Celebrate city's past, but focus on future
Instead of talking about the past, the challenge today is to focus on the future ... What does Hamilton at one million people look like?
October 10, 2009
David Estok
The Hamilton Spectator
http://www.thespec.com/Opinions/article/651179
The following is an address this week by Spectator editor-in-chief David Estok to a conference on the Future of Economic Development in the Greater Hamilton Area.
I was born and raised in Hamilton's east end and although I have not lived in the city for more than two decades, most of my family has lived here their whole lives.
I have always considered myself a Hamiltonian.
I wanted to start by admitting my bias: I have a deep love of our city and, if you didn't know, the Tiger Cats.
Even though I thought I knew Hamilton, I have been surprised by a number of things since I returned to the city in early 2007.
The development of our waterfront in the years I had been away was a pleasant surprise. Hamiltonians have rediscovered and reclaimed the bay and its beauty and it feels right.
I like the vibrancy of Locke Street, the rejuvenation of Ottawa Street, the tremendous growth on Hamilton Mountain, the personality of James Street North, the growth of our airport and a new vision for our harbour, and the growth in size and stature of our universities, hospitals and colleges.
I have also been so impressed by a spirit of co-operation and collaboration that exists here. The Poverty Round Table, the jobs prosperity collaborative, our United Way are but a few examples of Hamiltonians from all walks of life working collectively to make life better.
Alas, there have been some disappointments too.
Our downtown:
My second week here I had the opportunity to meet privately with Premier Dalton McGuinty. I talked his assistants into having him take a walk with me from King and James, down to John and then back again through the core. We went past store by store, and I reminded him when I was a kid that this was the Connaught, this was Dack Shoes, and this was Fay Jackson. Sadly, they are all gone.
Our traffic:
The addition of the Red Hill Valley Expressway and the Linc are the envy of many cities including London, Ont., where I have lived for many years. But traffic congestion heading toward Toronto has become almost unbearable in the past 20 years. Boris Brott told me when I first came back that it is worse than L.A., a city he spends lots of time in. At least in L.A. you can time your drive; here, because of weather and accidents, its almost impossible.
Think of all the resources being wasted, the time and money, the impact on family life, all because we have not provided the transportation infrastructure we so desperately need.
Our social fabric:
Successive waves of downloading by provincial and federal governments, combined with a real need by many in our city, has put tremendous pressures on many living here. Our social services challenges consume a lot of brainpower and energy, as well as drain our tax dollars and donations, and we need to overcome the issues. I was proud to learn of the Spec's role in the Poverty Round Table, but this issue remains a critical one in our city.
Lastly, I have re-learned two things about Hamiltonians: They love nature and they love our history.
One of the most popular pictures in the newspaper is in our classified section. Readers send in pictures, invariably of birds, animals or scenes of nature. It reminds us that in our Victorian past we were a city of beauty, green and growing.
Hamiltonians also like their history. In fact, we LOVE talking about our past. Hamilton nostalgia is almost a growth industry and real Hamiltonians take pride in telling you our story.
But in my view, and unfortunately, for the people I talk to each day, the past is seen through a prism of negativity or a sense of loss. That somehow we are not as good as we once were. That somehow we have been diminished.
Instead of talking about the past, the challenge today is to focus on our future. We need to understand and get ready as a city for what is coming next.
What does Hamilton at one million people look like?
What do we have to do today to ensure we plan for that?
How do we encourage growth?
How do we become known for innovation?
How much shovel-ready employment land do we have ready?
How do we reward entrepreneurship? How do we become a welcoming place to do business?
What kind of civic and political leadership do we need?
In short, why don't we see vision instead of just seeing barriers?
Exactly two years ago this month, The Hamilton Spectator tried to answer some of these questions in a special 48 page section. We called it Hamilton Next. A Focus On The Future City.
We created an interactive web board game where people could virtually rebuild the city. We asked many of you in this room what needs to be done.
And we came up with a list of 10 ideas.
I thought I would read them to spur some debate:
1. We need all-day, full GO service to downtown Hamilton.
2. We need further development of the waterfront and the mountain brow.
3. We need to build up our economic development operation and streamline processes for development and growth.
4. We need to revitalize the downtown core.
5. We need to protect and promote our key manufacturing industries.
6. We need east-west and north-south LRT.
7. We need to ensure we are the best place to raise a child.
8. We need to provide help for new immigration.
9. We need to build alliances between McMaster, Mohawk, Redeemer, and city business and philanthropists.
10. We need to empower civic leadership and deal with the political culture at city hall.
Two years later, how have we done?