Raise the Hammer

Sorry Trevor,
I don't miss the downtown core and having to park 5 minutes away beside a methadone clinic. The people in the Meadowlands are much more civilized then the vagrents and pregnant 15-year-olds that hang out everday by the Tim Horton's on Hughson and King, asking you for change. I don't fear working late at night becuase I'll know I can walk safely to my car. An employee-wide raise you say? Why? Now we don't have to pay $30/month for parking and most of our employees live on the mountain anyways. I was embarassed to take our clients to some of the restaurants downtown. La Costa was the only decent restaurant in our area and they moved too. In the Meadowlands we have a variety of restaurants to choose from including an nice little Italian place in our building, DiMillo's Restaurante.

I believe this was a step in the right direction for Dalton Timmis. Our company is growing rapidly and 4 Hughson Street couldn't accomodate the fact that we were running out of room on the 8th floor.

I understand this move didn't benefit the downtown core but I think our Employee's Safety was more of a concern.

Thanks,

DTG Employee

This post does not in anyway reflect the beliefs/views of the Dalton Timmis Insurance Group but rather the views/beliefs of an individual who is employed by the Dalton Timmis Insurance Group.

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After reading that kind of commentary, I am now shopping for a new insurer. If an employee could be so wrong about the downtown core, then I refuse to continue to give them my business.

I live downtown and cannot disagree more with this narrow, ignorant view of downtown. The downtown core is no less safe than any of the overrated mountain neighbourhoods. Given a choice, at night I would much rather be in an area with a multitude of pedestrains, video surveillance and regular police foot patrols than stuck in a desolute area crossing an empty unwatched parking lot in the dead of night.

What is Dalton Timmis thinking of? Have they not noticed the improvements to the downtown core? Does no one there read the paper or review the news highlighting the new Connaught development, the Tivoli rehab, the improved AGO, the influx of retailers in Jackson Square/City Centre? The new residences down the road at the old Century, at King and Ferguson, at King William and Jarvis? The Hilton planned for Bay and Main? The redevelopment of Lister? Victoria Hall?

I say good riddance, and encourage others who live and work in the downtown area to dump them as insurers.

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"La Costa was the only decent restaurant in our area"

ahem,
Infusions, Mahal, Fingers, Chesters, Pepperjack, Reardons, Dalina's, Rooom 41, My Thai, Capri, Harvest Moon, Jade Garden, Gate of India, Acclamation, The Sailor, Wild Orchid, Venturas, Brownies, Ya Man, Denningers, Hoya, Bauhinia, Sushi Star, Yu and Yu, Tailgate Charlies, Hot Pot House, Cat N Fiddle, Aaut and About, Deliceux, Winking Judge, Bistro Parisien, One Duke, La Cantina, La Piazza, Lo Presti's, Cafe at AGH, Papagayo, La Luna, Sizzle, KOI, Gown and Gavel, B&T, Pho Da Bo, Noodle Chef, Forbidden City, Le Chinois, Slainte, Corktown Pub, Pheasant Plucker, Lionshead.

Shall we include Locke Street too or is that enough??

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I'm changing insurers too. Mainway probably. Anyone else know of any other downtown brokers? Someone that has such contempt for their own city/downtown will not get my money.

Free parking is a myth. Read _The High Cost of Free Parking_ reviewed by Ryan McGreal here http://www.raisethehammer.org/index.asp?id=072

I'm not even going to mention the environmental costs of 'free' parking and car use, because there isn't any matrix to measure it. I also believe this DT employee wouldn't care anyway.

Someone is paying for that parking lot in the Meadowlands – believe me. I know 'getting something for nothing' is an attitude and philosophy that has grown to gross proportions since the post-war/baby-boom era, but ‘free’ parking is a myth.

The landlord is paying taxes and paying to maintain that piece of ashphalt. Do you actually think the landlord just pays for it because they're nice? It’s factored into the overhead costs and passed onto Dalton Timmis in the form of a lease. The lease costs become DT's overhead and factored into the costs of every DT customer's premiums. So who is paying for your 'free' parking?

Furthermore downtown is very convenient for bus transit. Your offices were right across from Gore Park, it can't get better than that. If your employer requires you to use a car for business -- then I don't know about you -- but 'good' companies expect to reimburse their employees (including the $30 for parking) if they use their cars for such purposes. Or does the 'something for nothing' entitlement attitude run that deep at Dalton Timmis?

I’m not sure how you can judge a ‘civilized’ person while seated in your car and the person who you’ve judged to be ‘civilized’ is seated in their car? That’s talent. Maybe they just beat the crap out of their wife and kids. Or are you simply relying on the fact that they have gainful employment and a foreign vehicle so they must be ‘civilized’?

Don’t blame a city for being a city. Don’t call the pot black. If you want to live in a “Logan’s Run” world or a “Chrysalids” novel (you pick the sci-fi) that is your choice. I’ll tell you now, it doesn’t exist, except in fiction, where the point is to alert people from taking that path, where we judge people because life may not have treated them as ‘nice’ as you. Some people didn’t have the fortune of being born into a middle-class, functioning, happy family. Social problems exist in the Meadowlands too. It’s just not as obvious, because they are hidden away in their ‘great rooms’.

I’m sure you’re a good person and don’t really want to have pregnant 15 year olds shipped-off to an island. (How old was your grandmother when she first gave birth?) Maybe you’re seeing everyone as an insurance risk, well for goodness sake stop judging people through an actuarial and see people, especially if they are needy. One of those panhandlers could’ve been you.

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Ok, Dalton's comment was needlessly snide, but these responses are a bit much. You can't expect everyone to share the love of urban life that is so prevelant among RTH contributers.

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Well... 'yes' and 'no'.
For myself I would have chosen to disregarded the Dalton Timmis employees comments because they have no basis for a discussion. They are so blantently ignorant.
The employee states that, "the people in the Meadowlands are much more civilized than the vagrants and pregnant 15 year olds that hang out every day by the Tim Hortons" I don't think a fiesty response to a comment like that is unwarranted (or unexpected). And it certainly doesn't suggest that RTH readers are intolerant of anyone who doesn't share our view of urban life (as you imply).

I agree that a discussion like this does not go anywhere, but only in so far as it is hard - if not impossible? - to enlighten hardened attitutes such as this. Personally I'd prefer to engage in a discussion with someone who has an open and inquisitive mind. Hard-assed ignorance is a hard nut to crack.

Cheers

Ben

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I don't expect anyone to share a love of anything. I agree with both Ben and Kevin.
But comments that are a) untrue - the 'no good restaurants' bit.
And, b) intolerant, judgemental and plain old rude are certainly going to get a response.
But as Ben said, it's really just wasted time.
Enjoy life in the suburbs for all I care. I don't think urban life has anything to do with this discussion. Unfortunately the content is much deeper and more sad than a discussion on neighbourhood choices.

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I work in the building at 4 Hughson. I gotta say I agree with things said by all sides here, not that it helps any of you. (Full disclosure: I still use DT as my insurer; though it's no longer convenient for me to just walk into their offices; all done by phone now.)

Yes, the restaurants comment is not really true, there is plenty of dining options all around here. I do agree with the DT employee a little bit about the safety, cleanliness and all-around atmposphere in the Gore park area. The comment may have been out of line, but I also could do with less welfare moms/unemployed or unschooled teenagers/bums, etc... A business also has to be convenient to not only its customers but also its employees, and if they have found most of both are now on the mountain, and it made financial sense to move, all the more power to them.

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Don't let my comments affect using DTG as a brokerage. I'm only an employee here and I was just stating my opinion. I feel much safer in Ancaster and I believe the restaurant choices in this area are better. Why that should make you change brokerage houses is beyond me. I'm not even sure why they made the business choice to move up here and I'm sorry that the decision to do so offends you so much.

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P.S. Maybe my opinion is also biased because my little brother was jumped outside the Armory while leaving Air Cadets one night last year. He was only 15 fyi.

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Before I go I just wanted to apologize for my original post. I felt as though Trevor was attacking DTG in his article. I get very protective of DTG becuase I love working here. My remarks were ignorant I agree. I haven't had enough experience with downtown Hamilton to express my opinion like I did. I've live on the West Mountain for my entire life (23 years or so) and have only had limited experience with Downtown Hamilton.

With that said DTG is an amazing company. They employ about 100 Hamiltonians (sp?). We are one of the largest and oldest brokerages in the Hamilton Area and have been around for almost 80 years.

They contribute to numerous charties including:

The Hamilton-Burlington YMCA

The Hamilton YWCA

Habitat for Humanity

CHML Christmas Tree of Hope

Juvenile Arthritis – Diabetes

Sons of Italy

Partners in Youth

Heart and Stroke Foundation

Canadian Red Cross

B’nai B’rith

Canadian Cancer Society

ProAction Helping Cops Help Kids

Carpenter Hospice

Burlington Community Foundation

Joseph Brant Hospital

Our Burlington BBQ raised over $20K for charity this summer.

So please accept my apology. I was my own one-sided, unfounded view and I truly am sorry.

Thanks ;o)

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no need to apologize.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Despite the fact that I would have a hard time listing 5 (what I would consider) good restaurants anywhere else in the entire city doesn't mean someone else couldn't.
Too bad about your bro...I'd probably think twice if that happened to me, but unfortunately in our society, that sort of thing happens all over the place. I have a friend who lives on the central Mountain and had multiple gunfights break out in front of his home a couple years ago. I've lived downtown for 5 years now and havent' seen so much as a fist-fight.
At the end of the day, take a few opportunities to head downtown for dinner and a music event some Friday night, or try the Farmers Market and James North markets/art shops on a Saturday morning. I'm sure you'll find that downtown isn't quite as bad as the Hamilton media makes it out to be.

Cheers,

Jason

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Re. "Still at 4 Hughson", I'm not sure I get your drift when you say you "could do with less welfare moms" downtown. All the mothers I know on social assistance are taking care of their kids, not hanging around downtown.

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Maybe downtown is a cheap place to go and hang out for the day? I don't know. That's beside the point.

I simply thought DTG was being unfairly targetted for what after all was probably a fully thought out business decision. Living on the west mountain myself, I'm both 10 minutes from downtown and from the meadowlands. I do enjoy the variety of eateries down here, and it is more convenient for OUR clients and for the banking we have to do....

But it can get a little bit scary downtwon, especially after dark. Besides a few panhandlers and people talking to themselves, and being nearly run over by one of the "scooter-peope", I haven't experienced anything more serious, but can see how knowing a or being the victim of a crime will turn people sour. At night I'd much prefer to drive to and park away from Gore park and King Street in general, such as LoPresti's or LaCantina to Hess village.
Though I'm from Toronto originally, the same problems and proposed solutions abound to Hamilton's downtown, as when I got heer in 1999. Having said that, I do speak highly of the city to others, Hamilton has a lot going for it, and I realize how underrated it is...
All cities have issues with certain areas of their downtowns...

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Still at 4 Hughson

you sound like you frequent downtown besides just going to work.
Since coming in 1999 what things have you noticed in the downtown area? Any positive changes, or negative or do you think things are still the same now as they were then?

Cheers

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Before moving to the west mountain, I lived for one year in the west end, and one year on Bay Street South(nice to walk to work....)

It seems that James street has had a lot of progress, both North and South. South has goten some boutiques, artsie stuff, the condo development and some eateries, and North has some fantastic Portuguese, Chinese and other oriental restaurants not too far off. (But then you get a couple of shots being fired, and it chills people off coming to the neighbourhood.)

Locke Street(not sure if you consider that part of downton) has come a every long way in the last several years' nice to walk down, visit the antique stores and a couple of places to snack at too.

I've been to shows at the Theater Aquarius, and King William Street has real potential. As far the convention centre/opera/orchestra/Copps, it's brick and concrete wasteland when you leave there, but the facilities themselves are nice.
The hotel down here looks like it is going to be nicely refurbished. The Sandbar closing was a nice move.

The big issues are the same as they ever were:
1)debate over one way versus two way streets
2) what to do with derelict buildings
3) safety issue: both the "feel" of it and actual policing; I like the idea of surveillance cameras at major intersections.

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Before moving to the west mountain, I lived for one year in the west end, and one year on Bay Street South(nice to walk to work....)

It seems that James street has had a lot of progress, both North and South. South has goten some boutiques, artsie stuff, the condo development and some eateries, and North has some fantastic Portuguese, Chinese and other oriental restaurants not too far off. (But then you get a couple of shots being fired, and it chills people off coming to the neighbourhood.)

Locke Street(not sure if you consider that part of downton) has come a every long way in the last several years' nice to walk down, visit the antique stores and a couple of places to snack at too.

I've been to shows at the Theater Aquarius, and King William Street has real potential. As far the convention centre/opera/orchestra/Copps, it's brick and concrete wasteland when you leave there, but the facilities themselves are nice.
The hotel down here looks like it is going to be nicely refurbished. The Sandbar closing was a nice move.

The big issues are the same as they ever were:
1)debate over one way versus two way streets
2) what to do with derelict buildings
3) safety issue: both the "feel" of it and actual policing; I like the idea of surveillance cameras at major intersections.

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good observations. I would agree with your overview of the various core areas.
Some Saturday, go check out King East through the international Village....it's becoming a remarkable neighbourhood...new condos, apartments, shops, eateries etc....
Your 3 big issues? I see them this way:

1. The debate should virtually be finished now re: 2-way streets. James and John are all the proof we need. Even Chamber of Commerce reps who generally favour car-oriented development and highways have been quoted as being 'shocked' at the quick turnaround on both of those streets (especially James N and S, and John South) since going 2-way.
2. Derelict buildings with history and strong bones ie- Lister, redevelop them like they do in Boston and Montreal. If tax payers can subsidize the Red Hill's and Meadowlands of this world, we can surely subsidize some great reno's and see these buildings brought back to life. Hamilton should have learned a lesson by now in what happens when we demolish buildings. Go to Coles and look through all the historic Hamilton books....most pictured buildings in those books are now rotten, ugly parking lots.
3. I think the newer lighting helps keep things bright and safe, compared to a dark parking lot (gee, if only we hadn't knocked down so many buildings). More police on foot, bike and horse (why not? other cities do it) would surely help the visibility and safe 'feel' of downtown.
I'm not sure what I think of cameras. I certainly don't like the idea of public space being 'watched' but I'd much rather have it watched by my local police force instead of some big US corporation with cameras all over the street.

Bottom line, more people= a healthy downtown.

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