Raise the Hammer

I have to say, the view from the lookout near the T.B. McQueston Bridge in Point 2 is probably the best view in the City! More-so than from Sam Lawrence Park.

From the High Level bridge, you have a panoramic view of the entire Burlington Bay (including parts of the RBG), the Burlington Skyway, the Industrious East Harbour, Downtown and it's outdated yet beautiful Skyline, the winding Niagara Escarpment covered in greenery, as well as a glimpse into the east end of the City. One REALLY gets a sense of how dense Hamilton truly is from this vantage point.

Cross York Blvd, you'll get another panoramic view of Cootes Paradise, McMaster University in the distance, and the old town of Dundas just behind it. Not to mention the winding Niagara Escarpment, which hugs Dundas, and the other half of the RBG (with the Monestary up on the top of the hill).

Definately the best view in the City by far! Take a back seat, Sam Lawrence (the park, not the man)!

agreed!

i much appreciate my sunrise / sunset views from the rush hour GO trains each day (when the timing is right seasonally). simply amazing, and ONLY in hamilton!

there isn't any other such view along the entire GO system probably...

but if sights of endless railyards, gravel piles, warehouses, the fabulous new burloak big box wasteland, and the rear of strip malls are your cup of tea, then i guess hamiltons view cant compete lol

but you can enjoy that for sure on your GO ride up to catch the shuttle bus in the parking lot of the new Vaughan arena!

FYI The body of water between Hamilton and Burlington is officially named "Hamilton Harbour". Not 'Burlington Bay'. I just read the plaque from the Canadian Government in the Hamilton Port Authority Building.

I'll give half points for "Burlington Bridge", but it's name is the "James N. Allen Skyway Bridge".

"Burlington" as a name is from the 'heights' seen from Sir Allen MacNab's Dundurn Castle. It was a strategic point to protect the harbour from the Americans. The word "Burlington" was invented in Hamilton. ... just like half its population.

Nope. All wrong.

It's an exciting time for professional hockey in Southern Ontario and it has nothing to do with the playoffs. Jim Balsillie has made an offer to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes and relocate them to Southern Ontario. Jim stated, "I am excited to move closer to bringing an NHL franchise to what I believe is one of the best un-served hockey markets in the world". Read the full release statement here:

makeitseven.ca/downloads/May%205%20release%20FINAL.pdf

We are building an exciting online community to help promote bringing Canada its seventh franchise. Sign up here for updates and alerts as we build this site and show the hockey world that we are ready!

Together, we can make it seven!

makeitseven.ca/

I sure hope Balsillie leaves no option for Bettman. I'd like to see Gary lose his job. The guy has no business sense that's for sure!

Honestly, I just don't understand Bettman's thought process.

Phoenix is currently ranked 9th in the US for number of foreclosures this year and the team has been struggling to attract people since they started. The only times they ever sold out a stadium was during their first season and the one game they played in Winnipeg.

How can he possibly justify allowing that team to die in Phoenix rather than bringing it to a market that will have no problem supporting it?

hey frank,

firebettman.com/

it's either bettman or balsillie. the two will never come to terms. i think fifteen years in command is enough for bettman. his time has passed.

the spec has word today that another powerful businessman wants to move a team to hamilton. next season is the last the bulldogs have on contract at copps. with all of this stuff coming together, including a possible lrt rolling by the arena, hopefully momentum will somehow land the city a team.

can you imagine downtown buzzing 40 nights a year with hockey fans? raise the hammer.

Ok, here's the perfect solution:
Hamilton 'Coyotes' NHL Team (Don't like the team name myself)
Kitchener-Waterloo Bulldogs AHL Team

Everybody Wins!

ps: Does anyone else think the recent rash of Coyote sightings in the area was actually a Balsillie-led marketing ploy? Huh? Think about that for a min LOL

kitchener wouldn't want the AHL team if someone just handed it to them... lol

i'm pretty sure the OHL rangers will always have a bigger fan base. the problem with the AHL (especially in Hamilton) is that it tries too hard to be like the NHL as a pro team... with no local players, and no major nearby rivals (like Kitchener to London in OHL) its hard to generate interest. plus - the good players often disappear and head to the real league - the NHL

kitchener does well with the Rangers cause its very community and locally based - but hamilton needs the big ticket team to attract fans, which they can most certainly do. and then we can have a real rivalry with toronto, ottawa AND buffalo! (the marlies don't count as a real rival for the dogs... lol people only go to those games to see the baby leafs)

Better name: Hamilton Cougars!

Good point re: the Rangers. They have a huge fan-base.

Perhaps the pro sports arena (Burlington) Mayor Jackson is talking about is for the relocation of the Bulldogs; they have been in talks in the past, no? I also believe they're contract with HECFI/the City is coming up soon?

A new stadium eh?

Maybe Mr. Balsillie could help fund the stadium Hamilton's already planning for the Pan-Am games. That way it will get done quicker, save the city some money and ensure we have a world class stadium for hockey, football, and everything else.

It does sound a bit far fetched, but this guy strikes me a a fanatic when it comes to hockey so it wouldn't be that surprising to see him part with hundreds of millions of dollars to make this deal happen.

Sadly, a multi-stadium could not hold football & hockey in the same structure... that happens typically once every couple of years (or every year now) with the Heritage Classic, which brings the game back outdoors.

I think, if this information is true, that it suggests Balsillie is planning on putting the team in K-W most likely using Copps as a temporary site until the Walter Gretzky-RIM Centre is built in K-W.

I don't think that Bettman has enough humility to extract his head from his arse... He won't admit that what he's done is ground and even sink the league. Time for him to head back to the NBA! Get someone in there who knows about hockey...

Walter Gretzky arena in downtown Hamilton? Sounds awesome. I think he's referring to the $150 million reno of Copps when he talks about a 'new arena'. He won't call it Copps anymore, I'd presume. Go Jimmy!

I was fearful after first reading Gretzky's involvement ... that it meant this team is heading to the 519 area.

I'm hopeful that Jason is correct.. that sounds very plausible, that a $150 mil retro of Copps would in effect mean a new arena and get the name off Copps.... finally.... Gretzky's name on our arena housing the Hamilton Tigers, I could then die happy.

Bettman is an arse... even tho the facts have changed he won't change his mind.

Good coverage in today's Spectator: the bankruptcy papers the team owner filed with the court state clearly that the only way to avoid having the team fold is to accept Balsillie's offer and move to Hamilton. The team's lawyers are arguing that if the NHL board of governors tries to block the move, they're actually breaking US antitrust law. Suck on that one, Bettman!

Surely Mr. Balsillie isn't stupid enough to spend upwards of $200 million on a team, and the same amount on building a stadium somewhere where there isn't a plan to bring higher order transit (LRT), continuous all-day GO Transit service, nearby downtown amenities (e.g. bars & shopping areas), existing pro sports franchise(s) and a city that's recognized as a major part of the region.

He definitely doesn't want to make the same mistake as the Coyotes made in moving to Glendale.

Aside from downtown Hamilton, there is really nowhere else in the region where such a plan realistically makes sense. Copps is the home for the new team, the Hamilton Coyotes. It certainly won't be Burlington or Vaughan. Kitchener-Waterloo may be feasible, but much longer term.

Skyscraping buildings? In downtown Hamilton? Not quite, but funny nonetheless. Keep living that illusion, Hamilton!