Light Rail

Another Rapid Transit Manager Leaves City

By Ryan McGreal
Published June 10, 2013

Justin Readman, recently the manager of the rapid transit office that developed Hamilton's B-Line LRT plan, has resigned from the City after ten years' employment. Readman's last day was this past Friday, June 7, 2013.

Readman is starting a new job working as the director of transportation services for the City of Kitchener. His experience helping develop Hamilton's Rapid Ready LRT plan will come in handy as Waterloo Region implements its LRT rapid transit system.

Waterloo Region LRT Route Map (Image Credit: Waterloo Region)
Waterloo Region LRT Route Map (Image Credit: Waterloo Region)

Readman is the second rapid transit project manager in a row to resign from the position. The previous manager, Jill Stephen, resigned in September 2011, after a summer in which Mayor Bob Bratina regularly disparaged Hamilton's LRT plan and City Manager Chris Murray suspended the program.

Is Readman's departure a sign that city staff are losing confidence about whether Hamilton's LRT plan will come to fruition? Mayor Bratina is once again undermining the city's LRT plan, and the status of the Ontario Government's proposal to fund the next wave of Metrolinx priority project - including Hamilton's LRT - remains uncertain.

Ryan McGreal, the editor of Raise the Hammer, lives in Hamilton with his family and works as a programmer, writer and consultant. Ryan volunteers with Hamilton Light Rail, a citizen group dedicated to bringing light rail transit to Hamilton. Ryan wrote a city affairs column in Hamilton Magazine, and several of his articles have been published in the Hamilton Spectator. His articles have also been published in The Walrus, HuffPost and Behind the Numbers. He maintains a personal website, has been known to share passing thoughts on Twitter and Facebook, and posts the occasional cat photo on Instagram.

6 Comments

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By banned user (anonymous) | Posted June 10, 2013 at 13:28:29

comment from banned user deleted

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By Metrostinks (anonymous) | Posted June 10, 2013 at 14:31:38 in reply to Comment 89459

So true. "Metrolinx" "Big Move" and "Hamilton" when combined are resume-killers.

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By ViennaCafe (registered) | Posted June 10, 2013 at 18:10:43 in reply to Comment 89467

Maybe you failed to notice how the resume killing part of this person's resume landed him a job in Kitchener -- a city surpassing Hamilton for economic development and progress.

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By Metrostinks (anonymous) | Posted June 10, 2013 at 18:26:50 in reply to Comment 89471

Dat whoosh.

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By Alt. Scenario (anonymous) | Posted June 10, 2013 at 13:47:28

Imagine if the Liberals had implemented long-term funding solutions for The Big Move when they held a legislative majority.

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By Core-B (registered) | Posted June 10, 2013 at 15:40:43

The optics are not good. I feel sad

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