Raise the Hammer

@ RenaissanceWatcher "The previously linked Minutes of the Hamilton city council on February 23, 2009 are facts on the public record. Mr. Mitchell did not oppose the proposed west harbour stadium site during his presentation to Hamilton city council that day. City council voted that same day to spend $60 Million on a Pan Am stadium and velodrome with the west harbour as the preferred site should Toronto go on win the 2015 Pan Am Games bid. The facts are straight. For you to suggest otherwise is pure spin."

A few facts I see from the Feb 23/09 are: Mitchell supported the bid but did not mention WH; North End Neighbourhood association opposed the stadium; Council chose WH as preferred location.

Is it possible that Mitchell/Cats had not seen the indepth analysis of the WH site,along with the analysis of the other 2 original sites = confed park, st creek mountain - that Council and Staff spoke to back in 2002? I have been on top of this for 8 years and I have never, ever seen an analysis of WH or any other site for that matter. Has anyone asked the Cats what analysis they were given? Or, did they have to rely on their own experts to deem the WH site unacceptable for a large stadium?

Like you, like everyone perhaps, I'm totally in the dark as I have never seen any analysis of any site....from the Original 3 in 2002 that then morphed into at least 8 sites years later, do any of us truly know how the WH was chosen as the preferred site? Simple answer is no. After all these years, I'd love to see the detailed analysis of all sites...yup, beginning in 2002 when Confed Park was one of three. Until I do see the site selection process laid bare for all to see, I'm still baffled how the WH became the preferred site.

@RenaissanceWatcher "Anyway, you indicated in your post that you are a north end resident. What would you like to see happen to the west harbour brownfield lands? Where will the money come from to pay for your vision for the west harbour brownfield lands if the Future Fund monies and Pan Am monies "set sail" for Ivor Wynne Stadium? How long are you prepared to wait for the west harbour brownfield lands to be remediated and redeveloped? Ten years? Twenty years? Thirty years?"

Have lived in the North End for almost twenty years and since '02 I've been giving my thoughts to the City, via community participation processes, regarding future development in the WH area. My vision for the WH never had anything to do with a stadium, still doesn't. And, truth be told, my opinion matters not because the goings-on behind closed doors at City Hall are not holding their breath for my, or your, opinion regarding WH. Where do we find the money to clean up Rheem? Good question, sorry I don't have an answer for you.

Here's a two-part question...Has anyone seen the indepth analysis of any potential stadium site, preferably Confed Park and WH, that would help me understand why the WH was chosen as the preferred site? And, Does anyone know if the Cats were privy to the Confed Park and WH analysis prior to the Feb 23/09 Council meeting?

If I knew the answer to the aforementioned questions I'd be one happy Cat.