[ryan_mcgreal]

HAMILTON, ON June 16, 2009 - The City of Hamilton's Downtown and Community Renewal Division wants to know what Hamiltonians think of the downtown core. Over the course of the next month, the Division will be asking for online input about Hamilton's downtown in the hopes of using the information to shape a comprehensive marketing strategy for the area.

"We want the thousands of Hamiltonians from across the City to log on and provide us with their feedback and thoughts about the downtown core," says Hazel Milsome, Coordinator, Downtown Municipal Incentives for the City of Hamilton's Downtown and Community Renewal Division. "We are especially interested in the public's awareness of what the downtown has to offer."

The development and implementation of a marketing strategy plays an important role in achieving the City of Hamilton's Vision and Corporate Strategic Plan. Since 2002, the Downtown and Community Renewal Division has administered loans totaling $13.5 million through the Hamilton Downtown Residential Loans Program. The results have generated over $126 million in property value and 755 residential units in Hamilton's downtown core. The proposed framework of the strategy will enable the City to be more proactive in marketing its downtown activities, raise awareness about the economic progress in Hamilton's downtown core and help create an investment-friendly marketing campaign.

"Public input into this strategy is critical," says Michael Marini, Coordinator of Marketing with the Economic Development and Real Estate Division. "This is a great opportunity for Hamiltonians to share their opinion and help shape the renewal of Hamilton's downtown."

The online marketing survey can be found at: www.investinhamilton.ca or for more information please call: 905-546-CITY (2489). The Downtown and Community Renewal Division promotes the revitalization and development of properties in Hamilton's six Downtowns (i.e. Downtown Hamilton, Ancaster Village Core, Binbrook Community Core, Downtown Dundas, Downtown Stoney Creek and Waterdown Village), thirteen Business Improvement Areas (BIAs), and other "main street" corridors throughout the City.

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Media Contact:
Michael Marini
Coordinator, Marketing
Economic Development and Real Estate Division
Planning and Economic Development Department
Phone: 905-546-2424 ext. 1781
Cell: 905-977-0883
Email: Michael.Marini@hamilton.ca

[emge]

Link to the survey directly: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=O7qcm_2fAEbs5_2fyF5eej33tA_3d_3d

[FairHamilton]

I'm putting the eastern edge of downtown at Wentworth, because it's justifiable and it might have a positive impact on The Pearl Company to be considered to be in 'downtown'.

[highwater]

Thanks for the link!

[SteelTown]

How would you go about finding out what’s happening downtown?
I put down Other:
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/forumdisplay.php?forumid=281

[matt602]

Totally filling this out now. It's about time the city asked for input on the downtown.

[jgrwatson]

I liked the way the survey was geared - it was very pro-dt I felt.

As for the "advertising", it is sad b/c I literally live in Gore Park and I have NEVER even heard about this organization!

Will be neat to see the results.

[BrianE]

How would you go about finding out what’s happening downtown?
I put down Other:
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/forumdisplay.php?forumid=281

Same here. I believe my exact quote was. "Raise the Hammer.org and the Local Hamilton Skyscraperpage.com beat the pants off of the spec and especially the horrible "E!" channel."

[ryan_mcgreal]

Same here. I believe my exact quote was. "Raise the Hammer.org and the Local Hamilton Skyscraperpage.com beat the pants off of the spec and especially the horrible "E!" channel."

Hey, thanks! :)

[FairHamilton]

Hopefully, the results will be published. One suggestion I made was to advertise in various Neighbourhood Association newsletters.

When I mention going to an Art Crawl, something at The Pearl Company, or most places downtown, I'm often suprised by the blank looks, and questions of "What's that??". And those looks are from people in my neighbourhood living only 1.5kms - 2.5 kms from downtown.

We need to get the message to those locally, so that their perception and attitudes of Hamilton change for the better. Once they have some good experiences our residents will more readily get behind some fundatmental changes that need to occur in our city.

That being said, you'll see more and more of my neighbours partaking in 'downtown' activities, as first I educated and more and more I'm now dragging them along ;).

[omro]

I've experienced blank looks when I've told people I'm going on the Art Crawl. I've yet to visit the Pearl Company, will have to when time and money permit. There's a lot to do in this city, however there seems to be a lack of a centralised place to publish the events.

Perhaps that's a niche in the market for all you webheads, set up a website for all the Hamilton events, big and small.

[Northern Light]

To me, downtown needs 3 things:

1) A draw for those who don't live there to come there to shop or otherwise be entertained etc. Putting aside wishful thinking for an NHL team, etc. I would suggest an anchor Department store again. Bring in THE BAY; but not just an ordinary suburban one. I know they are about to re-do the Queen-St Toronto one at a cost of tens of millions (if not more) to be a 'shopping experience'. In other words something unique, not only for size and selection, but also ambiance.

A restored Tivoli is also at the top of my list.

AS is a major movie plex. I mean 12 screens or more with a mix of artsier and blockbuster films.

2) It needs more retail than encourages/facilitates downtown living. No grocery store, much harder to attract new condo owners. I say we need a nice Longo's in D/T!

3) Finally it needs the new LRT and 2-way streets.

Good, now we've perfected Downtown, next project please! :haha:

[realcity]

DENSITY. lots of it.

What it needs is 25, 25-story mixed-use scrapers by 2025

[FairHamilton]

How about jobs? Just a novel idea of mine.

[Blurr]

Another thing we need is time. Demographics have changed. People actually want to live downtown now.

The past 5 years have been fairly good for downtown. Derelict houses have been restored and vacant storefronts have been filled. Word has gotten out that Hamilton is a good place to live.

I expect the next 5 years to me more of the same.


From a policy perspective, I am in favour of the conversion of one way streets. With LRT being a close second choice.

[realcity]

How do we know that the City isn't just going through the motions of asking for 'public input'. I don't think this changes their decisions either way.