i feel the same way, but i also like to see a nice rendering that let's me imagine what it'll be like when i go there, instead of waiting for it to be built haha :)

Yeah, it just seemed that the rendering was a design very much in flux and who knows what it will really look like once final approval has been given. Steakhouse, eh? A welcome addition to the waterfront!:tup:

Critics say plan won't hold water

November 30, 2009
Eric McGuinness
The Hamilton Spectator
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/681727

It has taken four years and a budget of $730,000 to come up with plans for a major makeover of Hamilton's west harbour shoreline, but some boaters and North End residents are still making waves.

Lawyer Herman Turkstra, whose home overlooks Pier 4 Park, says the whole exercise is a waste of money "because the west harbour works very well today."

He's especially upset by the idea of removing MacDonald Marine Services from Macassa Bay, between Pier 4 and Bayfront parks, when its lease ends in eight or nine years.

"Macassa Bay has been a place for boats for 200 years. It's probably the best place to park a boat, shielded from strong east winds and partly from west winds."

Scott MacDonald, son of former Mayor Jack MacDonald, doesn't know why his business is singled out for removal when all the private boating clubs remain in place.

"I'm open to the public, with no dues and no monthly accounts. City consultants said in the 1980s that Macassa Bay should be a commercial marina and I've done what the city wanted."

Others ask why the police marine unit dock is to move to Macassa Bay from the foot of James Street North.

Laurel Thompson and Martin Lipp, both past commodores of the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club (RHYC), question whether the financially strapped city can afford features like a lift bridge required to extend the Waterfront Trail across a basin beside the clubhouse. Lipp calls the bridge idea impractical and outrageously expensive.

Thompson also wonders about the wisdom of ideas such as placing public art beside hoists used to lift club boats out of the water and onto trailers.

Work on the master plan began in 2005 as a followup to the Setting Sail land use plan for west harbour neighbourhoods, aspects of which are being appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board. Members of a waterfront advisory group mutinied last year when consultants proposed putting the RHYC, Leander Boat Club, Macassa Bay Yacht Club and other boating organizations in one, central building.

The Hamilton Waterfront Trust, meanwhile, was working on its own plan, which city council endorsed last January, telling staff to come up with a new scheme based on the trust's proposals.

Jill Stephen, acting director of strategic planning and rapid transit, is now in charge of the project, intended as a vision to be implemented over 20 to 30 years at an undetermined price.

If city council accepts the revised plan, being presented early in the new year, it will be put forward as an Official Plan amendment, with a formal meeting at which the public will have a chance to comment. Elements of the plan, such as construction of floating breakwaters, would be subject to further environmental assessment, with opportunities for more consultation.

Stephen defends putting more of the trail right on the shore, in front of the Macassa Bay and Royal Hamilton yacht clubs, saying, "We still want to get people to the water's edge."

RHYC would have assigned slips in a new 750-to-900-slip marina that the Hamilton Port Authority has expressed interest in operating. Most winter boat storage would be moved.

"We've worked to listen to everybody who's provided comments," says Stephen. "Our goal is to find the best plan for Hamilton. It may not be ideal for every boater, angler or cyclist. It has to take into account all perspectives."

Turkstra argues more attention should be paid to the Lake Ontario shoreline, "our true waterfront."

SHAPE OF TOMORROW: THE WEST HARBOUR PROJECT

Proposed vision includes:

* Multi-storey parking garage under Bayview Park at Bay and MacNab streets.

* Concession stand with bistro, plus canoe, kayak and bike rental in Bayfront Park.

* Royal Hamilton and Macassa Bay yacht clubs, Leander Boat and Hamilton Bay Sailing clubs remain in place.

* Wooden boardwalk along the shore past Macassa Bay and Royal Hamilton yacht clubs.

* Police dock in Macassa Bay between Bayfront and Pier 4 parks.

* Wooden pedestrian bridges across basin beside Royal Hamilton Yacht Club and across a slip at the foot of James Street.

* Urban fishing enhancements along the Bayfront Park shore facing the rail yard.

* Amphitheatre, stage and public art at the foot of James.

For more information, go to hamilton.ca, click on Projects And Initiatives and then scroll down to West Harbour Waterfront Recreational Master Plan.

Harbour plan won't float, so talks begin
Seek wide agreement

December 05, 2009
Eric McGuinness
The Hamilton Spectator
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/685216

Presentation of a west harbour redevelopment plan to city council is being delayed while the Chamber of Commerce, Waterfront Trust and senior city staff try to broker changes that make it acceptable to as many waterfront interests as possible.

The plan was scheduled to go to committee of the whole Monday, but Jill Stephen, acting director of strategic planning and rapid transit, now says that won't happen until January or February.

It's a significant issue because the aim is to create new retail and entertainment opportunities at the foot of James Street, replace all existing docks, move winter boat storage and encourage new waterfront investment.

Whatever council eventually adopts will become part of the city's official plan, a legal blueprint for the future.

But the latest proposals to come out of four years work and spending of more than $700,000 were criticized for threatening two existing businesses, MacDonald Marine Services and Brewers' Marine Supply, while disrupting the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club (RHYC), Leander Boat Club and other operations renting space from the city. Some North End residents continue to question the need for any major changes.

Chamber of commerce chief executive officer John Dolbec said his organization, which moved to the RHYC building years ago, wants to help achieve as much consensus as possible, to come up with a plan "all stakeholders can more or less agree to," before it goes to council.

While area residents might not be fully satisfied about traffic concerns and the boat clubs might still object to specific features, "we want something with which the broader group is reasonably content."

To that end, Dolbec said, the chamber asked city manager Chris Murray to arrange a day-long workshop run by the Hamilton Waterfront Trust.

After listening to all parties, Stephen's staff is now considering what changes can be brought to a second, yet-unscheduled, stakeholders meeting.

Stephen said, "If we can get them to agree to 95 per cent and that overall it's a good plan, that's a success."

City staff first engaged consultants whose proposals met with widespread objection.

The Waterfront Trust, meanwhile, produced its own scheme, and council directed staff to use it as the basis for their work. But that also ran into trouble in recent months, prompting the 11th-hour bid to find agreement.

Dolbec says, "There's no compelling reason to displace MacDonald Marine," and that mistreating private business now will discourage future investment.

Laurel Thompson, past commodore of the RHYC, says she is very optimistic that differences can be resolved "and that all partners can come together, as much as possible, on one plan."

I'm skeptical about retail. Go ahead and try it. but I don't think it will work. No one is down there Jan, Feb and Mar. Plus it doesn't have the pedestrian traffic, strollers and dog walkers.

If retail struggles in the heart of this city what makes people think it will do well down there. It might if you add 10,000 condo units first.

The City would like to get the foot of James Street redeveloped by 2015.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...esStcentre.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...terretrail.jpg

Thanks for posting that Steeltown. Now that would be something to be proud of. Looks very nice.

Reminds me of Seattle down by the markets.

Who is going to build this? Private companies, or is all this public owned? The second picture. That looks like a victorian streetwall. You can't just contrive that.

Those planned, condo, retail, office buildings... we've had about 6 condos built in the last 10 years (3 with public money), we're struggling to keep office vacancies from the being worst in the country. So we're just expecting developers to build this because we drew a concept.

Or is the City going to build all these buildings and be landlords..... we don't live in SimCity.

Waterfront Trust will build it, the retail/restaurants. They make money off Williams, trolley train, Harbour Queen, from the City, soon money from the skating rink and the restaurants. It's up to the City to build the infrastructure, West Harbour Waterfront Recreation Master Plan.

Good for them... I'll hold my breath.

I didn't know the City built buildings for private companies. Infrastructure is roads, sewers and hydro lines.

The City won't build the buildings, just the infrastructure.

The Waterfront Trust will build the buildings and make money off the rent or they could seek for a franchise and make money. The Waterfront Trust has the franchise for Williams and soon the restaurants.

What is the Waterfront Trust? A public or private enterprise? Where does their money come from? A bank? Who owns the land this is to be built on? If the city owns it? Who pays the property tax? We want to increase tax assessment right?

These are legit questions. I don't know?

I'll trust the Waterfront Trust and hope this happens.

Just because the core isn't ready for a retail resurgence doesn't mean the waterfront won't fly. It hasn't stopped Locke Street from becoming a destination for shops and restaurants.

As was mentioned in another thread, people try to draw build a barrier between waterfront and parks, and ANY retail development. You only have to go to larger US cities or Europe to realize that when put together properly, they enhance and build awareness and use. I think there's a sizable population in hamilton that are looking for an alternative to the malls, and Locke Street, Dundas, and this development will reap the benefits until downtown Hamilton can get it's act together.

I REALLY hope this happens.

Some of your questions are answered at their site.

http://www.hamiltonwaterfront.com/hwtaboutus.php
http://www.hamiltonwaterfront.com/hwtboard.
http://www.hamiltonwaterfront.com/hw...gdonations.php


I went by this morning and they have begun putting up a block structure beside Williams.

I am optimistic about this group, they seem to have a good track record, and have had many creative ideas that have been successful.

I hope they can get all the approvals they need to start. The geography is beautiful there, and it would be the talk of the town in no time.

http://www.hamiltonwaterfront.com

Hamilton Waterfront Trust is a non-profit organization.

The Waterfront Trust pays for property tax, etc. The land is owned by the City and the Trust pays lease for the land.

http://www.hamilton.ca/Hamilton.Port...34-PD04322.pdf

I highly doubt there is any property taxes paid on the property. The City owns the land, so that goes to no property taxes on land.

"The Lessee (Trustees of the Hamilton Waterfront Trust) will be responsible for all operating costs including the public washrooms associated with the maintenance to the building and land, including all capital costs. In addition to the rent payable under this lease, the Lessee must pay all applicable realty taxes associated with this lease."

The Waterfront Trust is building the restaurant building now. In December they submitted a building permit worth $800,000.

Waterfront rink on ice until November

February 05, 2010
Rachel De Lazzer
The Hamilton Spectator
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/717495

An NHL-sized outdoor ice rink that was originally due to be ready this winter has hit some delays -- and will now be ready for a first ice by November.

The Pier 8 development by the Hamilton Waterfront Trust ran into unexpected slowdowns with environmental approvals for the site.

"There were some contaminated soil issues we had to deal with," said Werner Plessl, executive director of the trust.

Meeting new environmental standards on the property, which was originally remediated in the early 1990s, took some time, he said.

Site servicing, such as hydro and sanitation, is complete. Plessl says first ice can be laid in around Nov. 1.

But the rest of the site will be ready for summer use by late July. There will be an amphitheatre, and grass will surround the concrete surface to be used for winter ice.

The project will cost $4.2 million, up from the original $3.8 million, due to soil contamination that required investigation and further remediation, such as laying down a 45-centimetre surface in areas to prevent human and animal contact with contaminated soil.

The city funded $3 million of the initial cost and planned to supply the rest of the cost out of future budgets, said Plessl.

He said the trust plans to nail down tenants by early summer for the 12,000- to 15,000-square-foot, two-storey commercial building that is part of the development.

Final designs will begin after that.

"We will work with the tenants to do the detailed design of the building," he says.

The commercial building could house restaurants or other businesses. The development is located between the Williams Coffee Pub and the Parks Canada Discovery Centre.

Waterfront cities
 

I have had the pleasure in the last couple of months visit two waterfront cities. Victoria and Sault Ste Marie.
I see one major factor that Hamilton has to tackle and it is a major one. Hamilton's waterfront on the South side of the Bay was almost all claimed by industry and is just that. Well with new technology the plants are or can be smaller.
Hamilton and the people have to push to get this back and have industry move together or consolidate to give the land back to the people.
There are people willing to pay lots of money for a lake or water view, yeah in Toronto or Burlington.
And they do. We may be on track with the West harbour and plans for the Discovery centre. I would like to see it in my life time (50ish),
If we could only get a boardwalk around the bay for cycling or roller blading. We have that now at Bayfront and Van Wagners but you have to drive there.
We need a migration to the water not away from it. I know people who drive 3 hrs to a trailer thru Toronto. or sauble.
Maybe a few hotels directely on the waterfront near the proposed stadium and new railhead.