Hamilton's $400 million wish list
Top proposals for Friday funding deadline
April 29, 2009
Nicole MacIntyre
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/556680
Emergency services training facility: $25 million
The training facility at Nebo and Stone Church roads, built for firefighters, is overdue to be replaced. A year ago, an engineer estimated the outdoor structure had two years left. Emergency workers want to build a state-of-the-art indoor facility that can be used year-round. It will also offer training space for paramedics and police, including a shooting range. The project has been on the books for several years, but there's never been funding available. The facility would also become the city's new operations centre in emergencies. The fire service is considering relocating a station to the site.
Artificial soccer turf: $3.3 million
Demand for prime soccer fields is increasing. Natural fields need breaks to keep the grass healthy, which can be a scheduling nightmare. Recreation staff want to install artificial turf on two fields at Billy Sherring Park and the Glanbrook Sports Complex. The pricey fields can handle continuous play and activity during the shoulder seasons.
Restore Auchmar to create curatorial centre: $10 million
The city has been struggling for years to find the money and plan to save the historic Mountain estate that has fallen into disrepair. Cultural staff have also been searching for a new conservation lab to work on the city's collections and for a storage facility. The new plan calls for Auchmar to be restored as a curatorial centre that will house more than a million artifacts. It could also host city events.
Renovate First Place and build a seniors' apartment: $8.6 million
The housing department wants to meet the growing demand for seniors' accommodation. First Place is overdue for $5 million in renovations to repair roof leaks, replace elevators and buy new boilers. On Stone Church Road West, the city also wants to build a new seniors' apartment with 30 units. It's on the site of a former apartment project demolished because of unstable ground. The city has fixed the problem and says there is major demand for seniors' housing on the Mountain.
Energy retrofits: $13.1 million
The city is proposing 14 projects to help it get closer to its goal of reducing energy consumption by 20 per cent by 2020. From replacing aging lighting in libraries and fire stations to expanding the city's downtown district energy system to the Lister Block, the projects promise to save the city $1.5 million a year in energy costs. The proposal also includes $4.5 million for a major energy retrofit of the city's water operations on Woodward Avenue.
New roads on the southeast Mountain: $43.5 million
The city has been waiting for funding to extend Trinity Church Road and expand Rymal Road from Dartnall to Upper Centennial Parkway. The environmental studies and planning are done. The projects are part of a larger plan to reduce congestion and eventually connect the Glanbrook Industrial Park to the airport.
Traffic signal upgrades: $10 million
Improving the timing of Hamilton's traffic lights could save residents $3.5 million a year in fuel. It would also cut car emissions while making signals more sensitive to pedestrians. The city wants to install high-tech sensors to upgrade the system.