[SteelTown]

Foundation gives $5m to revitalize neighbourhoods

December 05, 2007
Rachel De Lazzer
The Hamilton Spectator

Hamilton Community Foundation will invest $5 million over the next five years as it launches the second phase of a poverty-reduction program it says has already transformed neighbourhoods.

The foundation announced yesterday that Phase 2 will dole out $1 million each year to organizations targeting poverty, with $500,000 of that going to downtown revitalization.

In the second phase, much of the money will be directed toward neighbourhood "hubs" that will have to put together an impressive bidding package to show they've got a worthy plan to better their neighbourhoods.

Local residents, schools, businesses, libraries and others can team up to improve their area. The foundation wants to see neighbourhoods generating programs for themselves that are similar to those the foundation runs with its own neighbourhoods program.

A co-ordinator from that program working in the Martha Street area saw a lack of contact between neighbours.

"He thought, maybe there are no relationships here, you don't know each other," said foundation president and CEO Carolyn Milne.

So he started an annual neighbourhood party. That was a few years ago. The last party saw around 700 attendees, including the mayor. It's had ripple effects, encouraging residents to collaborate on community projects.

Milne said neighbourhood hubs have been working wonders in the U.S. and Great Britain.

Grants given for hub activities will range from $2,000 to $75,000. The foundation will hold a meeting with more details for charitable organizations on Friday at Liuna Station.

Phase I provided $3.4 million in grants to poverty programs and services from 2004 to next March.