[SteelTown]

Originally Posted by flar

I've had mixed feelings about this for years.

Upfront, I'll admit I don't like this kind of development. It's wasteful, a poor use of land and perpetuates a lot things that are wrong with our society.

But just because I don't like it, doesn't change the fact that this is business as usual. Cities are competing for development, so anyone looking to build gets to pick and choose. Unfortunately, taxpayers are on the hook as municiplities roll out the red carpet for development.

Hamilton desperately needs industrial development, too much of the tax burden is on residential and the city is increasingly being crushed by the weight of aging infrastructure. Hamilton got into this situation because so much of its industry moved to greener pastures, abandoning old industrial sites in the lower city.

I really don't know if the long term tax revenue outweighs the initial outlay for services and red carpet treatment for businesses.

Very few businesses are going to go through all the hassles of building on brownfields in Hamilton when they can go to brand new greenfields along the highway in places like Brantford or Milton. It doesn't make it right--I think it's deplorable to keep creating unusable land and discarding it--but that's what's happening. You need only look at the Hamilton area to see this at work. Hamilton's old harbourfront industrial area continues its decline, while the industrial parks along the QEW in Burlington and Stoney Creek are filled up. The industrial parks in Ancaster and Red Hill are attracting industry. Are they enough for the long term? I don't know. Perhaps the Aerotropolis needs to be scaled back.

I would like it if this entire model changed, but I don't really think Hamilton is in a position to lead the charge. It will probably end up hurting the city as businesses choose to locate elsewhere. I know London, Ontario opened a huge industrial park near their airport, just off the 401/Veteren's Memorial Parkway a few years ago. Mississauga has done exceedingly well with their absolutely massive industrial district around Pearson. Hamilton continues to languish, once an industrial hub, now with a net outflow of commuters. A workforce based mostly on retail sales positions, a small class of professionals and everyone else working in the western GTA.

It would be ideal if the brownfields were replaced with shiny new industry and jobs, but I don't think that's realistic in the current scheme of things.

100% agreement!

One thing I would like to see happen ASAP is get the Aeropark completed. It's been dead since 2004 and now it's an abandon park with grass covered roads and vines crawling up along the street lights.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=Hamilto...gl=ca&t=h&z=17

Last I heard the city needs to install a stormwater pond or something. Orlick Industries (David Braley) was suppose to build a factory there.