Raise the Hammer

John,

If you can convince me that religion will bring economic growth in our core - I'll say lets have even more places of worship and education from all religious faiths and orders - on all our remaining vacant lands.

God knows we need more religion in these corrupt times that we are living in!

What we as a city cannot financially afford - is a silly season where deviant politics begins to drive our planning process and our religions.

Experiences from across the world has shown us repeatedly - that whenever politicians have used religion to garner votes or push agendas - entire communities and often nations too, on all sides of the religious belief spectrum - are the ones who have lost in the end. Except in the rare case of John Tory!

Land-use planning on our vacant (and presently ugly to look at lands) in our downtown core - will make or break Hamilton's economic sustainability in the coming years. Are you willing to take a risk on this - in the hope that somehow religion or religious education will bring the jobs and economic growth in our core?

The reason we have such a poor local urban job market, is because we have failed to build one as yet. That does not stop us from starting to build one up next year in our core.

There is no doubt that the proposed new mosque could uplift the block from its present physical condition. But then, are you willing to satisfy the many other religious faiths that may soon come calling for help to set up their places of worship too - on other vacant public lands in the core?

Although I was born a Hindu, I have been raised to deeply respect all religions, faiths and beliefs on this planet, including the forces of energies that exist in our universe. However, the closest to a religious experience that I have encountered lately - is watching Janine Benyus (in the video above) speak about what really matters in our times.

That is the big picture we need to focus on for our collective survival on this planet. This is also from where new industries and new jobs can be created in our core - if we are indeed believers!

My education in architecture tells me that false positives in planning, or just-in-time planning based on election year exuberance are both extremely difficult to remedy once implemented.

City re-building is never about waiting for desirable outcomes to happen. It has always been about having a desirable plan and taking judicious steps to make it probable.

In spite of the Century theater demolition, there are positive things that are already beginning to happen in the Wilson / King William stretch - which has already set the pace for this areas re-growth. Some that is quite apparent if we are willing to see it - and some not so apparent as yet, but will be in the coming weeks.