Articles from April, 2017

Looking at the Whole Board: Moving Hamilton Beyond Wedge Politics
Successful cities are transformative but they need investments of all kinds, including our time, our energy and our best efforts. But most of all, they need us to believe in the possible.
by Maureen Wilson
Published April 28, 2017 in Special Report: Creative City (17 comments)

Pedestrian Plazas Returned to Pedestrians at Hunter Street GO Station
The pedestrian plazas in front of Hunter GO Station were being used for transit security parking but have now been restored for use by people on foot and bikes.
by Kevin Love
Published April 28, 2017 in Eyes on the Street (16 comments)

Letter from Transport Minister Confirming LRT to Eastgate
Minister Steven Del Duca sent Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger a letter on April 26 confirming that the Province will extend LRT to Eastgate, contingent on Council support and available funding.
by Ryan McGreal
Published April 28, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (2 comments)

Council Takes a Leap of Faith and Reaffirms Support for LRT
After months of turmoil and dysfunction, Council made history last night by voting to move the city's Light Rail Transit forward with a Provincial commitment to extend the line to Eastgate.
by Ryan McGreal
Published April 27, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (14 comments)

LRT Environmental Project Report Answers a Lot of Council's Questions
Council has already agreed, contractually, with Metrolinx to forward the Environmental Project Report Addendum in order to seek Environment Ministry approval for the LRT plan.
by Craig Burley
Published April 26, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (3 comments)

Letter: Great Leaders Make Decisions Based on Big Picture
Being able to look beyond the minutiae and see the bigger picture is what many of the world's best leaders are known for and has always being a primary catalyst for getting things done.
by Tyler Pearson
Published April 26, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (13 comments)

Hamilton Has a Political Communications Problem
Hamilton has a hard time with large civic projects. A major part of the problem is the city’s inability to manage political communications.
by Andrew Richardson
Published April 26, 2017 in Commentary (2 comments)

Podcast: Fast Forward Hamilton Waterfront
The city's reanimated shoreline has become one of the key attractions of the new Hamilton. But the process is not over and there are vexing questions about what the future will bring.
by Stephen Dale
Published April 26, 2017 in Commentary (0 comments)

Restoring the Rules of Order in a Time of Procedural Chaos
At the literal end of the day, we cannot expect beleaguered and exhausted councillors who have been put through marathon meetings, week after week, to have the ability to work together and to make good, clear, and effective decisions.
by Cameron Kroetsch
Published April 25, 2017 in Commentary (7 comments)

Born in Beasley: A History of the Hamilton Community Land Trust, Part 3
'Hamilton's story of change is still being written, and this is not a community that will stand by and let it be written for us.'
by John A. McCurdy
Published April 25, 2017 in Special Report: Born in Beasley (0 comments)

Benefits of B-line LRT for Hamilton's Suburbs, Explained by Councillor Lloyd Ferguson
'My sense of hearing them talk is that they're focusing in on micro issues, when we should be dealing in this right now from a macro perspective. You know, jobs and dollars.'
by RTH Staff
Published April 25, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (3 comments)

What You Can Do Between Now and Wednesday
Once we get through this hurdle, we can renew our focus on ensuring that all Hamiltonians are able to understand the vision behind this project and the many benefits we will all be able to enjoy.
by RTH Staff
Published April 25, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (0 comments)

Wisterium Music
After a long and strict adherence to script, Wisterium Music is going off on unpredictable, lovely, flowering musical tangents and offshoots.
by Kevin Somers
Published April 25, 2017 in Entertainment and Sports (0 comments)

A Selection of Citizen Statements Supporting Light Rail Transit
Council's vote is not just for or against the LRT project. It is for or against thousands of citizens who have time and again expressed their unreserved support for this critical project.
by RTH Staff
Published April 25, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (4 comments)

Stop Line 10 Pipeline
Stand in solidarity with Todd Williams in his peaceful protest against Enbridge. Show your support for Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination. Stand up for your community and your environment.
by Doreen Nicoll
Published April 24, 2017 in Healing Gaia (0 comments)

Province Clarifies Yet Again That LRT Funding is for LRT, Not Whatever Hamilton Feels Like This Week
It is simply false to claim that Hamilton can turn down LRT and still hang onto the money in a placeholder until we decide what we want to do with it.
by Ryan McGreal
Published April 24, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (7 comments)

Letter: Dundas Needs Strong Leadership to Support Light Rail
As a community, we need our Councillor to have the vision and strength to set the course for a healthy and prosperous future. LRT is an essential step toward this.
by Debbie Chamberlain
Published April 24, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (2 comments)

Province Should Commit to Eastgate Funding
Once again, Hamilton needs the Provincial Government to step in and protect us from our own pettiness, short-sightedness and kneejerk fear of change.
by Ryan McGreal
Published April 24, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (5 comments)

From the Outside In: An Insider's Outside Perspective on LRT and Hamilton Communities
Hamilton is bursting with opportunity to take our community to the next level, but we need to seize those shining moments that will change the face of our city.
by Jaimie Rizzo
Published April 24, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (2 comments)

Letter: We Need LRT to Move Hamilton Forward
Having come from Toronto, and lived through a few transit strikes, I can tell you it's the drivers who scream the loudest during a transit strike.
by Margaret Ferizis
Published April 24, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (0 comments)

City at High Risk of Financial Liability if Council Cancels LRT Implementation: Report
If Council cancels the already-approved LRT Plan, local taxpayers are likely on the hook for tens of millions of dollars in money already spent and committed to the project.
by Ryan McGreal
Published April 24, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (2 comments)

Dreessen to Hamilton Council: Vote Yes on LRT
Ottawa architect Toon Dreessen has written a personal letter to Hamilton City Councillors calling on them to vote for 'long-term gain in a great future' for the city.
by RTH Staff
Published April 24, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (1 comment)

City of Hamilton participates in Internet Performance Testing
The City of Hamilton has partnered with the Canadian Internet Registration Authority to launch an Internet performance test for city residents.
by Sarah V. Wayland
Published April 24, 2017 in Special Report: Creative City (0 comments)

It All Comes Down to This Coming Wednesday
If there was ever a time to speak up and make your voice heard loud and clear, it is between now and the Council meeting on April 26.
by Ryan McGreal
Published April 21, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (8 comments)

Review: Return Engagements
A lively story performed by a valiant cast is complicated by the inexplicable choice to narrate the entire play with its stage directions.
by Daniel Gariépy
Published April 21, 2017 in Reviews (0 comments)

We Need Light Rail to Grow Our Tax Base, Reduce Our Infrastructure Liability
Please don't fool yourself into thinking Council can kill the goose and keep collecting the golden eggs.
by Ryan McGreal
Published April 18, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (14 comments)

LRT is the Right Choice for the Future of Our City
The approach of providing transit based on ridership is no longer acceptable to today's employers. They are expecting that transit service will be provided from day 1.
by Anne Tennier
Published April 18, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (3 comments)

A New Postcard from Toronto's Waterfront
When it comes to street re-design here in Toronto, we take baby steps. But at least they are steps in the right direction.
by Ben Bull
Published April 18, 2017 in Accidental Activist (1 comment)

LRT Poll Shows 52 Percent of Hamiltonians Support or Are Undecided on LRT
Despite a flawed poll and a year long misinformation campaign, Hamiltonians are still split down the middle on LRT.
by Nicholas Kevlahan
Published April 18, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (19 comments)

Letter From the Hamilton Academy of Medicine Supporting LRT
We wish to emphasize the benefits of rapid transit for public health and for positioning our city to continue to be a global leader in health care, research and education.
by Jennifer Brasch
Published April 18, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (2 comments)

LRT Opponents Explicitly Refuse to Acknowledge its Benefits
The latest anti-LRT tactic has been to pretend that there are no benefits to LRT by insisting that we deny, ignore and exclude all of its many well-documented benefits.
by Nicholas Kevlahan
Published April 13, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (10 comments)

From Outsider to Insider: A Dynamic Perspective on Hamilton
Hamilton defies the negative outsider stereotypes about it with a dynamic arts and cultural scene and a rapidly reviving urban core.
by Nada Bunjevac
Published April 13, 2017 in Commentary (2 comments)

Mayor Eisenberger Visits Waterloo LRT Open House
There was opposition to their project as well. But as the project progressed, they overcame it. Now it is close to completion.
by RTH Staff
Published April 11, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (8 comments)

LRT Goes From Risky and Unproven to Obsolete in Less Than a Year
Clearly, anything goes in the increasingly desperate campaign to undermine LRT, and inconsistency is not a problem.
by Nicholas Kevlahan
Published April 11, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (4 comments)

LRT: What's In It For Me?
When someone asks, "What's in it for me?" remind them that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take a major chunk out of our infrastructure deficit and address our collective needs across the city.
by Ron Marini
Published April 11, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (2 comments)

A Line-By-Line Critique of Whitehead's Latest Fearmongering Anti-LRT Form Email
Shame on Whitehead for abusing his power and circulating this scaremongering nonsense.
by Ryan McGreal
Published April 10, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (14 comments)

Cannon Cycle Track: Growing Year-Round Ridership and Smoother Traffic
The Cannon cycle track proves that with high-quality infrastructure design and routine maintenance, it is possible to dramatically increase the number of bicycle trips without any downside for other road users.
by Ryan McGreal
Published April 10, 2017 in Special Report: Cycling (19 comments)

At Least My Councillor Home-Delivers Blue Bins
If you had to complain to the manager every time you tried to buy a cup of coffee, you would conclude that the restaurant was not very well managed.
by Joey Coleman
Published April 10, 2017 in Commentary (0 comments)

The Facts Support Hamilton's LRT Plan
It is disappointing that letters like this even have to be written after Council already voted 52 times for LRT and agreed to implement it with Metrolinx.
by Johanna Bleecker
Published April 09, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (5 comments)

One City With a Shared Interest in High-Quality Modern Transit
Do not bow to the tireless effort of the cynics and naysayers who have turned the LRT discussion into a negative and divisive narrative of us-against-them.
by Ned Nolan
Published April 09, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (0 comments)

Light Rail Plan Has Already Had Extensive Citizen Engagement
LRT opponents have had nine years to raise their concerns. Now Council's job is to provide leadership to ensure success, not hide behind last-minute obstruction agenda.
by Peter Hill
Published April 09, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (3 comments)

Anti-LRT Misinformation and Fearmongering is Getting Ridiculous
LRT opponents are relying on the classic Obstructionist Playbook of false claims, misinformation and fearmongering to try and sabotage this transformative, once-in-a-lifetime public investment in Hamilton's future.
by Ryan McGreal
Published April 07, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (21 comments)

Latest BRT Pitch Just Another Obstruction Tactic
The real goal of the transit concern trolls is not to make sure we have the 'right solution,' but rather to ensure that no solution is ever implemented and the status quo remains in place.
by Nicholas Kevlahan
Published April 07, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (6 comments)

Selling Sunset: Quick Fix in Broken Housing Market
If affordability is truly the goal for Strachan/Bay, then it cannot be achieved by putting the land on the market, but rather by making it available on favourable terms to a co-operative or other non-profit housing developer.
by Shawn Selway
Published April 07, 2017 in Special Report: West Harbour (6 comments)

An LRT Supporter With 'Skin in the Game'
I know that progress comes at a cost, and I want my children to grow up, and hopefully stay, in a progressive city.
by Anna Davey
Published April 07, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (4 comments)

Hamilton City Council a Test of Faith in Good Governance
Just as new investment and trust is manifesting in Hamilton, some Councillors want to pull the rug out from under its own LRT plan, thinking that there will be no consequences.
by David Brace
Published April 06, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (12 comments)

More Work Needed to Include Women in Community Leadership
There is still work to do to ensure that women are fairly and equally represented in senior leadership positions in Hamilton.
by Korry Garvey
Published April 06, 2017 in Commentary (0 comments)

Rally to Encourage Council to Lead Positive Change
Change is difficult and scary, even positive change, and our leaders need to have the courage to lead and to explain the goals and benefits.
by Sean Hurley
Published April 06, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (2 comments)

Vote Now in Ward 1 Participatory Budget
Ward 1 residents have an immediate and direct opportunity to participate directly in choosing which local infrastructure improvement projects to support with $1.5 million in local capital dollars.
by Ryan McGreal
Published April 05, 2017 in Participatory Budget (1 comment)

About That 'There Is Only One Taxpayer' Line
The number of taxpayers depends on which level of government is spending the money, and that makes a big difference in how much a given project will cost you.
by Ryan McGreal
Published April 05, 2017 in Commentary (5 comments)

Light Rail and Gentrification
Working-class people deserve a transit system that does not treat them like second-class citizens. And they also very much deserve not to be forced out of their neighbourhoods.
by Eric Gillis
Published April 05, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (3 comments)

LRT Divide is Based on Ideology, Not Facts
Government spending is about demonstrating values. The discussion around the LRT project is no different.
by Ian Borsuk
Published April 05, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (8 comments)

LRT Director Debunks Operating Cost Fearmongering
If the LRT opponents in the community and around the council table are honest, they will stop trying to frighten and misinform Hamiltonians about the 'unknown' LRT operating cost.
by Ryan McGreal
Published April 04, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (14 comments)

LRT Opposition Follows Same Pattern of Fear and Uncertainty as Past Failed Plans
The last 'Coalition On Sensible Transit' organized to kill LRT and then disappeared for 35 years without advancing any of alternatives or improvements they had used to kill the plan.
by Karl Andrus
Published April 03, 2017 in Special Report: Lister Block (15 comments)

Enormous Cost to Reject LRT
Fear and divisiveness may lead us to refuse a billion-dollar investment in our city and delay our rapid transit plans for another generation.
by Nicholas Kevlahan
Published April 03, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (5 comments)

My Year of Living Spiritually
One in five Canadians considers themselves "spiritual but not religious" (SBNR) and these folks are hungry for experiences that bring a greater sense of meaning and connection to their lives.
by Anne Bokma
Published April 03, 2017 in Commentary (2 comments)

We Bet on Hamilton. Now Council is Betting Against Us
A small business owner who moved to Hamilton because of LRT wonders why Council is threatening to renege on its commitment.
by Alistair Morton
Published April 03, 2017 in Special Report: Light Rail (6 comments)

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