Raise the Hammer

Although, I have no doubt that the provincial Liberals are doing exactly what Rian's article suggested, "running down the clock" when it comes to LRT funding but, I don't believe its for denying Hamilton funding. As an outsider, It's been my impression that there is still a fundamental debate going on about transit in Hamilton and its not BRT vs. LRT. Its more like, do we need rapid transit and if we do, why? Cities like Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver are also having transit debates but, its really about a preferred technology and ultimately the proper sequencing of lines inside their rapid transit networks. On top of that, how they plan to pay for everything? But the question of rapid transit itself is settled, its a needed part of the total transportation system of those cities. I just do not get the feeling that Hamilton has really finished that basic debate about rapid transit itself and its position in the city.

I now there is a big push for LRT on this website and many of the people are already sold on the LRT idea. When you are not on websites similar to this but, newspaper comment sections or just in the community at large (outside of downtown Hamilton) and you ask about rapid transit what is the answer you get about it? I seriously doubt that even 30-40% would identify it as a priority, yet. Go into a suburban Tim Horton's and ask if Hamilton needs an LRT line, the answer you will most likely get will surprise and ultimately disappoint you! I picked this feeling up by an occasional visit to Hamilton, looking at magazine, newspaper and other internet site comments. Do not crap on the province because it is picking up the same rumblings I get and might be dragging its feet about funding an LRT line. Hamilton can't even get its component community's to pay the same amount for the funding of transit across the built up areas of the city and you want the province to dump up to a Billion dollars into your lap for an LRT line!

You guys really need to start more transit talks like you had yesterday (Thursday Feb. 5, 2015) outside of the downtown and then build up support in the real world, not just on line and in downtown Hamilton. LRT is a good concept and goodness knows here in Ottawa where I live, we fought long and hard to get our O-Train starter line (100% of capital funding was local) and our $2.1 Billion Confederation Line (which we had to pay 33% of the capital costs) from the entrenched BRT(Transitway) people in all levels of our transit system and city management. To be fair, we do have a very successful BRT system so it was a big deal that we got rail funding at all. Ultimately here in Ottawa we developed a hybrid system of BRT lines and LRT lines something that, purists on both sides of the transit technology debate bitterly fought but, seems to be working, so far. Now if we can just get our own PM to stop publicly trashing the city of Ottawa (he loves his Calgary and definitely not Ottawa) we will most likely be ok.