Raise the Hammer
According to a report from Lee Ann Coveyduck, the City's general manager of planning and economic development, the city is getting close to its target for the Farmers' Market renotation:
Allocating a further $1,050,000 to the reconstruction of the Hamilton Farmers' Market would bring the total approved funding to $6,215,000. The estimated total reconstruction cost is $6,500,000.
Also in the report is more information on the development of an artwalk. Describing an existing artwalk in Rochester, Coveydick writes:
The coloured and stamped cement walkway has sculptures, decorative street furniture and other forms of art placed along the roadway that connects the cultural and educational institutions, artists' studios, merchants and entertainment venues.
I've been told by others that this will likely be along King Street, from Gore to Wellington.
Finally, I'm glad to hear they are eyeing other properties for more housing projects. The safety fence went up in front of 187 King East yesterday as they prepare for that project.
By downtown resident (anonymous) | Posted April 14, 2007 at 13:53:18
the housing is good idea. that is the foundation of any decent and vibrant neighbourhood as long as it looks good and fits in.
By seancb (registered) - website | Posted April 14, 2007 at 16:30:43
The city has numerous incentives in place for developers who take an existing commercial downtown building and change it to residential. It's nice to see that they are pushing in this direction.
By H Mag (anonymous) | Posted April 15, 2007 at 17:25:28
Jason, the Art Walk is going along King William at first. I got something at the shop describing the project if you want to find out more...
By Bus Boy (anonymous) | Posted April 16, 2007 at 12:30:52
I like both these ideas. St. Lawrence Market in Toronto, Byward Market in Ottawa, Jean Talon Market in Montreal, even the historic "inverted hull" in St. John, New Brunswick, they are all at the centre of varied, and interesting commercial districts. Markets are the original community business incubators, unless they're in concrete bunkers isolated from surrounding streets.
Art walks too, are relatively economical ways to build ongoing, low key attractions to the city, serving as excellent backgrounds to special events. Such things make the city appear multi-dimensional, with something going on all the time.
In that spirit I'd like to suggest something similar, especially as we may be digging up sidewalks around the market: The CanLit Hall of Fame, with brass plaques of great Canadian writers, their bibliographies and a quotation from their work, inlaid in the courtyard outside Hamilton Public Library's central branch, and then branching out to surrounding sidewalks.
We don't need anyone's permission to locate the CanLit Hall of Fame in Hamilton. Supported by a web-site, a local CanLit Hall of Fame Committee might select a panel of Canadian authors who then recommend a short list to be voted on by readers across the country, final selection(s) to be announced at an annual gala here in the city. Lots of PR potential, selecting judges, sending out short-lists etc., all representing a "new" Hamilton. Not that we should be ashamed of the old.
Speaking of the old, what can be done to resurrect the list of Hamilton authors and books that used to be maintained by city library staff? It was a very usefull resource for this sector of the city's economy, but seems to have disappeared through recent cutbacks and amalgamations. Just as the literary scene seems to be really taking off in this town.
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