Raise the Hammer

My letter to council. The odds of this formatting properly on here are slim to none. LOL

Dear Mayor and Council,

With the stadium saga finally about to end I wanted to send my sincere thanks to each of you who have spent far too much time and energy on this issue in order to make the most informed decision possible. Your service to us, the citizens of Hamilton, is much appreciated!

With recent revelations from The TigerCats that they had in fact already zeroed in on the Aldershot site back in June before sending Hamilton council on a wild goose chase around town to study site after site, along with recent statements from Ian Troop that the Pan Am soccer stadium is STILL Hamilton's to choose, (Troop was just on CHML this morning -Friday - and stated that if Hamilton chooses a community 6,000 seat stadium, it's ours)

http://raisethehammer.org/blog/2043/tell_council:_pan_am_stadium_still_hamilton's_to_choose

I feel that our city has no choice but to send our plan to HOSTCO for a 6,000 seat soccer stadium at the West Harbour.

I have arrived at this conclusion due to a number of factors that I feel are vital to share with each of you:

1. The Cats have clearly made up their mind on the Aldershot site.
2. If we say no to HOSTCO, we will be left owning an aging and expensive Ivor Wynne stadium with NO replacement.
3. McMaster's stadium does not meet the needs of the 200+ community events that take place at Ivor Wynne annually.
4. Hamilton's new 6,000 seat stadium at the Harbour can accommodate concerts (which have been banned at Ivor Wynne) and will add a new dimension of cultural life in Hamilton.
5. Hamilton's new 6,000 seat stadium can accommodate a soccer team in either the NASL or USL leagues (immediately below the MLS). 6..We must build the stadium with the ability for future expansion to 20,000-25,000 in order to accommodate a potential CFL or MLS soccer team.
6. We free up much of our future fund money which can then be spent on a world-class velodrome. See Chicago's velo-campus: http://www.chicagovelocampus.com/
   • please note the list of amenities. Imagine a beautifully designed 6,000 seat soccer/concert stadium and world class velodrome such as this at our west harbour.
7. A well designed, mixed-use neighbourhood around these two world class facilities will have a massive impact on redeveloping our West Harbour lands with new condos, shops, dining etc..... prospective condo purchasers in other cities have proven that neighbourhood access to a top notch community centre and fitness centre is a HUGE draw in purchasing a new unit. The velodrome is a massive opportunity for Hamilton, enhanced by soccer, concerts and community events in a new stadium.
8. We are able to demolish Ivor Wynne and build another new mixed-use community in the heart of our city. In a part of our city that desperately needs an infusion of 21st Century urban development. For example: http://blog.oregonlive.com/environment_i...
   • this is a brand new 'suburb' built on greenfield site in Portland, Oregon. Imagine a new street through the centre of the Ivor Wynne site acting as a new neighbourhood hub designed like this image. Top notch housing, grocery, pharmacy, cafes and neighbourhood amenities can draw people to move into this neighbourhood and continue with Hamilton's urban revitalization. Our future LRT line will run right along King making this a very important piece of property for us to develop properly and shake up the status quo type of development we see in Hamilton too often.
9. The bottom line - money. My money. Your money. All of us are in this city together. If we tell HOSTCO to locate in Mississuaga or Brampton we are putting Hamilton taxpayers at risk of having to foot the entire bill for Ivor Wynne remediation and West Harbour development.

Despite the wishes of the Ticats to locate in Aldershot (which I'm personally fine with - many football teams play in the suburbs) we still have a great opportunity to do something spectacular at our West Harbour, and then in turn the Ivor Wynne site. Please do the right thing for Hamilton, as you have all along, and tell HOSTCO that we will glady take the 6,000 seat stadium and host soccer - the most popular sport on earth.

Thanks for your time, and again, for your service to our fine city.

Comment edited by jason on 2011-01-07 10:15:26