City hands out $8 million for capital projects

[SteelTown]

City hands out $8 million for capital projects

June 09, 2008
By Nicole MacIntyre
The Hamilton Spectator

Hamilton’s poorest neighbourhood is getting a new recreation centre thanks to a council spending spree that will sprinkle millions in goodies across the city.

A skating rink and restaurant will also be built at the waterfront as part of the $8-million investment.

Councillors were asked earlier this year to pick the top three ways they would like to use extra capital dollars, including $3 million from the province for brownfields. Staff reviewed the wish list and recommended its top picks yesterday.

The approved projects include:

- $3 million for waterfront development, including a restaurant, skating rink and redevelopment of Pier 8.
- $2 million to build a community centre as part of the new Dr. J. Edgar Davey school on Ferguson Avenue in the Beasley neighbourhood. Another $1 million will clean up contamination in a neighbouring park.
- $1 million to create city housing in the core.
- $500,000 to renovate Hammill House in Ancaster so it can be used by minor sport associations.
- $150,000 for a feasibility study on a seniors’ residence and recreation centre in the lower city.
- $300,000 for a feasibility study on a welcome centre at the QEW and Fifty Road.

Downtown Councillor Bob Bratina, who pitched the Beasley project, said the centre will send an important message to children in the inner-city neighbourhood.

“They’ll see they count in the big picture,” he said.

Down the road at the bay, Werner Plessl, executive director of Hamilton Waterfront Trust, is optimistic a skating rink and restaurant will give residents another reason to visit the shore.

The project, pitched by Councillor Chad Collins, will make the waterfront a year-round attraction, he said.

[SteelTown]

I wonder what franchise restaurant the Waterfront Trust will get. Hopefully the skating rink will be constructed during the fall so that it'll be ready for the winter.

[FRM]

i'm guessing it'll be an indoor rink? and maybe a Red Lobster or something like that since it's close to the water?

[Jon Dalton]

Good news but I have some concerns. City housing should not be going into the core. This is coming from someone who has lived in city housing. The lowest common denominator approach to downtown renewal must end. This includes the Walmart planned for Barton St. If they allow that, the $2 million is a waste and will be offset by the economic detriment to an already suffering area.

[SteelTown]

The skating rink will be outdoors at Pier 4, it'll be a water fountain during the summer. That I do know. I just hope it'll be built in time for the winter.

The waterfront trust did mention something like a steak house for a restaurant. I believe the Keg was mentioned. I know the Keg looked at the Connaught but that didn't happen so perhaps they'll be warm to the idea of locating at the waterfront.

City Housing has done some good work, like the Gore building under construction. They can build residential units that are not geared towards affordability. I'm guessing this $1 million is towards the Treble Hall, the city already gave City Housing a million to purchase the building. So this new money is probably towards the renovation of the building.

[Jon Dalton]

Oh shit. Subsidized housing in a heritage building is not a sign of a downtown on the recovery. Why don't they let city housing build more of those crappy townhouses on a vacant lot near downtown? Treble Hall should be renovated as apartments and retail and rented out at market value. I hope the city is not just paying a chain restaurant to locate on the waterfront. They should develop the land and sell or lease it to the restaurant. If it's all publicly funded it should be a home grown operation.

[BrianE]

City Housing Hamilton sort of runs two types of programs from what I understand. There's the Geared to income housing units and they also have a number of projects and buildings that rent to the general renters market.

For a while in 2005 I rented a townhouse on Gurnett that was owned by City Housing but nobdy in the buildings was having their rent subsidized. Of course, just around the corner there's a larger complex that was geared to income and it showed.

So it's quite possible that Treble Hall could be one of their projects that isn't solely for geared to income renters.