Hamilton rolls out the welcome mat to the core
 

Hamilton rolls out the welcome mat to the core

The city’s public works department is being encouraged to get the flowers planted, the downtown is scrubbed up, even the grand old dame the Royal Connaught had a clean and shine in preparation of the hosting of an international summit on downtown renewal starting Wednesday.

Glen Norton, the city’s manager of urban renewal, is on the case.

And for good reason.

The downtown will be under the microscope during the Transforming and Revitalizing Downtowns Summit hosted by the Strategy Institute this week ( http://www.revitalizingdowntowns.net...wntown2012.pdf).

Organizer Ayushman Banerjee said the company was very pleased with the 120 to 130 delegates who are coming to the conference. It’s the first time the event has been held outside of Toronto.

“I’m pleased with the number of attendees and with the diversity of professions and geography.”

Norton is one of the panellists speaking about the creative industries on Wednesday and then is leading a special post-conference workshop touring the downtown.

About 25 delegates paid an extra $300 to $400 to take the HSR trolley to the waterfront, the International and Downtown BIAs, and Locke and Hess streets districts to see what Hamilton has done.

“I truly think people will be surprised,” Norton said. “There is still the perception that this is an old industrial city where not much goes on. We have not abandoned our industrial roots but we have gone on to expand into other advanced manufacturing ... other elements. I don’t think anybody realizes we have a growing set of creative industries here,” he said.

“The BIAs have a great story to tell.”

Norton said he spoke at the conference last year and urged conference organizers to consider moving the event to Hamilton.

“Toronto is one of the most developed cities ... so many delegates are from other Canadian cities which have a lot more in common with Hamilton.”

Norton said he hoped the city’s public works department had the time and the weather this week to get the flowers planted at Gore Park and other spots in the core.

“I know they’re trying. It’s down to the wire.”

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http://www.thespec.com/news/business...at-to-the-core

It bugs me that we're racing to make the city presentable. Shouldn't that be an endeavour we undertake on a daily basis? It's a rare occurrence that I see someone sweeping up cigarette butts or scrubbing the pavements. Rare indeed. Let's show some more pride to the people who actually call Hamilton home, City Hall.

Oh yeah, it's time again for a bunch of experts to tell us what we've already been told and ignored. Cool.

Surely this is a typo, or is it $300-$400 for total cost of the HSR charter - $12-16 each?

Show World Cinemas is also sprucing up - there are signs that it is closed for renovations. (However, on Sunday there were several police officers with latex gloves knocking on the doors so that might have something to do with the sudden reno project!)