Raise the Hammer

Take a look at what the city of Essen in Germany has done... they are a city of similar population to Hamilton's that have undergone the same thing we are going through now with the manufacturing plants fading out.

Essen was named the European Capital of Culture for 2010 because it took it's old manufacturing district and transformed it into exciting things for the public. Buildings have been transformed into:

Theatres http://www.europeanfilmacademy.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/jahrhalle_2006080704021.jpg
http://cache4.asset-cache.net/xc/95665778.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=77BFBA49EF878921A343B2C87A49D8F5F0CFAC874F43B85093200E2A24EB7CCADD853D059EEB533CE30A760B0D811297

An ice rink http://wwwdelivery.superstock.com/WI/223/1848/PreviewComp/SuperStock_1848-43171.jpg
http://www.petul.de/en/eisbahn_bei_nacht.jpg

Pubs http://www.nypost.com/rw/nypost/2010/01/12/news/photos_galleries/day_in_photos/cropped/GERMANY%20CULTURE%20CAPITAL155456--500x380.jpg
http://www.essen-fuer-das-ruhrgebiet.ruhr2010.de/uploads/pics/Heiligenhaus_Steckbrief_01.jpg

A swimming pool https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-JkGdsHxxBWQ/TXuvsabgiwI/AAAAAAAAAC8/sRggI0Aavrc/s400/uploads_media_Kokereibad_03.jpg

And some all-around badassery http://thomasmayerarchive.de/images/2483/149AG20100118D0020/jpg/149AG20100118D0020,Architecture,projects,Zeche-Zollverein,Ruhr-Museum,entrance-stairs,Ruhr-Museum.jpg


I discovered this at the last James North art crawl where a group called Studio 12 put on a show called Ruhr Meets Hamilton which was also put on by the German Consulate in Toronto. Studio 12 went around taking pictures of places in Hamilton comparable to those in Essen which were photographed by Manfred Vollmer, highlighting how well-suited Hamilton would be for the same transformation.

I'm not saying all the U.S. Steel workers should be laid off in place of a swimming pool, but I think this should be a strong alternative to the future rotting away and deterioration of buildings that seems to be the norm for Hamilton.