Raise the Hammer
By Letter to the Editor
Published July 12, 2011
July 12, 2011
Mayor Bob Bratina
and Members of City Council
Hamilton City Hall
71 Main Street West
Hamilton, ON
L8P 4Y5
Dear Sirs/Mesdames:
RE: Light Rail Transit (LRT)
We write to reiterate our unwavering support for LRT in the city of Hamilton and to strongly encourage you to champion LRT in the city.
As you are aware, LRT is a proven catalyst to economic development and growth. It reduces the use of single-occupancy vehicles and increases the use of public transit. LRT has a proven record of increasing ridership, averages more passengers per vehicle than a bus, is more handicapped accessible, and offers a quieter, smoother ride.
LRT would directly benefit the core, urban neighbourhoods and all of Hamilton by replacing polluting, noisy buses that crowd our streets, help to concentrate economic development downtown, increase business assessments to help reduce the residential tax-burden, and speed up travel to downtown and other areas of the city.
The province granted $3 million for the study of the LRT line from Eastgate to McMaster University precisely because it is the only sensible choice for the first LRT line. It is the most highly travelled route by car and bus (the B-line) and the ridership already exists on that route. There are many options for intensification apart from demolishing homes.
The city has a once in a lifetime opportunity to receive 100% of direct capital costs from higher government. That money will be given to another city if Hamilton's LRT project is not approved. The cost to Hamilton taxpayers in the short term will allow us to reap the proven economic development benefits of the LRT in the longer term. The majority of the city's costs will largely be streetscape improvements which are desperately needed in any event.
Thank you for your considered attention.
Yours truly,
Roberta Harman, President
Durand Neighbourhood Association
cc. Neighbourhood Associations;
Jill Stephen, City of Hamilton
By mrgrande (registered) | Posted July 12, 2011 at 14:55:33
The city has a once in a lifetime opportunity to receive 100% of direct capital costs from higher government.
We've been offered 100% capital costs?
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