Raise the Hammer

Here's the letter I wrote to our representatives yesterday, (with liberal quoting form KCD's article omitted).

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

At the turn of the new year in Hamilton the vision for the kind of city we want to live in has never been more important. I am a lifelong Hamiltonian, whose family has lived in Hamilton for generations. I work in the core and have chosen to make Hamilton my home. I have just returned from a year abroad in London, UK, where built heritage is an integral and indispensable aspect of that city's social, cultural and historic fabric. While Hamilton can hardly be considered a city on par with London, our built heritage is no less important to our identity as a city. Our heritage buildings are one of our greatest assets. The buildings slated for demolition on the Gore form the centre of our city's historic core, and to allow these buildings to be demolished would be to rip out the heart of the city. The grassroots change and progress that has taken place in downtown Hamilton during the last ten years has all been centred around preserving, rejuvenating and restoring the historic buildings of our downtown neighbourhoods, and is one of Hamilton's most attractive qualities to outsiders choosing to make Hamilton their home.

We are seeking your immediate action on this issue, to protect these buildings, and the historic centre of our city, from this destruction. Hamilton has torn down too much of its history, and continued demolition is not a sustainable or progressive approach to urban planning. I call on Minister Chan to issue a stop work order and/or a notice of intention to designate under the Ontario Heritage Act, and I call on you, city councillors, and provincial and federal representatives to call on the Minister to do the same.

I look forward to hearing from you on this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Thea Haines