Neighbours torn over site
Concerns over traffic, housing values flagged at meeting
February 12, 2010
Danielle Wong
The Hamilton Spectator
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/720760
Julie Davidson is willing to move out of the way if a Pan Am Games stadium comes to her neighbourhood.
"Although it's going to cost me living in this house, realistically, I think it would help pull the city, the downtown core, to the bay," Davidson, 48, told The Spectator. "We do need this stadium."
She lives with her husband and daughter in one of eight homes in the middle of a three-block west harbour site being suggested as the best location for a stadium.
Davidson said it would be worth moving if it meant the project would create more greenspace and bring people from outside the city into Hamilton.
But her position is an unpopular one in the west harbour, where many residents are against a stadium in their neighbourhood.
"I've lived here 57 years and my husband has been here 77 years. He has no intention of leaving," Catherine De Luca said. "We're going to chain ourselves to the house."
De Luca, who lives on one of the homes on Barton Street West, between Hess Street North and Caroline Street North, believed the airport would be a better location.
Her opposition was shared by many of the 75 people who attended a meeting hosted by Councillor Bob Bratina last night.
He and others acknowledged the majority there objected to the stadium over such issues as traffic and the site selection process.
Shari Selway, president of the North End Neighbourhood Association, said her group is not supporting the stadium until the city demonstrates how it will make the neighbourhood better.
"I think it's a crazy site," said resident Kathy Pipe, expressing concern it was always a foregone conclusion the stadium would be built there. "This site was the site. Why not just say that?"
Supporters weren't afraid to speak up. Denise Hancock, who said she was a "huge proponent, believed that the fact that only 75 turned out indicated the majority of area residents support the stadium.
Tiffany Street resident Mark Marsdin said earlier yesterday that the city's purchase of the Rheem Canada site has created a "dump" where the water heater plant operated. If he has to move, he believes the depreciated market value of his house would make it difficult to buy a new home.
If his house wasn't expropriated, he's worried a stadium would block the sunlight.
Ed Fisher, owner of Fisher's Pier 4 Grub & Pub, told The Spectator he doesn't know whether the west harbour is the right location, but didn't believe it would "make or break a small businesses like myself." He believed a lot of work needs to be done to transform the area.
"I don't know how that's going to be achieved in such a short time."