I have accused City Hall of being dysfunctional of late for not being able to see the light and get the job done. Maybe it’s the citizens who are dysfunctional NOT the politicians.
Below is a note from a man who goes on to say Hamilton will always be a ‘run down’ city. With citizens like this no wonder nothing can get done. Although he could be upset because he lives in Freelton. Read the two notes below…
Scott
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Message: Date: Sun, Feb 1 re: My Take 31 Jan Spectator Pan Am Scam Mr. Thompson: Do you live in a bubble? Ambitious City,Free Money??? Where do you think that Free Money comes from??? A totally idiotic statement. hamilton (yes, small 'h') has already wasted over 1/4 Million Dollars on a variety of losing games bids and their mythical "ripple effect benefits". I have lived in this area 25 years and never heard the word ambitious used in the same sentence as hamilton. Lots of other adjectives.......... It took 30 years to pay off the Montreal Olympics deal and now Vancouver is on a cost tightrope with as always, Ratepayers stuck with the predictable over budget costs. The Pan Am timeline is perfect. Council should take 5 minutes and just say a Resounding NO!!! It is very likely that steel making in hamilton will be gone in 5 years (likely 3) or less. A huge tax base already seriously eroded. Sewers, Roads, Bridges, Hospitals and Social Services are starving for dollars and people like you with no logic or foresight want to squander money on fountains, bridges to no where and 'waterfront' projects. You 'envision' parks, bike paths, restaurants but miss the most important thing... PARKING. That's why downtown will always be a dead zone. Little affordable parking. There is no such thing as Free Money The Economy is still in free fall and this is NOT the time to WASTE Tax Dollars on wild dreams. Thousands of people avoid going to hamilton with good reason. A Stadium is a self serving extravaganza suiting only a very small percentage of the populace. Council needs to concentrate on practical projects which serve the Majority, not cater to private teams and interests. This is not 1930. What is guaranteed is that hamilton will be lucky to hold its' own the next few years. Waste now-pay forever. G. Baker Freelton
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Then came this email….I love the line that says Hamilton will always be a ‘run down’ city…This guy hates Hamilton. Read on…He’s on a negative roll!
Scott.
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You didn't read my letter very carefully.
Same page? I am chapters ahead of you.
I told You that steel will likely be gone in 5 years or less! It has not been dead for 10 years.
Hamilton will always be a rundown town like St. Thomas is to London, Wallaceburg to Sarnia, Dresden to Chatham etc.
A fancy Stadium being dropped on the backs of Taxpayers will not even begin to revive hamilton.
Neither will a waterfront project, fountain or other pie in the sky BS.
Hamilton council spends its time dreaming up ways to squeeze the taxpayer with more and more rules - from signs, garbage containers, pesticides, and other mickey mouse stuff instead of forging forward with incentives to industry etc.
You rebuild from the Bottom up. Tearing down the decrepit and abandoned buildings, fixing infrastructure (that is roads, underground plant, user friendly mini parks, getting rid of or transforming trashy neighbourhoods, More parking.
HSS is great, but will not bring hamilton back. You rave like an left wing NDP.
I recently read that All of the cities that bid for 'Games' of any kind are in debt over it.
Don't wish that on hamilton.
Jack will always be a jerk, he recently proved that at the Federal level. He was however right about the Games. Toronto would still be paying for them.
Logical beats dreams at the Bottom Line and that is what really matters.
Have a shot of realism.
I am not wrong.
Gord.
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You need a shot of something stronger and then perhaps a 'lie down' until the negativity goes away!
"NDP"? that's funny! Thanks for your 'ol stories!
Scott |
