neglect at some of these schools is almost criminal and now kids will pay the price. When ARC's were set up to study the closure or renovation question were some schools left off the consideration list? Absolutely. My old school, Westmount was not considered which makes the whole process patently ridiculous. Thirdly where is the new mountain high school going to be located? South east of Limeridge and the Linc we're told. Well based on the way population and demographic shifts are taking place I'd suggest this new school be built as far south as possible because the old city growth is not going to stop at the hydro lines or Twenty Rd, it's going to keep on heading south especially if Aerotropolis takes flight and/or new business announcements take place near Canada Bread. I guess I'm ready to burst because a kid living at Upper Wellington and Concession who might have had a decent hike to Hill Park is now going to be on a bus for at least half an hour each way trying to get to this new school to be built somewhere. I guess I'm ready to burst because a historical building like Delta is now under threat and that a relatively new building like Sir John A. is going to be shut down. If you're a kid living under the brow on say Ferguson Ave. just where will you be going to school?
This group of trustees has just decimated education in this city upending the lives of kids who in 2015 should be enjoying their final year of high school instead of wondering if they should take a brick home as a souvenir. The least scrutinised politicians in this city have just pulled off history. They have done more injury to families, kids, neighbourhoods and this community then any debate about the location of a football stadium did or could. They ought to be ashamed and yet with a multiplicity of school boards in Ontario competing for students and fighting over catchment basins can they be entirely held at fault? Nope, there's lots of fault to be shared with staff and with the Ministry of Education. On the morning after go ahead and shed a tear for a Blue Baron, a Ram, a Panther, a Hawk, a member of the Blue and Gold or a Red Raider because a dark cloud just settled over their present and future likely eliminating their past.
Tuesday 24 April 2012
Burden of proof!
It is awkward isn't it? Those pesky ward boundaries defy logic. Rob Pasuta out in 14 represents just under 15 thousand people, some cows, a Lion Safari and a race track in some peril because of the Provincial Government. While in Ward 7 Scott Duvall represents a rapidly expanding chunk of the city stretching from the brow to the former city limits and closing on 60 thousand citizens as long time dormant chunks of land fill in with development. Seems unfair right? Obviously the numbers suggest it must be, and so some citizens think we need to change those boundaries since Council itself has determined to wait until after the elections still over two years away. With five hundred signatures on a petition the citizenry of Hamilton can get the ball rolling, the debate engaged even if that debate takes them to a higher authority in this case the Ontario Municipal Board. These engaged citizens believe that an example has already been set with the city of London and so a template exists for change.
I'm not sure change is actually necessary and the burden of proof that citizens are somehow being disenfranchised or somehow under serviced by their political representative will be a hard case to make.
Here are a couple of reasons why the boundaries are the way they are. The first is fairly obvious and it's called amalgamation. Some folks were dragged kicking and screaming to the bosom of mother Hamilton. They worried about identity, about an increase in taxes etc, you know all about that debate and some over time compromise has been found on a number of subjects including area rating that have calmed the get the hell out of Hamilton at any cost forces of de-amalgamation.
To those who still believe in representation by population as yourself how would you change the boundary of Dundas? You can extend the boundary of Stoney Creek further to the east but at the cost of ward 11. Are you thinking of adding another ward? If so then the only logical place to put the ward would be south of Stone Church running like a strip mall across the south end of the old city taking away from wards 6 7 and 8. If you do add a ward you are adding under that scenario another vote to old Hamilton creating a 9 to 7 urban vs rural/urban split, a split that I would bet wouldn't sit to well with the 7.
Ask yourself as well, is representation by population done anywhere in this country? The answer is no it can't be.
Any two riding's in Toronto have a greater population than all of Prince Edward Island with has four Federal riding's for a population of 141 thousand. That's not representation by population, that's about a constitution and the nature of the island. I give full marks to any MPP who covers hundreds of square miles by car, and float plane in Norther Ontario to service a riding like Kenora-Rainy River which does not have any relationship to lets say Hamilton Centre. Where the issues differ from rural to urban it really doesn't matter and it really can't be helped if there is no representation by pop.
Rob Pasuta brings great knowledge of rural Ontario and the issues its farmers, workers and residents face every day. That voice needs to be heard and that expertise presented even if the Councillor only has 14 thousand voices to represent. They are in some ways a unique 14 thousand within our city that Councillor Duvall might struggle to represent, and yet he is fully capable of representing a ward where people have very like urban issues to deal with. Think of the enormity of problems that come across the desk of Councillor Brenda Johnson in ward 11. From the PFOS pollution issue, to the expansion of the airport to industrial parks to expanding rural communities like Binbrook to discussions about Marinas along the lake to the protection of fruit lands along Highway 8 this councillor needs to be nimble and frankly quite mobile to do everything she does and in my opinion does well. Heck she even has a mall and transportation node to deal with at Fifty Road.
For the citizens who are pushing this petition and the very real dream of rep by pop, you are to be commended, however if you do manage to take this to a higher authority the theory itself will not and can not trigger action in your favour. Although the Federal Government has added more riding's to growing population provinces Ontario still does not receive what it should based on that principle. Is that right? No it is not, but it is also the law and it is a precedent that has long been established.
And so now the burden of proof that I mentioned before is on the petitioners to show that this Hamilton Council or any individual on this council is not pulling their fair weight or is not servicing the needs of his or her constituents. For a further explanation of that point check out my interview with ward 8's Terry Whitehead from last Thursdays For the Record "council edition". You can find that interview at "youtube.com/c14ftr".
In my opinion it will be hard to show that council is not doing it's job. It will be even harder to prove that any single member of this council no matter the population base is not doing his or her job.
Lastly this city is growing by leaps and bounds. I've mentioned the in fill in 6 7 and 8. Take a look at the developments at highways 5 and 6 and further north. Ancaster is ever growing out it's back door and the urban boundary of Stoney Creek is now under review and folks have you driven along Rymal Rd recently? The growth there is unbelievable. All of this growth is getting national notice because Hamilton is on the move which suggests more able representation by this council than not. This growth also suggests that if you started to change boundaries now, your changes would be out of date within two years. Petitioners you will need to make a very compelling case, which we will all watch with great anticipation.
I'm not sure change is actually necessary and the burden of proof that citizens are somehow being disenfranchised or somehow under serviced by their political representative will be a hard case to make.
Here are a couple of reasons why the boundaries are the way they are. The first is fairly obvious and it's called amalgamation. Some folks were dragged kicking and screaming to the bosom of mother Hamilton. They worried about identity, about an increase in taxes etc, you know all about that debate and some over time compromise has been found on a number of subjects including area rating that have calmed the get the hell out of Hamilton at any cost forces of de-amalgamation.
To those who still believe in representation by population as yourself how would you change the boundary of Dundas? You can extend the boundary of Stoney Creek further to the east but at the cost of ward 11. Are you thinking of adding another ward? If so then the only logical place to put the ward would be south of Stone Church running like a strip mall across the south end of the old city taking away from wards 6 7 and 8. If you do add a ward you are adding under that scenario another vote to old Hamilton creating a 9 to 7 urban vs rural/urban split, a split that I would bet wouldn't sit to well with the 7.
Ask yourself as well, is representation by population done anywhere in this country? The answer is no it can't be.
Any two riding's in Toronto have a greater population than all of Prince Edward Island with has four Federal riding's for a population of 141 thousand. That's not representation by population, that's about a constitution and the nature of the island. I give full marks to any MPP who covers hundreds of square miles by car, and float plane in Norther Ontario to service a riding like Kenora-Rainy River which does not have any relationship to lets say Hamilton Centre. Where the issues differ from rural to urban it really doesn't matter and it really can't be helped if there is no representation by pop.
Rob Pasuta brings great knowledge of rural Ontario and the issues its farmers, workers and residents face every day. That voice needs to be heard and that expertise presented even if the Councillor only has 14 thousand voices to represent. They are in some ways a unique 14 thousand within our city that Councillor Duvall might struggle to represent, and yet he is fully capable of representing a ward where people have very like urban issues to deal with. Think of the enormity of problems that come across the desk of Councillor Brenda Johnson in ward 11. From the PFOS pollution issue, to the expansion of the airport to industrial parks to expanding rural communities like Binbrook to discussions about Marinas along the lake to the protection of fruit lands along Highway 8 this councillor needs to be nimble and frankly quite mobile to do everything she does and in my opinion does well. Heck she even has a mall and transportation node to deal with at Fifty Road.
For the citizens who are pushing this petition and the very real dream of rep by pop, you are to be commended, however if you do manage to take this to a higher authority the theory itself will not and can not trigger action in your favour. Although the Federal Government has added more riding's to growing population provinces Ontario still does not receive what it should based on that principle. Is that right? No it is not, but it is also the law and it is a precedent that has long been established.
And so now the burden of proof that I mentioned before is on the petitioners to show that this Hamilton Council or any individual on this council is not pulling their fair weight or is not servicing the needs of his or her constituents. For a further explanation of that point check out my interview with ward 8's Terry Whitehead from last Thursdays For the Record "council edition". You can find that interview at "youtube.com/c14ftr".
In my opinion it will be hard to show that council is not doing it's job. It will be even harder to prove that any single member of this council no matter the population base is not doing his or her job.
Lastly this city is growing by leaps and bounds. I've mentioned the in fill in 6 7 and 8. Take a look at the developments at highways 5 and 6 and further north. Ancaster is ever growing out it's back door and the urban boundary of Stoney Creek is now under review and folks have you driven along Rymal Rd recently? The growth there is unbelievable. All of this growth is getting national notice because Hamilton is on the move which suggests more able representation by this council than not. This growth also suggests that if you started to change boundaries now, your changes would be out of date within two years. Petitioners you will need to make a very compelling case, which we will all watch with great anticipation.
Sunday 8 April 2012
Brian Burke has failed!
I haven't really written a lick of sports unless it's Hamilton oriented since leaving the sports media business last September. OK I didn't leave I was punted. Whatever.
It's time however to lay out my views for what they are worth.
The subject happens to revolve around my favourite team now the only team not to make the playoffs since the lockout, and that is the Toronto Maple Leafs. Indeed a new category looms for this teams ineptitude if there's a lockout this fall; the only team not to make the playoffs between "the" lockouts. Can't wait.
Brian Burke said on his arrival in Toronto that he could not start from the ground up for the Toronto market place demanded better. Mistake number one.
Brian Burke upon his arrival in Toronto said he would have a big, fast and rambunctious team. If Colby Armstrong playing with Tim Connolly is the epitome of the above description than I and other Leafs fans misinterpreted. This team has never played tough and never made their building a place to avoid. Mistake number two.
Brian Burke knew coming to Toronto that he needed a first line centre, like a really good first line centre. He has Mikhail Grabovski who at times can be brilliant, but he's no true number one. Mistake number three.
Brian Burke knew when he came to Toronto that he would need a top ten NHL goalie. He hasn't found one yet. Mistake number four.
Ron Wilson. Mistake number five.
Phil Kessel. Mistake number six. I have defended THE trade numerous times. I'm through defending. If 29 other teams leave Phil to his own devices, he's an excellent player. The moment any of those 29 lay on the body he disappears. Watch his body language around the big boys who hit in the league, especially Zdeno Chara. Phil looks like a deer in the headlights.
I know, I know, not to many people like playing against Chara but at least they show up for work.
What to do smart guy you might say? They need to do what they probably should have done years ago and that's make sure they are the worst damn team in the league next year. They have tried the trading route and the free agent signing route. They've spent as much as they can without success. The only other recourse to blowing it all up and going with the kids is to fire Brian Burke and that's not likely to happen. Brian himself could offer up another alternative which is a resignation letting someone else have a go at it. Why so down on Brian? I'm fed up with my team losing. I'm sick to death of sitting down to watch them and then turning to another channel when they let in two goals on four shots in seven minutes. I've shut them off this season more often than I've watched them to the conclusion of a game. In other words my blue and white affection is disappearing against my will.
What should they do? Oh boy where to start? They need to find a keeper but there aren't any under the age of 35 who are worth a damn on the free agent market.
They need to eliminate the right side of their defence. Schenn has regressed, Komisarek is passed his due date and the captain outside of his big shot really isn't a good skater, nor a real tough guy. He is making way too much money to be just mediocre. Liles has just been given an extension which may also turn out to be a mistake. Prior to his concussion he was playing terrific offencive hockey, but after he came back his offencive stats headed south of his defencive stats and that's saying something. Gardiner and Gunnarsson and Franson are keepers because they all have an upside. Up front, thanks for the scoring Phil but with two more years left on that deal I won't be able to watch him without thinking of Tyler Seguin let alone Taylor Hall. Tim Connolly was a gulp decision last summer and he has now proven the Sabres correct. He is also passed his due date unless we want to use him as a third line checking centre man. You don't want to do that! Fine! He and Mathew Lombardi can help each other move.
Colby Armstrong? A chirpy bust.
Mike Brown? More hustle than most but really we can't do better?
Jay Rosehill? Time for a permanent stay in the "A".
I'd keep Lupul because I think he has found his way back from purgatory in Anaheim and to me he was the best Leaf until his injury.
I like Frattin's speed, Bozak's creativity, Kulemin's work ethic and MacArthur's quick release. I'd keep them along with Mikhail. Joey Crabb can play on my team any time because he will go into Chara's corner even if it's just to find Phil. Big David Steckel I'd keep around for face offs and special teams. Joe Colborne in my opinion will never be. And Nazem Kadri? Don't get me started. He might be the second coming of Ramzi Abid.
There is some talent on the Marlies that may grow into NHL talent over the next couple of years but, until this collection of players is bolstered by real leaders it's not going anywhere. If anyone thinks that we are just one trade away from the playoffs well, I have a railway system in Northern Ontario I can sell you.
It's time however to lay out my views for what they are worth.
The subject happens to revolve around my favourite team now the only team not to make the playoffs since the lockout, and that is the Toronto Maple Leafs. Indeed a new category looms for this teams ineptitude if there's a lockout this fall; the only team not to make the playoffs between "the" lockouts. Can't wait.
Brian Burke said on his arrival in Toronto that he could not start from the ground up for the Toronto market place demanded better. Mistake number one.
Brian Burke upon his arrival in Toronto said he would have a big, fast and rambunctious team. If Colby Armstrong playing with Tim Connolly is the epitome of the above description than I and other Leafs fans misinterpreted. This team has never played tough and never made their building a place to avoid. Mistake number two.
Brian Burke knew coming to Toronto that he needed a first line centre, like a really good first line centre. He has Mikhail Grabovski who at times can be brilliant, but he's no true number one. Mistake number three.
Brian Burke knew when he came to Toronto that he would need a top ten NHL goalie. He hasn't found one yet. Mistake number four.
Ron Wilson. Mistake number five.
Phil Kessel. Mistake number six. I have defended THE trade numerous times. I'm through defending. If 29 other teams leave Phil to his own devices, he's an excellent player. The moment any of those 29 lay on the body he disappears. Watch his body language around the big boys who hit in the league, especially Zdeno Chara. Phil looks like a deer in the headlights.
I know, I know, not to many people like playing against Chara but at least they show up for work.
What to do smart guy you might say? They need to do what they probably should have done years ago and that's make sure they are the worst damn team in the league next year. They have tried the trading route and the free agent signing route. They've spent as much as they can without success. The only other recourse to blowing it all up and going with the kids is to fire Brian Burke and that's not likely to happen. Brian himself could offer up another alternative which is a resignation letting someone else have a go at it. Why so down on Brian? I'm fed up with my team losing. I'm sick to death of sitting down to watch them and then turning to another channel when they let in two goals on four shots in seven minutes. I've shut them off this season more often than I've watched them to the conclusion of a game. In other words my blue and white affection is disappearing against my will.
What should they do? Oh boy where to start? They need to find a keeper but there aren't any under the age of 35 who are worth a damn on the free agent market.
They need to eliminate the right side of their defence. Schenn has regressed, Komisarek is passed his due date and the captain outside of his big shot really isn't a good skater, nor a real tough guy. He is making way too much money to be just mediocre. Liles has just been given an extension which may also turn out to be a mistake. Prior to his concussion he was playing terrific offencive hockey, but after he came back his offencive stats headed south of his defencive stats and that's saying something. Gardiner and Gunnarsson and Franson are keepers because they all have an upside. Up front, thanks for the scoring Phil but with two more years left on that deal I won't be able to watch him without thinking of Tyler Seguin let alone Taylor Hall. Tim Connolly was a gulp decision last summer and he has now proven the Sabres correct. He is also passed his due date unless we want to use him as a third line checking centre man. You don't want to do that! Fine! He and Mathew Lombardi can help each other move.
Colby Armstrong? A chirpy bust.
Mike Brown? More hustle than most but really we can't do better?
Jay Rosehill? Time for a permanent stay in the "A".
I'd keep Lupul because I think he has found his way back from purgatory in Anaheim and to me he was the best Leaf until his injury.
I like Frattin's speed, Bozak's creativity, Kulemin's work ethic and MacArthur's quick release. I'd keep them along with Mikhail. Joey Crabb can play on my team any time because he will go into Chara's corner even if it's just to find Phil. Big David Steckel I'd keep around for face offs and special teams. Joe Colborne in my opinion will never be. And Nazem Kadri? Don't get me started. He might be the second coming of Ramzi Abid.
There is some talent on the Marlies that may grow into NHL talent over the next couple of years but, until this collection of players is bolstered by real leaders it's not going anywhere. If anyone thinks that we are just one trade away from the playoffs well, I have a railway system in Northern Ontario I can sell you.
Tuesday 27 March 2012
This is no tempest in a tea pot!
This notion that people are sick to death of the Peggy Chapman affair is plain wrong. Every where I go people ask, "what's up with the Mayor?". Even for those people who would rather talk about anything else than a significant pay increase for the Mayor's Executive Assistant here's why this story needs to be seen out to it's conclusion hopefully tomorrow night, and why it's important for our city.
Number one, I think everyone would agree that upon further review back in December the Mayor in his efforts to lay blame elsewhere for a 33 per cent pay increase or 30 thousand dollars for Ms Chapman gave himself a black eye. This was a self inflicted punch to the face. His office leaked the amount and when people began asking questions he tried to suggest that Human Resources approached him about a review of the EAs pay. That was patently false and when staff called him on it, he backed down and admitted he instigated the review and then made the decision. It really wasn't about the money, it was more about the Mayor once a little bit of heat was applied to the front burner trying to slide away and blame someone else. When council heard the details they called the Mayor to task which is point two of this discussion. In January thoroughly upset that the integrity of a department and it's senior manager had been tarnished by the Mayor's original stance council threatened to censure him at that point in time. Behind closed doors for several hours the Mayor argued back and forth with councillors asking them to look beyond the process to the money he was saving in his department. He finally accepted the will of council and admitted to them he had done wrong and he apologised. Some two months later after going off the deep end over a cartoon in the editorial pages of the Spectator the Mayor went ballistic in an email he assumed wouldn't be released by the managing editors of the local daily. Naive or what? If you've read the email you know how vitriolic it was, claiming the daily was out to get him and his family. This episode number two erupted not only because of the cartoon but because of the imminent publishing of the "sunshine list" across all of Ontario from Provincial to Municipal and Health Care executives we by law were about to learn who made over 1 hundred thousand dollars. Peggy Chapman's name was going to be on the list because she cashed in vacation time pushing her from 90 thousand bucks to just over 1 hundred thousand dollars. Rumours had been swirling and thus the Spectator's Andrew Dreschel picked up the phone and asked the Mayor to comment. Not only did he comment he spilled the exact beans which the Spectator did not have until that point in time. Thus the e mail to the Spec which published on a Wednesday just before the next GIC meeting (General Issues Committee). At that meeting Councillor Sam Merulla who had read Dreschels column where the e mail was printed for the first time put forward a notice of motion of censure because in that e mail the Mayor once again reiterated that he had not been the one to promote a pay raise for Chapman in the first place. Wow. The reaction, the body language as the ramifications began to dawn on Councillors was an amazing sight to see.
The ramifications were clear, the Mayor had back tracked from the apology he had given only two months before. Censure was on again. Censure indeed will take place tomorrow evening but beyond censure what can council collectively do to punish the Mayor who by the way went on an email rampage over the weekend sending nasty notes including some filthy language to those he perceives most want to take him down a notch. The buzz is all over the city about what the Mayor was saying in those emails which began this past Friday evening. This afternoon in camera, council discussed a personnel matter. I have no doubt they concluded exactly what their collective approach will be tomorrow evening and I can assure you that from two sources I have spoken to, they have the votes to censure this Mayor.
So what are the ramifications in detail?
The Mayor, Bob Bratina on two occasions has not told the whole truth and nothing but the truth on the process regarding the pay increase.
He has privately and publicly now either forgotten his apology (I'm being nice here) or with a huge streak of stubbornness has decided to revoke his apology to his council colleagues.
He has recently and privately attacked select members of council for daring to challenge and/or punish him for his attitudes.
He has unilaterally demanded that senior staff, those who could possibly have known what names were on the sunshine list to sign sworn affidavits that they in fact did not leak information that was going to be public within a week of leaking. He can not do this and nor can any other individual member of council. Only through a vote at council can such an action proceed legally.
He has dug himself a hole that he is not apparently prepared to climb out of.
What are the ramifications for the city of Hamilton? Across the country people have a certain perception of Hamilton don't they? This will reinforce that won't it?
When council censures the Mayor tomorrow evening and the news makes it's way across the nation people will say, "take a look at this, there goes Hamilton again". "They couldn't get the Pan Am stadium right and damn near lost the Ticats now their Mayor is getting spanked in public". It isn't going to look good and that's a fact, but here's the good news. Despite the antics of this Mayor this city is on the move. Wherever I go I see new development, new initiatives, new ideas and new blood pushing this city forward. We not only have turned a corner we are pressing the pedal to the medal on a number of economic fronts. Rest assured, from what I have seen of this council there are more than enough leaders and qualified people who won't let this city tumble off the tracks
Number one, I think everyone would agree that upon further review back in December the Mayor in his efforts to lay blame elsewhere for a 33 per cent pay increase or 30 thousand dollars for Ms Chapman gave himself a black eye. This was a self inflicted punch to the face. His office leaked the amount and when people began asking questions he tried to suggest that Human Resources approached him about a review of the EAs pay. That was patently false and when staff called him on it, he backed down and admitted he instigated the review and then made the decision. It really wasn't about the money, it was more about the Mayor once a little bit of heat was applied to the front burner trying to slide away and blame someone else. When council heard the details they called the Mayor to task which is point two of this discussion. In January thoroughly upset that the integrity of a department and it's senior manager had been tarnished by the Mayor's original stance council threatened to censure him at that point in time. Behind closed doors for several hours the Mayor argued back and forth with councillors asking them to look beyond the process to the money he was saving in his department. He finally accepted the will of council and admitted to them he had done wrong and he apologised. Some two months later after going off the deep end over a cartoon in the editorial pages of the Spectator the Mayor went ballistic in an email he assumed wouldn't be released by the managing editors of the local daily. Naive or what? If you've read the email you know how vitriolic it was, claiming the daily was out to get him and his family. This episode number two erupted not only because of the cartoon but because of the imminent publishing of the "sunshine list" across all of Ontario from Provincial to Municipal and Health Care executives we by law were about to learn who made over 1 hundred thousand dollars. Peggy Chapman's name was going to be on the list because she cashed in vacation time pushing her from 90 thousand bucks to just over 1 hundred thousand dollars. Rumours had been swirling and thus the Spectator's Andrew Dreschel picked up the phone and asked the Mayor to comment. Not only did he comment he spilled the exact beans which the Spectator did not have until that point in time. Thus the e mail to the Spec which published on a Wednesday just before the next GIC meeting (General Issues Committee). At that meeting Councillor Sam Merulla who had read Dreschels column where the e mail was printed for the first time put forward a notice of motion of censure because in that e mail the Mayor once again reiterated that he had not been the one to promote a pay raise for Chapman in the first place. Wow. The reaction, the body language as the ramifications began to dawn on Councillors was an amazing sight to see.
The ramifications were clear, the Mayor had back tracked from the apology he had given only two months before. Censure was on again. Censure indeed will take place tomorrow evening but beyond censure what can council collectively do to punish the Mayor who by the way went on an email rampage over the weekend sending nasty notes including some filthy language to those he perceives most want to take him down a notch. The buzz is all over the city about what the Mayor was saying in those emails which began this past Friday evening. This afternoon in camera, council discussed a personnel matter. I have no doubt they concluded exactly what their collective approach will be tomorrow evening and I can assure you that from two sources I have spoken to, they have the votes to censure this Mayor.
So what are the ramifications in detail?
The Mayor, Bob Bratina on two occasions has not told the whole truth and nothing but the truth on the process regarding the pay increase.
He has privately and publicly now either forgotten his apology (I'm being nice here) or with a huge streak of stubbornness has decided to revoke his apology to his council colleagues.
He has recently and privately attacked select members of council for daring to challenge and/or punish him for his attitudes.
He has unilaterally demanded that senior staff, those who could possibly have known what names were on the sunshine list to sign sworn affidavits that they in fact did not leak information that was going to be public within a week of leaking. He can not do this and nor can any other individual member of council. Only through a vote at council can such an action proceed legally.
He has dug himself a hole that he is not apparently prepared to climb out of.
What are the ramifications for the city of Hamilton? Across the country people have a certain perception of Hamilton don't they? This will reinforce that won't it?
When council censures the Mayor tomorrow evening and the news makes it's way across the nation people will say, "take a look at this, there goes Hamilton again". "They couldn't get the Pan Am stadium right and damn near lost the Ticats now their Mayor is getting spanked in public". It isn't going to look good and that's a fact, but here's the good news. Despite the antics of this Mayor this city is on the move. Wherever I go I see new development, new initiatives, new ideas and new blood pushing this city forward. We not only have turned a corner we are pressing the pedal to the medal on a number of economic fronts. Rest assured, from what I have seen of this council there are more than enough leaders and qualified people who won't let this city tumble off the tracks
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