Raise the Hammer

There is no doubt in my mind that a "spreading out" has occurred in many neighbourhoods due to smaller family sizes, etc. My own observation is a lot of young couples and new families moving into homes held by the same owner(s) for the past 30 or 40 years as part of that cyclical process.

In the west end, check out enrollments at Earl Kitchener, George R. Allen and St. Josephs schools for confirmation. These schools are very well utilised. The demographics are adding residents to these neighbourhoods, but smaller families do mean the current growth doesn't quite match previous population heights.

The main point of Jason's post (I think) is that the Ainslie Wood area's supposed and reported 10% drop doesn't reflect the reality. Families of 2.3 persons moved out of houses which were converted to 6 person residences. There was in fact an exodus of families leaving an increasingly student residential area but population likely increased. Only thing is, this population is non-permanent and most have permanent addresses elsewhere.

That said, the Spec reports this morning that the federal budget will include $6 million for the relocation of the federal CANMET lab to McMaster University's high-tech research park.

New and proposed purpose-built student housing could free up homes in Ainslie Wood to once again be used permanent homes rather than temporary student housing.

A residential strategy is needed for the west end so that employees at the McMaster Innovation Park can live close to their work. This should include: - transportation links (bike and pedestrian paths) from Ainslie Wood across the 403 to MIP. - multi-residential/commercial developments on Main St for student use to remove demand for student homes - work with the owners of 220 Dundurn to ensure residential development of the site. - a variety of housing styles is needed from student housing to single, couple and family condos and homes to retirement living to ensure stable population densities

The natural result of this would be some intensification through multi-residential, better population densities to support local commercial activity and better transit and the recovery of housing stock for use as homes.

It is all very possible and an exciting time to be living in the west end of Hamilton.