Kill the Gateway Sign,.... - Page 4

raisethehammer · #61 Posted **Aug 14, 2008, 4:02 PM**

has anyone looked into the possibility of using MacTac for city hall???

markbarbera · #62 Posted **Aug 14, 2008, 4:06 PM**

Brilliant! you can get mactac with a marble pattern, stick it onto some chipboard, slap it on the side of the building and Bob's your uncle! No one looking at it from the street would know the difference.

SteelTown · #63 Posted **Aug 14, 2008, 4:06 PM**

Don't forget a skating rink will be built at Pier 4.

If limestone is choosen would they polish it or leave it as a rough stoney facade?

raisethehammer · #64 Posted **Aug 14, 2008, 4:33 PM**

and what's with all these expensive contractors?? just hire Steve Smith (Red Green).
He's a pro with MacTac and duct tape. We'd save a fortune!

markbarbera · #65 Posted **Aug 14, 2008, 4:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbarbera

The most recent number for households in Hamilton that I could locate is from the 2001 Census, which listed 188,155 households in the city itself. I couldn't find a city-specific statistic in the 2006 Census, just for the Hamilton CMA, which was 266,380. Of course, the Hamilton CMA includes Burlington. So I guess you'd say I wasn't passing on a lie or a damn lie, simply a statistic.

Okay, I found a more recent number for the city. The total number of dwellings for the City of Hamilton, according to Statistics Canada's 2006 Census, is 204,922.

That would mean the $3.5 million cost would work out to about $17.08 per household, if paid in full out of hand in one year. If the cost is amortized over twenty-five years, the burden to each household's annual property tax would work out to $1.61 per household per year.

That's for limestone and stainless steel trim, haven't done the number crunching for mactac yet.

highwater · #66 Posted **Aug 14, 2008, 5:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteelTown

If limestone is choosen would they polish it or leave it as a rough stoney facade?

Polish it I hope, so it would be more in keeping with the original marble.

SteelTown · #67 Posted **Aug 14, 2008, 5:43 PM**

I searched myself and yea polished smooth limestone.

SteelTown · #68 Posted **Aug 14, 2008, 5:49 PM**

Also if you look at the panels provided, the limestone panel is so smooth and solid whereas with the concrete panels it has holes (probably airbubbles), which suggest to me it'll be easy for the concrete panels to crack and wear down.

FairHamilton · #69 Posted **Aug 14, 2008, 5:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbarbera

Okay, I found a more recent number for the city. The total number of dwellings for the City of Hamilton, according to Statistics Canada's 2006 Census, is 204,922.

That would mean the $3.5 million cost would work out to about $17.08 per household, if paid in full out of hand in one year. If the cost is amortized over twenty-five years, the burden to each household's annual property tax would work out to $1.61 per household per year.

That's for limestone and stainless steel trim, haven't done the number crunching for mactac yet.

OK, put that in writing to the Spec that if we just raised taxes we could easily afford limestone and stainless on City Hall.

I'll lay money if it gets published there will be a flood of letters about no more raising taxes, throw the 'bums' out and that type stuff.

Do you believe any differently? Politically, that's not an option.

markbarbera · #70 Posted **Aug 14, 2008, 6:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by FairHamilton

OK, put that in writing to the Spec that if we just raised taxes we could easily afford limestone and stainless on City Hall.

I'll lay money if it gets published there will be a flood of letters about no more raising taxes, throw the 'bums' out and that type stuff.

Do you believe any differently? Politically, that's not an option.

Talking about raising taxes is definitely not an option for any politician. However, politicians never talk about raising taxes. They just raise them.

markbarbera · #71 Posted **Aug 14, 2008, 6:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteelTown

Don't forget a skating rink will be built at Pier 4.

I am getting very much off topic here, but I always thought it would be neat if the city flooded the northern portion of the Desjardins Canal at wintertime and set it up as a skating rink.

raisethehammer · #72 Posted **Aug 14, 2008, 6:56 PM**

did anyone see Hamilton Place yesterday after the rain.
Beautiful.

adam · #73 Posted **Aug 14, 2008, 7:10 PM**

A city of 1/2 a million without enough money to finish city hall properly. Shame on them. This is my last post in this thread.

FairHamilton · #74 Posted **Aug 14, 2008, 7:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by adam

A city of 1/2 a million without enough money to finish city hall properly. Shame on them. This is my last post in this thread.

Let's keep in mind they just committed a great deal of money to resurrect the Lister Block.

Last time I looked $$ didn't grow on trees, though based on some posts here you'd think it did...............

FairHamilton · #75 Posted **Aug 14, 2008, 7:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbarbera

Talking about raising taxes is definitely not an option for any politician. However, politicians never talk about raising taxes. They just raise them.

Which they will for Lister Block, and many other projects and I'm sure there is already an increase coming for the $50M budgeted for City Hall we just haven't discussed that yet.......

My common thread has been, you can't have it all or you can't have your cake and eat it too, and all those other cliches. The city has to make decisions about what's important today, and what they can afford today without going back to the well (taxpayers).

highwater · #76 Posted **Aug 14, 2008, 9:16 PM**

They had no trouble finding half a billion dollars for the RHVP, and they'll have no trouble finding whatever it takes to service the Aerotropolis. $3.5 million seems like a drop in the bucket to do right by a heritage building that was bequeathed to us by our forebears, and is ours to be decent stewards of till we pass it on to our kids (along with all the RHVP and Aerotropolis debt).

Ferguson is right, we are not a wealthy municipality. We are suffering from a serious impoverishment of honour and vision.

raisethehammer · #77 Posted **Aug 14, 2008, 9:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by highwater

They had no trouble finding half a billion dollars for the RHVP, and they'll have no trouble finding whatever it takes to service the Aerotropolis. $3.5 million seems like a drop in the bucket to do right by a heritage building that was bequeathed to us by our forebears, and is ours to be decent stewards of till we pass it on to our kids (along with all the RHVP and Aerotropolis debt).

Ferguson is right, we are not a wealthy municipality. We are suffering from a serious impoverishment of honour and vision.

wow. very well stated.

adam · #78 Posted **Aug 15, 2008, 2:40 PM**

Hey maybe we could propose a 5th option for the sign that says in big bold letters "HAMILTON - WE'RE NOT A WEALTHY MUNICIPALITY"

astroblaster · #79 Posted **Aug 15, 2008, 3:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by adam

Hey maybe we could propose a 5th option for the sign that says in big bold letters "HAMILTON - WE'RE NOT A WEALTHY MUNICIPALITY"

are you kidding? you know how much all those letters would cost?

i propose HAMILTON - WE PO'

adam · #80 Posted **Aug 15, 2008, 4:03 PM**

or maybe each letter could be sponsored by a different company!